Memories

1. mem·o·ry   something remembered from the past; a recollection

It's hard to watch the old house that Bruce and his sisters grew up in, slowly deteriorate but it's also a  hard decision to tear it down since no one will ever live in it again. It was the house with a neat, white picket fence and filled with memories.

With the flowers that Mama took such pride in.

Where father and son showed off their abundant catch.

Where mother and son have heart to heart talks.

Where naps were required after a large meal, Bruce with his head under the pillow, Big Foof and John R. in the recliners.

Where holidays were celebrated, if I remember right, Jean sent this bouquet of roses for Valentine's Day. Since it was cooler out on the porch, they left the flowers out there and would go to visit them every so often!

15 years have passed since Leo died and the house sits empty, Carol wanted the kitchen cabinets for her craft room and Bruce has replaced some windows at the MN cabin with windows out of the house. One big thing left in the house was the pool table and we finally found a home for it in WI, Bruce's cousin, Dennis' son, Brad wanted it.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Dennis and Brad made the 5 hour drive, arriving in time for a country dinner of beef roast with potatoes and gravy, carrots, lime salad and almost fresh rolls warmed in the oven. Then it was off to the house to take apart the pool table with the directions Dennis printed out, 'How to Take Apart a Pool Table in 10 Easy Steps.' 

With the help of two DeWalt drills it went surprisingly well. 

With the bumpers removed, it shows the original color of the felt. Brad made the good decision to have the table re-felted, years of neglect, an invasion of Asian Lady Beetles, and few stupid birds who somehow got in the room and pooped all over the table, made it pretty tacky.

The dogs love an outing, especially if it means exploring the house and they charge upstairs to check out the empty rooms where childrens voices used to echo.

And back down....first Murphy....

....then Mollie.

The decision is being made to sacrifice the felt....

....and under the felt is the precious and extremely heavy slate sections....

.....that are carefully carried out to the pickup and nestled between layers of foam rubber to cushion the ride back to WI.

They were down to the skeleton!

And, after some careful measuring, they decided it could travel un-assembled, standing over the slate sections and securely tied down to the bed of the pickup.

The trio, back at our house, stopping long enough to get a soda for the road, and they were off with the precious cargo.

It was bittersweet memories of pool tournaments on school snow days along with cooking over the fireplace in the pool room and hot chocolate. But now Brad will make his own memories with the pool table and family and friends.

Bruce, too, was off, to the field, discing bean stubble in the first step toward planting season.

Since I had the camera, I'd always wanted to take these pictures, like mother.....

.....like daughter. The little frizzle pullet that was hatched last fall, now she is laying a teeny, tiny egg and it's so cute!!

It was a beautiful day, sweatshirt weather so the dogs and I went to the pond to check out the bees and the beavers, both of which are alive and well but that is another story for another day.

I'll keep you posted.