Memory Medley
By Rhiannonw
- 2174 reads
My parents bought the cabinet about 60 years ago to house an encyclopaedia. (I’m not sure how much those tomes were used, but in the days long before wikipedia and internet searches, it probably did get quite a bit of use).
We have had the cupboard since my mother died. What does it house behind its glass doors that stick a bit?
Part of a collection of birds bought month by month with a magazine about 30 years ago. (Now this had seemed recent, quite a shock to work that out!)
There’s a carved sycamore leaf and a chain, and some polished stones (one, I think is really a piece of coal!) from my father’s delight to get relief from his office civil service job. A small (slate?) dagger model may be his work too. The cowbell possibly came from my parents’s last holiday to Austria.
Then there’s a metal toasting fork made by my husband in school metalwork classes in his teens, and some card geometric shapes made in his early teaching career. (apparently a Truncated cube, Small stellated dodecahedron, Deltahedron [with the indented faces] …)
One son’s teenage etching of Castell Coch on a little hand-mirror as a gift, and carved candlestick; a small pottery head and dish from another son’s teenage hobby. What I think is the jawbone of a fish or baby shark was probably a gift brought back by my daughter from a school trip about 40 years ago. A piece of crossstich saying ‘Mother’.
There are some wooden dishes with cutlery bearing carved animals on their handles (monkey covering its ears, monkey covering its mouth, hippos, elephant) from friends returning from Kenya. Also a heavy egg-shaped pebble with the map of the world etched on it might have come from there by them. My daughter when she went to Portugal a few years ago brought back some lace covered coasters, probably not expensive but delicate to use and the glass a bit sharp-edged, so enjoyed to see in here.
Some trinkets kept from collections of my in-laws, including a little wooden apple which opens to reveal a shaking beetle – this is a great favourite with my little granddaughters. And I think a gift given to my father-in-law of a jigsaw wooden cup and saucer, which we’d rather not take apart, and a long baton, probably of conjuror, not conductor.
There’s a slice of flint, a heavy wooden paperweight cross section of a branch with carving (purchased by someone), some cowrie shells – one quite large, one smaller, and a coaster made of little ones (the thread holding them together has started to break – little fingers?), 2 fob watches, a tile of a highland cow, from our holiday in Scotland just 13 years ago just before our caring duties started. On top is a driftwood ‘ornament’ made by my brother-in-law-in-law.
… and there is much more, and more in one or two other cupboards. One day we’ll probably need to down-size …!
[IP: pick a piece of furniture (real or imaginary) and make that the focal point of your writing.]
- Log in to post comments
Comments
So many stories in your
So many stories in your cabinet/cupboard, Rhiannon. Mementos and memories. I like the way every item has special meaning. Enjoyed. Paul
- Log in to post comments
It sounds like you have
It sounds like you have collected many memories in your cabinet. It's always sad when you have to downsize and get rid of personal items. This happened to me just before the covid epidemic broke out, we had many trips to the charity shop, it's so hard to part with certain items, you just have to hope that they'll be looked after by someone else.
I enjoyed reading about your memory cabinet Rhiannon.
Jenny.
- Log in to post comments
What a wonderful collection
What a wonderful collection of memories you have Rhiannon! Thank you for the tour round your very beautiful cupboard - it looks a bit like a Welsh dresser
I hope you noticed - we're having another virtual reading event on April 1st. I hope you can make it this time - details on the front page
- Log in to post comments
All family treasures with
All family treasures with much meaning, Rhiannon and prompts for so many memories and stories. That was an interesting dive into your cupboard. I'd forgotten all about those little wooden fruits with a moving beetle inside.
- Log in to post comments
Enjoyed reading about all
Enjoyed reading about all your curiosities :0) There is something similar in the house where I grew up, a wasp nest the size of a tennis ball, dolls in various national dress my Dad bought from airports, some a bit chipped inherited china ornaments covered in bright china flowers, a sea urchin shell... All completely unconnected except they were too fragile to be left out of the glass door protection. I used to wonder what the dolls made of it all, if they came alive in the night .
I love that you have a conjuror's wand, that must spark lots of imagination :0)
- Log in to post comments
Very poinant and enjoyable.
Very poignant and enjoyable. Thanks for posting.
- Log in to post comments
HI Rhiannon
HI Rhiannon
I enjoyed reading about your treasure trove. It's nice that you can remember the history of each.
- Log in to post comments
This is a real delight,
This is a real delight, Rhiannon. So much life and love in there. As insert says, it would be a treat to hear you read this at the event on 1 April!
- Log in to post comments
We have a house full of
We have a house full of memories and although I enjoyed reading this I couldn't help my mind wandering to objects and pieces of furniture that make up the many years of our lives. Thank you for stirring the muddied waters of my mind and sending me on a virtural tour around my own home.
- Log in to post comments
Hi Rhiannon,
Hi Rhiannon,
This is a lovely ollapodrida of things that evoke memories in you. It was quite delightful to go through the assortment of things !!!
hilary
- Log in to post comments