Shortly after Madeline and I married we went to WF & JF Barnes Lumber Company and purchased this little cedar chest. It has made most of our moves during the past 51 plus years.

Then on our first anniversary I bought her a new Singer Sewing Machine in a nice wood cabinet. It was purchased at the Singer Store on the lower level at Highland Mall in Austin. That was a brand new mall at that time. (I read a few days ago that it’s been shut down completely now)

On one move, up to Waxahachie in about 1991 after 20 years of marriage, we loaded up our belongings in a big UHaul Truck and several trailers. I so carefully loaded the cedar chest and then straddled the sewing machine cabinet over the top. Perfect fit. It was so snug the way it fit that it would ride the distance without even having to secure the chest. It was going nowhere.

Only when we started to unpack did I realized that the inch or so clearance between the bottom of the sewing machine cabinet and the top of the cedar chest wasn’t enough to offset the bouncing around that took place on the 200 mile journey.

The bolts protruding down slightly from the bottom of the cabinet had gouged holes all over each end of the top of the chest.

I thought I was probably in trouble the minute I saw it. Okay, I knew I was in trouble, because she had warned me about padding and securing everything as we packed up. Yes, there had been other moving casualties in out past.

A friend was able to laminate a new piece of wood to the top and stain it to match fairly well, at least in my thinking.

I guess she is alright with it. It is at the end of the bed. But it being so prominently displayed may be her way of remembering to never let me be in charge of moving her furniture.

Of which I’m fine with.