What’s the oldest thing you own that you still use daily?

I am the oldest kid, oldest daughter, oldest grand child and great grand child. I took my role as oldest seriously. I’ve been bossing my sister and a bunch of cousins for about 56 years. (There were three years all to myself, feet rarely touching the floor, spoiled beyond belief by my teenage aunts and uncles).

Because I am the oldest, the older I become there is always the question, “Honey, do you want this when I die?” I have always said, “not one thing, I would still want you.”

I have had a lot of antiques in my life, some were family pieces, some were given by friends, some on the side of the road.

Right now though, the oldest thing is a chest of drawers that are about 150 years old. It belonged to a great-great aunt and when she passed, one of my great aunts had it for years. When I moved to Texas, I was short some furniture (divorce) so my aunts and grandmother helped out and I got the chest of drawers. My son used it, then my daughter, now me.

The story of the chest is this.

My great great Aunt was a pistol!

She was my great grandmothers younger sister by just like a year. For the first few years of my great grandmothers marriage, she lived with them.

There is a story about my great grandmother and her sister going to pick up my great grandfather at the glass blowing factory. It was about 1920, and they drove up as all the men were coming out and my great great aunt got out of the car, my great grandfather got in and she started to walk away and in his thick French accent, he said, “ Lena, get back in the car, this is not the place for you!” She turned and smiled, and said with a wink, “Oh, I’ll get a ride back, don’t worry, see you later!” And that was how she met her first husband. He didn’t take though. The 2nd husband, he was a keeper. He was in love with her, completely.

They were my mother’s godparents. He passed when I was 2 years old. She passed when I was 30. She never had children, but my great grandmother had 9, her sister helped deliver all but the last one. He was born at the hospital.

The chest of drawers was the only thing her husband had of his family. He was born in St. Louis, MO. but as a child, his parents died. He had an older brother, but he was sent to a workhouse. My great-great uncle was sent to a military school, but I’ve heard it was a cross between a military academy, reform school, and orphanage. It was in St. James, MO. When he turned 18 they kicked him out. There was only 1 thing that belong to him, it was a chest of drawers in the basement. To my knowledge he never found his brother. This was in the late 1800s. I imagine it was near impossible, especially if your name was Smith.

Now the chest of drawers sits in my room, holding scarves, belts, socks, and the like. But, in the very bottom drawer, there is wrapping paper, batteries, flashlights, extra tape, scissors, some candles, and memories.

I like it a lot. It matches Nothing! It’s scarred, some decorative pieces on the feet are gone, the drawers stick, it’s bulky and heavy; but aren’t we all?