Gold Under Dust

We found these old-style Christmas lights covered in a thick layer of dust in Abby's late father's unused work barn.
We found these old-style Christmas lights covered in a thick layer of dust in Abby’s late father’s unused work barn.
Ethel holds some steel shot we found in an old desk.
Ethel holds some steel shot we found in an old desk.

Abby and I visited her hometown, Ryan, Oklahoma, yesterday. As is our happy habit, we brought Chinese food to her father’s widow Ethel.

At one point, Ethel asked me to climb into the loft of the old barn to look for kittens she thought might be up there, since her cat was pregnant and now isn’t. We didn’t find any, but the process led us to yet another piece of nostalgia for Abby, a bench/desk that was probably in her family for four generations. We cleaned it up a bit and brought it home.

This is the bench we brought home; mounted on its left side is a very heavy vice.
This is the bench we brought home; mounted on its left side is a very heavy vice.

As we poked around looking at other stuff that Abby’s father had collected, we came across interesting archaica, everything from industrial drill bits to copped jackets for .38 Special bullets.

As afternoon wore on, Abby’s sister Gail arrived, and while the ladies chatted about family affairs, I snuck off and napped in the living room recliner.

Ethel seems more glad and more moved to see us every time we come.

Abby and Ethel prowl though the old work barn.
Abby and Ethel prowl though the old work barn.