The Rocking Chair

Most kids will have similar memories to this. Visiting your grandparents meant stepping into a home where the furniture rarely changed and there was a familiar sense of hominess. I had a similar childhood.

Visiting Grammie & Grandad meant feeling the warmth of the stove in the front room. It meant hearing the tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock GONG from the clock. It meant looking at the photos proudly displayed on the buffet inside the front door. And, it usually meant Grandad would be relaxing in his favourite rocking chair.

For many years, I never sat in that chair because it was Grandad's chair. After he passed away, Grammie would often sit in it but occasionally, I had the chance to sink into it's soft cushion and be wrapped in it's comfort. I loved that chair.

This is the only photo I can find of the chair previously.

I loved that chair so much that Grammie promised that one day I could have it. And she followed through on her word when she sold her house and moved into an apartment. By that time, the chair was in pretty rough condition. The wood was nicked and scratched, the upholstery had seen better days and it needed a good clean. It also needed a bit of a tune up as it was a bit rickety. But, I had a vision.

Now, just because you have a vision doesn't mean you are motivated to complete the vision immediately! I didn't have the skills nor the money to complete the project so it sat in my garage for quite a while. After a time, it made it's way to my dad's shop where he squared up the frame so it was good and solid. He also gave it a coat of white paint at my request. It stayed in that shop for quite a while.

During this time, Grammie would occasionally ask "did you get that chair done?" She wasn't prodding but she was pleased that I wanted to breath new life into it and was anxious to see the final product. Each time I would have to report "no, I haven't gotten around to it."

We got married three years ago and Grammie made it a goal to attend the wedding. We were elated that she accomplished that goal considering it was a very early morning for her and a bit complicated to get there via special transportation and with one of her workers from the nursing home. She was beaming. She was so happy that I now had a husband AND a family.

She asked me what I would like for a wedding gift as she wanted to get us something special. My response was that her attending the wedding was the only gift I needed. But, of course, that didn't sit well with her. She wanted to give us something. I thought about it and I had an idea. I suggested she give us some money towards upholstering the rocking chair. We both thought that was a great idea.

Grammie passed away five months after we got married and sadly, she never got to see the chair completed. The chair now sits in our livingroom and is beautifully restored. Special thanks to Rene at Frantic Upholstery for creatively recreating this chair. The new colour and fabric blends in nicely with our furniture but it's a wonderful reminder of past visits to see Grammie & Grandad. I know they would both love to see the chair enjoying a new lease on life.