chuckography

I came across a photo I actually did not remember taking back when I was moving to Jefferson City, Missouri.

In the late seventies, I had just been named the Director of Tourism for the state of Missouri and needed to move my family to the Capital.

With me would be my wife Sandy, our daughter Heather and our big, white, mixed-breed dog named CCASH*.

(*His name was the first initials of our family: Chuck, Chris (my son),  Amy (my older daughter), Sandy and Heather,)

My new job came with a substantial raise in pay and I realized prices were better there than in Kansas City, so four potential homes for the Boyds were examined by me.

I planned to fly Sandy in for - hopefully - her selection and approval.

I made sure the 2-story I liked best was first on the list for showing by my real estate rep and he alerted the owner, an elderly lady when we would come by and she went to stay with her son during our morning visit.

The realtor had baked some cookies in the oven so the house had a nice, pleasing aroma.  I placed a vodka tonic in the fridge to have something familiar in the house and had selected tapes of music I knew Sandy liked to be playing in the background as we toured.

We pulled up at the curb, Sandy got out and said: "I love it, we'll take it!" 

Pleasantly surprised by her quick acceptance, we then quickly went inside for the actual tour.

Well, that was easy. 

We had lunch with the happy realtor and I found it was not quite a done deal yet. One more step was needed before I flew Sandy back home to KC.

The realtor said the owner wanted to meet me to make sure her house would be in good hands.

I took Heather along that afternoon to meet the lady who had lived in that house for nearly 60 years.

It was near the holidays and she proudly showed off a wooden Christmas tree from Germany that was older than she. 

The rising heat from candles turned a paddle wheel at the top and the tree slowly revolved after she asked me to light the candles.

Heather charmed her of course so she agreed that we were a family she wanted in "her" house.

We bought some of her furniture at a good price including a huge mahogany china cabinet, a long dining room table with 8 chairs and several beds with carved headboards and several ornate dressers. 

She kept the beautiful grand piano that was in the living room and it was hauled away a few days after we closed on the deal. I saw deep ruts across the lawn and knew it was gone. Well, it DID take up a lot of space.

I may have posted photos of the stately house before.

And even some shots of the replica dollhouse I built for Heather when she was 9 years old. 

But the photo of the Christmas tree I just found.

I am so glad I had taken a view of it with the owner and my younger daughter.

I went online and could not find one even close to it.

The large, unique "tree" left with the owner. And, I guess that was a good move.

So many moving, lighted candles in that beautiful WOODEN house would have made me nervous.


(Click on the photos and links,  for more details.)

I know it's a little early for Christmas stories.

But, I wonder how many people have seen one of these rotating holiday gems?

As I said, I Googled online but did not find any this tall and this grand.

And, as potentially dangerous with lighted candles!



I really loved that striking home in the middle of Missouri.

And, so did my cat.

Especially lounging around in the dollhouse copy that I had created.