the chair

red chair
Originally uploaded by redbat.

My grandparents' kitchen was filled with all sorts of goodies and fun items we didn't have at home. My favorite cereal was on hand (Frosted Mini-Wheats!), dessert was usually cooling on the counter (chocolate crazy cake!) and something yummy was always cooking in the oven. They had what I thought was the King of all dishwashers, too. It had wheels so you could move it around the room and it hooked up to the sink faucet with a big hose—quite unlike our boring one at home that just sat motionless under the counter.

My favorite item, though, was the step-stool/chair that sat near the kitchen doorway (and still does!). It was my seat at the dinner table and when I'd watch Grammy making dinner or cleaning up afterward—and it always seemed built just for me.

With all the retro-themed items popping up in stores lately, I wasn't too surprised to see a remade version of that same chair at BiMart. I kept my eye on it but could never bring myself to spend $45 on something I didn't really need.

It may sound silly, but the day after Grammy died, I cried my way over to BiMart and I bought that chair—a small but heartfelt tribute to her. It's not quite the same style as the old one and it's certainly not as well made (what is these days?), but it's perfect in my opinion. It sits in my office, bright red and shiny, and although it's painful, it makes me think of her.

All the time.