"Daddy What's a swan?"

I guess I'll never forget the time little Nina and Ben ran into the workshop to ask me that. Why has it really been 45 years now? They were just little tykes, Nina was 5 and Ben only 3. They used to come up with the oddest questions. I started to describe a rather large white bird to them, but something in their eyes, made me stop.

"Why do you ask?" I in turn asked them? "Well Momma was talking to Gramma on the phone, and we kept hearing her say 'Well I swan child!' over the phone. We just wondered what a swan was!" After I explained what Gramma, my Mother, had meant, they got all excited and ran out of the workshop to play. For the rest of that afternoon, whenever one of them found an interesting old coin or leaf, the other would shout "Well I swan child, what have you found?"

Oh! Please forgive my bad manners and allow me to introduce myself. My name is George, and I am the fifth descendent of my family to own this old house. My Great, Great, Grandfather Steven, bought the house many years ago.

To read the journals, it must have been a pretty plain house in those bygone days. Bare minimum kitchen, office and workshop. No pool, or patio furniture. Why, pretty much not any of the luxuries we enjoy here today. When I took over the house, I inherited a rather large sum of money as well. At first, I wasn't sure if I should spend it, or let it continue growing for future generations.

At first, I spent my time just walking around the old place, and remembering when Agnes and I were growing up here. The old sandbox was just like when we were kids. I cleaned it up a bit, and looked around for that magic red ball that we played with, but couldn't find it anywhere.

There were a lot of weeds in the yard, but I called the store and ordered a weed bomb to dispose of them. I cleaned up the trash on the floor, and walked around picking up a bunch of loose socks. You know, in reading back through the journals, it seems that loose socks have always been a problem for our family. Nobody seems to know exactly where they come from, but we stick 'em in the laundry basket and when we find a mated pair put them in the dresser with the other clean clothes.

I don't get out much, but did join one of those internet forums where you can talk to other people. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Nancy, whom I had met at Isola University, was also on the site! We had become close friends at college. Then Dad died and for awhile I was busy in my apprenticeship and coming over on weekends to help Mom. Agnes married Bill, and when Mom decided the house was too much for her, she decided to move to The Guiding Hand retirement home.

Anyway, I had lost touch with Nancy, so it was a real treat to see her on the web. When she asked if I would like to marry her, I said YES! She showed up the next day, and we danced all night! I must admit, that We were both a little shocked, but at the same time tickled pink, when a few days later we learned little Nina was on her way!

I rushed around making sure the beds were ready; cleaning and repairing the old toys; and generally making sure the place was ready for our new arrival! Well, that's the way I remember it anyway. Nancy swears I just walked around in a daze with a goofy grin plastered on my face!

During the time Nancy was pregnant, and then nursing, she spent a lot of time browsing through the magazines and catalogues we got. We talked about some of the stuff she was interested in, and finally agreed it was time to do a complete remodel.

Nancy did a remarkable job of choosing new appliances for the kitchen. She took a long time trying to decide on a color scheme, but settled on red. A new refrigerator and stove topped off the remodel in that room.

I spent a lot time browsing the internet, looking for just the right tools to put in the workshop. Oh don't worry, I kept all those beautiful old tools that have been in the family for generations. Sometimes, when I'm just fooling around, I'll pick up one of those old chisels, and just feel how well all the years of use make it feel so natural in my hand. Now don't get me wrong, I love the new lathe, and wouldn't go back to turning wood by hand for anything! Still, sometimes just holding those old tools…well you know what I mean.

Now as for the office, we let my sister Agnes, who is in IT, come over and make those decisions. She chose some nifty new computers, and a new fax machine and printer for the desk. New chairs, and a coat of paint, did a lot for the ambience, in the room. I'm not much of an office person myself, but I think she did us right.

I went out for a stroll in the yard the other day, and stumbled on a rare collectible. It turned out to be the last piece of the picture that my family has been trying to reassemble ever since Grandpa Steven bought the place way back in '09. Quite a nifty collection we have assembled down through the generations. Every once in awhile, somebody will come over and offer to buy them. As far as I know, we've never sold any, just keep saving them for the families pleasure.

Well I swan! I hear somebody at the door. Must be Nina and the grandbabies coming over. Ben and his new wife will be here soon also. They are all coming over for the celebration this evening. Nancy and I have been married 50 years today!
Ben said something about a barbecue! Me? I just want to sit on the patio with Nancy, and bounce grand babies on my knee!

You know, I worry about this old place and what will happen to it after I'm gone. Nina and her hubby took over his parents place when they married. Ben and his new wife have a spiffy apartment in the heart of the city, so I don't know if they'll move in or not. Well, I guess I'll leave all that to the guiding hand to decide. Right now I've gotta go answer the door.

The end

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