"The Happy News Lady": The Infamous Grainery

Saturday, September 6, 2008

The Infamous Grainery

The infamous Grainery is a smaller square building at the old family farm. There is a basement that was used for many years as a Tobacco Stripping area. That means we used to strip each individual leaf off a tobacco plant stalk. Long tedious work. Dad would build a fire and stand for hours only to get several thousand dollars at the end of a long hard working year. That was the way of the old American Tobacco farms in Wisconsin. Just in case my family reads this someday I will tell you I wasn't so good at the long hard labor part of it. We moved from big city Austin Texas to little awful farm with bugs and no bathroom when I was a teen. So rebellion was my middle name. So enough of that for now. Back to the infamous Grainery that houses itself just outside the main house and fifteen feet from the main house garage. It has a nice white coat of paint on it and no broken windows. A solid floor, solid roof with no leaks and a new door that looks like it may have come from a church. And since the farm no longer raises tobacco it sat empty for many years besides Daniel (my eldest son's) car parts and old tires.....and Grandpa's two by fours, paints, old barn windows, solid wood doors, and fertilizers. Then one day I discovered it in all its un-glory. Anything I had left over went under its roof. Christmas decorations, Easter, Halloween, Winter clothes in Summer and vice verse. Beds the kids outgrew, old family albums, bins of all five's school

work and self portraits from Junior High. Their tech ed projects, my projects, toys, their first blankee's and stuffed animals. First dolls. Special clothes like Harley Leather Jacket and H.S. Footballs, and baseball bats from little league and boys little tin boxes with special prom boutaneers (sp)and girlfriend love letters. Canoe racing awards, ski's, snowboards, an old rocking chair, a new one. Family photos from years gone by never to be seen again except in the infamous grainery. Clothes I will never get into again but wont admit it! Plaques and gold statues from winning awards in the days of youthful vibrant sales. The Grainery is like one of those grand Grannie attics. Today I suggested to the old folks that we fix her up. We put some insulation and dry wall up....repair the chimney, sand the rustic wood floors, add a few plugs, paint and move on in. What a great place to rent out or have on hand should a family member be in need for whatever reason. Then we could move onto the barn and turn it into a novelty gift shop. That wont work, my Mother is a junk shop lover. Oh God! Forget the whole thing and leave it as is. The Infamous Grainery full of my life treasures. By the way I am not old, the Grainery is!Oh Crap I forgot there is not toilet in there, but the old outhouse stands right next to it with Sears Catalog sitting there just in case.