Memories

This stove was the focal point of the home I spent my first 21 years in. My parents bought an old farmhouse in the middle of central Maine over 40 years ago. When they moved in, no one had lived there for ten years. This was in the late 1960s. There was no indoor plumbing of any kind. There was, however, a two-seater outhouse in the barn and a well in the attached shed. Needless to say, plumbing became a priority with three young children and there was soon one bathroom and running water.

However, this stove, along with a wood furnace in the basement, was the only method of heating in the house until I was in high school. In fact, I spent most of my growing up years without running hot water in the warmer months. In the colder months, when the cookstove was being used, there was a water tank attached to the back that allowed for some hot water use. When I was in high school my parents had an oil furnace installed and soon removed the water tank.

Sadly, this stove no longer sits in my parents home.

The third year anniversary of my mom's death is this year. My father has since met someone and is now remarried and living in New Hampshire. He's letting the house go.

I had heard a few weeks ago that my Dad had "sold" the stove to my younger sister's ex-husband. Needless to say none of my siblings and I were pleased with this prospect. A lot of our memories of our mom are tied to this stove. She continued to cook every winter in it. Anyone who ever received a "coffee bread" from my mom - it was cooked in this stove.

After making sure it was okay with all of my siblings, I asked my Dad for the stove. The guy he had sold it to had yet to pay him. So this past weekend, my hubby, FIL, along with myself and my kids headed to my childhood home for the last time to retrieve my mom's stove. And yes, I am paying for it - gladly.

The stove came out of the house in pieces. It was the only time in my life I have ever seen the stove like this.

The stove is in amazing shape. It's now living in a shed at our home until we have a "forever home" for it. We'll cover it in WD-40 to keep it well oiled and free from rust. 

I can't wait to share photos of it once we have a home for it. But that's another whole blog post. Thanks to all of my siblings for trusting to me to take the stove.