A Chair Full Of Hugs

Escapades in the barn led to a wonderful gift for Dad.

- Judy Harnden Hoffmann

The seemingly inaccessible loft in our barn held many treasures. A metal bed frame, old pots, dusty barrels and baskets, all sorts of good junk that three sisters between 6 and 10 years old could play with.

But my sisters and I puzzled over how to get up there, until one morning, climbing the big open stairs to the haymow, I figured it out. I climbed onto the top of a heavy door next to the stairs, balanced on top, and swung into the loft. Janice and Debbie followed my lead.

We discovered the loft’s treasures were covered with pigeon droppings and dust. But the greatest find of all was the rocking chair. It was huge, made of heavy, thick, dark oak. The seat was covered with some ratty ripped fabric over rusty broken springs. We decided to clean the loft and make it our fort. And we’d get a pillow and some fabric from Mom for the seat on the chair.