This is my latest find, not sure if it will be considered a great one.  I have always wanted a cedar hope chest, and I have a friend who goes to auctions every week.   She has been keeping an eye out for about 6 months, trying to find one that is in good condition and not more than my planned budget of $200.  Last week she called and told me she had bought one for me, its 52 inches long, and 18 inches deep, and has very small casters so it is easy to move.  I don't see any name on it, it is plain but does not need any work, and it was only $130.  I am very pleased with this find!! 

I come from a very large family and there are very few things that made its way to my generation.  Several weeks ago my oldest sister called and asked if I wanted one of Grandmama's old dressers.  Of course I got in the truck and picked it up before she changed her mind.  The dresser has a big round mirror and only 2 large drawers, one of which was broken, and her husband put very large casters on it—-why I can't figure out.  But Hubby fixed the drawer and it now is in my bedroom.  Grandmama had a lot of beautiful furniture, but almost all of it went to a cousin.  My mother's parents died when she was young, so we don't have anything from that side of the family, but her oldest sister showed me a dress that their mother made her when she was a baby, it was all hand stiched and she had it framed in a shadowbox.  I cried when I saw it, I don't think my mama even knew it exsisted.  This is one of the reasons I don't throw anything away, maybe one day my boys will have children and they will have some of the things that I made to pass to their children.  I kept a lot of my sister's hand made crafts, quilts, pillowcases and jewelry for Girlie (her granddaughter that lives with me).  She will appreciate these as she gets older.  Sorry for the ramble, but the replies about cedar chests got me started. 

My brother recently called me and asked if I wanted my grandfathers desk …. of course I said yes, but we are having problems getting it here.  They live in Saskatoon and I live on the island so we are trying different shipping options.  They thought they had something that would have had it to me in January but no such luck.

Anyway, this is the desk that my grandfather used in his office when he was a telegraph operator in northern Alberta in the 1910 – 1920 years.  It huge and heavy and I have no idea where it will go, but of course I want to have it.

My mom passed when I was 19 and my dad when I was 22, all my grandparents had passed by then too, so I have often felt a bit alone in the world (although I do have 6 siblings), the desk will be nice to have for a memory.