Papa's Repurposed Toolbox

Papa, my stepfather, was an accomplished carpenter.  His father was a caretaker at the DuPont Estate on Fisher's Island, NY.  Papa used to follow his father around and he picked up a lot.  He built the home his mother retired to on the Connecticut mainland.  Although he was a psychologist and an Episcopal priest, Papa could build anything; furniture, decks, plant stand wishing wells for the front yard, and fences with cut outs for hanging plants. As far as I know, he never used directions.

I repurposed Papa's tool box to hold kitchen things.  The tool box was originally Pop's (my grandfather and his father-in-law's), so it holds a great deal of history for me.  My Pop started out life in the coal mines of Wilkes-Barre, Pensylvania when he was a small boy.  Children used to work in the mines because their short stature and small hands were good for many tasks.  He went on to be a school principal and a math text book author.  My Pop used to dance by standing us on his feet, holding our little hands, and sailing around the room whistling "Tea for Two" from his back teeth.

I'm so glad I have this tool box