Thursday, October 20, 2011

Grandmother Has Landed

Regular readers will remember (or maybe they won't) that our daughter Kathie and her husband Shawn had brought to us, while we were in Carson City, the Grandmother Clock I built 30+ years ago, and that they had been keeping for us.

A Grandmother Clock is just like a Grandfather Clock, except not quite as big.

At any rate, Shawn and Kathie believed that we were ready, nay, more that ready, to have that clock back for our home base in Benson, AZ. So they loaded it into their pickup truck and brought it to us at our RV park.
Shawn had stuff for the dump in his truck also.lGlad he got to us before he went to the dump!
Well, what do you do with a Grandmother Clock in a motorhome? You have to keep her carefully secure so she won't fall over. And, like any other Grandmother, you have to keep her happy so she won't complain too much as you drive.

With Shawn's help, we wrapped Grandmother in comforters, strapped her in with rope, duct tape, and a cable, and let her be. For 2,103 miles, from Carson City through California, back to Nevada, then down to Arizona and New Mexico, finally back to Benson, she rode with us and sang her song, or truly, her songs. Grandmother had her "going home" song, her "Easy Travel" song, and occasionally her "Hang on there, rough road" song.
Wrapping her up like a mummy.
Why did she sing so much? She still had all her chimes intact, although her brain, her clockworks, had stalled years ago.

But now we're home, the motorhome is parked out in front of our lot, and Grandmother is still strapped in. She's not even singing her lonely song, because we have to be moving for her to sing. So we unwrap Grandmother.
Out of the mummy wrap, ready to go in the house
We cleared a space for her inside the park trailer, and recruited our neighbor, Bob, to help us carry her in.
Here's Bob helping Grandmother down the motorhome steps.
Oops, watch that opening door! 
Notice Grandmother has lost her head! Can't carry her with that head attached.
Thanks, Bob! Good job.
Grandmother's head had to be removed for carrying. I guess it should be called a cowl.
Don't know why I'm scowling -- she ain't heavy, she's my grandmother!

Here she is, in her new home. We had to place a few shims so she'd stand upright. She's happy, she's home, she's with her family.
Just a little adjusting needed to get her level and centered!
What's next? Well, she needs new works, and we will get those for her (and our) Christmas present this year. Grandmother will be alive and well again, singing her hourly and daily chiming songs, making us happy that we've brought her home! She'll be a  big part of ... Our Life on Wheels!


16 comments:

  1. Hope Grandmother's surgery goes well and that she is singing for you again soon. She is a lovely old lady and looks right at home.

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  2. So happy she arrived safely -- she looks very contended in her new spot!

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  3. I've been wondering about Grandma. She looks so happy in her new home and pretty soon she'll be singing as good as ever.

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  4. That was quite a journey for Grandmother. Glad she's back home safe and sound!

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  5. I'm glad grandma made it there safely and not end up like Aunt Edna in the movie "Vacation" with Chevy Chase. She also went on a trip with loved ones, but didn't look near as good as grandma.

    I enjoyed this post very much.

    Getting cold up here on the mountain in PA and we hope to get on the road soon.

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  6. You may the first to have a Grandmother clock on an RV!

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  7. I wondered what had happened to Grandmother! Hope she's singing her carols before Christmas. :)

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  8. I am pleased to see that Grandmother is happy in her new home/location. She looks very contented.

    Jerry, does Grandmother actually require new “clockworks” or does she simply need a cleaning?

    John
    connectedtothevinephotography.blogspot.com

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  9. WOW...are you two brave. It is a beautiful clock! I am sure she will appreciate her new inners.
    Enjoy her lovely songs.

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  10. Grandmother is beautiful! I can't believe you traveled with her in a motor home. I'm glad she made it safely. She fits perfectly against that cabinet wall.

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  11. Grandmother is indeed beautiful and seems happy to be in your home. Glad she made the trip safely. I look forward to meeting her in person.

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  12. Great story! Reminds me of the dining room table I had in my home for many years that my father had built some 35 years ago. I think my sister took it when I went on the road.

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  13. She is a real beauty. I'm a clock lover and especially delight in the chimers.
    hugs,
    Pam

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  14. Glad to see Grandmother made it home in one piece! That is a beautiful piece of workmanship and worthy of a place of honor in any home.

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  15. Say, I bet that old Granny could really make time fly if you wanted her to. You got her home just in TIME so to speak:)) TIMELY post of course and it looked like you had to put in a bit of OVERTIME getting her up the steps. Ya ya I know.....it's about TIME I got out of here.

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  16. Looks like "Grandma" had a good trip, "chiming" in whenever she felt like it. It looked like you two were smuggling "King Tut" back to your home!! Hey, at least you didn't have to feed her along the way! She is a beautiful old gal, standing straight and tall in your house...a treasure for sure.

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