Gelkote

I live in a house that’s over a hundred years old. It’s older than me by about a factor of 3x. It has been around for the invention of television, the Great Depression and the Holocaust. It always needs work and it’s drafty in the Winter but I like it. It has character and it has soul. The longer I’m on this earth, the more I learn to appreciate heritage. I’m a long way from being a historian. Details are not my strong suite. Our newer, faster and bigger culture is turning us into plastic crap mall house lemmings.

Original Family of the House – Date Unknown

I have been in my house for two years but I still don’t have a place for my stuff. A place to write, both code and literature. A place for bills and to do lists. A place for my books, knickknacks and electronic gadgets. Heck, a place to hang a calendar! That all changed yesterday with the arrival of my new/old rolltop desk thanks to ebay and a kind person around Canton, OH whose wife just about killed him for selling the desk. I never knew a desk could make me so happy! It has cubbies and drawers galore for all my stuff. It cost the same as a desk from Ikea but it has character, soul and patina. The tambour needs some work but I still love my desk.  There is an almost identical desk on ebay just North of Toledo.  It has about 3 day and is sitting at $99 so giddy up.

Rolltop Desk – August 27th 2008

Along the same lines of enjoyment is the stamp I found at the Glen Dale Drive-In flea market a few weeks ago.  It was only $2!  I can’t think of any plastic made in China trinket that could bring me as much joy and intrigue.  I suspect it was used to create stationary for a locker company but that’s only an off the wall guess.   Who knows?

Vintage Stamp from the Glen Dale, WV Flea Market – Purchased August 17th

Keeping with the old has character theme, there is an upcoming documentary called Draplin Project by Jess Gibson. It features Aaron James Draplin. His passion is amazing and I can’t wait for the documentary. Here’s a sample from Vimeo.

America Is F*cked…….(Graphically at least) from Jess Gibson on Vimeo.

Wrapping up this Clump O’ Nuggets episode vintage style are two historical icons that have died recently no thanks to big business. I’m not going to paraphrase their history as there are sites on the Internet that do it much better, Google it. The first is the majestic SS Norway who died a slow rotting death off the India coast before being scrapped. The second is the 119 year old Geagua Lake amusement park in Aurora, Ohio near Cleveland who closed abruptly last fall only to be auctioned off this summer. Some suspect it was the result of it’s parent company clearing a competition for it’s larger Cedar Point but we’ll never know. You can check out the memories, sorrow and speculation at an awesome website called Geauga Lake Today. It’s all sad, painful and simply amazing. 

I’m planning a trip to Jeffrey’s this weekend to poke around for old pictures and an old lamp for my desk if anyone is curious and would like to join. It will only be for a few hours. Look me up.