As we’ve been working on my dream house for the last ten years, I’ve been slowly picking things up at garage sales and auctions to use in it.
One of my favorite things to buy are wooden rockers. I love everything about old rockers- how they look, the feel of the wood smoothed by years of use, the memories each rocker holds.
Someday I would love to rescue old rockers, fix them up and sell them to other rocking chair enthusiasts- I’d call my business “Off My Rocker”!
But I digress…
A few summers ago I picked up a beautiful oak rocker at a garage sale, really cheap. We somehow got it in the mini van and brought it home, where it sat in the pole barn waiting for the new house.
A few weeks ago I dug it out, polished it up, felted the rockers and sat it in my sun room. It was beautiful!
Until some one sat down in it- whoops- it flew them backwards- almost tipping them over!
I had brought home a preacher dumper.
Now you’re probably asking “What in the world is a preacher dumper?” (Unless your my mom – who is laughing at this point!)
Years ago my grandpa and grandpa had a rocking chair that tended to tip over if you leaned too far back. We all knew its tendency and sat in it with caution.
One evening their pastor came over on a friendly pastoral call. I’m sure he enjoyed a cup of tea and one of grandma’s oatmeal raisin cookies before settling down in what we all knew was the tipsy rocker.
He was a slightly rotund man who liked to talk. He sat down in that chair, took a deep breath and leaned way back - fixing to wax eloquent when- whoops- he was dumped unceremoniously on the floor!
I never did find out what happened after that because every time my grandpa started to tell the story he would get to laughing. Even Grandma, who was quite embarrassed about the incident, would chuckle.
And so, in my family, all rocking chairs that tip over when you lean too far back are henceforth and forever called “preacher dumpers”!
So now is anybody interested in a beautiful oak rocker? I’ll sell it cheap…it’s a great way to get rid of pesky callers!
Yes. both papa & I are laughing! Also trying to remember who bought that rocking chair on the sale.
Haha;) That’s very funny!
I bet my dad has been dumped a time or two;)!