LATE HUSBAND, RALPH, VERY TALENTED

July 14, 2015

By Olivene Godfrey

Barry cleaned our butcher block kitchen work island this past weekend.  It's about 30 years old and we think it looks better now than when my late husband, Ralph, built it.  Barry cleaned it with murphys soap and polished it with orange oil.  It gives the appearance of being much older than it is.

When we moved here about 40 years ago, there wasn't enough counter space to prepare food, such as biscuits.  We liked our large kitchen and adjoining dining room.  I used to eat lunch at the island.  We have four tall stools for the island.  Since I'm older and more feeble now, I don't sit on the stools any more.  I'm afraid I might lose my balance and fall to the floor, heaven forbid!

About 30 years ago, I asked Ralph if he would build us a work island for the kitchen.  He could do almost anything if he set his mind to do it.  In his spare time he bought building supplies and was soon carefully constructing the work island.  It was shortly before Christmas and we agreed it would be my gift that year.  It was about the best gift I ever received.

We here in northwest Georgia's mountain country are having a heatwave.  Barry tells me countries all over the world are experiencing unusually high temperatures.  Our trusty air conditioner is keeping our house cool and pleasant.  Barry's work shop doesn't have air conditioning and he suffers from the heat.  We think we know why the whole world is hotter now.  What do you think?

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam.)