We went back down to the farm last Saturday to get more stuff cleaned out of the old house. Very, very depressing. There had been a box of Grandma’s papers underneath the chaise lounge (photos of that to come after I get the raccoon poop cleaned off of it), and all that was salvageable was a half dozen postcards from the 1910s. But I found something else that I was hoping to find, and it’s in remarkably good condition, considering where it’s been for almost 50 years.

Here’s another quiz. What do you think this is?

Here it is with the cover taken off.

You would guess right away if it had the crank and speaker on it, but they’re in rubbermaid containers yet.

Yup, it’s an old phonograph, and it plays cylinder records. I haven’t found any of those yet.

We used to play with this when I was little, and I vaguely remember listening to a recording of Thomas Edison.

Cute pet photos, my babies sleeping in a suitcase,

Oh, I wish I could sleep as soundly as these little guys.