The old cot hopes you enjoyed his gossip about the family he comforted for nearly a century. Please keep in mind he is very old so sometimes got facts, people and places mixed up.

The author's siblings have read the story and commented, "That's not the way it happened," or "That never happened"! They have smiled then forgiven the elaborations made by the cot. Maybe they will decide to help him with their versions of what it was like to live on a Kansas farm in the 30's, a life so different from what our grandchildren are experiencing.

Beware! There might be an inanimate object in your life that hears and sees all and is willing to gossip about it.

The author's professional life was in education. Many years were spent teaching in kindergarten and primary grades. She also was an educational training specialist and director of a teacher center.

Although she lived in several states and traveled widely, the place most dear to her heart was the Kansas farm home. The story was originally written so that her grandchildren could learn more about the history of their family and better understand what living was like on a farm when she was a child.