it was the best xmas gift ever.

So, I'm sitting on the denim slipcovered sofa in my mother's house when my step-dad (Dave) picks up a smallish wrapped box and sets it gently in my lap.
I say gently, but I'm not sure that it can be used accurately describe the pure heft of the box (which was, as I said "smallish").

Of course I knew it could contain only one of two things
1) Gold Bricks
2) Lead.

Guess which one I was more excited about?

Sure enough the box contained what appears to be two typefaces, 24pt, and various other bits and pieces.

The strange part; it came out of the garage. My Dad had acquired it, at some point, to melt down for potentially nefarious purposes. My mother stepped in and stopped him from committing this crime against type.

Nearly 20 years later, and it is my legacy, along with a handful of various woodtype characters that came from... the garage.

I told her – "You find a letterpress in there, you let me know."

Here I am beginning to sort it, in a slide box, at the craft retreat. (Photos by Rachel.)

Oh, btw, taking a box of lead type through airport security is a hoot and a half.