Childhood Singer memories and my new love

I popped in to see my dad yesterday at his new place with his workshop in the garden. He too loves to collect things, upcycle and make new things with his exceptional talent crafting wood. As usual we mused over childhood memories and I am again struck by how old he has started to look, my mind knows he is in his late 70's but my heart (and I am sure his too) just can't make that connection.
Anyway, it was lovely...we talked about his career in the merchant navy years before I was born and he showed me a small archive of photo's of the ships he sailed on and family members I was born too late to meet. I love afternoons like that, learning new things about people you have known all your life just enhances the connection you have.
We also joked about some of my childhood memories...the smack and scratch (a kitchen utensil that my dad would chase me and my little sister with causing squeals of laughter) and then my dad showed me the Singer he had picked up recently from a Charity shop and I remembered my mum's.
My mum had this beautiful peddle Singer when I was a child, I remember the darkness of the cabinet and the sound of the rocking motion with such warmth that the memory of the machine itself is a pure happy place. When I see a Singer (there is a little shop down the Lanes in Brighton that has a beautiful window display of  them) it always causes this deep warm cosy feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's amazing how an object can do that, like a piece of music, almost as if it's a time machine and transports you back just for a moment.
I left my dad taking with me one of the beautiful rocking horses he makes and the Singer! I can not express how excited I am to own one. It is a hand turn model, beautiful and the stitches it sews are perfect! I hear you can have them converted to electric but I just don't know if i can do it, that feels like a betrayal to the beauty of it, although it's possible it will be used a lot more if I do. Oh, it's such a dilemma but for now I am happy to just look at it in all it's beauty and smile with the warmth of the happy memories of my mum.

Today, it's A&E with my teen then hopefully some finishing off of the embroidery I have been doing for the adorable tot and who knows what else the day may bring.
Thanks for reading :)