Summer at the Rusty Relics Museum has seen weekly visits from children but Monday, Aug. 27 and Tuesday Aug. 28 were a bit different. Seniors from Moose Mountain Lodge in Carlyle and Redvers Centennial Haven got the lucky treat of a museum tour and tea party. Unfortunately the seniors cannot have their photos taken for liability reasons, but they did have plenty of stories to share. Although these wise people are not children now, many of them admitted to using many of the appliances and tools found in the museum throughout their childhood. The first stop to provoke memories was the butter churn. The men and women joked about how back in their day they did not have to go to the gym for a work out, they simply turned the butter for hours to stay in shape. The agitation of the cream would disrupt the milk fat, breaking down the membranes and form clumps known as butter grains. With constant churning, the fat eventually turns into solid butter and separates from the buttermilk. Seniors also noted that the butter was much better back then, and the extra effort perhaps made the reward that much more satisfying. The next thing to grab the attention of every group was the typewriter. The visitors wanted to make sure that the young folk realized how powerful their version of our computers was. The museum is home to six typewriters on display with several more in storage. Each one is unique, with wear and tear even making identical machines appear foreign beside each other. Immediately after their invention in the 1860's, they became just as popular to their generation as IPads and computers are to today's youth. The old dental equipment was the hottest topic of the day, with the dental chair appearing more like a chair you may find in a torture chamber. The tooth extractor wasn't much more than a tool appearing like a key, which was used to rip a tooth out. If you are scared about visiting the dentist now, be thankful that you don't have to experience prehistoric drilling techniques.The tour ended in the museum lobby where the seniors gathered around a lovely flower decorated tablecloth to enjoy cinnamon buns, ice cream and their choice of tea or coffee. What surprised the guests was that their tea and coffee was served on fancy china. Everyone was honoured that the 'good stuff' was taken out just for them.Overall, even with the challenges of getting a wheelchair through the bumpy museum, with its tiny door frames, fun was had by all.
