This book is a mix of poems and short stories. Some poems were written almost 40 years ago, others as recently as the first COVID-19 lockdown. The stories detail the interaction between people and the ones who want to help them. This book is meant for anyone who is interested in families, or history, or how families create their own history. The title poem, "In the Writing Desk" was inspired by the letters, pictures and recipes found in an old writing desk, that predates Queen Victoria, and has been a treasured family heirloom since the 1870's. The short story, "On Christmas Eve" is loosely based on a family story about an incident at the beginning of the Depression.