No. 1123 1/2 D

This is a long silly story about solving a problem with something we already had. That's often the case with problems....the solution is already in our hearts or our heads...or right there in our homes.  We just have to pay attention and connect the dots.

I have to tell the WHOLE story to adequately illustrate the history of the problem....and the journey we've been on to solve it.  Paul often reminds me to assess my audience to see if they're losing interest....I tend to go on and on until people start to glaze over. So it's OK if you want to bail out now or somewhere in the middle. I'll never know.

Part One:

We've had a coffee table problem at the condo since we moved in almost 4 years ago. OK....I know what you're thinking.....it's not all that important in the big scheme of things....but for day to day quality of life it was somewhat of a problem. For most of our marriage we've used a trunk we bought with wedding money. It was our coffee table when the boys were growing up....and most of the years since.  I've loved it...and still do....but it was too big and too high to comfortably put our feet up.  And since we're doing a lot of that these days it had to go to another spot in the condo.   

I auditioned several things I already had including a small upholstered bench that was the right height and size....be we missed the hard surface for drinks and food.  We know how we live.  Paul and I sit on the couch a lot to visit, play cribbage and other games. We sometimes have dinner there....and often have snacks and a beverage.....so we needed a table. So for the last few years we used a small and very short rustic box/trunk I had gotten from Linda.  It was perfect for putting your feet up....but not quite big enough to be a long term solution. 

Part Two:

Back in February our perfectly good coffee table from Lexington arrived in the move. It's a great table....and served us well in Lexington.  But again it was too big for this space and actually just a little too high for comfortable lounging. We're retired....it's time to lounge.

I was back to trying to creatively trying to solve the problem....and every day growing more and more frustrated and determined to figure it out. I'd been keeping my eyes open at consignment stores hoping to find a bench or something I could reinvent....something interesting and out of the ordinary. I even tried to find a carpenter who could build one and searched for a new one online. No luck.

Part Three:

We've been doing the furniture shuffle since the move as we figure out what to keep and what to get rid of.  All of a sudden we had an abundance of tables: console tables, side table, dining tables, work tables....you name it we had it. One of our tables I had picked up at the curb while visiting Jane. I could never turn down a good table so I gladly scooped it up and we've used it in front of the kitchen window for these past 4 years.  It was like a little desk and had two drawers for those things you want easy access to. It was study and kind of funky and it worked perfectly.

But now with our over abundance of tables.....I shuffled one I love that came from Margie into the kitchen....and Jane's cast off was homeless again.  I auditioned it in a couple places around the condo....and it was just about on its way to the Goodwill.

Part Four:

We still needed a coffee table. We had a table that we couldn't use that was just about the right length and width. Could this solve the problem? With the help of a circular saw and a willing husband.....yes it could!

Ottomans are usually 16 or 17 inches high...but they're squishy....so a hard surface had to be lower.  After auditioning several heights using things around the house we settled on 14 1/2 inches for optimum foot resting but not too low for snack and drink holding.  Then Paul got to work. 

Pretty darn cute....the table and the carpenter! And I appreciate his good humor in letting me take the photos.....he's a good sport.

It's a bit rustic in an interesting kind of way....and it has a great story.  Part of that story is Jane's story (which I'll have to ask her about).....and part of it is our kitchen table story.  And chances are Jane didn't buy it new....so there's a part we'll never know.

Another part of the story we do know is that it's "No. 1123 1/2 D" because it's stamped on the back.  What in the world does the "1/2" mean?  But now it's a table that's been cut in 1/2......so it seems just perfect. 

And that's my story.....the whole story.