Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Table: Part 1 of Many

I have a table. I am thankful for this table. It belonged to my husband's great, great grandmother. It was passed on down and around from all the members of my husband's family and has landed in our kitchen. Permanently.

I have lived with said table for almost 16 years. It is time to pass it on.

How can I say that, you might ask? How could I be eager to pass on such a beloved heirloom? Ahhh, but this seems to be the hot potato of tables, and everyone has been eager to pass it. Now it's my turn.

People, it is falling apart. The middle sags. The top is splintered--and not in a cute antique shop distressed kind of way. The legs are so short that you can't get your own legs under the table when you are sitting at it.

It is not comfy and it sits in the center of my life right, smack dab in the middle of my kitchen. I keep it covered to protect it's modesty at all times with a tablecloth. While I would like to replace this old mare, I do respect her and am happy to have made her acquaintance.

However, my husband loves this table. He has threatened to divorce me if it was to be, say, magically replaced one day without his knowledge. I am a very sentimental girl, but what used to be once just a discussion about this table has turned into much more.

The more I dig in, the more he digs in. We are both of the most stubborn stock, so now it's a battle of the wills.

It would make a great desk. A lovely occasional table. (I'm personally not allowed to move it to another location out of the kitchen). Any relatives reading? Need a table? I'm sure if I found it a good home...

9 comments:

Kim said...

We have had a couple of items like this. Thankfully, nothing as big as a table and the items have been put in places where I don't have to look at them all day long. Some even made it to the curb for trash day!

blueviolet said...

Hi! I'm back and signed up again for the follow me club at MBC! How the heck have you been?

Jennifer said...

Good luck with all this. I hope you find the perfect spot (or owner)! ;-)

Helene said...

Hmmmm, yeah I could see how this could turn into a huge issue between you and your husband. I like your idea of using it as a desk in another room....that seems reasonable. Would he consider maybe having it stored in the garage or somewhere else until your kids are grown up and have their own home??

Veronica Lee said...

I can see this is gonna be a 'big' issue!!

***Sharon*** said...

I just went through this. I swear. We had my mom & dad's table - a table I remember sitting at as a kid. Solid pine. Had nicks and scratches and was really starting to fall apart BUT...I didn't want to let it go! My husband was supposed to refinish it. It was supposed to grow old with us! We finally put it up on Craig's List and someone bought it right away. Said he was going to fix it up. I almost cried when he took it away! I even told him to email me a picture when he was done making it pretty again....

Deb said...

@UndertheInfluence: I love the idea of the wife having a garage sale and it's all her husband's college collectables. Hmmmm, don't have the heart to do it, I'm a pansy.

@blueviolet: Welcome back, old friend! Glad to see you up and running again.

@Jennifer: Among our friends it's like a Seinfeld episode. All I have to say is "THE TABLE," and they burst into peals of laughter.

@Helene: The whole idea is that generations of his famly ate at this table. He wants us to eat around it until one of our kids takes it. Great idea, but by the time I get a table we can put our legs under we are going to be in an old age home with a t.v. tray.

@VeronicaLee: Yup. Big.

@Sharon: It always feels good when things go to a nice home. Funny how these fixtures are actually living, breathing entities in a way. Sounds like your table is in a good, loving place :)

Shelly said...

Wow. What a treasure. You probably should not have posted about this great table as I'm sure someone will now break in and steal it right out of your kitchen.
Such a shame.

Deb said...

@Shelly: Good thing I have a top notch alarm system :) My friend thinks if I dragged it out to the curb and put a big FREE sing on it that I still would not get any takers. She told me that I did a bad job of writing this post, because now I'll never be able to give it away.