I came close dozens of times, but for all the decades--six--this particular table has been in our family, it has managed to elude my camera pretty well.
In the 60s, counter space was at a premium in my parents' little ranch home. One day, my father brought home a counter height butcher block table for my mom. Brand new, he spent all of $5 on it.
In May of 1969, our family moved across town, and that table was cut down and used in our family room, first in that house and then in our Naperville house. Purpose served from 1969 to 2001, family room end table. In all the years our dog Schnapps was around, he hid under it during every thunderstorm and 4th of July. In 1988 though, my car loving boy took over that table, and while it still held a lamp and magazines, it also became his "carsandtrucks" table. He played on it for hours a day.
Needing some big clamps, We took it to our friend Walt's house, put it up on his workshop bench and saw much more damage and some flaws we'd missed. Since it now belongs to Mac, he has opted to shed its mismatched and falling apart legs and frame.
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| Frame--a mystery wood when compared with the top. |
As I composed this post, I was reminded of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. This table has served us--from my mom through Mac--well, and it remains important, even in its yet to be repurposed form. Mac might not like the expression of this, but it is my hope another child races cars across it. In time.
8 comments:
The photo of him refinishing it made me cry!
I have a piano... a Steinway no less that sat, painted white in my grandparents basement for YEARS. It had been my great grandmothers. When I was in Kindergarten, my granfather striped and refinished it to a cglorious dark wood and it was moved to my parents' and lessons commenced. It was always known that I'd take it, but it seemed like every time we moved, there was no room. When I moved down here my dad told me take it or it gets sold, so looking at houses literally became, "Where would the piano go." It sits in my entry hall, desperately in need of a tune and little fingers to play it, but the other day when The Girl suggested we get a new one a about near took off her head... it just means too much!
I love that...my parents have moved & certain pieces of furniture that has been in the family, we've taken great care to get them in the new house.
I have a special table too.. so I totally get it :) I needed a table for the wedding, to set the unity sand stuff on. I asked my Dad to build one to the right height, expecting just a thrown together table, that I could put a tablecloth over. Instead, my dad used some old boards he had from his Grandpa, and crafted me a very simple, but gorgeous table. It was my absolute favorite thing we got from the wedding. I hope it will be in our house for many, many, many years :)
I love having things in the house that remind me of family and have good memories attached.
Beautiful story, Ellie. It reminds me also of The Giving Tree. Lotta memories and promise nestled in that $5 table.
If furniture could talk...
I really liked this post. It made me think of an episode of 'Little House on the prairie" (I know, I'm cheesy like that..), where Charles made a table that somehow made its way to modern times, with the initials CI carved on it. I hope Mac keeps it for a long time.
I.LOVE.The Giving Tree.
J & I read it often, in my hope that the concepts sink in over time & repetition.
And I love the store of your table & gave me a GREAT idea for our home. We got our table & chairs at a steal. And the chairs have aged well. The table? Not so much. Not really the table's fault as much as my husband's carelessness. But I love the idea of a butcher block, as something we could salvage its current legs to use as part of the frame... Ideas. Ideas...
i love, love, love stories like this! something like your table represents much of what is good in life (family, love, generations, and endurance).
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