After we downsized into our smaller home, and finally got the living room set up with the final furnishings, I was left with boxes of books. The boxes lived under the window by the fireplace until I moved the old Magnavox cabinet that I had recently painted, displacing many boxes of books.
Finding bookcases that suited both my husband and myself was proving to be a challenge. I traveled to North Hollywood to look at a pair I saw on Craig’s List—oh my! The picture was grainy enough to allow my keen imagination to fill in where I wanted it to, but the reality was very, very sad. So I began the search again, through the various sources available to us now via the Internet and catalogs.
I found the perfect pair through a catalog, but wanted to see them in person at the brick and mortar store. I had called late in January and was assured there were plenty, so I decided not to make the trip on one of our rare rainy days, knowing I would be in the area in two days. To my surprise, the rains brought out shoppers, all wanting those bookcases—they were completely sold out by the time I made it to West LA.
I decided I would wait until the end of the next month for the new shipment, and wait another two weeks as the shipment was coming from overseas. After what seemed like months of waiting, the bookcases were finally delivered. They were assembled and installed easily. I still have a couple of boxes of books in the garage that will eventually get unpacked and fitted onto some of the lower shelves, which should complete the corner and finish the great room.
The round table that is the real focal point of this area, was built by my handy husband in 1978 from a picture I found in Sunset Magazine. He used two inch by two inch wood pieces glued together and cut into a circle, and narrow wood slats glued onto an old salvaged paper barrel for the base, thus creating the perfect puzzle table for his parents.
The puzzle table was housed in my husband’s upstairs office for years after my in-laws downsized, and served as a conference table when business associates visited. Once we moved, with much smaller circumstances, the corner of the living room seemed like the best place for it be useful.
We use the table for overflow dining when we have large gatherings, and on occasion for a new generation of puzzlers to enjoy.