Saturday 8 December 2007

Right Said Fred!

I just thought I'd tell the story about my big desk! For many years the desk at which I worked was a huge ex-army, very plain and functional piece of wooden furniture. Four years ago I decided that it was time for a replacement and with very clear ideas about what I wanted, I trawled the local and not-so-local furniture stores. I found nothing that matched my ideas. So, I then looked for a carpenter who would build one for me. I decided that I wanted a desk in natural wood, and of the same dimensions as the old desk. So, with measurements and design ideas, I eventually found a carpenter.

My desk is big! When you accumulate as I do, you need lots of space! It is made of red pine, named for the colour of the bark on the particular species of pine. It has a honey glaze, water-based with honey to give a golden colour. It is a very simple style: I stipulated....no curly or fancy bits! And it is lovely. Well, to me it is lovely, kind of Shaker-style I suppose!

Do you recall that old song about the men moving a piano? "Right Said Fred"? Well, it was like that when my desk was delivered. When I moved into this house with my old desk, I managed to manoeuvre it quite easily into the room in which it stood for about 10 years. When the new one, of identical proportions, was delivered, two hulking great men huffed and puffed, got the desk trapped on its end in the hallway, then took it back outside to the garden path. I tried to give them some advice about how to just kind of swivel it round to fit through the doorway, but well, what would a little woman know about these things? So, they took the knobs off! They got the desk stuck again and took it back outside! They took the drawers out and unscrewed the door off its hinges, got it stuck upside down in the hallway and took it back outside.

The men then decided that the job was impossible, no matter what I suggested or what I said about the previous desk having been identical in size! So, I watched as my lovely new desk got heaved back into the van and driven away!

Three months later, the men came back with my desk, having taken it apart somewhat, and they part-built it in the room in which it now sits!

So, there you are! My big desk and this is News From My Big Desk!


10 comments:

Isabelle said...

Hilarious Anna ..lol...have you a photo of your big desk??? I really like to see it...

AnnaEsse said...

It was absolutely hilarious, Isabelle. As the van was driving away, I was left holding the knobs!
I then had to heave the old desk back in from the garden, by myself, which proves that it's technique that counts with these jobs and not brawn!
I haven't got a photo at the moment, but maybe when the desk has had it's Christmas tidy-up, I'll take one and post it.

Isabelle said...

I'll will watch this space!!

Anna i am going to do a story about my aunty from Glasgow...lol
Mike is going to give my some material as its a bit quiet around my aunty from Glasgow.

Bye for now

Isabelle

AnnaEsse said...

Your aunty from Glasgow? I shall look forward to reading about her.

Isabelle said...

Her name is ..aunty Phil and i bet you like her..although i must say can be a bit loud..she a teacher as well you know...of Ullapool..

AnnaEsse said...

Ah yes! I have heard of your Aunty Phil. I know lots of women in the Glasgow area just like her. They terrify me, but Aunty Phil is a good, strong, family woman and if I were ever in trouble I would want an Aunty Phil on my side. Phil seems to me to be a very genuine person, 100% supportive of her family and I admire her for that.

Isabelle said...

Absolutely right and i am very pleased you like my aunty Phil she is a good woman and truly loves little Maddy

AnnaEsse said...

I do like your Aunty Phil. She's a fine wumman!

Isabelle said...

Og ay.. or something like that..lol

AnnaEsse said...

Och aye! It's sumhing like that ma wee hen. Ye hivtae be a Weegie tae unnerston. Sae Ah'm nae gonna hawd it agin ye.

Lang may yer lum reek!