Great Potential

Interesting dinner conversation last night. My husband told me about a co-worker whose husband won't go out of town without her for fear that she'll start a home improvement project. I couldn't help laughing hysterically. "Can you relate?" I asked my husband. He could.

Some years ago, when my husband was out of town for Thanksgiving weekend, the kids and I set to work tearing out a brick mantle that ran across an entire wall. We had a grand time, whacking away at the ugly old brick, ripping out the board that ran across the top of it. We created a wonderful cloud of dust--which landed on just about everything in the house, ourselves included. Our arms grew sore and strong from all the work. The only thing is, we didn't manage to finish it before my husband came home. It was supposed to be a nice surprise, a "hey honey, look what we did for you" kind of thing. Turns out tearing down a wall of brick and replacing the mantle takes longer than a week. In fact, it took me a year. 

So it shouldn't have been a big surprise when I brought home this nine foot, double sided bookcase I picked up at a library surplus sale.

 

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Plus, the price was right. And everyone at the sale was buying them up left and right. Granted, most of those people were from private schools with large libraries, but hey, I have a library in my house, don't I? The way I saw it there were only two problems: it was a little big, and would need to be sawed in half lengthwise, as I didn't have a place for a two-sided bookcase. The library guy stood waiting while I stewed over this possible purchase. He tapped his fingers on the top of the bookcase while a woman stood next to me, staring at the nine foot tall bookcase spanning the wall in front of us. She glanced at the bookcase I had my eye on. That's what made me say the fateful words. "I'll take it," I told the library man. At the checkout counter I almost changed my mind. But I buy things for their potential, not necessarily their present condition. And this bookcase had great potential.

But funny thing. Once I got it home (and that was an adventure in and of itself), I chickened out. With all the other furniture projects I brought home, I could manage to move them myself. But this behemoth is beyond my strength. I've been working out, but let's face it, nine feet is nine feet. Even the library guy nearly had a coronary as he helped me load it into the rental truck. And he was a big guy--twice the size of my husband. 

So now the bookcase sits in my garage, waiting for something to happen. I've tried, I really have. One day I got the saw out, then made the mistake of looking across the expanse of wood before me and just couldn't do it. I considered making the thing into cubbies for my kids, but when my son and I tried to move it, my son gave up. "I can't move this thing," he said, rubbing his shoulder. I couldn't get it down the stairs alone, so back into the garage it went. Tired of parking in the driveway, my husband eventually pushed it to the side of the garage so his car would fit again.

My husband is a patient man. And I am a creative gal, a free spirit if you will. But even I have to admit the bookcase was a mistake. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I wasn't thinking, and that's the problem. But at least I didn't tear down the wall between the kitchen and the front room. At least not yet.  

Comments

[jessica]

lay it down flat outside in your back yard and make it a planter garden!! Different slots for different herbs, and veggies!! :)

[Laura]

Alan always does projects while I am out of town.... What does that say about me? Oh and I don't go out of town too often...

[Shannon]

I was thinking the bookshelf would make a good double headboard for 2 twin beds... think of all the kid treasures that thing could hold. You could put cute little fabric bins in it for toys. I would come over and be jealous of you for having a bedroom with 9 feet of space.

And as far as the brick project, having seen the before, during, and after- it looks gorgeous and you were totally right to do it. The mason that cemented the bricks to the sheetrock in the first place was the one in the wrong....

[Dana]

Susan - This made me laugh right out loud. Your description of buying, bringing home and then storing your new purchase made my day! I can hardly wait to see what you finally do with this latest purchase. It seemed like a good purchase to me and I know you will find a good use for it. Especially since books are such a part of you and your family. Could you start your own lending library in your garage??