If you've been to my house, you already know this.
You may have even contemplated an intervention on a few occasions while vainly searching for a clear surface on which to place your beverage...plate...bag...coat...birthday gift...or elbow.
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| The man's cave |
Back in the old days, when the books were confined to the actual shelves, it was already a matter of opinion as to whether we had officially reached the too-much-of-a-good-thing stage. There are five sets of bookshelves in Jason's office, and another one in mine, with the understanding that there is also a revolving selection of around 20 more old favorites on our bedside tables at any given time. My desk is a huge old wooden schoolteacher's desk and so, naturally, I've lined the entire length of it with books since there is still plenty of room leftover for less important items such as laptops...and then there are the cookbooks.
However, since the winter (er, of 2010) when I fell in love with the idea of keeping chickens and took home half of the animal-husbandry tomes from the local library, the shelves have been left behind in the dust. In my defense, I've always loved the mere idea of coffeetable books, and I linger over pictures in glossy magazines where big beautiful books on art, gardens, textiles, and travel are used decoratively and structurally in living spaces.
Sadly, I think I've fallen slightly short of that aesthetic.
Many of the library books really need to go back to the library. I'm ashamed to tell you how long some of them have been here; they're almost ex-pats at this point, hiding out and reveling amongst the Rocky Ripplians down by the river.
But, the thing is, they are so comforting, stacked staunchly together with their wise faces looking up at me, waiting to share generously from all of the fascinating things that they know. What if I needed one, and it wasn't there? Crisis!
Ever so slowly, a transformation is occurring. Every month or so, a few more of the spines appear without any library stickers--as I can, I am buying used copies of the ones that I just can't bear to give up. The library gets theirs back, and I still have my cohorts in crime, messily lined up around the room...
...and ready for the next adventure.
