Table Trouble

Somehow in 22+ years of marriage Sean and I have managed to avoid ever having to buy a kitchen table. We have always been the lucky recipients of hand me downs and the like from the family. However, after the Chowder Fest at Sarah's house, it became clear to us that our beautiful family heirloom table made by my Grandfather in high school (no, I know how that sounds but this thing is beautiful), belongs with someone who can entertain like she can. It has many, many leaves and stretches out ultimately to seat about 12 people. It has been neglected and unappreciated in our home and quite frankly is just to darn big for Sean and I. Sarah can give that table the life it deserves.

I still claim the sideboard, it is a huge piece and it fits perfectly in our house so it will remain here, but the table we are happily paying it forward, like my parents did for us, to my sister.

The dilemma is what to replace it with. I've rarely thought about kitchen tables so this is new territory for us. I like square ok, I love round and we both like pub height. I'm a shrimp boat with the world's shortest torso, so it's hard to find a table that fits me without feeling like Stretch Armstrong trying get comfortable.

Over the past few days we have probably looked at 100 tables between here and Albany. I've discovered that there is a lot of ugly and boring out there. If I'm going to spend between 500 and $1000 and keep it around for many years to come, I want a table to speak to us. So far we have narrowed it down to a couple that we like, but I don't want a table that I like, I want a table that I love.

Memories are made sitting around a table enjoying each other and good food and drinks. I want something where we want to spend time. So far I'm not finding it.

I'll keep looking but I'm hoping that it shows up sooner rather than later. I'm purging, decluttering and I really want to start the new year with a whole new outlook in the house. It would be great to have the table to match the new attitude.