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Friday, October 7, 2011

An Old Stool Gets A New Home

As I tidied upstairs this morning, I saw the little old white footstool that serves as the booster step
up into the high rice carved 4-poster bed in our pink guest room,
and I remembered that I did a post about that some time back.
I am resurrecting it, this story of a battered old stool and its life's mission.

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(Repeat post from February 5, 2010)
You see this little old white step stool,

that our dog Dion is so curious about?

It's a newcomer to That Old House, but it's no stranger to hard work.

It was long ago nailed together from pine boards,
and painted a robin's egg blue:

(Can you see the traces of blue under the cracks and chips?)

Then, repainted white, and used and used and used and used . . . and it is not yet used up.


At some point, it was repaired. Underneath you can see that its old leg has a split or big crack,
and that explains the scrap boards nailed outside, for strength and support.
Waste not, want not.
Recycling and going green are not new concepts; they used to be just how people lived.


How did this beat-up old chipped and crazed step stool wind up in my kitchen,
being gently molested by a suspicious spaniel?

Simple.  A church friend asked me if I wanted it. Willa had devotedly cared for a very elderly member of our congregation, and when Ellie moved into a care facility and Willa was sorting out her things, she found this stool. "It's worn, and old, not in very good shape, but when I saw it I thought that it belonged at your house," she said. "Do you want it?"

Of course I did. We kind of run a halfway house for the
old and worn and not-in-very-good-shape things of this world.

But this stool has many years of service left.
It's sturdy and strong, and its hard-earned "chippy" patina tells the story of the many times
it has been put to good use, to reach that jar at the back of the shelf, or boost a child to
reach a kitchen faucet for hand-washing, or help someone stretch up to paint the trim over the door.

I like the color of those paint drips, don't you? Sort of a butterscotch.

As for Dion, he has not made up his mind about this newcomer on his turf.
But as long as the newcomer doesn't claim sofa space or cookie treats, he'll come around.


And for myself -- as I develop my own chipped and cracked patina,
I hope I can manage to always find my own mission in life, and be useful.
That's a pretty high calling, being useful, for this step stool and for me.

Willa also said I might want to repaint this old stool.
But I have a feeling she knows I won't.
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And that's my blast from a February past.  I hope you like our little footstool, which has not been painted!
Tomorrow, it's back to the beach house for Howard and me; we are aiming to finish
up most (some?) of the projects we started last weekend; wish us luck!
The weather should be warm and sunny -- it may be hard to concentrate on painting
when we've got the water beckoning outside!
Our house is just to the right of the dock on the left of the picture.  Thanks, nephew-in-law Mike, for this great panorama!
Wherever you are, I wish you a weekend of fun and frolic,
or at least one of projects that get done! -- Cass


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Link Parties
Miss Mustard Seed hosts Furniture Friday.  Click here!
LaurieAnna's Vintage Home is the place for Farmhouse Friday Click here!
At My Romantic Home, it's Show And Tell Friday Click here!
Feathered Nest Friday makes its home at French Country Cottage.  Click here!
The Charm of Home features Home Sweet Home on Fridays.  Click here!
It's Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground.  Click here!






15 comments:

  1. I remember the original post! Glad you haven't painted it, just would not be right. Your friend is right, it belongs with you, because you will take care of it, and see that it gets used.
    Have fun at the beach,
    Kat

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  2. We all need a little shoring up sometimes, but we still have a lot of good years left in us. Have a great weekend Cass.

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  3. Enjoyed the post revisit. Have a great weekend.

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  4. I think Dion is thinking..."now what can I use that for to get up in to something?".

    How lucky you are that your friend knew it would find a home with you!

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  5. Cass you PARTY GIRL you! Just look how many you joined.

    Great little story.

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  6. Cass you PARTY GIRL you! Just look how many you joined.

    Great little story.

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  7. Enjoy your trip to the beach house!

    Melinda

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  8. The old stool is cute. I had a similar one that my children used for all the things that wanted to reach, and of course things they shouldn't have. Once they were tall enough, I tossed it. Shame on me!

    Have fun at the beach house. We are supposed to have Indian Summer weather, too, and off to the lake we go to put toys away! Well, hubby will. I am going to play!

    XO,
    Jane

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  9. Cass- I love that your neighbor thought because it was old and worn and shabby looking that YOU would love it!;>) Just as long as she doesn't bring you any tatty old underwear you'll be fine!

    That old stool is just getting broken in, don't you think?

    Love the picture of your beach house! What a fun view. xo Diana

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  10. "We kind of run a halfway house for the
    old and worn and not-in-very-good-shape things of this world." Does your half-way house extend to old and worn and not-in-very-good-shape people too?? 'Cuz I fit that description to a "T"! :)

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  11. Love the old stool..unpainted is even better! My nephew has just adopted Dion's twin...rescued her more or less. What a sweetie! Hope you are having a great weekend!...hugs...Debbie

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  12. I love the well loved useful things from days gone by and all the things that can still help us with today.

    Hope that you are enjoying youself my sweet friend!
    Leann

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  13. Cass,

    Hope you are enjoying this beautiful autumn weekend and not working too hard. I adore the fact that you didn't paint the ol' chippy stool. Each 'blemish' tells a story. {Hmmm, perhaps this is the reason the exterior of my house didn't get painted yet. That's the ticket.} So happy you were able to meet up with a blogging friend. Considering we touch base at least once weekly, it's no wonder these relationships are so strong.

    Your Friend,
    Deborah

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  14. Enjoyed the repost and I can't believe it is warm up there at the beach ... I guess our cool temps are "unseasonable" as they say. I hope you get done all you want to do. How fun that you and Martha got to meet in person! Enjoyed seeing your tea for her a year ago --- always fun to see "my sister's dishes" in your parlor with "our chairs." :-)

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  15. Oh, I love pieces like this. I like it just as it is, so much character. Thank you for linking up with Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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