Thursday, November 6, 2014

Of more Quiet time and vague thoughts~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well at the last minute Doyle suggested we go by BART to the City and we were fortunate no tie-ups, not like what has happened today, someone had stepped in front of a BART train causing delays, of course the person I heard was killed but reports are still confusing.

Several times in the last few weeks there has been a body on the tracks or someone falling in front of a BART Train.  Its so sad when that happens. I could go on about that but right now my mind does not want to process it.

However Doyle and I went without our car and took public transportation instead, I would have preferred having left earlier but we really were not in a rush. 

Doyle did find two sets of Pajamas and a nice robe and slippers, "I'm all set for winter" he declared!  We decided to eat at John's Grill, made famous for the Maltese Falcon, for a nice early dinner. But before we even got there he spotted an out of the way 2nd hand furniture store.  I thought now what has gotten into him.

But he was determined, I asked him what was going on and he said "My Spidey Sense tells me I'm going to find something here"  and he did.

An old large Office desk right out of the 1940's, but it had a flip desk top, I don't know how to explain it but you can mount a standard typewriter on a frame on a very heavy duty side board, and with a push it folds into the side of the desk, you close the door and it looks like a set of drawers.

To use the typewriter you open the door, pull on the side handle and the typewriter comes right up, it was very cleaver.   On the other side was a file drawer for current files, two drawers one for stationary the other to hold staplers, rulers, tape dispenser,  and above it a side out table to hold papers, the desk also had a middle drawer to hold pens, pencils and other small things like paper clips.

All in Oak and in good condition, Doyle fell in love with it, and there was a matching 4 drawer oak file cabinet and swivel desk chair with arms, the owner of the shop said it came out of an old office so he was displaying it as a set piece, including a cobra head desk lamp.   Doyle asked if there was a typewriter that went with the desk and the owner said yes but it needed reconditioning, and showed it, it was a black Royal typewriter, a heavy monster,  he had detached it from the desk thinking to sell it separately but Doyle would not have that. 

Doyle whipped out his credit card and said he'd take the entire set, desk, chair, file cabinet, typewriter and lamp!  I asked him "How are we going to get it home??  We came by BART!"    The owner asked us where did we live and he said that his son lives in Berkeley although he may move eventually and he could deliver it later this evening or tomorrow morning (meaning today) we said tomorrow would be fine, I'd be home to accept delivery but it may have to be moved to the "Man cave" in the back of the property, no problem, his grandson could help. 

After that surprise bit of shopping we ate and talked about his find, he said he just knew it would be there.   And we happily took BART and Bus home as the light grew dark and the street lights came on.  And for a few moments as we walked up to the house I felt as if time had shifted, that the cars on the street were not from 2014 but from 1940, that radio's were playing "Fibber Magee and Molly" or "The Shadow" and that we were in the same neighborhood but not in the same time.  And then the sense of time shifting passed as we opened the door. 

So now sitting in Doyle's "Man Cave" is the office set of his dreams for his "Office"  I knew exactly where he'd want them placed, so when he gets home he can go play with it.  He will still have to anchor the typewriter but I think he wants to take it to this place he knows that reconditions typewriters first and have it working just right. 

But just for fun after it was delivered I went to Bev Mo bought for him a bottle of good  bourbon and two glasses that I knew would be period correct, and tucked them into the file drawer of his desk, a nice little "house warming" present. 

So with a few more period correct additions the office will be just right for Doyle.  And I could not be more happier for him.

The sun is now more sharply inclined, I can barely hear a ships' horn on the Estuary the wind must be right to carry the sound.  The dogs are in their sweaters and nicely curled up in their beds napping.  I just have a few dishes to wash, dinner will be a simple affair.  Sis won't be back until late and called to say she'd grab a bit of dinner with a friend.  Brian is visiting family for the week.

And it's quiet here, nice and comforting soothing really.  I was out in the back yard picking off Bay leaves from out Bay tree and rinsed the dust off of them and set them up to dry, after a bit I'll tuck the leaves on the pantry shelves to keep small bugs away.  Next Spring I'll have the rugs and padding taken up to do a through vacuuming, and then lay down fresh lavender and eucalyptus leaves to keep fleas and small insects out, I do that once a year in the Spring. 

So I'll make a cup of tea, and do my lists for projects to do, groceries to buy, preparations for Thanksgiving.  And I'll talk to my team of Merry Maids about some serious deep cleaning for the Holidays.

Later Darklings

Doyle had not realized that Thanksgiving would be so close.


1 comment:

  1. The desk set sounds fabulous. An office Sam Spade would be proud to use:)

    ReplyDelete