Wednesday 10 November 2010

Z doesn't go shopping

It's nearly a year and a half since Ro moved out and the Sage and I have been living by ourselves. You might say that it was about time and you wouldn't be wrong - of course, we had been alone before while he was at university, but that didn't seem to count.  This isn't a large house, though it does sprawl rather - it's a rambling cottage really, but it does seem rather big for the two of us.  I mentioned the room I never go in - actually, there are several that I don't go in much, particularly in the winter.

A few weeks ago, when the family came to stay, the whole place was in use again, of course.  I can't see us ever downsizing - for a start, Al and family live here too, in the annexe.  And one of the reasons I ever suggested moving here was that I couldn't see the Sage clearing out the outbuildings.  Well, since then, he's built more and filled them too, and an extension to the house.

I sometimes wonder, if I started again, what I'd have for my own choice.  I don't believe that I'm that bothered about having stuff, but I could be deluding myself.  Certainly, I'm rarely tempted to buy anything. The last item of furniture I bought, a couple of years ago, was a cabinet for the Sage to keep one of his collections in.  That was an old one, bought from eBay.  We've hardly got any new items of furniture.  The bed was bought new of course.  We had the dining table made and the Sage made the kitchen table.  Otherwise, apart from armchairs and the sofa, it's all recycled.

If it were up to us, a lot of shops would go out of business.  Oh dear.  Could we be responsible for the recession?

9 comments:

Dave said...

You did buy new bricks though.

Roses said...

All of my furniture before we moved into the Palais was second/third and fourth hand. After we moved I spent 4 months looking at furniture. Very expensive for dubious quality and rubbish service. Gee suggested Yagnub. There I found a shop, named after a scotch and gave them a list. They checked it twice.

I had fantastic pieces made to my specifications, delivered and put together in the rooms. They also dismantled my old wardrobe. All for considerably less than I would have spent in Norwich. I can't tell you how chuffed I am.

Perhaps, I just used some of your consumerist footprint?

Z said...

We did , Dave, although they were bought a few years ago in fact. Before the recession.

It's a brilliant shop, Roses. We've got too much furniture already though.

Wendy said...

I like to think I am not materialistic and can't be bothered about having things. But sometimes, I wonder if I'm deluding myself.

It's not that I walk into shops and want stuff - far from it, there is little for sale on the High Street that appeals to me - but oh dear me put me in an auction room and I begin to salivate.

A good bit of our furniture/pictures/rugs are from auctions - Don't know why, I just prefer it this way.

We had nothing when we bought our house but somehow have filled it up.

sablonneuse said...

And you coudn't leave the wall now, could you?

Blue Witch said...

Buy very very good quality and buy once, irrespective of whether it's brand new or 'recylced' is my motto.

Unknown said...

You've made me think Z. The only new things in our home are three large book cases that I bought 'flat packed' and got a young furniture restorer (who lives about ten miles south of you) to put them together for me. He did the job, but only on condition that I didn't let anyone know that he'd done it (which is why I haven't said who it was).

Z said...

Being married to an auctioneer, that's the first place we'd think of buying, Wendy.

I have got a couple of cheap but sturdy flat pack large bookcases. I put them together myself.

Either cheap enough not to care, BW, or good enough to last, I reckon.

It's true, Sandy, I don't think we'll be leaving here. Friends have just moved house after 40+ years, but their son and family are going to live in the family house. I think that's the only terms on which the Sage would ever leave!

luckyzmom said...

I'd really like to downsize our family museum of furniture. The other occupant here has a different feeling about that though.