Bedside Table Tales

(Aoj, host of this week's Fun Monday, over at Aoj and the Lurchers maintains that she, like her friend's mother, is not nosy, just interested in people. Huhm-m-m. . .very interested I'd say because she wants to see our bedside table--what's on it, under it, and even what's in the drawers!)


This tale is not a satisfying one because what I have is not what I want. My bedside table is a throwback to 30 years ago when the home decorating style was to purchase a "set" (that's mountain lingo for "suite" for the uninitiated) of matchy-matchy furniture for each room--bedroom, living, kitchen. What you ended up with was a boring, unwelcoming space. That's what I have.

I leave this room in the morning and rarely return until bedtime. Therefore, my bedside table inventory for Aoj is not very inspiring, nor very revealing of who I am. On the table top there's a not very good reading lamp, a box to set the lamp on to give some reading height, an ugly clock radio. But wait, when I opened the drawers I did find a journal in case I woke up in the night wanting to write; a sketchbook for a quick little line drawing; glasses that, judging from the lens size, must be at least 15 years old; and a booklight since you never know when the electricity might go. And, that V-shaped pillow on my bed is perfect for reading.

What I Want--if it were practical to start all over with creating a home, I'd love to go back to my youthful free-living days when home was a one room living space. When I graduated from college, life was very simple and straightforward. My goal was to always be able to pack up my possessions and move wherever my dreams and interests took me. So, I loaded up my anti-establishmint Ford Maverick ( no joking, that was the actual green color name for my car, it was the late 60s after all!) and headed to Florida to teach. I lived in a couple of one-room efficiency apartments there. With each subsequent move in post-college days, I wanted that cozy, pared down living space that you see in this photo. In a couple of places I almost succeeded. What a pleasure to have everything that you love in sight and accessible. Simple living at its best.

By now I suspect you're growing bored with my bedside table tale. So, head on over to Aoj and the Lurchers to see what the other Fun Monday participants are willing to show you.