Once upon a time. Craigslist. The end… *video*
While watching yet another stranger enter our home and cart off some of our belongings, Paul said – I finally figured it out: that bookcase is clogs.
He is referencing a story that my parents love to tell:
Shortly before I turned four years old, my parents took me into a shop where I saw a pair of child-sized clogs… and with the conviction of Napoleon building his empire, I knew that THESE WERE MY CLOGS. And when my parents tried to leave the store WITHOUT MY CLOGS, they couldn’t. It was impossible.
They have difficulty putting into words, how a four-year-old child could be uncontrollable between two full-sized adults… and knowing my parents, I’m sure they told themselves this was evidence of my tenacity of spirt; not an indication that they had raised Satan himself.
I refused to leave the store, and eventually my parents were forced to show me that actually, they HAD bought the clogs. They were a surprise for my birthday.
Immediately, Satan retreated and I skipped out of the store.
Then I was fine waiting for the clogs… I would ask— how many days until my clogs? But I was ok, because I knew THEY WERE MINE. Then, once I got the clogs I wore them all of the time, even while sleeping.
I tell you this story to explain that I have an incredibly high capacity for liking something… long past anyone else’s tolerance or understanding.
When I like something, I LIKE IT. And I do not need to like anything else. And there is no chance that I will forget about the liking. And there is no chance I will move on from the liking.
Rather, I will devote all of my time and energy to liking it, EVEN WHILE I AM ASLEEP.
I first showed Paul this bookcase four months ago. He actually laughed out loud.
Then he looked at me seriously and tapped my forehead, three-inches above my eyebrow.
He said – this is where the horns come out.
Then he walked away.
I decided this was his endorsement; because if you know about my plan and you do not crush it wholeheartedly and with all of your force, and then present to me the carcass of my dreams, you must be in agreement.
With that cleared up, I was able to move forward.
I have done nothing but think, talk, and plan compulsively, for getting this bookcase.
For months, Paul has listened to me speak of nothing else.
My interest has not dulled or waned.
Rather, it has intensified.
As promised, I have sold all of our belongings… a simple trade: everything we own, in exchange for one single item of magnificence.
The problem with this particular magnificence was that it was several states away… I said this bookcase was in Arkansas (this was my decoy)… but it wasn’t.
I am sorry that I lied to you, but I was afraid that someone would go and buy what is rightfully mine.
This is one of the things I learned while working at the CIA: obfuscation.
My bookcase was in Cleveland.
Out of all the 900 possible issues, the biggest challenge was this: the inability to know FOR SURE if the bookcase came apart.
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you will remember that every single one of these massive pieces of furniture dismantled down to nearly nothing and fit in the back of a minivan:
1. the portal to Narnia.
2. the Victorian bookcase.
3. the Empire cabinet.
On the other hand, it was equally possible that it wouldn’t come apart… in which case, we are moving a monstrous, solid piece of furniture that is nearly 150 years old and has three original glass doors.
Which is exactly what happened.
Now that it’s all over, I can admit this:
I assumed something would go horribly wrong, and I kept this certainty to myself.
Because I wouldn’t be there.
So it wouldn’t be my problem.
Last weekend, Paul drove to Cleveland. With my father. Without me. To load a truck with a 9’ tall, 6’ wide bookcase that I had only seen pictures of. While I stayed home, read up on Gilded Age mansion history, and brushed Elvis.
The plan:
1. Paul and my dad drive from Philadelphia directly to see bookcase.
2. determine if it comes apart = dictates size of truck Paul rents.
3. go to truck rental and reserve a truck for the following morning.
4. spend the evening with my cousin who lives in Cleveland.
5. pick up the truck first thing in the morning.
6. load the bookcase.
7. Paul drives truck home, Dad continues his trip to Indiana.
8. Paul is exempt from any wrongdoing for the rest of his existence.
9. my life is complete, I can stop looking on Craigslist, shut down my blog, and live a life of quiet solitude with my things.
I’ll end this post by acknowledging that I know what you are thinking:
HOW DID PAUL GET SO LUCKY IN LIFE?
No? That’s not what you are thinking?
I too was confused… so I asked him – WHY would you do this for me?
And he said – is it not a reasonable explanation that I love you and I want you to be happy?
Which sounds nice, doesn’t it? Except – no, I am really not that lovable.
If I evaluate myself honestly, I have very few redeeming qualities; most of which aren’t remotely valuable to anyone else and involve an appreciation for absurdly flamboyant and unnecessary situations… with extra points if costumes are involved.
So I don’t have a good answer, and I know I will get some comments in the vein of: Paul is a saint… and I’d like to point out that the logical progression to that suggestion is that I am his path to canonization.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:42 am
What can I say – you have magnificent taste & style, and you are one lucky lady for finding a sweetie like Paul!!
February 19, 2017 @ 3:08 pm
I have the matching armoire to your bookcase! Circa 1870, imported from France, Napoleon III. It was my first antique armoire…It was displayed in a dining room at Inessa’s, where it was purchased. And that chandelier? I have a matching one…Left it with the house we sold, though I am amazed at how similar you and I are! : ) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1192309907466691&set=pb.100000630794037.-2207520000.1487534598.&type=3&theater
April 12, 2016 @ 11:43 am
It is a most gorgeous GFT! Well done!
April 12, 2016 @ 11:44 am
I am so happy for you! It is magnificent beyond all dreams of avarice.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:44 am
That bookcase is beyond fabulous, and whatever you had to do to make this happen was absolutely WORTH IT. Never doubt that.
Paul is only doing what he must to participate in the greatness you are determined to live.
(That, and once you live with someone who is actually selling off their possessions to buy a GFT, being the person who will not go and RETRIEVE the GFT just makes you the unreasonable one, and might be a little dangerous. Someone who is willing to sell off their possessions for a bookcase cannot be reasoned with and may go to any extreme to get what they want)
April 12, 2016 @ 12:05 pm
Post awesome!!!! Response, even better! I love both but this one especially.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:45 am
My laughter brought me to tears reading this! I so saw myself in this piece!
Now tell me, are you really off Craig’s List?
By the way the photos of your home, glimpses around corners into other rooms are so beautiful.
Well done girlie girl!
April 12, 2016 @ 11:45 am
I have been waiting with baited breath to see what the-craiglist-find-to-end-all-craiglist-finds was, and I was not disappointed. Its is so beautiful and I am green with envy. Truly all of your work to sell everything you own was well worth it. Is Paul a saint? Of course, but we already knew that. Well done! Oh, and I’m glad to see that Elvis is looking well.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:46 am
The video says it’s not viewable due to privacy settings.
April 12, 2016 @ 12:03 pm
phenomenal… would you try reloading your browser? sometimes that does the trick?
April 12, 2016 @ 12:12 pm
I opened another tab and it worked, but when I refresh it doesn’t. Weird iDevice Safari quirk?
April 12, 2016 @ 1:26 pm
Press the box with the arrow. Select the item requesting the desktop version. Voila the video works. Well worth it.
April 22, 2016 @ 4:19 pm
Shoot. This didn’t do it for me. Any other ideas?
April 12, 2016 @ 11:48 am
Lol. I live 2 hours from Cleveland. I saw this on Craigslist and remember thinking you’d have to have a certain kind of house to accommodate it. Looks like I was right. Love it!
April 12, 2016 @ 11:49 am
I love reading your stories!!!! I’m laughing out loud at the progression of happenings. You’ve have helped start my day in a very enjoyable and fun way! Can barely wait to read about your next acquisition!!!
April 12, 2016 @ 11:51 am
Why does Paul love you? You gave the reason yourself!
“When I like something, I LIKE IT. And I do not need to like anything else. And there is no chance that I will forget about the liking. And there is no chance I will move on from the liking.
Rather, I will devote all of my time and energy to liking it, EVEN WHILE I AM ASLEEP.”
This, of course, includes Paul! He is a lucky man (until you find a bigger fancier one on Craigslist, that is!) 😉
April 12, 2016 @ 10:32 pm
While the rest of your reasoning is sound, you missed a bit right at the end.
“He is a lucky man (until you find a bigger fancier one on Craigslist, that is!)”
There is NO bigger or fancier one than Paul to be had on this entire plane of existence. So he’s safe and she’s blessed. 😀
April 14, 2016 @ 11:37 pm
I don’t think that is popossible. They don’t make many like Paul.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:51 am
Beautiful!
April 12, 2016 @ 11:51 am
Can we ask: HOW MUCH WAS IT?! Just for pure curiosity. I’m positive I’m not the only rude and prying soul dying to know. Also, did you have to convince the person to hold it for you? How did you know it wouldn’t sell.
And congrats! It’s beautiful and fits the essence of you and your house.
April 12, 2016 @ 12:15 pm
I’ll admit that I wondered the exact same thing as Mary! And how many things did you have to get rid of to raise the needed funds?
April 12, 2016 @ 11:53 am
I so look forward to your videos.
🙂
http://gwingal.blogspot.com/
April 12, 2016 @ 11:53 am
Oh, it’s perfect…and so is he.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:56 am
At long last the GFT!!!! It is gorgeous!!! Yes, it was worth all the other things in your house. You were right to want to possess it as you did those clogs. Big thumbs up to you!!!! Big thumbs up to Elvis, she is looking wonderful!!! Big thumbs up to Saint Paul!!! Big thumbs up to your dad!!!!
However, I know this will not be the end of your pursuit of GFTor other things you cannot live without. Craig’s list will beckon you with other GFT. Also, what about your kitchen??? What’s going on with that? We need to know about that.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:56 am
Just think how boring his life would be without you? Who else would live in a half finished house and work on it? Who else would spend basically peanuts for furniture? If you added up all your expenditures they would be a lot less than a house full of Pottery Barn furniture, or pick the name of a good local furniture store. Who else would work on a kitchen renovation instead of yammering for a complete run of Christopher Peacock cabinets? Now he is golden for your birthday, anniversary, and next Christmas. He doesn’t have to do anything.
If you could have accompanied him, you would have, but you had to take care of Elvis.
Are you two still dancing? We are going to Baltimore the end of April for a Tango Marathon Weekend. Should be interesting. 10 hours of seminars with a Tango great.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:58 am
Wow. My husband loves me a lot (or claims to…) but he would never drive to Cleveland and get this for me! Paul is a saint.
April 12, 2016 @ 11:59 am
Oooooh so happy to see THE GFT of Arkansas-no-Cleveland revealed! It is, in fact, most magnificent. So happy for you that it is finally home. Thanks for sharing, I adore reading your wonderful blog (even if I just lurk most of the time – I love your writing!)
April 12, 2016 @ 12:03 pm
It looks far more beautiful in your home than in the picture. I don’t understand how you would have known that by the pictures on craigslist. Did you send a scout? Perhaps the Cleveland cousin? I’m so impressed that you threw us off! I wouldn’t have thought of that! That’s proof that you’re a legit celebrity when you have to scam your followers. Brilliant!
re: Paul, 1) he probably liked it too, 2) that’s what our husbands are supposed to do! 3) it’s a love thing.. 4) I feel so sorry for anyone who has a spouse who wouldn’t do the same thing, 5) stop it, you are perfectly irresistibly lovable, otherwise we’d all dump you.
What’s going in there?
April 12, 2016 @ 12:06 pm
You have not disappointed your devoted followers. Se magnifique!