An Unexpected Find

So there's that time that Craigslist was offering a free school coat and hat cubby shelf.  And I loaded it into the van by myself without telling Michael.  I called him looking for the ratchet straps and promised him they were not for the boys.  Turned out I had loaded the shelf on top of the tie-down straps.

Someone drove very cautiously and slowly on the way home.  (Sorry, Broadway traffic...)

It ended up being 1/2 inch too long for where I wanted it.  But it was a beast to get into the living room.

Michael kindly saved me from humiliation and a fifth workout for the day, by suggesting we try it as a room divider for now until I paint it (too much red in our old house, and I'm done with red) and decide if I'm going to cut it down or not.  Room dividers are not my bag, but Michael is more adventuresome than I.  It's growing on me.  It makes two cozier conversation areas instead of one long, awkward conversation area.

Don't mind the laundry basket and toys out in the below photos.  I do what I can around here, and picking up toys to impress blog readers is not anywhere near the top of my priority totem pole.

yes, there are those chairs waiting for reupholstery.  I'm much farther on the one in our room...progress pics soon.)

Also, we're thinking of getting a round storage ottoman (toys!) for that area that the sand pail is in.