chris & leann

Bookshelf 1 is a Mexican hutch handed down from an old boss. It’s nearly impossible to move and sits about where you’d probably want to put the coat rack that partially obscures it in the picture. It’s right by the front door and has a constant flow of new mail. The books are mostly recently acquisitions from the neighborhood used bookstore and Friends of the Library sales. It’s also home to numerous photographs and assorted small junk like the small stuffed deer on the top. The cabinet at the bottom holds an assortment of guitars, a viola, and a trumpet.


Bookshelf 2 was bought very cheap in 1999 from one of Petaluma ’s once-numerous used bookstores. The bookstore has since been replaced by some high-end old-lady home décor shop. Sigh. This shelf is mostly quality paperbacks – lots of fiction, lots of science, and most of our music books. It’s sturdy, fairly lightweight, and nice-looking – I wish I’d bought all three of them. It now resides in our office.


Bookshelf 3 came from the late, lamented Chinook Bookshop in COS . I bought this one and its twin because they were deep enough to serve as LP shelves. This one is somewhat hard to move since its metal frame and the cabinet at the bottom are a single piece. Since we moved to California one has remained in pieces in the mud room and this one has towered over the entryway and the living room, depending on the house. Most of our art and film books, assorted tall paperbacks, and hardbound books are on this shelf. The very tall books and some adults-only books are at the very top. The milk cans at the top were decorations for our wedding reception. The red sliding doors at the bottom were pale blue when I bought the shelves; behind them live magazines and comics. I hope no one is sitting in front of this when The Big One hits.