My sister called today; they made it back to Colorado last night, after what, three (?) or so weeks of vacation. Because lawnmowing for 8 weeks or so is sooooo taxing.

I’m kidding, halfway. I must say, I do envy her ability to have odd jobs that allow her to travel like that, but my mother reminds me that they envy my ability to have health insurance and my own house. (Especially when her back goes out and instead of going to the doctor, she lays prone in a tent until she’s better.)

They had flown here from Madison, as her boyfriend’s family lives there. (Quote: “I think Madison would be a good girls name… it’s P’s hometown, and it’s a real . . . different name. Unusual.” Guess who DOESN’T work with children, ever?! I talked her out of it, for what it’s worth.) When they got back from Maine, they spent a week or so in Northern WI at P’s family’s cabin on some lake, somewhere. They trailered back an old snowmobile that P’s folks didn’t want, and a bench.

Now, it’s no ordinary bench. P’s dad is deceased (Interesting, how we’ve both chosen men who’ve lost their fathers at a young age, JUST LIKE OUR DAD) but his mom remarried, and had two more children with P’s stepdad. His stepdad builds furniture.

This stuff.

Now, this is cool stuff. But for you and me (well, I don’t know ALL of you, but for those I know pretty well) this is not in our price range. I just put together a tall shelf from Target that is intended for a bathroom, was on sale, and is now being used as a nightstand, as a reference. I’m even considering buying a dresser or two from El Bullseye because ours are just not functional for adults…. and would work better as baby furniture… don’t think I haven’t noticed that Dave’s dresser is perfect change-table height, and just needs paint!

The specific “piece” that they brought home — this is the kind of stuff that you use the word “piece” for — is this bench.

Yam, I’m looking at you. You were the one who coined the term “golden horseshoe” to describe my sister, I believe. It was Hermia who told me about her roommate, the actress/florist that was commissioned to make centerpieces for a livery driver’s daughter that included, yes, gold painted horseshoes. And it has stuck, my sister is “She of the Golden Horseshoe.”

And now, my sister ACTUALLY HAS a Golden Horseshoe under her ass.

(And, yeah, the HK stuff is amazing. There’s a website, but I didn’t want to link directly to it. That bench? Would buy me a trip to someplace tropical … in the HIGH SEASON. MMkay? Also, NYC’ers, apparently the new TW building — with the Borders — has this stuff in it. As does the Yale Museum of Art or something.)