Yesterday we were on top of the chores. There was only a mental list so no exquisite pleasure of ticking items off a paper list, and then the ultimate climactic scrumple of paper with an exaggerated toss into the rubbish bin.

The penultimate chore was some plant buying and a summer treat of two garden chairs to sit in our yard.

I’m not sure when I first fell in Love with Adirondack chairs. They were invented and patented as The Westport Plank Chair in 1904. Our Canadian relations call them the Muskoka Chair. Read the link below for the full history and more names.

https://panamajack.com/blogs/from-panama-jack/6-things-to-know-about-the-adirondack-chair#:~:text=It%20was%20originally%20dubbed%20the,Ontarians%20flock%20to%20every%20summer.

My first ‘ bum on seat’ experience was at the age of 3 or 4. My entrepreneurial Nana had them in the small orchard of Walnut trees behind her rural pub. These would almost certainly have come from one of the local American Air Force bases that she ran a limousine taxi service for. Her 17th century home was an eclectic mix of antiques and pub stuff with Contemporary Mid- Century North American furniture. Lucille Ball *meets The Leaky Cauldron**

* American Comedian with family themed comedy in the 60’s

** Pub in Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter novels.

My Nana always rocked the Lucille Ball look. Once turning up wearing Chuck Taylor Converse and jeans to a school sports day with brilliant red lips. Her pub was absolutely the country version of the Leaky Cauldron. Customers included.

Anyway when USAF staff and their families returned to the U.S or were redeployed elsewhere in Europe they would often leave a fair bit of domestic stuff behind. Often gifting it to local people with whom they had built up relationships. My Nan was a happy and stylish recipient.

In complete contrast on the other side of my family there were many men who were talented amateur woodworkers. My other grandparents were the proud owners or Steamer versions of the Adirondack. All painstakingly crafted from the instructions provided by Woodworker magazine by my Uncle who was really very clever and ultimately did cabinet making in Number 10 Downing Street. A fact I only discovered when I read his obituary.

A day of chores glossed over with natter about chairs. We were very busy bees though.