Traci called a few weeks ago beaming about her new hobby. “Estate Sales,” she chirped, “I map them out and off we go.” Gadora invited herself out to see their loot and hoped in earnest to join their next run. Bright and early Sunday morning, we coffeed up and began our journey from Decatur, headed to Weatherford, then eventually towards Ft. Worth and finished in Arlington (And thanks Tim for driving).

My Own Sunday Loot

My Own Sunday Loot

Gadora was most successful at the first and crappiest Estate Sale. The only ones there, we had space to pilfer. A wall of coffee mugs and glassware could only mesmerize so long. I spied 4 dusty shell lamp bases, then another, then another. Somehow a dank hallway beckoned me, and led me straight to a cluttered side table. I coolly and casually made my offer and the estate company accepted without incident. Here is Gadora’s table.

Lane table

A gorgeous Lane side piece that had recently been abused by shellac, the dovetails exposed just enough. A website I found said to read the serial number backwards and so it is that 01.06.66 was when my table was produced.

Lane specifics

JetsetModern identified my table as part of the “Acclaim” series. “In addition to its physical virtues, the Acclaim line was uncommonly broad and deep.” Another site offered: “LANE ACCLAIM SERIES MODERN END TABLES (PAIR) Designed by Andre Bus,” but this I’ll have to confirm. The only thing I can find on ebay is for a console table with drawers for the “buy it now” price of $599. We’re not close, but we’re pretty darn.

Lane Acclaim

Lane Acclaim

We spent the rest of the afternoon shuffling around town with mostly the same people.  Traci and Tim had been to most on Saturday and had scoped out their half-priced Sunday treasures. Narrowly missing a pristine wheat-colored velvet sofa with mid-century lines, I sulked into another part of the house and took a moment to remember each home  was a preserved, but now-disheveled history of the lives that unfolded there. We three,  ready to pick up their pieces.

Tonight’s posting, and new category listing “On Becoming,” is an ode to Carl R. Rogers, “On Becoming A Person.” The good life is indeed a process… and Gadora is in the process of becoming, too.