Day 3157 The story sofa.

7th April 2026

The drive down to John the wood’s barn was wonderful, the sky was clear and blue with any trails blocking the sun. I stopped to get petrol, it’s at an all time high of $4.20 a gallon.

I had picked up some chocolate chip cookies from the corner shop, John enjoys them with the coffee.

I arrived at his home a little early, but he was ready with is water bottle in hand and medication in a carrier bag.

He hadn’t been to the barn since we were there last, so he was keen to see what state his sons may have left it in.

We always start with a coffee and a cookie, John has two cups that he had marked with coloured tape, green for me, red for him. This is when I tell him what the objectives of the day will be. Once we have finished our beverage, we are off.

My plan was to finish the base, fit the legs and drill the pocket holes. As I have said before I take my time and bring John along with me. He is like my apprentice, always ready to lead a hand.

Once the leg frame was assembled I give it to him to sand, he likes that bit.

But his eyes light up when he is talking about wood, he showed me a chunk of Brazilian rosewood, I don’t think I have seen a solid piece that big. He points to the doors and drawer fronts in his office that he made in solid elm. In his heyday he made some fine work, now he’s been reduced to helping an Englishman stumble through building a sofa.

After our second break, I talked to him about the next project, the one to bring some money into the barn, it will be made from maple and could be fun to make. That is when his eyes lit up again when he told me that he had a stack of red maple drying in the yard, now that could be a beautiful timber to use.

As we finish for the day we clean up the mess we made, it’s a ritual that I started at the beginning, sweeping the sawdust, mostly made by others.

Once we’ve done that it’s time to drive him back to his home in Wyoming, which I can now do in my sleep.

Winnie is alway pleased to see me, she greets me with a ball in her mouth hinting what she wants to play. So half an hour of that, and I’m done for the day.