I recently purchased a small telephone table from the very talented Tracey Doogan of Red Wind Studio.

Tracey takes tired furniture–and other items–and gives them new life by recycling, refinishing and repurposing them. That in itself is a very cool thing, but what’s even cooler is discovering the history behind her pieces.

Tracey doesn’t tell people where the pieces they purchase came from, but Cornwall is a small town and sometimes, as in my case, the history just finds you.

I was standing at the I am Woman show on March 3rd when Heather Robertson came walking by. This woman is a wonderful human being and a role model for many women in business in our community. She congratulated me on my participation in the Eagle’s Nest Business Plan Competition and we started talking about Tracey and how wonderfully unique her art is. I mentioned having given some items to Tracey and Heather said likewise.

She talked about an “old telephone table” that Tracey turned into a wonderful showpiece.

Heather’s husband made this small table when he was in high school in wood shop class. He was 17 at the time. “If Tracey didn’t sand it down too much, you probably still can see his initials underneath.” Heather’s husband died when her children were still very young, but the table stood in the house witnessing many of their milestones. Over the years, new furniture replaced the old and the table found its way to storage. With her kids all grown up, moved out and even grandchildren now, Heather simplified and uncluttered her space. Finding the table amongst the stored items, she felt it was the right time to part with it, leaving it to Tracey to give it a new life.

That table ended up in my bedroom.

In its short stay at my house, It has already witnessed my kids fighting over toys, losing their baby teeth, running high fevers, making silly faces… It has seen hugs, kisses and a whole lot of love. Today, I moved it to the Seeker’s office where it will stand proud, ready to help customers with papers, coffee cups or whatever else they may carry, adding a whole new chapter to its already long biography.

Oh if tables could talk!