The Recliner

I believe that no house is really a home without the obligatory La-Z-Boy recliner in the living room. My own home is no exception. We have had this "country blue" recliner since the Stone Age, and I just don't have the heart to get rid of it. The poor thing has seen better days, and we are in the process of repairing it once again. I tend to think of the recliner as an old friend... and I don't just throw old friends out just because there is a squeak here or there. In this case, it needed a new bolt to keep the left side from sinking backward, and still it needs two extension springs to hold it together. The upholstery is tired and in need of replacing, and the padding on the arms could use a boost. Steve keeps telling me to get rid of it. But I remember a recliner that kept getting fixed, no matter what.

My grandfather (Dzia Dzia) had an old recliner that was covered in a blue/green leather-like fabric and occupied a place of honor in his living room. Although I only saw him sit in that old chair a few times, I remember well that it was HIS chair and we were not allowed to sit in it. So we didn't. We jumped on it, we played on it, we made the leg rest come out over and over. It was a great toy. And as a result of us using it for our own personal jungle gym, it was always broken. Dzia Dzia was always either getting it repaired or fixing it himself. Despite all the repairs, it remained in his home until after he passed away. I loved that old chair. And I loved the "old man" who sat in it. So when I grew up, I knew my own home would have to have a recliner in it.

I remember when I got our recliner for Steve. It was his only gift for Christmas that year, but it was a bargain at $200 at Sam's. It became his favorite place to "watch" a ballgame, and whenever I found his spot next to me in bed vacant in the middle of the night, I would find him in it, snoozing and snoring the night away. I didn't have the heart to disturb him, so would just tuck an afghan around him, and there he would stay until he woke to find all the lights out and me gone to bed.

Over the years, the recliner was shoved to the side and never really used like it was when the boys were young. But with the renewal of our home came a desire to see that chair put into use again. So despite the constant barrage of "let's just get rid of it" comments, the boys and I are doing whatever we can to fix it. So far, the repairs have only cost us $5. I figured that a new recliner costs upward of $400, and it would do my heart good to not have to spend that kind of money, especially around this time of year.

After replacing a bolt that has been long gone, it no longer sags to the left and comes apart in the back like it did before. A few springs ought to tie it all together and make it workable again. If it needs a few nips and tucks along the way, I'm sure we'll do that too. After all, you'd spend time to help an old friend, wouldn't you?

Nazdrovie'

Paczki Puta