“The rimu dining table has been in George’s family for more than 30 years” said the article in the Weekend. I wondered why this fact was considered noteworthy. Our rimu dining table has also been in our family for over 30 years as we bought it soon after we moved here in 1986. By then the family living “at home” was reduced to just the two of us, but we considered a good-sized table essential for entertaining.
Our dining table in Auckland was a rectangular oak one, with extensions, useful for the larger gatherings that are inevitable when there are teenagers in the family. It had been given to us by a family friend, together with a matching oak sideboard and china cabinet. I’d never been fond of any of these and was happy to bid them farewell when we moved south. My longing had always been for an oval table, and I was delighted to find one in rimu, with six upholstered dining chairs. With no awkward corners or legs a couple of extra chairs can always be squeezed in if required.
As there are just two of us we usually dine at one end of the table, and the other end provides a useful space for Stephen’s laptop. I use a p.c. and am lucky enough to have a proper desk in a separate room. Our current dining table, having served us well for 36 years, will probably outlast us. Do other people change their dining tables frequently?
When everything is said and done
for dining table – need just one
Ruth's Reflections 
I’ve had my second-hand oak refectory table since 1976. There has been no reason to change it. Mainly, it’s a repository for fruit bowls and vases of flowers. It came with one matching chair and I’ve been able to buy (second-hand) four more rush-bottomed oak chairs. Various sit-upons are pressed into service if we have more than five around the table. It’s nice to have furniture with memories attached!
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You can proudly say it’s been in the family for 47 years.
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My parents use to have their dining room for many years, we don’t have one now, mind you it would help if we had room for one.
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I think that’s a common feeling in modern units.
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