I’m grateful for a lot of things.

There is no way for me to tell who does it, but people do use the Amazon search box you’ll find in the right sidebar, and also the various Amazon links I append to entries about this and that. I get a little commission and a stream of income from it, and it doesn’t add anything to the price of things purchased.

Of course, I sell the furniture I make over there in the sidebar too, and many of my readers are my best customers. I still make all of it myself, out of raw materials and elbow grease, and am gratified each and every time I sell something. It’s especially nice to get emails from hither and yon with some feedback.

• The new tables are so incredibly beautiful that my whole house now looks tacky. There should be warnings on your website that these consequences might occur! (Diane)
• Many thanks for a beautiful table!  We will continue to watch your site! (Barry and JJ)
• The tables you made for us are terrific and work perfectly in our
  bedroom, we love them!  Thanks so much for making them for us and
  shipping them to the Vineyard. Beautiful! We love the tiger maple tops
  with the off white legs. (Judy)
• I was totally delighted with
  my purchase from Sippican Cottage Furniture. The proprietor corresponded
  with me personally to let me know when my item shipped. The item was
  packaged tightly and securely and arrived in time for the event for
  which it was purchased, and the product was even more beautiful than
  pictured on the web site. Definitely a positive experience! (Phoebe)

Lots of people compliment me on the packaging. I think they’re used to having things delivered broken. It’s more expensive to ship a fully assembled table than flat-pack stuff, of course, but isn’t your time worth something? Most people are too busy to put together their own furniture, and nothing put together with a little wrench is likely to last very long. Packaging for mass-produced goods gets whittled down to its barest essence, and often doesn’t last the trip. The disappointment of a busted anything coming out of a shipping box exceeds just the money involved. We avoid it like the plague by packaging smart and sturdy. My wife and I do it together. It’s as close to a date as we get these days, I guess. 

I especially like it when people send me pictures of the stuff in use, and most especially love the pictures of the youngins using their furniture. Look at Andy’s beautiful children, using their Super Ten Finger Stepper to hang their Halloween decorations.

Andy wrote to me along with the picture, prompted by my waxing poetic about getting a muffin and a cup of coffee like I was sitting in the electric chair and the governor called:

What we give to others is precious, indeed. In pursuit of that
sentiment, I thought I would update you on the development of your
stepper under the care of my children.  It is coming along swimmingly,
and shows much promise toward a long existence of cheerful utility.  The
darn thing can’t help itself from wanting to help everyone else. 

It’s the children that remind you what you’re trying to do. “It is a meager thing, but mine own.”

So thanks, everybody, for reading and commenting and buying my book
,and purchasing my furniture and pressing on my links and being my Interfriends.