Given the fact Benji and I have been hanging out since I was 16, I’ve spent a lot of time at the Bushaw family dinner table. I used to love eating at the Bushaws. Debbie was an incredible cook and I was always amazed by how she had all four food groups plus dessert and things were always homemade. They had a way of asking for more milk with their glasses that I always chuckled at and the conversations were fun and lively. Even washing dishes was okay to do over there.

I also literally loved their table. Ben’s uncle Ron (married to creative icon Mary Gaye) made it for Steve and Debbie years before I came along. It was quite long with two benches instead of chairs and created a true sense of family and unity. I think that many years ago I knew I wanted a table like that someday.

Fast forward to the building of the new house and Ben and I agreed we wanted a BAT (big arse table). We thought Steve could maybe help us and told him our vision for salvaged wood. He found a great piece that was 88 inches long–a perfect length. We were developing a plan for next steps when Ben and I found a table and benches at the Elko flea market for $75. A total steal of a deal. We snatched it up and came up with a new plan. Ben used the existing benches to lengthen the 60 inch table to 82 inches. We then split the original piece of salvaged wood for the two bench tops. After sanding the dark stained finish off the table and benches–I’ve gotten quite handy with an electric sander–it’s back to more of a rustic, natural state.

We still have to find the right color stain to complete our BAT and find captain’s chairs foe the head of the table but all in all, it’s going to work out perfectly. And when the boys get in trouble or we call them in for dinner we can easily say “you got benched.”