A Recycled Shesk 09/02/2012
 
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Is it a delf or a shesk? This is the newest addition to my writing corner.

I normally write on an ironing board in a corner of the bedroom, because there’s simply no room for a big desk. I have to fold the ironing board away at night so Mr Z doesn’t trip over it in the dark. Less pain for Mr Z (good), but a pain in the neck for me, because all my writing projects get stacked together at the end of the day and I have to sort it all out in the morning. If only I could leave some of my stuff out, so I could find what I want easily...

My son’s crummy old desk has been stored in our lean-to for some time. It was too long to fit in my writing space, and too full of graffiti to sell or give away, but I reckoned if we cut it down, it’d fit nicely into the corner. After much sanding down, I applied my home-made chemical-free polish to the desk-top and the job was done.

It’s not very deep, and I usually sort my projects into three piles on there, so I use it more like a shelf. Hence, ‘shesk’ or ‘delf’. I still write on the ironing board, but my new addition means I can leave stuff in tidy piles.

So, one desklet/shesk/delf for hardly any cost, and nothing taken to the tip. (And we still have the drawer section of the old desk in our lean-to, to store odds ‘n’ ends).

It passed its first test yesterday, when someone from a magazine rang. I was able to snatch up the relevant stuff from the right pile and zoom downstairs to take the call. No rummaging, no stress. Magic!
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In my last post, I asked Mrs Darcy some probing questions. I’d heard about Jonathan Pinnock’s month-long blog tour to promote his book Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens, and I wanted to be in on the action. As I’ve been in awe of Mr P for some time, I thought if I tried to interview him I’d embarrass myself by speaking gibberish. So it seemed simpler to chat to Mrs Darcy instead.

It was fun and afterwards I breathed a sigh of relief that I’d managed to do my first ever interview without getting flustered.

The blog post was up on the site for a whole day before I re-read it and realised that I’d forgotten to mention the name of the book! Am I the world’s worst interviewer, or what?! I’ve now added the book title to the original post, and to atone for my slip-up, I’ll mention it again. It’s called Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens, and it’s very funny, and there’s more info here.
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And here’s another pic of the book, next to the iron which Mrs Darcy failed to get the hang of. Oh, and the title is Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens. Now you know.

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No, my ironing board doesn’t write, but it thanks you for asking.

I looked at other writers’ blogs whilst dithering over a name for my own. Some were called ‘From the desk of...’ and sounded very grand, but for me, it wouldn’t have been honest. Because my desk really is an ironing board.

Now put those violins away! My husband offered to buy me a desk... and I refused. My current writing space is a corner of our small bedroom – officially. Unofficially, I set up the ironing board in a different part of the room each time. It stops me getting board – sorry, bored – with the view.

It works well, as long as I don’t kick it when it’s supporting a full cup of tea. Some of the white daisies are now sepia-toned. And papers can get soggy if I write too soon after ironing damp laundry, but that’s all part of the fun.

If we move to a bigger house and I end up with my own office (Three-wish Genie, where are you?), I’ll have a proper desk like a normal person. But I think I’ll be tempted to fit wheels to it.
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