Passing the Torch, part 3: The Oak Table finds a new home with cousins Lauren and Aaron Quirk.

At the end of part 2, our family heirloom oak table was searching for its next home. I had emailed all the cousins about its search for a new home, with a request for their help.

Several cousins bought new homes in 2023, so I was hopeful that it might fit somewhere. Rozz and her husband Chris had a new condo in the DC area. She wanted the table! A few hours later cousin Lauren and her husband Aaron responded. They also wanted the table. Oops. What to do? Definitely, I was not going to choose between two cousins so I punted the problem back to them.

Lauren’s house is built in the Adirondack style, a 6,000 sq.ft. place with big rocks and heavy timbers. It nestles into a large wooded lot.

This house looks like a good home for the table. Within a few minutes Rozz graciously gave her first slot to Lauren. We are blessed with a great collection of cousins who work through these issues quickly and easily.

Lauren wanted the table immediately, in time for their big Thanksgiving event on Nov. 23, only two weeks away. I called UPS, which responded with a delivery date after Christmas and a $2,000 cost. Ouch. Since Aaron and Lauren work with antique dealers they have experience with shipping heavy, valuable items across the country. Uber has revolutionized all sorts of transportation, not just people. Aaron found an on-demand shipper who could pick up in three days and deliver two days later, on 17, for much less than the UPS quote.

Problems arose. The first shipper had several delays and eventually fell out. The second shipper finally arrived at our house to pick up the table at 7 PM on Nov. 19. He promised to drive all night and get the table up to Washington State by Nov. 21. We were doubtful, and the table arrived in the afternoon of Nov. 22.

With Thanksgiving looming only a day away, Lauren and Arron immediately figured out how to reassemble the table. Aaron bought some assembly hardware and set it up just in time for Thanksgiving,2023.

First Thanksgiving dinner around the oak table at the home of Lauren and Aaron in Washington State.

In Lauren’s words, “The table stole the show and new memories were formed. (It) is imbued with love and so much of our families’ history, the little and big moments, no doubt. What an honor to have (it) in our home now. “

We added a little surprise — three authentic ox yokes — to the shipment. We suspected that Lauren might find a place for these odd bonus gifts. For us, these unusual ox yokes were one more torch to pass on to a good home.

Three ox yokes look very happy in the home of Lauren and Aaron Quirk.