I pass a carpenter who works in real wood once a week. He is set up in a 1-car garage under a very small block of apartments. He looks busy every time I pass.

We have a new generation of people who hate brown wood furniture! They are renowned for leaving all their modern crap on the side of the street when they move! Some piles of stuff have a Council reference number as they await collection for destruction! Most are just dumped.

A few years back a friend watched in horror as a valuable 1950s/60s classic Australian table was pulled into the jaws of a compactor truck, had she seen it earlier she could have sent her son or husband over to put it in their front yard for later collection by a well known charity that renovates furniture for sale or donation to people needing it.

I love my grandmother's dressing table & wardrobe but wonder if my niece will do so, tho as she & her partner are set up ... I also have a lovely 1920s kitchen dresser with beautiful stained glass doors I bought decade ago. Anyway, the details of the afore mentioned organiation are on the list my sister has for when I pop off the twig.