Had a lovely conversation with Jeff about the origin of the wood used in our benchtop J. 

The story goes something like this: he collected it over 30 years ago from a demolition in North Beach/Watermans Bay.  The building being demolished was an old ‘guest house’ – a ‘holiday hotel’ where olden day Perth folk used to go when their doctor told them they needed ‘fresh air’ for their ailments.  The guest house was situated on top of Flora Street, overlooking the Indian Ocean to one side and Star Swamp to the other.  These planks of jarrah were the floor joists holding up the second story – they were about 5m long and solid and firm and well-seasoned and dry. 

And we love them of course and feel very privileged to be their new caretakers.  Jeff is quite happy with how they are sitting but warned us that one part of one plank ‘might not behave’ – so I am talking calmly to it to let it know we will take care of it and it doesn’t need to worry.  It is no trouble at all to gently massage it either – it is just stunning to run your hand over this benchtop.