I’m back at work after my recent trip to Paris, which I wrote about in last week’s Editor’s Diary. And it feels like I’ve started a whole new job!
The reason? Because I’ve relocated to my brand-new home office. No more kitchen table for me!
It has been the work of many months to get to this stage. But as you can see from my photo, Matilda has already made herself at home. And so have I!
During COVID, we had no choice but to work at home. And no-one expected it to go on as long as it did. So what started as a temporary arrangement, setting up PF HQ at my kitchen table, became the norm.
But it wasn’t ideal. Mr PF Ed was cut off from the kitchen for long spells of the day when I was on calls. I had to pack everything away each night, and get it all set up again in the morning. And in winter, it was freezing!
When, in April, we decided home working was going to be part of our new hybrid future, I knew a more permanent solution had to be found.
A glorified cupboard
Our tiny boxroom, allegedly a bedroom but too small for more than a single bed and a chair, had been used as a glorified cupboard for over 20 years. It was the obvious location for my new home office. But clearing it out was not a simple task!
It took many hours, several trips to the tip and a lot of moving boxes to the loft before it was empty. Then paint — lots of it! — was needed to brighten the walls.
With a blank canvas to work with, the fun part began. A smart, functional and frankly gorgeous office space was designed and built, with plenty of space for my dictionaries. No self-respecting editor should be without several volumes! (And online versions simply won’t do at all.)
It’s still a work in progress, with artwork needed for the walls and many items to be retrieved from the loft. But I love it! And the joy of not having to pack up each night. I can just close the door and forget about it all till morning . . .
Angela Gilchrist I am the former Editor-in-Chief of “The People’s Friend” magazine. My passions include cats, Highland ponies, good books, vegetarian food and long walks in the Scottish countryside. My favourite place to get away from it all is the magical Isle of Skye.
