Humilis

Everything in my room is low down, because I have a sort of floor life – I sit on the floor and I sleep on the floor. So tall furniture, and pictures or shelves set high on the wall feel remote and lonely, and rather intimidating.

Because of my odd vascular/collagen set-up, I find sitting on chairs terribly uncomfortable. It takes my body several days to recover if I have prolonged stint at it – for example, travelling on the train (seated, upright) to a meeting or conference where I am seated, upright, then the same travelling back home. If I can put my feet up I’m okay; and sitting in an armchair big enough to curl my legs up under me is fine – the same set-up means my body is very easily folded up.

So, my Badger made me a brilliant floor-desk, out of old gravel-boards (for fences) and scraps of wood. It is the perfect height for me to work at.

Now the Badger, by contrast, finds curling up and folding up almost impossible, likewise sitting on the floor (though he’s fine sleeping on the floor).

Handily, the floor desk also works perfectly well as a seat. The Badger’s reading nook is in the room above me, and his study-bedroom next to that, up in his garret.

So when he comes charging down this little staircase . . .

. . . because he wants to have a chat about something, the floor desk can magically transform into a seat for him to sit on. Neat, eh?

And at night it makes an excellent bedside table.