One of the comments to this blog observed that there was entirely too much stuff on the table. Which in a way is true, yet in comparison to what might be on or in the table it is minimal. For instance, a typical inhabitant of a night table is often a glass of water, or if you're really fancy or are influenced by English novels a pitcher with a cover that acts as a beaker, perhaps in cut glass. From there it's not a far leap to a plate of cookies - or biscuits, to continue the English theme. Then why not a hot-water bottle, or a fan for night-sweats if you are unfortunate enough to have them, and an assortment of over-the-counter (or patent, t.c.t.E.t.) medicines in case you wake up with a runny or congested nose, or an ache or a pain? Or a stack of clean pillowcases in case you have a hankering for a fresh one in the middle of the night? So you see, my night table really is stocked rather sparely.

I neglected to mention that my cell phone is often resident on the night table, though it wasn't there when I made the initial inventory. For many years I lived well and happily without a cell phone, and now I seem to need it by me when I sleep.

Because I don't seem to need an alarm to wake up on time. That may be bragging or complaining, or both. If I slept the way I did when I was a teenager, I'd still need an alarm. I miss being able to sleep for 9 or 10 hours straight, without waking.

The night table is a bit different today. The coaster and hairbrush are stowed in the drawer. Today was cleaning day and I tidied before my friend cleaned. I am more neat than clean. Remember the scene in Five Easy Pieces where the woman who picks them up says that? She was a little crazy, but she was right. More people are neat than are clean.

Because it was cleaning day today the night table is also polished and the books are aligned exactly at right angles to the edge of the table.

The answer to the question posted last time about the position of the prayer books is that I use the 1979 more than the 1928. I belong to a 1979 (Episcopal) church but I like certain things about the 1928 book, which is used mostly by breakaway congregations who call themselves Anglican, rather than Episcopalian, in the U.S. I like the particular 1928 book I have, which was given to me by a friend; it is small and old and has the cross impressed on the cover rather than just printed. It is sweet to hold and to open.

My 1979 prayer book is also small and sweet, but being newer is not so imbued with character. But it is the one I open at night and it is the one with the ribbons. Which can be a distraction. One is tempted to play with them and fondle the charms when one's mind is wandering while saying prayers.

that the 1928 Prayer Book is BELOW the 1979?
that the issues of the Nation are unread?
that there are two tubes of Benadryl cream?
that the clock radio alarm is never set?
that the Post-It Notes are in the drawer rather than on top?
that the dictionary has written on its title page, "Away with words"?

Here is a list of the items in my nightstand as of this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. This is only a list. Explication and Annotation will follow soon. You may wish to draw your own conclusions until the E. and A. appear.

On top:
A small lamp with 100 watt bulb
A beige clock radio (digital)
A stone coaster with cork bottom and apples printed on it.
A small 1979 Book of Common Prayer with red, green and white ribbons to which are attached charms in the form of a cross, an anchor, and a heart.
A lavender hairbrush with cat hair in it
Library books-
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Cherry by Mary Karr
Robert E. Lee by Roy Blount Jr.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

On the shelf in the middle:
A small 1928 Book of Common Prayer (no ribbons)
A paperback copy of A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
A paperback copy of Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
A copy of Why I Am Not A Roman Catholic by Norman Ross
A stack of paper, mostly magazines:
The REM Fan Club newsletter (Georgia Music Hall of Fame Issue)
New Yorker for September 4th and September 11th
MacWorld for July 2006
Dutch Gardens Bulb Catalog
The Nation: August 14th through September 11th issues
White Flower Farm Fall 2006 catalog
The West Missouri Spirit Sept. 2006 issue
Ulla Popken catalog
Daedalus Books catalog Early Fall 2006
L.L. Bean Christmas catalog
photocopy of an editorial on Wal-Mart bashing by Robert Samuelson
photocopy of an article on the top 10 reasons to get hooked on weight training
1975 Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary

In the drawer beneath the shelf:
A flashlight
2 tubes of Benadryl cream, one mostly empty
1 tube of cortisone cream
small scissors
3 pads yellow and one pad pink Post-It Notes
A laminated bookmark with a dried wildflower on it