We are in desperate need of a new couch in our downstairs living room. The one we have is really on its last legs — we got it third-hand (at least) years and years ago, and I think it’s taken all the sitting and jumping, climbing and clawing, spilling and peeing, that one couch can reasonably be expected to take.

It’s too bad, too, because I really love that couch. It’s a large sectional that seats our entire family comfortably (even if one of the kids does have to sit in a hole that pretty much goes through to the floor), and where it isn’t worn entirely away, the fabric is perfect for a many-kid, many-pet family. The print is dark and varied enough that stains don’t show and the surface is smooth and doesn’t attract a lot of pet hair. Replacing it is proving a difficult task.

I’ve been scouring the classifieds, both online and print, and keeping my eye out at the thrift stores, but there just hasn’t been anything that quite fits the bill. Everything is too small or too expensive or too white or too velour-y. We’ve thought of buying two smaller couches, or even one smaller couch and a couple of easy chairs — and the other day I actually toyed fancifully with the idea of getting eight colorful, plastic “teen chairs” — but we always come back to the fact that a sectional best suits both the room and our family.

I suppose the only thing to do is just keep looking. Sooner or later we’ll happen upon just the thing (or just the good-enough thing), I’m sure. Until then, I guess I’ll just be thankful that nobody minds sitting in gropen*:

*hole, hollow, indentation