Bookcase 1, Elly 0. Crap.

Owwwie.

I was moving a huge maple bookcase with my dad yesterday. The idea was simple: my mum emptied it out, and papa and I were supposed to take it from the study upstairs, all the way down to the basement. This way, they could repaint the room without any furniture in it. They’re not sure they are going to put that bookcase back in there, anyway, and may give it to me in the end.

Anyway.

Papa and I picked up the beast and started making our way down the staircase. Now, you have to understand, this is a wide staircase with a solid wooden ramp on both sides, which sweeps into the living room. It’s a bit like one of those grand staircases that branch off into two at the mid point.

I was carrying the weight of the thing, being the one going down first. When I reached the last step, it all went to hell.

My parents have a golden retriever who likes to run around the house and rearrange the carpets. The lower floor, just like the top floor, is hard-wood flooring. Sophie (damned dog) had left one of the little wee semi-circle carpets at the bottom of the stairs. That piece of shit (the carpet…) has NO TRACTION on the wooden floor surface. I stepped on it. I slipped. I did (according to papa) a kickass arabesque, and fell flat on my face. I had been the one going down the stairs backwards, with the bookcase in my arms, and so when my feet left from under me (“Feets, don’t fail me NOW!” I shouted…) I actually fell FORWARD, not back like normal people. Noooo… not me. Forward. squish went the bookcase onto little old me.

End result? The bookcase hit me in the head (I have an egg growing on my head now), and I bruised my entire left side. My dignity is gone. GONE! My mom laughed hysterically. So did papa. Bastards.

So this morning, I ache. Badly. I’m bruised, my ego is bruised, and my head hurts. Took some meds for the pain, but now I’m feeling cranky. And I have my boss popping by in about an hour to review his book. Waaaah!

Yeah yeah, I know, Mundane and Pointless sharing of story…

Elly

Yeeowch!!

Ah well. Now you know, when you’re moving heavy furniture, to check the route first. You live, you learn.

Owie…those bookcases are dangerous, vicious things indeed. Personally, I feel it comes through osmosis–you let too many “smart” books sit in a case too long and the case starts picking up rebellious ideas. Rotating books from case to case on a regular basis helps confuse these wooden behemoths.

Course, books by themselves can be dangerous too. Just on Sunday, my renegade totebag full of library books purposely got in the way of my feet and tripped me, resulting in a major skinned elbow.

You might want to round up some trashy paperbacks and have them sit in the shelf for a while to dumb it down a bit.

I’m not laughing AT you, I’m laughing WITH you.

Er, well, with your parents, I guess.

It’s always the dog’s fault!! Who horks up on the living room rug? Who piddles by the door because it’s raining out and one can’t piddle out in the rain? Who thinks the toilet is a personal drinking fountain? Always the dog!!

Poor baby - hope your boo-boos heal quickly. I suggest the next time you see the dog, you purse your lips and give her a stern looking-at! That’ll teach her! Then find a muscular, well-oiled young stud to move heavy furniture in the future. Just some unsolicited advice!

Ouch! So when’s the rematch?

Hey, dogs are good for something: at least we can always blame our own silent gaseous emissions on them…

screech-owl [cat lover]

Sorry to hear about the mishap: feeling better yet?

By the way, was the bookcase damaged at all? Those hardwood bookcases are awfully expensive, and a bad scratch or dent could lower the resale value.

Well nice to know that you aren’t getting any…more graceful in your old age…at least you avoided the skull fracture this time…

Remind me not to sit to close to you when we meet…just…in…[sub] book[/sub] case…:groan…

Keith

elly, elly, elly, with your track record, i wouldn’t let you in the same house as moving furniture, let alone move the furniture. did you see your friends at er?

i hope you feel better very soon.

Errr… thanks, guys… I think…

:wink:

I still have a kickass headache…

Rematch? Late August. When I have to move it all back…

sigh

Oh wooooe is me.

Elly