The Basement and Monner
A couple months ago a friend called to ask if I would like to help finish her basement. I told her I was way too busy in the store. Ivy overheard the conversation and asked, "Just what do you do for the store?
"Me: I help with shipping. Ivy: You sent wine glasses to the wrong address, I had to resend them. Me: I take the checks to the bank. Ivy: We get four checks a month. Me: I stock shelves. Ivy: You never finish, I always finish your job. Me: I guess I will help finish my friend's basement. Ivy: That would be great!
I called my friend back, made an appointment to go see her. She had no plans, other than she was going to finish her basement so her daughter and son-in-law could move into the basement. The "kids" were going to help pay her mortgage while saving money to pay for college. (Good thing the economy is getting better……..Monner, don't get political)
I met the "kids"; a good looking couple in their early twenties. I said good looking couple, but I'm not really sure about the son-in-law. He was one of those kids that keep their waistband below their butt. (If I wore my pants like that, I would be asked to sell the yarn store and open a plumbing shop.) He has lousy aim, also. He tried to get an earring and ended up piercing below his lip. Evidently, his feelings bruise easily, because no one will tell him he has a piece of metal sticking out of his chin.
Together, the kids, my friend and I decided where to place the bedroom walls, closets, and the family/dining room. I mentioned that I hope they had small furniture because with the configuration of the upstairs hallway and staircase, getting furniture in the basement would be difficult. (You think you know where this is going, don't you?)
The basement turned out looking really good. The kids turned out to be really good at color selection. We built a built-in entertainment center that accommodates their television, surround sound and gaming system. (It's not really a bucket list thing, but I lived long enough to build an entertainment center for a gaming system.)
The kids started moving furniture into the basement. They brought over a couple friends to help move furniture. They had pants pulled up to their waist. (I notice things.) The furniture went down the stairs perfectly; except for the couch, a really big couch. I told the kids, the couch is NOT going down stairs.
The kids stood the couch on its end. They worked it down the hall before they reached a place where it was thoroughly stuck. I asked the kids to stop pushing on the couch and give up. That was about the time they hooked the back of the couch on a door hinge tearing the leather.
Son-in-law: Now what? Me: Sell the couch and get a smaller one. SiL: I just bought it! Me: I would have guessed that. You might have been able to take it back except for tear in the leather. SiL: I liked the couch. Me: Leave it upstairs, OR, it will go thru the windows downstairs, if you want to dig out the window well. You might want to wait until the ground thaws. The digging will be a lot easier. SiL: I don't dig! Me: Hopefully, you know someone that does.
I need to take the checks to the bank.
Our crazy lives!
Monner