Something is Missing

posted by Momo Fali on April 27, 2011

While a lot of our friends are off enjoying Florida sunshine for Spring Break, my family is planted firmly in Ohio…well, as firmly as one can plant thyself when it’s raining two inches a day.

We have been using this time to catch up on doctor’s appointments and accomplish some much needed tasks around the house.  You have beaches and sand?  We have waiting rooms and window cleaning.  So there!

Yesterday, my 12 year old daughter stumbled out of bed and declared, “We should tear out the living room carpet today.”

And because all 12 year old, sleep-deprived kids make rational declarations, I agreed.

We have been wanting to tear up the wall-to-wall carpet for years.  We had it installed in 1998, before we bought our first puppy and before we had our first child.  At that time it was a very light, off-white color.  Because, apparently, new homeowners in their late 20’s are pretty rational too.

By the time our son was born in 2002, the carpet was looking pretty bad despite bi-annual cleaning.  When our boy, the one known as Mr. Reflux, started crawling, small spots would appear everywhere from his constant battles with stomach contents.  It wasn’t pretty, people.

So, yesterday, I took the advice of the 12 year old, grabbed a crowbar, pliers (oh my, the staples!), work gloves and a box cutter and went to work on our 13′ x 23′ living room carpet.

I knew there would be spots of paint on the hardwood, because when we renovated the house we painted the ceilings last and by that time we were pretty sloppy and just wanted to be done.  But, despite the paint, I was pretty happy with the condition of the floor.

We started in one corner and by the time we reached the opposite corner of the room nearly six hours later, we were exhausted.  My arm was so tired from slicing the carpet into strips for the trash men to take that I could barely grip anything, but we saw the light at the end of the tunnel and fought through the pain in our hands, knees and backs.

Until we tore up the last piece of carpet to find this.

And, suddenly, we weren’t seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but rather the light from the basement laundry room.

I think this looks like a good place for a plant…don’t you?

    Comments

  • weaselmomma


    1 question……Any memory of how that hole got there in the first place?

    • Momo Fali


      I guess it was from when we installed outlets on either side of our fireplace. Apparently, we didn’t like it there…but, neither of us remembered it!

  • Melisa


    You should build a custom wood cabinet to go on top of that.

  • kirida


    Yikes! Maybe instead of a plant, you could replicate this pothole intervention: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39380641@N03/sets/72157622189211405/

    Or create your first lava pit: http://i.imgur.com/SUJaQ.jpg

  • Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups


    Hmm…a tiny laundry chute?

  • Barb


    OH – I’m laughing so hard because this is exactly the sort of thing that would happen to me. And my solution would totally be a plant or area rug.

  • Colleen - Mommy Always Wins


    Yeah…plant. Definitely needs a plant! 🙂

  • Lee


    Not a good place for a laundry shoot then I take it!!! 😉

  • caryn


    Why does 12 seem to be the age when kids wake up and say “Geez, you guys have really let things go around here”? I need to just start tearing out our hideous carpeting (i.e. The Chernobyl Berber), too. Then there’s no turning back.

  • meleah rebeccah


    I’m with Cathy! Make it a laundry chute!!

  • Misty


    Oh twelve… Don’t get me started…

    Plant is a yes!

  • Patty


    Why do I think my mom and I tore up the carpeting in my bedroom at one point.

    A plant or rug will work wonders 🙂

  • Wenderly


    That’s hilarious! Isn’t being a homeowner peachy? I think a plant is a splendid idea! Sure beats putting down new floors!

  • Tara R.


    Yes, a large tropical plant. I’m really impressed, pulling carpet is tough work.

    The thing about Florida a lot of people overlook – yes we have lovely warm weather, but we also have a six-month hurricane season. It’s a give/take sort of thing.

    You would be welcome though, any time you want to make the trip south.

  • SurprisedMom


    I’d go with the plant. You can even get big ones cheap! Or, if you’re feeling very adventurous, some kind of sculpture . . . This is why I’m afraid to pull up the carpeting in my house.

  • Heather


    omg. I WOULD HAVE DIED. i’m hyperventilating just thinking about it!

  • mrsmouthy


    So…that’s what heaven looks like? Momo Fali’s basement?

  • Jill


    Now you need to post the photo of the entire wood floor … with the plant covering the “boo boo” of course!