Thursday, April 17, 2008

Fall down... go boom!

In a person’s life there are many dates and events that become etched in our personal life diary: birth days; a first kiss; anniversaries… April 17, 2008. April 17, 2008 at 5.32am. That would be the latest date that will forever be remembered by Sheryl and me. It was on this date, at that time, that our walls came tumbling down.

OK, so perhaps that’s a little melodramatic. The walls did not actually cave in. The John Mellencamp song title as a metaphor was used to make a point is all.

Many of you are aware that for the past 10 days, Sheryl and me have been in south east Florida fixing up our newly acquired vacation home. On the actual vacation scale, I would likely rate this trip as a 2.5. It’s not exactly been relaxing. Running all over the place, finding furniture, trades people etc. to complete our idyllic new nest.

Yesterday afternoon, three very large pieces of abstract art were professionally installed. Two pieces were hung on load-bearing concrete walls. The process appeared to be involved and lengthy. Lasers, drills with concrete bits and spirit levels were just some of the tools required and utilized.

Everyone we are told, dreams. I’m one of those people that rarely remember dreams. At 5.31 this morning, I was sharing tea and cookies with some friends when the peaceful tranquility of my REM sleep was interrupted by a sound that truly is hard to describe. Suffice to say, it was not the dawn chorus of recently slumbering birds. We both ran to where we thought the noise emanated. The living room. Behind the couch was one of the pieces, all 64” x 44” of it.

Fortunately damage was minimal. Some marks on the wall and a partially “peeled” baseboard. Just before going to bed last night, we moved the couch an inch or two more from the wall. Just as well. Otherwise this piece could have bounced off the back of the couch and landed on a glass coffee table in front of the couch. Now that would have been a memorable sound indeed.

Stuff really does happen.

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