“Always expect the unexpected. You’ll still be surprised” ~ Karen Steele

An evening or so ago, I decided to finish unloading the furniture from my van. How I got it out is a whole ‘other story, but one piece in particular. . .

A chest of drawers. . .

Caused me to notice an idiosyncrasy in the structure of my home. Something I probably wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

Being smart (and alone) I removed each drawer and brought them inside. I cleaned and vacuumed them and then carried them upstairs. That left the skeleton or bones of the chest of drawers to bring in. My neighbor came and helped me get it into the kitchen. After she left, I cleaned it up and proceeded to move it upstairs.

The beginning was easy, as many beginnings are. I turned it sideways, tipped it and pulled it up the three steps to the landing. Doing good.

Seeing as how there wasn’t enough room on the landing to turn it sideways,

And the stairs were just a bit wider than the chest,

I decided to tip it back and pull it up the stairs one at a time. No problem, right?

Wrong!

As I got closer to the top, I began to question my sanity. Surely the steps weren’t more narrow at the top (because I sure knew the dresser wasn’t getting any wider). But the closer I got to the top, the less space I had to maneuver. It took me a few seconds to realize that between the extra bit of width of the newel post and the curve of the bannister, there really was less space in which to maneuver and manhandle my chest of drawers.

Two steps from the top I had to stop and balance the back legs of the chest on a step. One, because I was roaring with laughter and two, because I could no longer tip it back and get it through the space. The extra 1/2″ on each side of the top of the dresser was not going to fit.

I was in a quandary: I wasn’t sure I had the upper body strength to lift it straight up the steps. I knew that if I let loose my grip, it would teeter for a moment before dropping down the stairs and breaking. Neither could I get around it to try to turn it or push as the furniture itself was blocking the stairs.

After taking a few moments to gather my wits and my strength, and to explain to my sister who was on the phone what was happening. . .I got my “uuumph” on. I lifted that chest of drawers straight up and across the two remaining steps and onto the carpet.

Yes! I did it!!