The Basement

Since my daughter has gone back to school I have decided to reclaim the basement. Once again it will become my domain, where I can sit back and watch some football, hockey and movies. For the summer, and for the two years previous to that there has always been one of my kids using the rec room as their HUGE bedroom. Well, I am taking it back.

It has been a two weeks process of reclamation. One evening while my wife and I were working in the basement, Earl was whining at the top of the basement stairs, wanting to come down. So far he has ventured as far as two paws on the first step... and occassionally one paw on the second step, but that is as far as he will go. I don't blame him... I wouldn't want to be on my hands and knee crawling headfirst down the basement stairs.

My wife urged me to help him down, so after much coaxing... I finally picked him up and carried him down the stairs. All 73 pounds of him. He took the carrying well... was as rigid as a board, but did not act skittish about his trek downstairs.

Earl spent a lot of time running around the rec room and exploring all the other rooms down there... and finally christened the carpet where it meets the bottom of the stairs. Gonna have to get him out of that habit.

By the end of the evening Earl and I had made it up and down the stairs three times. Now, Earl isn't a lightweight... and I have bad knees... the day after carrying Earl I didnt feel too bad... but the second day post Earl.. wow... was I sore!!!

We will look into a runner for the stairs and will work on getting Earl up and down the stairs. It will take some time as they are pretty steep, but I am sure the runner will help.