This collection of entries is from April 05, 2005.
We're just starting to move our base of operations from our bedroom back to the rest of the house. Since we've just had the hardwood floors installed, and there's no furniture (except for the new couch) anywhere on the first floor, this would be a good opportunity to paint. We're in the middle of getting quotes now, with a new painter coming in each night this week to bid on the project. And since we're going to paint, there's no reason to put all of the furniture back, so we're just putting back anything we absolutely need. The first item: the TV. We bought some TV trays (In the 20 years we've been in the house, we've never had TV trays - how the hell did that happen?), so there's no need for a dining room table. We're not entertaining for a while, so there's no need for the rest of the furniture.
So, the place is very empty, and with the installation of the flooring, it's also VERY echo-y. Carol and I can barely understand each other as we yell across the floor if the air conditioning is on. Everything just reverberates and distorts. I Knew this would happen - I just didn't realize how bad it would be. And without furniture, rugs, and window coverings there's just nothing available to dampen the sound reflections.
We decided to bring Chip and Indy and their cage downstairs. We'll setup the cage in the foyer for a few weeks until the floor finish finally sets-up (Ted doesn't even want us to put rugs down for 30 days).
So I scooped-up Indy and Chip out of their cage, brought them downstairs and put them in the middle of the empty living room/dining room.
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Needless to say, they were upset. They had no footing at all on the new hardwood and were sliding all over the place. Their first instinct was to go toward the walls, so they had something next to them (I thought that was odd - to me, that meant there were uncomfortable with being out in the open, yet when the carpet was down they were fine running around everywhere).
They slowly worked their way back to the foyer (which is ceramic tile, mind you - another slick surface but at least one they're familiar with) and then proceeded to try to go back upstairs. (Fortunately we had put up a gate so they couldn't go back up) They had looks on their faces like "Please! Let us back upstairs! I know we were going crazy in that little room, but this big place scares us! Please! Let us in!"
And... they just stayed on the carpeted stairs. Carol cleaned their cage, we brought it back downstairs, and eventually they went back inside and stayed there all evening, huddled close together.
They're traumatized. I can't really read what the problem is. Is it the floor itself? is it the smell? Is it the floor and the emptiness?
In any case, they're not happy. The cage door was open all evening, and they never ventured out again.
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La-Z-Boy delivered our new sofa this afternoon - and promptly scratched the brand new Brazilian Cherry floor in the family room. Carol went ballistic, but was able to use some oil after they left and the scratch appeared to vanish. The couch seems to fit just fine on the wall, though it's deeper than the old one