19 February 2011

Never work with children or wardrobes

This afternoon, having packed about as much as I could at that point (still refusing to pack stash, may want to play tonight before I slip into a coma) and thinking a change is as good as a holiday, I thought I'd make a start on lugging some bits of furniture closer to the front door.
We live in an old Victorian terraced house. It has very steep stairs which are in effect boxed in at either end, with lips and ledges all over the place. If you take any furniture down, you end up going in rather a precarious, ungainly 'z' shape.

I decided about half way down that I probably shouldn't have been moving a chest of drawers a) on my own and b) with Sweet Cheeks upstairs and me downstairs, particularly as the dimensions of the chest were quite close to the size of the hole I was trying to fit it through. Yes Fluffers, I got the chest of drawers stuck on the stairs, not moving up, not moving down, no way to get past and wedged in place by the walls. Gulp!

About twenty, sweaty minutes later, with nothing but sheer determination, brute force, lots of up, down, backwards and forwards and more than a little cursing, I finally managed to negotiate the chest of drawers around the corner at the bottom of the stairs. Phew!
Standing there, thinking about how much trouble I'm going to be in when Very Understanding Hubby sees that I've moved this chest, I heard Sweet Cheeks calling out for Mummy.
Thank goodness I was no longer trapped downstairs while he was upstairs! I went up to his room.
Sweet Cheeks' wardrobe has a small self contained chest of drawers in it. Only three drawers high and about 30cms wide, with slats across to hold the drawers in. Earlier on, I had taken the drawers to put them downstairs and now I found Sweet Cheeks inside, a little upset because he couldn't get out.

He couldn't stand up, in fact in a sitting position his head was tipped to the side and he was very trapped. He couldn't understand the instruction lean forward and mummy will pull you out through the top hole. The first time I tried I couldn't get him out through the bottom hole either. I considered calling the Fire Brigade, but quickly decided against it as a) I didn't have much make up on and b) they wouldn't be able to use an axe to chop him out without amputating several limbs.

A few minutes later I managed to get him out through the bottom hole, with him lying down and turning his head to the side. I don't know how he got in there, but I'm pretty sure he won't get in again!

After all that excitement we could've done with some ice cream but it's long gone and although I kept a tin of cherry pie filling out, FluffHead here packed the tin opener! ;) DOH!

Boxes packed: 34 (bored now)
Moving in: 1.5 days
Panic: Have I mentioned the van's not here yet...?!

26 comments:

Ali said...

OMG!!! Well done on keeping a calm head I think I would be in a crying heap surrounded by empty wine bottles and choklit (oh god first drugs now wine - eeh you'll think I'm always off my Head!!) huge hugs honey xx

Claire said...

LOL what are you like, you always amuse me in what you end up doing! I can't believe you even contemplated moving a chest of drawers on your own down some stairs ..... are you insane woman!? LOL And the fact sweet cheeks had climbed into the drawers too would have driven me to the fridge to open a bottle of wine! I do hope your van turns up soon - keep smiling! Hugs, Claire x

Margreet said...

OMG Fluffy...lots of panic out there....I think you don't need any diet at the moment....stress enough....if you want a birthday card you must pass your address...or are you moving within times again????....good luck with moving!!
xxx Margreet

Daniele said...

deep breathe in and the let it out slowly.....apart from the fact that you must be mad moving a chest of drawers down the stairs by yourself, and then having to sweet cheeks from his trapped wardrobe, I think you deserve a rest but problem with packing is you have to then unpack it....you'll deserve a holiday when its all over
hugs

Hayley @ funkyfarmscrapbookbarn.co.uk said...

OK, I think strict orders are needed for your evening after the trauma of you both being stuck today, 1) glass of wine (perhaps more if necessary) 2) a lovely meal (take away if you can't be bothered to cook!) 3) lots of crafting to calm the nerves, just be careful after you've had wine! 4) chocolate, it's the best remedy!

Why and how do our children manage to do these silly things!?!?! My heart has momentarily stopped beating on a number of occasions with my little one getting in to mischief!

Hope you have a relaxing trouble free evening!!!
Hugs
xxx

Fiona said...

oh Faye...I don't envy you...toddlers an d moving...wine and choklit should be on hand!! I remember when my brother and I decided to swap bedrooms when we both were younger and stayed at my mums...it was hilarious...we moved a wardrobe but I got trapped between the wardrobe the wall and the lowere ceiling..OMG I nearly peed myself it was so funny!!

I hope it goes well and I'm sure we will hear all about it!!

Fi
x

cheryl said...

oh hun,sorry but you do make me laugh as my god you are so much like me as these are things i DO although I do not have a wee sweet cheeks,so thats one blessing,thank goodness,you and sweet cheeks are okay please in future hun wait till hubbie is home please,hugs cheryl xxxx

Jane said...

What can I say!!!

Mary J said...

Oh dear - what an eventful day that didn't go according to plan, I bet! Poor babes - I hope he got a lot of hugs after!!

M xxx

An Occasional Genius said...

LOL! Nuff said really!

Hugs to you & Sweet Cheeks xxx

Val said...

OMG - I feel so sorry for Sweet Cheeks - poor little mite - but I can't help but hoot with laughter at the antics of the Fluff household.
Love
Valxx

Lisa said...

LOL Faye! Glad you and Sweet Cheeks didn't come to any harm. It's a shame we never got to meet up before you moved :-(

Lisa x

Catherine said...

Oh Sweetie ! As we say in french : "Life is not a long quiet river" !!! I'm sorry but I had to giggle once more ! Good luck with the move Fluffie ! Lots of hugs and love from La Chic !

Stacey G.-2 Craf-t-4u said...

What a stressful time! I would have done the same and try to move stuff way to large, then get in a sticky sit. I was stressed for you just reading your story. I was like, On no what happened, did she get out? Is Sweet Cheeks alright? Phew all is well again, until I read all out of ice cream!

Debbie said...

OMG and OMG!!!!!!!!!! Debbiexx

Jill said...

Wish I had been there with a camera!!! Ok, maybe this time the report would have to be 'Fluff tends to get over-enthusiastic' Jill x

Terry said...

My goodness Fluff, can imagine sweet cheeks being in a panic and just so good of you that you were not...and I don't think he will try that again...must be a traumatic experience for Sweet Cheeks...ohhh poor boy..and you fluff you have got some power and muscles in your body woww to move that chest downstairs...wow....but never do that again on your own...what if you got stuck and sweet cheeks was stuck too upstairs....give him a big hug oke?
Hugs Terry xxxx

Tracey T said...

No one - and I mean NO ONE - does it quite like you! Just be careful you don't do yourself a mischief trying to move stuff on your own. Glad you got SC out unscathed - definitely a story to embarrass him with when he's a teenager! Hugs xxx

Rachel said...

Oh my goodness Faye! What an eventful time!! Glad you're both ok! Good luck with the move! Wedgie xxx

Margo said...

Oh I'm familiar with trying to move furniture up or down, never a good idea to do it by yourself if you're alone !
Luckily eveything turned out all right !
So you're moving tomorrow, can't wait to rea

Margo said...

to read the moving-story !
Good luck !
Hugs
Margo

Mrs A. said...

Should have gone to spec savers!!!!
Muver.

Victoria said...

ooh me loves cherry pie filling too, especially on pancakes with ice cream!

Glad you managed to free sweet cheeks without having to call the firemen in - never good with no make up. My last encounter with said yummy men left me very humiliated - no knickers, no bra, nightie, jeans,slippers, pregnant, baby in arms and mascara smudged panda style!

Love
Jelly
x

Davi said...

Oh My gosh Faye you have me rolling off my chair!! Great visuals you gave us to seem as if we were there with you. I think its funniest because I have gotten myself in the same situation and my little ones had gotten themselves in similar situations.

Wendy Ramlakhan said...

Had such a giggle over this. Poor little Sweet Cheeks. And the first reason for not calling the fire dept because of no make up really had me ROLLING!!! :) I don't envy you girlfriend, I DESPISE moving, but it will all be over soon.

Lindsey said...

O...........M..................G!
I was physically cringing with you!
By the way did you KNOW there is a new series of Cougar Town on? I only discovered this on episode 4 but it feels like coming home!