Just twelve hours ago this was my dining area with my beautiful parquet floor. Now it's a semi-floorless area, covered by this board. Otherwise I would fall into a hole that contains the pipes that connect the water lines in the my bathroom to my kitchen. When this building was first built in 1911 there were two thirteen room apartments on each floor. This was the era when well-off families gave up their single family brownstones and moved into large apartments with enough space for big families and servants. My family, recently arrived in America in 1911, did not live in a building like this. Over the years the big apartments were cut up into smaller ones and kitchens were created where no original pipes had been installed.
This was news to me. My super mentioned on Friday that the neighbors in the apartment below me had a major leak and the plumbers might have to cut into my floor to repair it. I spent the weekend praying this could be resolved with no floor damage, but alas, the pipe under my dining room table, was completely corroded. I thought I had my share of plumbing issues after the Christmas plumbing disaster, but that must have been for 2013. I learned to appreciate functioning plumbing in 2013 and in 2014 I am learning to appreciate a fully functional floor. If I'm not careful I could step in the wrong place and the temporary floor might not hold.
Why I learned to appreciate floors
Happily, the floor contractor will be here either tomorrow (I hope!) or Wednesday and will begin the process of rebuilding the wood platform and then putting the parquet back together.
I am grateful for my wonderful super, the plumbers, who worked quickly and professionally and for taking pictures during the work. Otherwise I'm sure I wouldn't remember where the floor had been taken apart. I've spent sixty-three years taking floors for granted, but you can be assured I will never do that again.
I cancelled my card making class for tomorrow in order to be available at home for the floor contractor. I did a lot of decluttering today, and caught up on magazines and blog visiting. Still lots to do -- always lots to do -- but I feel pretty productive. I've got a Sue Grafton mystery, "W is for Wasted," to keep me company tonight. It's a long book, so I think it will keep me company tomorrow, too.
As always, thanks for visiting. Keep cozy and take good care.
