3.16.2009

the fossil shell


The layers of past lives, lived poorly, were a little depressing. Buyer’s remorse? Or maybe it was just the mopping.
I felt like the shipwrecked sailor who couldn't figure out what to do first and wound up lying on the strand until he was saved. Before I could get a clean surface to even set down my bags, I had to vacuum, but there was only a leaky shop vac. So I had to mop. And I needed to paint a surface to put aerobed on. So I had to tear up old linoleum and carpet. To take that out I had to take out a closet that had been built on top of it. It may have been jury-rigged of shoddy materials (like everything else except the structure itself), but it was seriously built. And then there were the moldings and carpet tacks to come out. And then I had to mop some more.
I found some disused items: a single dangly earring, cat litter pan liners, five mugs from Hospice of Ozark Medical Center, two crayons, negatives of an unknown couple, an ice pick. A toilet (or “commode,” as Bear calls it) and an old truck that won’t start grace the great outdoors.
The snail fossil was found in the yard by Mike, the previous owner of two years, the day we signed the papers. “How great!” I said. He handed it to me. “You keep it,” I said. “You keep it,” he said. “It’s yours.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I so want the snail.

You could put the icepick to the tires of anyone who messes with you.

What's under the linoleum and carpet?

Too bad I'm not there, with a magic eraser.

Some interior photos, please.

Erin said...

I so love mastic under old linoleum. It's one of my favorite things to peel up inch by inch. Acetone works, but then you have to burn down your building.

Weather's been good to us. Roof's on.

Claudia said...

Breaking news: I caved. Will have DSL and local phone service Thursday. The no. will be 417-764-3083.

Wolfen said...

Well, you have less to clean then ME! All of your fans are glad to hear that you are getting internet. However, I must say we did have bets on how long you would last without it.

Ps. You should have gotten VONAGE through your internet!

Anonymous said...

Between the dream and the reality lies the scrapping.

I think T.S. Eloit said that after he moved into a new place

Anonymous said...

I am seriously jealous of the transformation discovery process, nothing makes me feel better than to be the laborer and watch the miracle happen before my eyes ...yippie! so glad that little building has you at the helm... ditto more pictures please...like before and after?(which I never take by the way)really like the phone idea,very helpful in emergency...