I walk regularly, but I’m remiss in my strength training.
Except for this past Friday.
I’ll be re-doing my office later this month, with wood floors and
new paint and window coverings. But I also ordered four bookcases to replace the
crummy ones I have now. Although I don’t need them for almost three weeks, I placed
the order early because the website made it sound as if the free delivery came
by mule cart.
When I returned from my walk on Friday morning, there were
four big boxes in the hall outside my condo unit. Each box was 72 by 18 inches
and, according to the information stamped on it, weighed 98.56 pounds. I wish
I’d taken a picture of the boxes stacked in the hall, but I had already brought
them inside before I thought of it. The picture at the top of this post shows
two of the boxes after I wrestled them into our unit.
My first thought was that the boxes were too narrow. At that
point, I fervently hoped that the back came in two pieces (it did). Since
Roland was at work, my second thought was to wonder how I would get them into
the unit all by myself. I suppose I could have called a neighbor for help, but
I’m too stubborn.
One box was standing on end, leaning against the wall. I
managed to shuffle all 100 pounds of it to the door, angle it
slightly to get it over the threshold, and lean it against the wall in the
foyer. A second box was lying on top of the other two, so I slid it off and
wrestled it onto its end. Then I shuffled it in as I had done with the
first one.
The other two were a bigger challenge. From their totally
prone position, where was no way I could get them to stand on end. Shoving them
from behind looked as if it would work until I bumped up against the threshold.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t lift them even the fraction of an inch necessary to
get them over it.
But human ingenuity is a marvelous thing. I used a
screwdriver to cut the tops open, then removed several shelves. That lightened
each box enough so I could lift it slightly and slide it over the threshold.
The open end of the box also gave me a handhold to pull rather
than push. You can see the open ones in the last picture.
I’m just grateful that someone let the delivery men into the
building so I didn’t have to get those boxes into the elevator and down the
hall.
But who needs a gym for strength training when bookcases
will do?
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