Sunday 4 January 2009

So there I was, up in the attic.....

....but let me start at the beginning.

I took the Christmas tree down today and carefully stored the decorations in the big plastic storage box. Because I have so little space here, I needed to get it up into the attic. Not the easiest thing in the world to do because I have a very narrow hallway and it's all a bit of a squeeze. I brought the ladder in and put it safely in place. Now I'm not good with ladders at the best of times. Heights are fine but it's having to climb a ladder to get there that gives me the willies. But, I got the damn box down, so I would get it up again. Getting the box of decorations down was fine because it was quite close to the hatch and I could reach it without getting off the ladder. And ditto putting it back up. It actually turned out to be an easier task than I anticipated.

But, and there's always a but isn't there? The weather over here is cold. And I don't mean the normal UK cold which is usually a degree or two above freezing. According to the forecast, it's barely going to get above freezing this week and at night it's heading down towards -9. So it occurred to me that whilst I was up in the attic I would get down the big faux fur throw that I have stored up there.

Except the throw is in a big bag, right across the other side of the attic. Now, the attic, whilst quite big, doesn't have a lot of headroom. 4 foot at most. So getting to the other side requires crawling along on hands and knees. I've never had to go all the way in before. Ex-himself always did that. The attic is boarded out, but only just. Put your knee on the corner of the wrong board and the other side will tilt up to slap you in the face.

So I get myself to the top of the ladder....and bottle it. I climb down again. Then I tell myself not to be so bloody silly and get my butt up there. Did I mention there are no lights up there? I got myself to the top of the ladder again and strategically place the torch so I can see where I need to go. I climb through the hatch and start crawling. Realising I'm going to block the light from what was obviously not such a strategically placed torch, I grab it and move it.

I get the bag with the throw in it then start to crawl backwards dragging it with me. I'm half way back across the attic when the torch goes out. It's dark up there. Very very dark. And I can't see a thing. I very carefully keep crawling backwards with visions of me falling either through the ceiling or down the hatch. After what feels like a lifetime, I reach the hatch and gingerly put my foot through it and start feeling blindly for the ladder. It's not there. Except it is there but I'm too far to the right and my leg won't bend that far to the left. I bring my foot up again to swap legs. Put my knee down and the previously mentioned wrong board tilts up to meet me head on.

Be still my beating heart.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and tried again, and found the ladder this time. Ripped the bag open, got the throw out and dropped it behind me. Right on top of The Lurchers and The Greyhound who are standing at the bottom of the ladder wondering what all the noise is about.

It's been an eventful afternoon.

12 comments:

  1. I have yet to go into the attic at this house. Not sure that I ever will as I anticipate an adventure similar to yours!

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  2. I felt for you every step of the way. Especially when the torch went out. Hope you haven't got too much of a bump on the head. We were going to haul our tree up to the attic today but I'm suffering a bad back so it's still sitting on the landing. The box is so damn heavy it takes two of us so I couldn't expect embee to do it by himself.

    BTW I've tagged you(Breast cancer awareness)don't worry if you don't feel like doing it.

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  3. Ooh this reminds me of a movie I watched last night about a man staying in Room # 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel and it is supposed to be haunted. He climbs up into the crawl space above the room and is chased by some gremlin creature! It was a very bad movie! At least you didn't get chased by the gremlin. :D

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  4. Yikes! I don't seem to mind going up a ladder, but coming down is much scarier. Seems funny to me, as a girl I climbed tall trees without a second thought. Age breeds wisdom (and maybe a little fear?) Glad you made it ok.

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  5. Oh! Well.. well done in the end! I hope you and the dropped upon dogs are thoroughly enjoying the benefits of the bravely begotten throw!

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  6. Well done on a successful attic adventure - you are braver than me!

    Hoping that you and the dogs are all toasty and stay that way throughout the cold snap (but isn't it lovely!)

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  7. A horrible adventure all on your own. Our attic has an entrance too small for us oldies to venture into. The builders told us not to put anything up there as the insulation would get damaged. We have taken their advice but we have nowhere to put suitcases etc. But who will need a suitcase with the credit crunch?

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  8. Oh My God! You're a brave woman. I'd go out and buy another one rather than brave the deep, dark attic.

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  9. That sounds eerily familiar. Except that there was no fur throw or dislodged board. Only a storage loft that I've always avoided like the plague...and no lights. And about ten boxes of Christmas crap.

    Ugh. Heights and ladders. Ugh.

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  10. I hate ladders. I have to say you did a nice job persevering. I would have thought about giving up more than once.

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  11. I was up there with you.. eeeebie jeebies!

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  12. OOHH Have you seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...you should if you haven't....And glad you didn't fall threw!!!

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