Cataract surgery in late February significantly improved my vision. For the first time in years, I saw exactly how dirty my house was–especially the carpet. Seems my little dog had more “accidents” than I thought.

“Accident” suggests she couldn’t help it. I’m sure that’s how Tootsie see it. She thinks going outside in inclement weather is simply not an option. The baby gate I put up wasn’t as effective as I believed.

Replacing the carpet with hardwood has been on my project list for a while. Tootsie’s “accidents” moved it to the top of the list. As God is my witness, I’ll never have carpet again!

The guy who measured for the new flooring said my house is very well-organized. I can only imagine what he has seen. As a single retiree, I have time to stay on top of clutter and nobody around to mess things up. I may be a tad OCD…

He sent a link to a video about preparing for installation. The gist was to unplug electronic devices, empty rooms as much as possible, and lock up pets. Let the great pile shift of 2025 begin.

Before beginning in earnest, I had to shutdown the indoor seed-starting operation and move all the supporting supplies from the dining room table to the garage. Then I piled everything but the furniture from three bedrooms and the floors of three closets in the dining room.

The hardwood I got nearly 13 years ago is no longer available. The closest match was the right color with slightly wider boards. I didn’t notice the difference until she pointed it out.

A team of four installers arrived at 11 on March 31. They wreaked havoc throughout the house until almost 4:00. I kept Tootsie on a leash while they were here. After the initial shock, she settled down and stayed in my lap.

Creating the mountain in the dining room was a lot easier than dealing with it afterward. Things I haven’t used since the Great Pile Shift of 2021 were tossed, recycled or donated. Keeping like with like forced me to reorganize closets and drawers in unaffected areas.

The floors look great. I put the baby gate away. So far (knock on wood), Tootsie has had no “accidents”–even with two solid days of (badly needed) rain.

Took ten days to clear the pile from the dining room. Except for the garage, every room, closet, and drawer in the house is perfect. I’d post pics, but don’t want to rub it in.

We’ll see how long it lasts. Hopefully, it will be another four or five years before another pile shift is needed. I’ll keep you posted. As always, thanks for stopping by.