Yesterday All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away
Once upon a time I had an iron gate installed between my kitchen doorway and the dining room. Not only was the gate cute -- curlicued and painted deep green, it served a magnificent purpose. It kept 200 plus pounds of Golden Retrievers on one side or the other.
When they came in from playing outside, it kept the dirt, leaves, and general yard muck on the easy-to-wash kitchen floor. When I was feeding the cats that like to eat for one minute, walk away for one minute, walk back to the food bowl and eat for one minute etc., it kept the dogs from scoffing up the cat food that one second I let my guard down.
My beautiful and functional gate also kept the dogs in the kitchen when the UPS man came, so I could calmly open the door without hurling furry monsters running at the door ready to knock down anyone who'd dare ring the doorbell.
It also allowed for cocktail parties in the living room. Food could actually be put out on the coffee table without dog tongues finding a way to get to the goodies. It kept wagging tails from knocking off stemmed glasses from the table and allowed me to clean the carpet without instant dog fur or worse --dirtying up what was just cleaned.
Yesterday, when all my troubles seemed so far away...the gate finally dislodged from it's bolts and came flying off leaving me no reasonable way to keep the dogs from doing anything now that they damn well please.
One dog outweighs me by about 25 pounds and the other one I outweigh by a whopping 10 pounds -- so they rule. The house is now theirs and I am but a maid servant cleaning up after them.
I will need to hire a carpenter to rebuild the wall and put in studs so that the bolts will go into 2 by 4s rather than wall board. I called a carpenter 14 months ago and am still waiting for a call back. I miss my gate.
Once upon a time I had an iron gate installed between my kitchen doorway and the dining room. Not only was the gate cute -- curlicued and painted deep green, it served a magnificent purpose. It kept 200 plus pounds of Golden Retrievers on one side or the other.
When they came in from playing outside, it kept the dirt, leaves, and general yard muck on the easy-to-wash kitchen floor. When I was feeding the cats that like to eat for one minute, walk away for one minute, walk back to the food bowl and eat for one minute etc., it kept the dogs from scoffing up the cat food that one second I let my guard down.
My beautiful and functional gate also kept the dogs in the kitchen when the UPS man came, so I could calmly open the door without hurling furry monsters running at the door ready to knock down anyone who'd dare ring the doorbell.
It also allowed for cocktail parties in the living room. Food could actually be put out on the coffee table without dog tongues finding a way to get to the goodies. It kept wagging tails from knocking off stemmed glasses from the table and allowed me to clean the carpet without instant dog fur or worse --dirtying up what was just cleaned.
Yesterday, when all my troubles seemed so far away...the gate finally dislodged from it's bolts and came flying off leaving me no reasonable way to keep the dogs from doing anything now that they damn well please.
One dog outweighs me by about 25 pounds and the other one I outweigh by a whopping 10 pounds -- so they rule. The house is now theirs and I am but a maid servant cleaning up after them.
I will need to hire a carpenter to rebuild the wall and put in studs so that the bolts will go into 2 by 4s rather than wall board. I called a carpenter 14 months ago and am still waiting for a call back. I miss my gate.
posted by mary bishop | 2:24 PM
7 Comments:
Barbarians at the gate! Oh, no, you've lost control...of your gate at least. I am sorry as I know how that can be. The toddler is a monster at times (cute though) and without gates and playpens, well, I'd go mad.
How about the original gate installer? If it wasn't too long ago, do you think he'd come back to fix? Maybe you could take it to my garage and pay thousands only to have it not work the next day or two, bring it back to them and have to pay some more?
Maybe I'm just a sucker.
Oh boy, looks like you have a handful! Good luck there! *shudder*, *shudder*...
I like dogs. As long as they're not mean, evil (oh, wait, scratch that, my dog is evil incarnate in cuteness), overly noisy, or smelly. Goldens can get smelly, but they make up for it in personality. I also like cats. I just like loveable sweet fuzzy animals that I'm unlikely to squish or step on (or get stepped on by)
I WISH I had your gate. I'm going to make a point of adding that into the dream house I do not have yet. Along with a room with NO furniture and a hardwood floor and mirrors, devoted to dance (so I can close the door and nobody can see me as I prance around my own little studio), a beautiful modern kitchen, and a husband willing to clean it all for me. Hey, a girl can dream, right?
Echrai...definietly add the gate to the dream house - but remember to have it installed into STUDS -- what a mistake it was to think the gate would be strong enough to keep the two of them from breaking through. They broke the gate instead!
LB - my problems with the gate don't compare to car problems which I've also had this week if it helps. I also had an incident where husband didn't want to give up his old car and had it repaired for thousands only to drive it away and have it break down, where he again paid thousands and then drove for 3 months before giving it away to junk car salesman.
Doc, Goldens are great dogs - especially for farms as mine are as big as horses.
Hey, just found this blog. You have some good stuff here and what's funny is my mother JUST had a gate installed in the same spot made out of rought iron!
Brittany
If your gate was a little closer than seven states away, I'd offer to fix it.
Closet Metro -- if you promise to bring your flamingo pink guitar with you, I will send a limousine to pick you up and take you home.
I read your blog regularly so I know you deal with "dog issues" as well. But fixing gates too? You're an amazing man! Thanks for stopping by....
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