Life with the Kittens at our place on the Eastern Shore has a lot of advantages, and I find my pulse slowing whenever I cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge heading eastbound. But there is something missing from my idyllic, bucolic life there, what with our wide plank hardwood floors and the occasional ancient area rug. And that is, the pure joy of the feel of wall-to-wall carpet between the toes.
I know, most people tend to get all misty-eyed when talking about walking through grass unshod. Not me, not where I live. The likelihood that one would make contact with the leavings of one of the two Labradors who use our farm as their litter box tends to keep me on covered surfaces or with suitable footwear.
No, I reserve that kind of Nivranic reaction for the feel of walking upon wall-to-wall carpet, of which none exists in my primary residence. When I kept a pied a terre in the city, it was of course, wall to wall in every room (except the kitchen and baths). I would joyfully walk through the plush wonders of the living room on my way to the coffee machine each morning for the first cup, then back again to the bedroom. When arriving at home each night from a long day of work, my first action would be to get barefooted for the rest of the evening.
I find myself this week at the ancestral home in Clayton, NC, where there are a few patches of wall-to-wall, including the room from which I am writing and the bedroom in which I sleep. It is one of the many benefits of coming home to see Mom and Dad. In fact there are only a few feet of hardwood to endure between the couch upon which I now sit and the bed into which I will shortly alight for my afternoon nap. Where I will dream of wall-to-wall in the ManCave.
Wall to wall carpeting is an ostentatious waste of our natural resources, contributes to global warming and is killing polar bears. Why is it wasteful? When is the last time you walked along the edge of the rooms you have carpeted thusly? If you have you are aware that to do so will expose you to the piercing pain of those inverted carpet tacks that act like one of those tire flattening barriers at parking turnstiles. The point is, more polar bears (and probably more powder-plumed piping plovers) would be alive today if we only carpeted the areas where our feet would normally touch the floor. Here's an idea that is both green and thrifty: take a piece of carpet from your neighbor's trash pile after he carpets his mansion, cut out two pieces in the shape and size of your shoes, then put them (plush side up) into your shoes. This will work especially well with your Don Johnson travel attire where you wear no socks. Look, don't thank me, it's just what comes of thinking about the planet more than about one's own selfish overconsumption.
ReplyDeleteHere's to my over consumption. Dropped just over 5 grand on wall to wall carpet at Lowe's yesterday on one family room, one nursery, a stair runner and a ridiculously sized hallway. In the sweet shades of Adair and Fluffy. Stainmaster TruSoft, the loveliest soft carpet my no shoes allowed house could find, coming our way in 7 to 14 days. Yesssssssssss.
ReplyDeleteShould you ever have a destination in upstate, you can stop by for a visit. No shoes allowed so you'll be forced to enjoy the fun.