I Thought This Day Would Never Come!

I know there are certain...issues that come with living in an older, non-contemporary building. The appearance may be less than perfect because of its age, things may need to be repaired or replaced, amenities that may come standard in a newer building may require substantial time and money to upgrade to in an older building, and as things get worn out, they may just flat out break down. Such is the case with the elevator in my building...which I found out the hard way, after returning home from an extended stay at my parents' house in November. I was loaded down with a heavy overnight bag, shopping bags, and other things that I was toting up to my condo on the 4th floor of my building.

"Hmmm...what's this note say?...it's BROKEN? Oh no! Now what am I supposed to do??"

And I took the stairs, looking back at the elevator as if it was my best friend riding off into the sunset to a new house with her family far, far away. OK, a little dramatic, but I was sad. Then...a few weeks later, after looking at that same pitiful note on the elevator...a new note came. A part has to be replaced, but we should be back in business in 10 weeks. TEN WEEKS!?!?! Did that say 10 weeks or am I hallucinating?

Yep, 10 weeks.

Don't get me wrong...I feel it's a priviledge to be physically able to climb three flights of stairs. (And good thing too, because I have no idea what the physically challenged or disabled were supposed to do during this time). But it gets real old having to always live your life knowing whatever you took home, you'd have to tote up a rack of stairs. Or not wanting to have company because the last thing you wanted them to think was that you live in a raggedy building with a broke down elevator. Or to not be able to properly furnish your place because there was nobody at your disposal that could take sh*t up all those stairs. Or to not be able to clean your place out because you didn't want to take things one at a time, down a bunch of stairs, then go back up a bunch of stairs 4, 5, and 6 times. And when you (a) are a pack rat and (b) live in a fixer upper, not having an elevator can be a bit of a hinderance to your efforts to get things in order. Not to mention grocery shopping, regular shopping, the flea markets that I participate in. I do a lot of lugging for some reason, and I was always able to just put things on my wheely cart and get on the elevator whenever I needed, and without arranging for anybody to help me.

It's notable to point out...that one flight actually equals 2 sets of stairs. (ie., 10 stairs, turn, 10 stairs = 1 flight).

So...once the 10 weeks was up...or somewhere there 'bouts...a new note appears. The elevator has to be "modernized" (whatever the hell that means), a special part has to be manufactured (since the elevator is soooooo old, there is no place that has the required parts on hand) and just getting the part was going to take 10 weeks, and installing it would take another 6 to 8 weeks. At this point...I'm feeling like life with no elevator is basically what I'll endure until I finally move out or die. And the thought of moving with no elevator made me want to cry.

Climbing stairs got real old, real fast. Because it is a building with an elevator, the stairwell was not designed with actual climbing in mind. The stairs were steep, narrow, and hard to climb, not to mention the stairwell was just plain ugly.

The day finally came that we got the notice that the part was being delivered and the cars had to be moved from the parking lot so that the part could be lifted into the building through the roof. Aaaah what a great day that was. It fell on my Friday off, and watching them work brought tears to my eyes. Blake and I supervised from the balcony. BUT...we still had the 6 to 8 weeks to go while they installed the part and got the elevator up and running. Of course, that 6 to 8 weeks ran long, and what was not factored in was the testing and the state inspection. UGH!

But...the day finally came with little fanfare. From November to July...we had no elevator. I thought there would have been balloons and flyers and everything announcing the new, modernized elevator was up and running. Nope! I actually wasn't even sure we were allowed on it...but of course I just took my chances. The moment it took off, I felt like I was taking off in a rocket ship for territories unknown. Well...of course the territories were in fact chartered and known, as it was the 4th floor of my building which I'd seen many times. But never through eyes full of the joy I felt that day. I got off the elevator and walked down the hall to my door like it was the most normal act on earth. And now my life is back to the way it was. What a sigh of relief.