ground assault

Guess what? Mother Nature, with the assistance of the tree-happy Village of Oak Park planning committee from 80-100 years back, saw fit to install a swimming pool in our basement last week. While Wyn and I viewed this as an exciting development, our parents were a bit less enthusiastic. Something about the root system of the giant tree in front of our house and old clay sewage pipes and heavy rainfall and a bunch of other words I cannot repeat here. Suddenly our basement surpassed my brother and me in the ability-to-manifest-the-most-skin-curling-smells-ever-encountered- by-human-or-beast department. And just as suddenly, about half of our playroom carpet disappeared and was replaced by two layers of Mr. Clean brand Summer Citrus Anti-Bacterial Multi-Purpose Cleaner ("Magic in a Bottle"). Mom and Dad have assured us that the carpet will be replaced after some work on our sewer system is completed, probably later this week. Until then, we'll be hanging out upstairs.