Oct. 24

 We got our big couch back when we lived in Ohio.  We were discussing it last night, and there was some question about exactly when, so I looked in my scrapbooks.  It appears we got it around the beginning on March, 2003, right before we went on a trip down to FL for a TDY of Bob's, where we stayed with the L's, who were stationed there at the time.  And now I remember leaving for that trip, and having some new friends of ours house-sit, but for some reason, the middle section (which is a hide-a-bed) was not delivered, so the cough had a huge gap in it while the Andersons were there!

Anyhow, this couch has served us very faithfully.  We knew we needed a bigger couch, but back then it was just the 6 of us--good thing we went REALLY big, because we still all fit on there, with room to spare!

But this poor, faithful couch was starting to look a bit . .  grimy.  Too many dirty hands and feet have been on it, and too many babies have spit up after nursing on it!  Over the past 10 years, we've spot-cleaned, but it was clear something more drastic needed to happen.  Actually, Bob has pushed for the most drastic step of all--getting a new couch--but I think we should wait a few more years, until the littlest mess-makers are older.  Why ruin a new couch?! 

So Bob called Chem-Dry, and they came out and cleaned our couch this morning.  That meant that last night, we had to take it apart and clean under it.  The last time we took it apart was almost 4 years ago, when we got new carpet in the family room, back when we thought we were PCSing to Guam and would have to sell.  There was quite a treasure trove under there this time!

We found a grand total of 108 writing utensils.  No wonder it seems like I am always buying pens and pencils at WalMart!  Our couch has been eating them!  It is really impossible to get between the 2 sections above without disconnecting the couch, and well, who has time for that, LOL, so that is why that area is particularly bad.  I even found my long-lost purple mechanical pencil with the 0.5 lead that I loved!  There were lots of other puzzle pieces, coins, magnets, lego pieces, and other random junk.  It's a good idea to clean out from under your couch every 4 years!  I'll make a note of that . . .

Chem-Dry did an excellent job, and the couch looks a good 10 years younger!  Maybe it will last until the younger kid is 5 or so after all!