7 Steps to Back Pain

The Desk That Broke My Back (Almost)

We’ve been cooped up for months — or at least it feels that way. So when I spotted this beautiful solid wooden desk at a thrift store, I just knew I had to have it. (Thankfully, it wasn’t made from particle board, or I doubt we’d have ever gotten it into the house in one piece.)

In the store, it looked perfect. I imagined it sitting neatly under my window. Reality, however, had other plans.

We (my sister and I) managed to wrestle it out of my little Equinox. Don’t ask me how we got it in there to begin with — some miracles are best left unexplained.

Next came the real challenge: up the seven steps into the house. All went surprisingly well… until step number five.

That’s when the edge of the desk caught on the toe of my boot. To get it past, I had to lift it up and over my boot, while also climbing another step. That’s when I felt my back give.

Did I stop? Of course not. Like any stubborn woman who thinks she’s tougher than she is, I gritted my teeth and powered through until we got it inside. Victory!

Except… it doesn’t fit under the window. But let me be clear: this desk is NOT leaving.

Normally, I move furniture with the help of my trusty rolling Ab Cruncher (yes, I bought one specifically for furniture, not sit-ups). It works like a charm — except on stairs.

Later, I called my daughter, whining about my poor back. I expected sympathy. What I got was this:

“Mom, you think you’re ten years old. You have the energy of a ten year old.”

I was about to thank her for the compliment when she delivered the punchline:

“…And you also have the strength of a ten year old.”

There’s that.