Gates Be Gone

I never thought this day would come.  It only took a delivery of an upright freezer to our basement.

No more gates!

Now you see it...

...now you don't!

That basement has never felt more welcoming.

Not that it was hard to manouver those baby gates.  I still say the KidCo ones are the best.  They are easy to open and close with one hand and in a rush.  And they're pressurized, meaning no permanent holes or major marks on the wall.  Ours just need a little patching and painting after multiple years of repeated constant pressure. 

I love the view when you walk in the front door.

Last week

Last fall

This is the best "before" picture I have of the gate closed on the main staircase.  (p.s. how many legs can you see?)

Today

And here it is now.  Yes, one of those white marks on the wall is from the gate.  I think it was when someone stepped on the bar and the gate came loose, scraping the wall.  Still better than multiple screw holes.

I can't say how lovely it is to go up and down the stairs with a full laundry basket.  No more balancing it on the post while I open and close the gate behind me.  Or when I run upstairs and forget what I went up to grab.  Unlock, lock.  Wait - what?  Unlock.  Lock.  Oh right!  Unlock.  Lock. 

It's the little things.

And since we decided the gates were NOT going back up after the renovation, this gives George a little practice ahead of time.

So how is George doing?  Does he go straight for the recently forbidden hazard?

No.  Amazingly enough, he finds someone's hand to help him up or down the stairs.

No more baby!!!