Into the Void

Another irrational fear is the gaping holes under my floor vents. One of the joys of an old house is the giant (one square foot or even larger!) vents on floors throughout the house. The cat loves them - especially in winter - and will puff herself up and stretch out to cover absorb as much of the air as possible.

But I'm always afraid of the gaping canyon beneath the pretty, heavy iron grate coverings, especially in the upstairs bathroom. Last weekend, while vacuuming out the vents (a twice yearly chore), I had my usual qualms about what lies beneath. I'm assuming it goes straight down two stories to the furnace in the basement, with nothing to stop the freefall. I've dropped the occasional thing into the hole - an aspirin, a q-tip - but what if I dropped something important? Could I ever get it back? Has a previous resident ever dropped something?

With a deathgrip on my phone, I took a picture of the abyss. Do they make a wrist strap for cell phones?

Either way, I'm glad I cleaned out all the dust (and accumulated cat fur) - and I'm breathing easier.