Contemplating painting the basement stairs. Which makes perfect sense, of course, considering we're living in The House of Cardboard. I'd like to label the steps in descending order according to Dante's Circles of Hell: Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Avarice and Prodigality, Wrath and Sullenness, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery. Then the risers could be painted with the nine Spheres of Heaven in ascending order: The Heaven of the Moon (vows violated by transgression ), the Heaven of Mercury (service marred by ambition), The Heaven of Venus (love marred by wantonness), The Heaven of the Sun (souls of the wise) , The Heaven of Mars (souls who fought for Christianity), The Heaven of Jupiter (souls of the just and righteous), The Heaven of Saturn (souls of the temperate and contemplative) , The Heaven of the Stars (souls of the blessed) and the Prime Mover (the angels).

The lengths to which some people will go to avoid unpacking boxes ...