If you know what this is then most likely you are missing chunks of knuckles, have annoying puncture holes in fingers (maybe buttocks) and have done some of your own home repair or installed home networking cables under the carpeting.

This is a carpet tack board, which gets nailed to the floor around corners to keep the carpet from pulling away. Cheap, nasty and effective, that's what it is. Ripping it up and disposing of it is like trying to get porcupines to breed: slow and careful. Woe to the poor soul who accidentally sits on one (me!).

The more I rip up and try to re-finish our home the more I can liken it to programming. It looks innocently simple at first glance. Once started you become mired in nasty mistakes left by the last person, compromised to use things which don't quite fit, and chasing completion dates that skurry ahead like the White Rabbit.

And, just like with code, no matter how nice the finished project looks and works you can't help but to wince, knowing where each and every messy bit lives and knowing that the next person (not you, that's for sure!) will have their hands full.

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