Time: After dinner
My husband and I were in the kitchen getting ready to wash the dishes. The girls were in their room fighting (they were supposed to be cleaning). Suddenly, Monster started to cry. She yelled for me and said something accidentally broke. I go upstairs to see what 'accidentally' broke. Monster, who had become angry with her sister Smurfette, threw a blanket onto her own bed and broke an arm made of plastic off of a solar system that hangs over her bed. The solar system that I had spent a whole day painting and putting together.
Monster was crying hysterically, saying that her solar system was ruined forever. I told her that I would try to fix it with duct tape. I took it downstairs, dug around for some duct tape, and wrapped some around the broken arm. That didn't work. The planets were too heavy. I looked at Monster's sad face and knew that I had to come up with a way to fix her solar system. She loves anything to do with outer space and would be devastated if it couldn't be fixed. Plus, she wanted me to buy her another one but I don't really have the money for that. (And I didn't want to spend another day working on it.)
Then it hit me. Dowel rods! Long wooded sticks that are used for many things, including crafts. I grabbed the center of the solar system where the plastic arms go into and hopped in the car in hopes that the store would still be open and I could find a dowel rod small enough to fit in the holes.
Lady luck shined upon me that day. Not only was the store open, I was able to find dowel rods that fit. I bought two of them and went home to fix that darn solar system. I sawed the dowel rods in half with a steak knife (don't laugh, it worked). I put the four sticks into the center and hung the planets in the correct order. (Yes, Monster made sure they were right.) When I was done hanging the planets I took the solar system upstairs and hung it over her bed.
After the solar was hung and her tears dried up, I had a talk with my little Monster. " No more throwing things when angry with sis and please fess up when you do something wrong." I told her that the solar system didn't accidentally break, she accidentally broke it.
That's one catastrophe averted. I'm sure there are many more to come. Have you had any near catastrophes lately?
SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood
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6 comments:
BJ,
Kudos for your ingenuity and improvisational skills. Funny you should ask that...
About two weeks ago I decided to bake something for dinner and turned on the oven to preheat. About 10 minutes later I got a whiff of something not very pleasant.
It was about then I realized that our plan to not store our wok in the oven when we weren't using it had changed. We used to store it there because of a lack of kitchen space but recently had figured out a way to store it elsewhere, but apparently that plan changed at some point.
Like an idiot I panicked, shut the oven off and immediately opened the oven door, only to be greeted by thick black smoke and a flaming wok. A few hours later the smoke had cleared and within the week the oven had been cleaned and the oven racks scraped clean of melted plastic.
And I have pictures to prove it.
Hi B.J.,
Way to go! Mom to the rescue. I'm glad you were able to fix it for her.
Krys,
WOW! That sounds exactly like something I would do. I'll bet that was a pleasant smell... Just glad you didn't burn the place down.
As for me...this didn't happen recently, but it is something I will always remember.
Many years ago, when Happy was turning 3, we were getting ready for his birthday party so I took him to the party store and let him pick out 10 regular helium balloons and one mylar balloon to decorate with.
We shoved them into the car and drove home. Happy was so excited! I got the balloons out of the car and handed them to him. He went running in the house to show off his balloons. Through the kitchen...no problem. Through the living room...no problem. Into the hallway with the low popcorn ceiling...PROBLEM.
I was still in the kitchen when I heard what sounded like several quick and loud bangs. Here came Happy with one flying mylar balloon and 10 pieces of ribbon dragging the ground with dead balloons attaced at the ends, huge tears streaming down his face.
I quickly snatched him in my arms and bolted for the door. Someone yelled, "Where are you going?"
To which I hysterically replied, "To the party store! Where do you think?!"
We got the new balloons and Happy had a great party, but I will never forget the look on his face and those huge tears. It almost makes me cry to remember it.
SIS Bren
Hi Krys
That sounds like something my oldest would. She cooked Ramen noodles in the microwave once but forgot to put water in them. The noodles and the bowl caught fire. The house stunk for weeks.
Bren
Those big tears get us moms every time. I would have gone back to the store as well.
BJ, you're a wise, brilliant woman! I'm sure we've had some near catastrophes recently, but as I'm visiting towards the end of my day here, my feeble brain is mush... ;p
Sorry I'm late to the party here. I really loved this post BJ. So impressed with how you handled the moment. What a super mom!
Although I've had many catastrophe's in my life (the puppy eating my yet-to-be-signed book contract), (dog eating a tube of prescription medicine), (yard gate hanging on by one hinge in hurricane winds and ready to blow off and hit neighbors house)... I haven't had a crisis lately and fear if I speak of one I'll jinx myself. So... uh... nothing comes to mind. :)
SIS Beth
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