Tentative Equinox

This is why we will not be investing in a fancy new flat screen computer monitor any time soon:

Just ignore the mounds of paper on either side of the desk–Lord knows I do–and yes, those are chicken feet you see dangling from the shelf. They are the toy versions of the characters of Chicken Run. Oh, and a piglet. I believe no explanations are necessary for that.

Back to the point. You see, way back at Christmas time, the Pool Boy and I decided that we weren’t going to get a big car track set for our car-obsessed four-year-old. It takes up too much room, there are pieces all over the house etc. etc. So, the Pool Boy discovered this awesome three piece track set that attaches to the top of a door. The car goes up a little elevator in the back and then launches down and off the track. Cool eh?

Perhaps you are already seeing the problem with this–the fly in the ointment, the Achilles Heel of our genius, the sun to melt the wings of our Icarus hot wheels.

You might notice a blue ribbon arcing gently across the bottom of the photo?  See it? This is what greeted me as I entered the office. The boys originally set up the track on the office door, heading into the hallway outside, but then found the slope of the track was too steep to keep the car satisfactorily ON the track. They needed a mid-level stopping point. And being the resourceful problem solvers they are, decided the desk was the perfect place to set up the bottom of the track. You see then, the car doesn’t drop off the track, but shoots down picking up speed, getting briefly up to mach 3, before it launches directly into the computer monitor.

I’ll pause just to let you get that picture in your head. I predict that I am going to have two responses to this–you are either really glad that you don’t have boys to parent, or are nodding your head in that ‘Oh, I’ve been there sista’! way. “Just wait until you hear what MINE did.” (Note: that is what comments are for, I really want to hear what yours did, it makes me feel better)

One day I’ll have nice things again. That day is not today.

Clarity is sometimes bracing.