Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Someone Pooped on the Slide!

A brief glimpse into my life this week. Seven days with mommy out of town - I am beginning to understand why she is often worn to a frazzle by the end of the day...


Tuesday, June 23, 6:30 PM

We are at McDonald's - just dad and the kids. Should have fed the kids an hour ago - got caught up with some emergency sprinkler repairs. Kids are fussy. My fault...

I am worn out from an all-day service project with our student ministry (thanks, Chelsea, for babysitting!). The plan is to eat with my kids and let them climb on the play place for as long as they like.

Never mind the air conditioner is broken at home.

Forget about the broken sprinkler line that is scheduled to release gallons into the neighbors yard if I don't get it fixed by dark.

For now, just enjoy a break - take some time to relax with the kids.

7:05 PM

Someone pooped on the slide!

Not my kids, luckily. But sure enough, about halfway up the big yellow corkscrew slide, someone had left a present for the rest of us to enjoy. "I wondered why it smelled like poop in there," said my acutely observant daughter.

Everyone out of the play place!!! Time to speed home for emergency baths.

This puts a kink in my schedule. I had planned a trip by Home Depot for supplies to fix my sprinkler line. Disinfectant is the priority now.

7:12 PM

Emergency call to one of our trusted sitters:

"Amanda, I know this is a weird request, but could you stop by to watch the kids for a bit so I can run to Home Depot before dark?" Of course she could - Amanda is awesome!

8:35 PM

I have bathed the kids and everyone is in their pajamas. Amanda just got here, and I am off to Home Depot.

"Sorry the house is so hot," I say, "our air conditioner is broken."

8:38 PM

On my way to Home Depot I wonder if I should have measured the width of the tubing I am replacing on my sprinkler line. Surely not. After all, I just fixed a similar break in the same system a week ago. 3/4 inch is what I need.

9:12 PM

I am home. Amanda is released of her duty. There is still enough glow on the horizon to see what I am doing! Off to the back yard.

9:25 PM

Turns out I needed 1 inch pipe instead. I should have guessed.

10:45 PM

Everyone is finally in bed asleep. I'm not sure how - the house must be 90 degrees inside.

I sit on the couch, defeated...


Wednesday, June 24, 3:55 PM

Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful wife. I could not do this alone. Thank you for Chelsea, Amanda, Pat, Diane & Larry, Jane & Michael; all those in the family who are helping me out this week. Thank you for my daughter, who watched the boys while I fixed (small victory) the sprinkler line today. Thank you for the guy who got our air conditioner running.

I'm in a better place now.

Time to address the growing puddle that is bubbling from our A/C unit in the basement...

- DB

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lol! And I mean it literally :-) This was a bright spot in my otherwise "cursed" day today...the day before we fly overseas with a mound of luggage--eveyrthing's gone wrong. Randy and I are single parents, each of us for a week every year when we do the back-to-back men's and then ladies retreats that are about a week each. We each have competing stories to tell when the two weeks are over and I always say two things to myself: "God bless the single parents in this world" and "God bless my friends and support group who have mercy on me!"
:-) Bri

Anonymous said...

We had a similar incident a few years ago when someone had upchucked in an outdoor slide, and we didn't find out until after Katie slid right through it. I have NEVER been so grossed out!

Good luck this week...it's all about survival! We're here if you need anything.

Laura K.

thegermanygirl said...

Dave, you get the award for best blogpost title of the week.

In my as-yet-childless position, I now sit back and giggle. ;o)

Happy surviving!!!

Franklin Wood said...

Amen, dude. I've had days like those. (although I'm happy to say my home a/c has never quit working...can't say the same for my car, though!)
my frustration this yr has been my yard. i bought some weedkiller/fertilizer a month ago. you can't pt it down within 48 hrs of watering or mowing. between camps and rainy weather for all of june, i haven't had time to put it down yet! result? clover...everywhere.

YMinisterswife said...

I love you. You are a wonderful husband and daddy to have done this for me!!! Thanks for letting me follow my dreams and providing so much (time, money, car rental etc.)so I can. I am fully aware of how blessed I am to have you.