I had to move the peach tree to install the trampoline.
I dumped the bucket of strawberry plants into my sewing studio sink and filled the sink with water so I could then fill the bucket so I might water the transplanted peach tree.
Ruby and Margot jumped on the trampoline next to the peach tree while I prepared the new beds for the strawberry plants that had now been in a sink of water for two days.
They were thirsty and I sent them to my studio for a glass of water from the sink full of strawberry plants that I put there because I needed the bucket to water the peach tree that I moved because of the trampoline.
Andy and I brushed our teeth together, talking through foamy mouths about stuff. He heard it first.
“Are you doing laundry?”
“No.”
Five hours prior, they had left the water on in the sink that was stopped up with strawberry plants because they were excited to jump on the trampoline that was where the peach tree once was.
We wore rubber boots into my work space that was underwater, drawers full of lakes, floor like a creek, materials floating in the pool made by the water that was left on over the sink that was stopped up by strawberry plants because I had to move them to get to the bucket to water the peach tree that was moved because of the trampoline.
Thankful:
Andy heard that running water, shopvacs, the stuff that is ruined is replaceable, my children are always well hydrated, the strawberry plants stayed in the sink like good little strawberry plants (and the worms didn’t go too far), my studio floor is now very clean, the girls slept through the whole crisis, my husband has remarkable patience and humor and things that start out like what the hell?! end with oh babe as he laughs, sighs and refills the sink with water for the strawberry plants that were in there because I needed the bucket to water the peach tree that was moved because of the trampoline.
The strawberry plants were free, the peach tree on clearance, the trampoline only $50. But this whole eating homegrown, mopping-up-late-night mess, jumping-til-it-aches combo? No quantifier. It’s our deliberate, messy, full life.
16 Comments
You’ve just written a new book in the series, If You Give a Moose a Muffin. If You Give Nici a Trampoline…..
The thankful list is the best : )
I thought about that book when I wrote this! Also, the “and the green grass grew all around, all around…”
Dear Nici,
This is a wonderful story about “not making a problem bigger than it is – in fact making it smaller”. Er hmm… my children are always well hydrated!!!
Lovely stuff!
Kindest regards from the Swiss Alps, where the ski season closes today, hence it’s predicted to snow all week, Alison
Thank you for your beautiful and creative insight to this mishap – it makes me hopeful that I one day can see the “what the Hell” situations as primer for painting a funny story!
grateful smiles CB
What a great spin on a “sloppy” story! This made me think of a song Mother sang/taught me as a child…I am going to practice it and teach it to M & R!
Love you tons! xoxo, Mom
Here goes:
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly.
I dunno why she swallowed that fly,
Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly –
Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd, to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly –
Perhaps she’ll die
There was an old lady who swallowed a cat.
Imagine that, she swallowed a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die
There was an old lady who swallowed a dog.
What a hog! To swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat…
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a goat.
Just opened her throat and swallowed a goat!
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog …
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a cow.
I don’t know how she swallowed a cow!
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat…
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog…
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat…
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wiggled and wiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a horse –
She’s dead, of course.
Oh, good grief you even have a good attitude about this. NICI. You are super human!
the old-lady-who-swallowed-a-spider comment. So perfect!
ps. and YAY for that trampoline – holy cow, that thing looks like FUN
OH MY GOSH. Isn’t life so weird and fun??! And, I mean, messy and inconvenient at times?
I love you, Lady.
I’ll be honest, I thought this was going to be about some delightful fruit dessert, like a buckle, only sluttier. Now I need to invent a strawberry peach tramp. And invite you over for a bowl.
oh I am SO on for a slutty dessert competition
You + your life makes me smile.
Amen, Nici. Deliberate and messy go well together.
What fun! I want a trampoline for my girls 🙂
oh boy. Sounds like the story of my life! I can usually laugh afterward but at the time–I’m a ball of stress~! So grateful for kind, forgiving husbands.
W.O.W – What a story!! You must be one patient mama!! So glad you got everything back in order. Thanks for sharing !
Well, you just turned that frown upside down. I love how you decided to look at this chain of events. A lesson to us all. Have fun with the tramp + enjoy those clean, clean floors while they last.
Wow. Just… wow!