Squirrel, extra crispy & other matters

Yes, the transformer boom (and it was a LOUD boom) was caused by a squirrel. Apparently this squirrel-with-a-death-wish sparked off one transformer, electrocuted himself, and shorted out the transformer down the cul-de-sac. The PUD had to fix both transformers. The barbecued body of the squirrel lay on the ground next to the first transformer’s utility pole.

Now, let it be noted that the Webmaster and I live in a pretty quiet and sedate neighborhood. We and Little Mo’s family are the only ones with small children on the premises – though our next-door neighbors have their grandchildren over so frequently they might as well live there – so all the older adults were outside talking about the BOOM and the crispy remains yesterday… and I’m looking at my watch like a crack addict saying, “No Sesame Street?? What do you mean, no Sesame Street???” I immediately called the PUD (which is to be commended – they had a truck out here within 15 minutes and had the transformers fixed in another 15) and told the neighbors that I had done so, and they were all like, “Oh, yeah, good idea… but did you see the squirrel?”

*****

Speaking of Sesame Street, I am waiting for the day that Elmo snaps and beats the snot out of Zoe over her irrational devotion to her pet rock. I swear, Elmo’s obvious annoyance with Rocko is his only redeeming value. I would pay to see that smackdown. Someone make a video. There is money to be made here, and it would be SO cathartic.

Am I the only one with these violent tendencies toward Muppets?

*****

Instead of blogging yesterday, I spent the time paying bills. Yes, it was time well spent, but I would’ve rather been blogging. Anyway, we paid Ane’s first month’s worth of preschool tuition (due August 1st, covers the month of September). We don’t get a discount if we pay the whole chunk at once, so we’re on the month-to-month plan.

The kid hasn’t even spent one day in the classroom, and I just wrote the check.

I am SO looking forward to preschool…

*****

This is what I would have blogged about yesterday…
Ane is attending our church’s Vacation Bible School this week – though it is not a real VBS. It is a sports camp and they have a mini one for the preschoolers (or the pre-preschoolers, in Ane’s case… ages 3 to 5). Under the supervision of a few adults, Auntie and her friends are running the mini camp and doing a great job. The Brain and Head are also at the mini camp with Ane, and I think they are having fun.

Tad, however, is too little to go. He’s been spending some much-needed one-on-one time with Mommy. He had dinner alone with Mommy and Daddy on Monday night, and yesterday Friend and I toted him along to the mall, I bought him dinner, and he got to watch TV at Gymboree while Friend and I worked very very hard to spend all of our Gymbucks.

Tuesday night, though, I had some grocery shopping to do and I knew that I was going to be buying some frozen foods, but I had time to kill before picking Ane up and I didn’t want anything thawing out in the warm car. So I put the monkey backpack and leash on Tad and we went next door to PetSmart. Hey, other people have their pets on a leash, so I had my kid on a leash. Unless I want to stick Tad in the stroller all the time, this is the only way to let him walk in a controlled way. I never thought it would come to this, but it does work and the monkey backpack is really cute and soft.

Going to PetSmart was like going to a cheap, free zoo or aquarium. Tad was enthralled with the fish tanks and all the brightly-colored fish swimming around. He saw parakeets chirping. He saw little lizards scurrying about (which he squealed about). Several dogs were also on leashes in the store, and we always ask before we pet a doggie we don’t know. Tad met a pair of very friendly and fluffy Shelties, and he saw the cats in the adoption area (we didn’t go in, because I didn’t want him to spook the kitties). But it was a fun way to kill some time for him, and with him wearing the backpack, I just hung on and followed him around, making sure that he wasn’t taking things off shelves or petting strange dogs without me right there.

Then we treated ourselves to an Orange Creme Frappucino, did our grocery shopping, and disposed of the telltale signs of Starbucks before we picked Ane up.

Someday, I will be able to trust Tad enough to not have him on a leash. I’m looking forward to that day. In the meantime, he’s got a monkey on his back.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 26th, 2007 at 9:05 am and is filed under Children, Mommyhood, Shopping Stories.
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