He got a balloon for Valentine's Day, because we figured he'd get a big kick out of it. He loved the balloon from his cousin's birthday party, but it was latex and didn't last long. Mylar, because they're tougher than the latex ones, and because they'll float longer. And they mostly just leak instead of exploding. This one is still floating, two weeks later.
(I've got this weird thing about latex balloons - I'm always waiting for them to pop. It's a little nerve-wracking, especially when there are a dozen balloons, a ceiling fan, and pre-schoolers involved.)
El Burrito played with it most of the morning.
The boy loves his balloon. He hauled it all over the place. Balloon in one hand, foil-covered weight in the other, and ribbon dangling behind.
Then, just before lunch, we had a little problem. I was checking my email while El Burrito and the balloon were beside me, when I see a balloon floating past me. Uh oh.
It had pulled out of the knot and headed for the ceiling. And of course, it aimed for the high spot - vaulted ceilings have drawbacks. It perched in the 12-foot-up section, where it got sucked over to the return-air vent a minute later. So I've got a balloon floating in the highest corner of the room, over the computer and file cabinet, and a Burrito who's loudly concerned that his balloon is Up There. I ended up standing on a step stool, waving a yardstick around for a while. I managed to bat it across the room without tripping over El Burrito, and herded it into the hallway, where the ceiling is a normal height.
And then I retied the ribbon with a much better knot.
***
This was today's lunch:
One 3-ounce Gorton's fish filet (tilapia, char-grilled), half a 16-ounce bag of "California blend" veggies, and some steamed brown rice. The Gorton's isn't bad, I wish I'd bought more when it was on sale. It's a nice change from the peanut butter routine. 
And my replacement Chico bag was in the mail today.
2 comments:
OH MY GAWD. I thought I was the only one with a latex-balloon "thing". Although mine actually does border on some kind of neurosis. When I go to Applebee's and some kid has one of those STUPID balloon, I am beside myself with anxiety about the ceiling fans, lighting fixtures, forks...it's gonna pop, IT'S GONNA POP!!!
(Like if it pops, it will blow up the whole building?! Geesh. Lighten up.) (But I can't. IT'S GONNA POP!!!!!)
Oh, good, it's not just me. I feel like a nut sometimes, cringing every time I think it's gonna blow.
My nephew's last birthday party (at sister-in-law's house) was pure torture. Preschoolers, helium balloons, and a moving ceiling fan. And sadly, with 4 engineers - civil & electrical - and 2 nurses, it was me, the liberal-arts major, who saw it coming. I didn't say anything, I figured it was just my balloon phobia.
Kid lets go of balloon, fan sucks balloon over, ribbon gets tangled around the fan motor. One of the engineers turns the fan off, untangles the balloon, gives it back to kid, and turns the fan back on!!! Lather, rinse, repeat.
We went through the whole rigamarole at least once more before someone caught a clue and turned the fan off.
At least the Mylar balloons just get a leaky hiss instead of the big POP. Plus, they last longer. This poor thing still floats after two weeks.
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