The pleasure of small appliances
So here we are in our new town and we saw the parade (which was clearly a mistake) and we went on a tour of the old prison (quite interesting) and we’ve been to Target twice and now we own a dustbuster.
I know. It’s all go, mile a minute, wild times in Central PA.
But the dustbuster is making me happy out of all proportion to its size or vacuum power. We’re not a one hundred percent, do or die Montessori household but it’s nice when the children can get their own breakfast, pour their own drink, reach their own jacket. We try to work on the whole put your clothes in the hamper, tidy your bed in the morning, clean up your own mess plan. And for years now, Daniel and his parents have been locked in a flaming-eyed row over the post-breakfast crumbs on the floor.
Daniel eats cereal for breakfast but he doesn’t like to pour milk on it, and nor does he really like to use a spoon. What he does, then, with this cereal is not so much eat it, as fresse it (which is the German verb an animal eating). And himself, his chair and the whole floor are flooded with crumbs when he’s done. We’ve worked on eating more slowly, more neatly. We’ve suggested eating out of doors. We’ve tried place mats, and handing him the broom. We’ve stipulated that only large, easy to pick up cereal may be eaten. But every day (that we could stand the fight) it’s been a battle.
Daniel, are you finished eating? Then come clean up these crumbs please.
AAAGHGHGHGHGHGHHAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAA, was his considered response.
Now, we own a dustbuster and the children are positively falling over themselves to clean up crumbs. Montessori through mini-appliances. Next up will be some sort of crock pot so they can make supper.
Life is good. And when you’ve just moved, you take all the good you can get.
Oh yes, we have some mad dustbuster love in this house. Too bad there’s no way to get the dustbuster to pick up and put away the books and the Playmobil.
Here is a really good thing:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070705/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_johnston_s_ordeal
Oh dustbusters are ACE!! We got one for our grandson & he just loves it. See how clean the corners of the room are now!
Where there’s a dustbuster, there’s a way. Glad to hear you’ve moved in and things are perking along.
My husband has a 50-yr-old 600-lb refurbished Electrolux that he loves and I loathe with a passion that knows no bounds. I refuse to use it. A couple of years ago I bought a Dustbuster and now happily Dustbust the whole house with it.
A Dustbuster has been the key to a happy marriage in our house; I sense it may be the key to universal happiness.
Ha! Yes the Dustbuster is a pretty miraculous invention. It’s a vacuum, see, that you don’t have to drag out of — then stuff back into, upending all the other stuff that fell into its place (I live in Manhattan; we have small closets) — the closet. Instant vacuum-cleaning gratification without the hassle.
Not knowing what town you’re in in Central PA is driving me wacko!! Not anywhere near where I used to be (Lewisburg), b/c there are no Targets near there. Please tell me you’re not in Altoona, of all places.
If only I’d known you didn’t have a dustbuster, I’d have told you about them…! Ours was bought on the suggestion of a friend and saved my sanity when Ellie first learnt to finger feed. Now of course she uses it herself which is even better! Glad to hear you are starting to settle into your new home. We are all thinking about you.