Bamboozled Again
Scallywag Series 2
I spy the weathered wooden oar I plan to hang for decoration in the boys’ room and notice something scratched into the flaking red paint of the wide blade. I lean in for a closer look.
‘Z-e-k-e.’ Well, what kind of dummy would carve his own name plainly into the wood so there’s no doubt as to the culprit? Good grief!
“Zeke!” I shriek in annoyance, “Come here right now! Zeeeke!!”
Thump, thump pound the feet of eight-year-old Zeke to where I stand holding the offending paddle. His wide eyes look at me with puzzled consternation. “What, Mom?” he questions.
“What is the meaning of this?” I ask, stabbing my finger at the laceration in the otherwise-smooth surface, “Why on earth would you carve your name into this oar that I want to hang on your wall?” I challenge.
With innocent eyes, Zeke insists, “But, I didn’t do it!”
“Of course, you did! Who else would carve your name?” I ask, shaking my head.
“It had to be Drover,” insists Zeke.
“Nice try, Buddy, but I don’t buy it!” I retort, giving him extra chores to make up for the time I will spend sanding and re-surfacing the paddle.
Well, would you believe I was bamboozled once again? I discovered much later that Zeke truly did not have any part of defacing the wooden paddle with graffiti. His younger brother, Drover, very cleverly scratched Zeke’s name there and avoided all the blame.
Wow, I’m impressed! I would never think of that! What genius! And to think that he’s my son!
Wait, what am I saying?? What a scoundrel! And to think he’s my son!! (But isn’t it funny?)
What else can you do but laugh? The belly laughs I’ve enjoyed as a result of these boys’ high jinks are better than a hot fudge sundae! With whipped cream.
The kiddos have had me at the edge of insanity at times, but when stress was about to peel my fingers off the ledge, their funnies have kept me from falling over the cliff. The crazy thing is, kids are the reason we lose it, but they are also the reason we survive!
Laughter is a gift that keeps on giving. Our family regurgitates humor like the cud of a cow. All we have to do is mention ‘Minot’, remembering a family classic funny tale, and the chuckles begin!
I’ve collected hilarious memories like four-leaf-clovers, pressed between the pages of my life. The laugh bubbles built up so high in my belly that I was compelled to let them out. I began to write the stories into a blog. And one of them morphed into a children’s picture book, Snitcher Snatcher Cookie Catcher. (Who ate the missing cookies?? Purchase it on Amazon!) There have been so many rich dividends from finding humor in life!
Laughter is God’s special gift to moms. He knows we need stress release. If you can laugh when your kids eat the birthday cake before the party, you are richer than before. If you can laugh instead of screech like an angry parrot over spilled milk, the bad vibes float away.
Laughter makes you look younger, they said. Laughter puts a pep in your step, they said. Laughter erases wrinkles, they said. I went to look in the mirror. Okaaay…I definitely haven’t laughed enough!
Life is like cake; it doesn’t turn out right without salt, those more difficult moments of life. Hopefully, though, there is always a cup of sugar to a teaspoon of salt. We all need the sweet, healing, dopamine inducing times of laughter and joy. So, thank you, kiddos, for making me laugh! My life-cake has been sweet!
