During these lazy, hazy, crazy daze of summer, it's hard to think of something worthy of writing.
During these lazy, hazy, crazy daze of summer, it's hard to think of something worthy of writing. There are some controversial female issues swirling around the media lately with Peter MacKay's comments about how mothers are good at changing diapers, and fathers are good at creating minds. Not to mention the birth control pill issues! Great topics, great opinions to share, to discover, to explore.
But it's hot out there and I want to tell you about the water blob I just made in the backyard.
It's summer holidays, and barely one week has passed since our kids were in school. My 10-year-old is already bored and her summer camp doesn't start for another week. I became desperate and turned to the Internet. Actually, I remembered something I had read on Facebook in the deepest, darkest and coldest days of winter – the water blob.
I promised myself I would make one this summer and this morning as my bored child pulled out a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle and tried to set it up in our 30-degree living room, I told her that we were heading out for to get some supplies to have some fun.
At the dollar store we bought two packages of “industrial strength” plastic covering, parchment paper and duct tape. The total cost was a little over $6. So far, so good, and my child was involved, not bored and even telling me all sorts of thoughts she had about life, school and friends. This was good; this was happening. Plus, the van is air conditioned.
According to the directions, all you need to do is iron the side of the plastic (with parchment paper on both sides of the plastic so as to not ruin your iron or whatever you are ironing on). This seals the plastic together into one huge rectangular plastic baggie. Leave a small opening to put in the hose. Then, you take this large plastic baggie outside, lay it on a flat surface and fill it with water from the hose.
I swore it wouldn't work, and was preparing to swear even more as I knew it wouldn't work. But then, it did work. The water blob was filling! I had created a fabulous '70s waterbed in my backyard!
Once the blob was filled, I sealed the hole with duct tape. That worked too! I heralded the trumpets, calling out for all to hear of the successes I had accomplished. Everyone had a turn lying on the water blob, even my teenagers and yes, even me. We all started popping holes in this beautiful creation as it really wasn't industrial strength plastic, but we tried sealing them with more duct tape.
It was fun. Made me wonder who is more bored this summer and looking for something to do, my 10-year-old, or me.
