Lucas and the Carpenter
Lucas was sick again starting on Monday, so he stayed home yesterday. Fortunately, he was better by this morning so I shipped him off to school like usual. So far this week, it’s been intensive parenting and housekeeping (not that you could tell) and not much else. I’m trying to cultivate patience and a great affinity for chopping wood and carrying water. Trying. For me, chopping wood and carrying water translates to: laundry. Heaps of laundry.
My dear friend
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helped me in that regard last week. He came over and fixed a shelf above my kitchen laundry that has ALWAYS DRIVEN ME CRAZY. I have a top loading washing machine, and the shelf’s position prevented me from being able to open the washer all the way. Until I figured out a bizzarre wire-hanger-and-huge-soap-container “hack” (which Thaemos called “brilliant!”), the lid used to fall and hit me on the shoulder or the top of my head while I reached in repeatedly to lift clean, wet clothes out of the washer by the single handful. Thaemos not only did the awesome corrective carpentry to remove the interfering shelf, he also let Lucas help him, which meant that for two blessed hours a week ago, Lucas was so occupied by Thaemos’s teaching and tools, that he did not yammer at us. While the work was being done, we drank (wine? cocktails?) and Ian fixed yummy steaks on the barbecue. It was just wonderful.
Lucas is so completely enamored with Thaemos. He loves the tools. He loves that he gets to help. He loves that Thaemos explains everything so patiently. Thaemos even asks Lucas questions, such as “What tool do you think we need to do this part of the job?” and “What will happen if we do/don’t do this?” and “What’s the next step?” Lucas thinks really hard about each of these questions. When he answers correctly and Thaemos praises him, Lucas’s little face lights up and his cheeks flush with pride.
And the refrain? “Safety Third!”
My eternal blessings on the carpenter, for now my laundry meditations are so much easier!
March 12, 2008 at 8:07 pm
This made me smile so much I added it to my Memories under “Good Things”. I love how evocatively you capture these ephemeral moments.
March 12, 2008 at 8:38 pm
What a fantastic account. Damn, that Thaemos sounds like he’d make a great dad–and he’s certainly already a most excellent uncle. Glad to hear that you not only solved a vexing household problem (I love it when that happens) but were able to hangout with that adorable Ian fella!
March 14, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Thank you for this. I can just see the two of them together. I’m crying a little bit. 🙂
March 14, 2008 at 2:54 pm
You can now: I added a picture. 😉