The Someday File

Have you ever heard of the "someday" file? We all have them. They're created when something unpleasant/ intense/ or annoying happens in our lives. You or someone around you (because there's always someone there when these things happen) will say "Someday You'll look back and find this funny or sweet or special." These words are uttered because there doesn't seem to be an appropriate response to what just happened. Yesterday I added to my someday file. We had to purchase a certain type of fire extinguisher to have in our home in preparation for the fire marshals visit for a fire inspection (Yup, it's required for foster care). It was not cheap! Dylan was enamored with it- he just stared at it and stroked it lovingly for most of the afternoon. Several times Owen and I had to remind him that a fire extinguisher is not a toy and that he shouldn't touch it to which he would reply "But mom, we have to test it out so that we can practice for a real fire!" This is where I made my mistake- I pointed the instruction panel out to Dylan and said "Sweetie, we don't have to actually try it out. The instructions are right here if we ever needed to use it see." Dylan said "OH COOL!" and read the instructions over and over out loud to himself. After a while it seemed that he was getting use to the presence of such a cool thing and was losing interest. Not true. I literally left the room for 30 seconds when I heard "SHSHLLLOOOOOOO" I ran back into the living room to see the whole room coated in yellowish white dust. Dylan was standing there holding the extinguisher with an impish grin, the exhaust hose of the extinguisher was still smoking. He had totally emptied it requiring us to replace the extinguisher. The house was a mess and I discovered that I'm totally allergic to the contents of a fire extinguisher!

Oh well. Someday I'll look back and this will be funny to me.