Good morning friends,
With the new job I've had to let the kids prove themselves a bit more. Bow's school calendar is different from Pembroke's so this past week found them home for two mornings without me. A few rules to adhere to and they did fine ( no cooking, no junk tv shows). Yesterday the boys stayed home from church to keep Rachel company (something viral's got her feeling under the weather). I came home, acknowledged their success staying alone and wistfully announced that they were growing up and needing me less and less - of course hoping for some pity hugs and kisses. Alas no. One of them simply stated, "Yep we probably are."
Well today Gavin needed me. Out of a sound sleep, about an hour earlier than I wanted to be needed, he needed me.
"Mom, I kind of need your help. I was near the toilet and taking out my retainer and it fell in."
There are a few things I can move really fast for. A coughing baby in the middle of the night, a loud sound in the room where the kids are playing, the noise of a really fast descent down the stairs. This is a new one to add to the list.
I was hoping for a freshly flushed bowl. Negative. He's had the retainer for a week. If I couldn't retrieve it I could count on another $310 for a new retainer and whatever the plumber would charge me once it messed up our plumbing system.
I chose my weapons carefully. The plastic refillable toilet cleaner brush handle and my other hand. I knew the importance of getting this on the first try or it might slide irretrievably back into Toilet World. Suffice to say I got it on the first try and spent the next 10 minutes with my hands and the retainer in the sink scrubbing everything to prove my knowledge of surgical aseptic technique.
I Googled "how to clean retainer after it's been in a toilet". with no success. Don't tell me this is the first time it's happened,
Once the orthodontist office opened I called. "My son dropped his retainer in the toilet. How do I clean it?"
"Wait just a minute...." I was on hold for more than a minute. Don't tell me this is the first time it's happened. When she came back on the line she said " you can soak it in diluted bleach and then put it in a cup of water with an effervescent tablet for fifteen minutes and scrub it with a toothbrush. So right after I go through my wardrobe to pick out what I'll wear for the Mom of The Year award that my kid better nominate me for I'll be off to Rite-Aid to pick up some cleaning supplies.
But hey, they still need me!!!
Have a good week,
Carol
