Bathtime

The night was destined to be a good one. I had rushed about far too much in the preceding days and had in mind, a better quality of evening.

With one child down (in France, on a school trip) the odds of a relaxed atmosphere seemed high - fewer competing demands on my time and my listening skills. Much less general bickering and friction. Only one set of homework to police. Things were looking good.

Dinner was simple - a roast chicken, some baked potatoes and a salad of egg, asparagus and green beans with a caper dressing which had caught my eye. I cooked, we ate. Full bellies and all was tranquil.

So tranquil, in fact, that the hubby and I decided after dinner to park ourselves on the sofa with a drink and watch a TV show. We know how to live it up round here! So we dispatched elder son to get a bath and settled down to watch. And all was going swimmingly, until about fifteen minutes in, when the TV suddenly switched off. Who'd sat on the remote? But no - the little red light was off, as was the DVD player. Something must have tripped the fuse, so hubby heads off to investigate.

And here, the tranquil evening takes a turn for the pear-shaped. Water is flowing down the walls of the kitchen, through the cooker hood extractor and the fuse box. And we connect the dots - the teenager, the bath. And that was when the yelling began and the tranquility went the same way as the peaceful evening and the TV show.

The helpful attitude of said teenager who insisted on trying to argue in his own defence, that the overflow outlet ought to be able to handle the fact that he had been distracted with pressing matters of his own and had left the water in the bath on, didn't go down terribly well with his Father.

Not the evening I had planned, but at least the kitchen floor got mopped. Trying to look for the silver linings here. And possibly an electrician.

 

Comments

[Paola]

OOOOOPS!

[driftwood]

oh dear.................. x

[chris]

I feel for you. We had a similar evening some years ago now, when the children were younger. My then 2 year old woke sometime during the evening, took himself off to to the loo, filled the basin to wash his hands and returned to bed. Only problem was he'd left the plug in the basin and the taps running...
Oh and did I mention we were staying with friends at the time!?

[Angel Jem]

But at least the kitchen floor got cleaned......

I love that line. You Pollyanna! (and that's a compliment coming from me!)

[Thomasina Tittlemouse]

This made me laugh out loud Ali - it's the teenage chutzpah of boldly arguing a case that for the rest of us wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance that had such a ring of familiarity and did it for me! H seems to be able to argue any case, however slim the supporting evidence or argument! i am just so glad it's not just us on the receiving end of being labelled "the unreasonable parents who can't quite grasp the finer minutiae of whatever situation it is that simply isn''t and can't be (via logic, imagination or sheer sorcery) his fault!" I sympathise very considerably and the clearing up after these kinds of episode is wearisomely extensive. One day, tell yourself, he may have offspring himself armed and dangerous with bath taps.....!! This is what I say to myself in similar circumstances anyway when driven to distraction! Have a peaceful and lovely evening, Ali! E xx

[Amy at love made my home]

Ohh!!! I don't know what the silver lining is in that one! That no worse damage was done perhaps! I hope that all will be OK. xx

[Sue]

I'm stealing your dinner menu. I'll pass on the overflowing bath although we have come pretty close to the same thing happening here.

[MagicBean]

France child will be gutted he missed out on this drama and I bet he will dine out on this for years! I agree with teenage son about the overflow situation- what is the point of it if it doesn't stop the flood?
Ax

[Louise]

Still keep looking for those silver linings!

[Toffeeapple]

Poor you, just when you needed that rest.

[Lucille]

I'm not sure that it will ever be safe to relax and mine are in their twenties now. Plus I'm worrying about the next generation now. A nine month old is keeping me on red alert. I'm too old for this.

[Megan]

Oh Dear. I do hope that wasn't too expensive to fix - I certainly wouldn't have found it in the least bit funny. Very nice photo though.

[Monica]

oh gosh... what a nightmare... i hope he did the mopping....

(I'll never push my boys for a bath ever again.. showers from now on!)

[Pam (Isabelle)]

Argh. I hope it's now a distant memory...