summer greens at Mountain Glen Farm

summer greens at Mountain Glen Farm

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

A Christmas Story...of sorts


 

I was shopping in Wal-Mart and just happened down the Christmas aisle.  I do not need any more Christmas paraphernalia as I have bunches…from my Grandmother, my Mother and my own. I just like to look at the new items being offered for the current year. I prefer antiques.

 

But, I saw and decided to purchase a $2.00 plastic resin donkey figurine.  It was being sold with other Nativity figures.  Our Nativity needed a donkey. I scrutinized each donkey looking for the best of the bunch.  I am a bit fanatical that way. The figurine seemed to be just the right size to blend in with the other figures in Glenn’s Nativity.  (I purchased this Nativity in a local antique store as a Christmas gift for Glenn two years ago.  Glenn is not fond of antiques, but he did not grumble over this purchase.) And, we just had to include a donkey since we have a real donkey on the farm…makes sense to me. Besides, let’s not forget the story...mode of transportation - a donkey. A donkey was required to complete our vignette.

 


I gingerly placed the donkey in my cart so that it would not fall and break.  I still had plenty of other shopping to do, so I needed to be very careful for quite a span of time.  At the checkout, I asked the clerk to double wrap the figurine so that it was protected.  I then placed it in a bag that contained two towels I was purchasing for the guest bathroom.  I nestled the figure carefully within the towels for additional protection.

 

I loaded that bag into my car with more care as I placed it in a location where no other item, especially a heavier one, might fall on it.  When I unloaded that bag from my car into the house, I again took extra steps to unload that bag first, carry it into the house and place it in a safe place on the counter. 

 

Hours later, I decided to look at the towels. I whipped them out of the bag and gave them a good shake. I heard a loud thump on the floor.  You guessed it…my donkey. 

 

Unfortunately, an ear broke off my donkey - yikes!

 

Days later,  I returned to Walmart to buy Krazy glue since Glenn said our Elmer’s glue was not strong enough for the repair.  I decided it might be just as easy to purchase a new donkey, but alas, they were gone.  All that was remaining were a few wise men and two sheep.  I thought about getting a sheep since we have real sheep on our farm, too; but their faces looked so cartoony that I decided not to increase the size of the flock roaming around the manger.

 

So, off to the office supplies section for a tube of Krazy glue.

 

When I got home, I took the glue package, read some of the directions and decided to repair the donkey’s ear immediately.  I began by lightly dabbing the tip of the glue tube, as directed, on the head of the donkey where the ear was to return.  Without warning, all the glue spewed from the tube covering the donkey and the majority of my thumb.  Within a split moment, my thumb was attached to the donkey.  I panicked.  I pulled and pulled and pulled until my thumb released.  I quickly tried to attach the ear part. 

 

Initially, I was hoping for a flawless repair…NOT!  The body shined with dried glue and the ear was out of alignment.  Boo Hoo!  And, my thumb was sore from ripping it in my desperation. 

 

I went back to the directions where I read…if skin gets stuck to item, DO NOT pull - use acetone to soften the glue for an easy release.  I guess I should have read All the directions before starting this project. 

 

Well, said tube of glue is empty from one teenie tiny repair job, the donkey looks a bit odd covered in gloss sitting in his assigned position next to the manger, and my thumb is on the mend.

 

I think, next time, I will stay away from Krazy glue and stick with that white, washable Elmer’s glue instead.

 

Safer!

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