Friday Night Leftovers (The Ingenious and Inept Version)

I didn't post yesterday, but not because I didn't have a post idea. I just never got around to it, and by the time I had "me" time it was almost midnight. So without further ado, this week's leftovers. Courtesy of some brilliant and not so brilliant ideas.

Ingenious Ideas
•We bought a second water container for the chickens. This is awesome because I don't have to (more than) double the time it takes to feed and water them! No trekking out to the coop to get the waterer, trekking back, de-icing, and making another trek there and back!

•Same thing with the rabbits water. I "stole" the cats' water bowl (it is metal) and put it in the hutch. Now I just flip it over, douse it with hot water, and voilà...an empty, ice-free bowl!

•Alice keeps getting into the refrigerator and I have been meaning to buy a lock. The problem there is the closest BRU is over an hour away, and I can't justify going there for a $5 item. Sure I could purchase it online, but the reviews aren't that great for it. Anyway, I took one of my husband's tools (I can't remember the name of it now-a clamp? It is for really big things) and adjusted it to work on the fridge. The result, someone can't get in to the fridge!

•If I start dinner BEFORE Alice gets hungry, she will eat her dinner! I know, you're thinking "gee, no kidding!" Two nights this week, I started dinner later than usual, and had a screaming kid who wanted Cheerios, chips, bagels, crackers, apples, or whatever. So I gave her a little snack while I finished dinner. The result? She ate hardly any of her dinner because she filled up on crap (okay, not all of that is crap, but you know what I mean).

Inept Ideas
•Alice got her first time-out this week. Why? Because she was climbing on the tv stand and the bookcase. So I took her to her room (no toys there) and closed the door. I came back a minute later to get her. What do I find? Her climbing up her dresser! *hits head* Why do I feel like time-outs aren't the way to go...especially when she gets in trouble for the one thing she is capable of doing ANYWHERE.

•Bringing the cats indoors. Sure, we had to bring them in for a week after they got fixed. Then I felt bad putting them back outside after they got used to the heat and it was so cold. They destroy everything! I'm tired of being sneezed on in the middle of the night. I'm tired of being harassed when I get up to pee. I'm tired of being clawed and my face/head sat on while I'm trying to sleep. And then they manage to get candy (from where I don't know) and bat it around, Alice finds it, and then pitches monstrous fits unless I give her some. Oh, and don't get me started on how the smallest cat is able to open the door to the upstairs (but Alice and the bigger cat can't), and then all three are off and climbing up there (we don't use our upstairs-it is mostly storage. The guest room will be fixed up shortly).

•Co-sleeping and having to sleep practically sitting up. Alice likes me to cuddle her. In order to cuddle her, I have to lay on my side. That is NOT sitting up. Then my reflux gets worse. (good news: my reflux is better today!)

•The "refrigerator lock" that I came up with. It only works when you remember to put it back on. Plus it is a bit of a pain.

While I'm sure I could come up with more good ideas (and bad), Alice has decided to take a nap an hour early today so I had better go enjoy "me" time while it lasts. Go check out Danifred. She has a momentous occasion! And while you are at it, give some love to all the other FNL participants!