Shredding his little heart out

Charlie likes taking things apart. Sometimes he takes apart things I really don't want taken apart. We finally came to a compromise. I would keep an eye out on my local freecycle list and when someone advertised a non-working appliance of some sort, I would go fetch it. Charlie could take those apart, and then once he figured out whatever he was trying to figure out, he could just toss them.

The problem is, Charlie is starting to fix things. I picked up a portable boom-box that the owner said the CD player was broken on. I have no idea what he did, but all it took was a screwdriver. The CD player on the boom box works.

Hmmm, this could get interesting.

I was tired of taking mail with my address on it to work to shred, but too cheap to buy a paper shredder. Yesterday someone put up a shredder on freecycle saying that it was working, but all of a sudden now it wasn't, didn't know why, not interested in trying to find a repairman, wasn't worth the cost to fix, and if anyone wanted it, come get it, maybe the trash can it sits on would still be of use.

So I answered the post and went out to get it today after church. I told Charlie that he could do whatever he wanted to it, but once he was done and ready to throw it out, don't throw out the trash can, I can use that.

We picked up groceries after picking up the shredder. When we got home, he was so eager to crack that thing open, he ran in the house and started looking for the screwdriver. Yo! China Boy!!!! Get your butt out here and help mama with the groceries!

After he finished helping out, he found the screwdriver and went to town. Next thing I know, there are little screws and pieces spread out all over the dining room table. I decide I'm going to just ignore the whole thing and let him have his fun. I started peeling and chopping veggies that I was putting into a pot of homemade chicken soup. After a few minutes, Charlie gets up and moves across the room. I figured he'd gotten bored with it....then I heard a button click and a loud whirrrr, and Charlie signs and shouts PAH!!! He had gotten it working. I pointed at the basket where the mail remains go to wait for transport to the office shredder, and he was overjoyed to have something to shred in his new toy. This is a nice shredder!

The boy is now 2 for 2.

Got any appliances you want fixed?

Busted Buses

For the past week, Charlie and I have been poring over bus schedules for the Howard County Transit System, learning which lines come near our development and where they go, how to read the schedule charts so he can figure out when they go and come back. Tonight it was time for our first field trip.

The whole idea is to make him more independent. He's home all day with nothing to do but talk to his friends on the videophone and watch TV or read (and his reading level is still somewhat limited), so I thought it would be nice if he could get out and about somewhat. Especially since the libraries are some of his favorite haunts.

Older brother Rick warned us the buses aren't always reliable, sometimes early, sometimes late, sometimes don't show up at all. He would know; after all, he used to depend on those buses to get to work. That makes him an expert.

So, when I got home from work tonight, Charlie met me at the front of the development and we went out to the bus stop. I showed him the correlation between the schedule printout and the different color lines shown on the sign for the bus stop. He gets it.

We get on the bus and pay the fare. He gets it.

We get off the bus at the library. He gets it.

Finished our business at the library, and go back outside to catch the return bus. He read the schedule correctly to figure out what time to be at the bus stop.

But the bus didn't come. And Charlie didn't get it.

There was a guy waiting there with us who had been waiting for the previous bus, as well, and THAT one never showed up, either. After waiting (and chatting) a while, I decided phooey on this, because the next (and last) bus wasn't due for another hour and a half. I called Rick, the expert, and asked him if he could come fetch us.

He had just finished cooking his dinner, and had to shove it in the fridge to heat up again once we got back. This made him none too happy. I braced myself for the inevitable "I-told-you-so's."

While we were waiting for Rick, the guy called the 1-800 number for customer service for the bus line, and they told him the bus had been in an accident. Yeah, sure--wonder how many times a day they use that excuse!

When he pulled up, I asked if he could give our new friend a ride to the MARC train station--it was only one exit out of our way and would take 3 minutes, tops. He was rather surly about it, which is unusual for him. Then as he peeled out of the parking lot, he made the comment, "...and don't say jack about my driving. I'm doing you a favor."

Really not like him to be so overtly rude, especially in front of other people like that, so I said, "You're in a really foul mood, aren't you?"

He complained, "Well, I had the fork halfway to my mouth. I'm starving!"

I merely nodded and said, "So are we...that's why we called. Next bus isn't due until after 9 pm and we haven't had dinner, either." He grumbled, but shut up and drove.

We got to the train station, and I directed him to the proper building and then turned around to the back seat, where the guy was sitting with Charlie, and I said (and signed, for Charlie's benefit) "Bye, I hope you get your car back!" (It had been towed.)

He said, "Me, too, and thank you so much for the ride to the train!"

Whereupon Rick turned around and yelled, "Holy crap, you can HEAR!!!!"

The whole time Rick was sitting there bitching about being hungry and having to come get us, he thought the guy was some deaf friend of Charlie's who couldn't hear him.

He laughed halfway home. Thank God it put him in a better mood. It improved his driving, too. :P

Am I Blue?

Tonight was Charlie's blue belt test. Needless to say.....