When we first toured this house the owner, whose husband had grown up in the house, proudly showed us the laundry shute that was accesible on two different floors. A most modern convenience that had been outdated by the re-location of the washer and dryer (thankfully) to the main floor from the basement, the owner gleefully showed us how it opened and pointed out the cute flowers painted on the lids of the shute's two locations, the main and second floor. I tried to restrain my inward shudders from showing as I thought of all the dangerous games young children could think of to play with such a device. I determined then and there that we would nail both covers shut as soon as we moved in.
However - before we had moved much of anything in besides our paint and ladders, the kids discovered a most creative use of this shute - place the recycling bin under it in the basement and drop all of the cans down there - straight from the laundry area beside the kitchen.
So I relented. It was after all quite a useful idea.
Then Milo moved in, (another story for another time) resulting in The Lions Den springing up - a club in the basement. This brought with it a new use for the recycling shute.
Knock on it below so that those above on htemain floor knew you wanted to speak to someone upstairs... and if you wanted to speak someone in the "den" below, one simply opened the recycling shute and shouted below.
Nifty idea - until 6 year old Nathaniel stuck his head down it with 3 year old Emma promtly closing the lid - jamming his head. Nathaniel's screams of rage and terror could be heard through out the house, as well as Emma's terrified pleas for help. As I was occupied getting the baby to sleep - Hugo had to deal with it.
The communication box is once again for - recycling only please. And as Nathaniel's bruised forehead and wound below the corresonding eye can attest to - this is all for the best.
Monday, September 04, 2006
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2 comments:
Those chutes can surely be fun. We had one in our old house and it was a life saver as our laundry area was still in the basement. The problem was that the chute came up between my son and daughter's rooms. One day while they were supposed to be picking up their toys, my five year old son heard me tell my eight year old daughter to dump her dirty clothes basket down. He decided to scare her so he positioned his skinny body in the opening and held on by the lip that was in his room. Well, she opened the chute, he screamed, and she slammed the top down. The top hit him in the head and down he came. luckily he slid right down but made a terrible echoing clunk at the end. Thank God he didn't get stuck, as we would have had to tear out walls to free him. WE sold that house a year ago and that chute is one of the biggest things that i miss.
Whoa! I'm afraid I laughed when I read your story, Diane! How scary it must have been for him! Goodness
The chute is very fun...too bad we can't use it anymore! Actually, we were going to use it for our elections too. We would drop down our anonymous vote into a box at the bottom! Too bad! Hehe :)
Poor Tanny!
Anna
-x-
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