Saturday, May 21, 2011

What... I have to use a can opener!

I read somewhere that single parenting isn't for sissies. I agree. But, I think parenting in general takes the superhero in us all to really make life work. I'm not talking about money. Oh, money is nice, don't get me wrong..... I mean the creative side of parenting that keeps us all getting out of bed and enjoying every sticky smile.

I recently convinced every child in my house that Chef Boyardee isn't the Antichrist, and now they love that wonderful pasta boy creations. Most canned foods that have anything to do with children have the lids you simply pull off making lunch time go smoothly, and parents everywhere sigh with joy as we gain that extra two minutes of life.
Lunch at my house came without the pop top can. Chef Boyardee.... well, he's got life on track. But, when the store is OUT of what I want, I do the next best thing and reach for the store brand. No pop top on the cheaper brand.... no problem. 

I told the fabulous four they could play outside while I made lunch. I turned my music on..... super fast pasta meal coming up! 

Can opener..... fail. I turned and turned..... and about one fourth of the way around, the can opener bent just enough that it wouldn't cut. I tried bending it back but that didn't work. No problem. I could bend the lid with pliers in such a way that it at least the broken can opener would finish the job. 

Now, being a single mom I no longer possess the tool box. I have a hammer, necessary screwdrivers and duct tape, so I can fix just about anything. I needed pliers to bend this lid, but at least I could find a substitute. Scissors.... no, these are needed, and just wasn't willing to risk breaking those too. Then I saw what I could use. The hole puncher! 

I bent that lid... then cut that lid..... then bent.... and cut.... and bent..... yes, this had to go on for some time, but I refused to be defeated by the lack of a pop top can! The contents of that can however, were not packed in such a way to take such violence and it did create a bit of a mess. Still... I bent and cut my way around the top until it was open enough to pour out. 
Victory!

After sharing this story with my mom, she brought me her extra can opener. I ask you... who has an extra can opener? My wonderful mom! Happy Birthday to her this weekend! 





10 comments:

  1. I don't know how I feel about pop-top cans... (I can only say that because my can opener hasn't bent on me, though!) I seem to have trouble getting them to pull open all the way, or the pop-top breaks off. They SAY you can turn it upside down and use the can opener on the bottom, but that doesn't really help when you already got the top pried open a bit! Just makes a mess.

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  2. The funny thing, Allison.. I actually turned the can upside down in the pan to do that very thing. The bottom was rounded off.. hahaha!

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  3. Oh my goodness I have been there except I broke my poor scissors before I figured I'd try the "other" can opener that for some reason we never use "the bottle opener" Yes, I made little triangle all the way around and then pried off a tin star praying the whole time I would not cut myself.

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  4. That can needed a time out. wow!

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  5. Scratching my head wondering what in the world how did you use the hole punch? I have one of those battery operated can openers. When the first one stopped working, I made the sons open the cans for me and guess what? They bought me a new battery operated one!

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  6. I know right! For the longest time, my kids turned their noses up at Chef Boyardee too!
    That can however, looks like it won the battle! haha

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  7. Thanks for coming by my blog! I appreciate it! I am impressed with your persistence here!

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  8. I think that it was ingenious to think of using the hole puncher. That was some fast thinking!

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  9. Thank goodness for moms and can openers! ;) Happy Birthday to her! <3



    ♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥
    Can Alex save Winter from the darkness that hunts her?
    YA Paranormal Romance, Darkspell coming fall of 2011!

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