Buried Under a Huge Pile of Lids

Each year, toward the end of the school year, the kindergarten at the kids' school works on their counting skills. They do this by having all the kids bring in lids. Old milk jug lids, juice lids, that sort of thing. They did it when Sweet Pea was in Kindergarten and they did it when Snickers was in Kindergarten. And, they are doing it this year with Doodlebug. Cool.

But what's really cool is that we knew this was coming. (We're pretty smart that way). And for the last three years, ever since Snickers finished Kindergarten, we have been saving up our lids. Yes. We're weird as well as smart. For three years we have saved every single milk jug lid, juice bottle lid, orange juice carton screw-on cap, shampoo cover, soda bottle cover and every lid that seemed to fit the bill. I would bag them up when they became cumbersome and stick them in a corner. (And I wonder why my house is so cluttered and messy all the time - it's things like this!)

And now it's time.

The official letter came home from Kindergarten. It's time to bring in the lids. If only they knew! They will soon enough!

The other day we pulled them all out. And last night I dumped them out onto the living room rug. Sweet Pea and I stayed up (much too late) and counted them all. We split them up into piles of ten, then into piles of one hundred. And finally, into piles of one thousand.

And the grand total? 2365! How's that Kindergarteners! Count that!! Er, I mean, here you go children, have at it!

Doodlebug is very excited about bringing them all in. He has a good sense of humor and recognizes the pure and utter silliness of saving these darn things for THREE YEARS! and bringing them in all at once. The class has been bringing them in for the last week or so and they are up about 190. Pretty good haul. But. Well. That number is about to increase! Twelve-fold! Hold onto your milk Kindergarteners!

I bagged them up into three bags. I was pretty sure Doodlebug couldn't carry the whole thing himself, so between him, Snickers and Sweet Pea, they are going to bring the whole pile of them in in three bags. (Three very large bags!)

At this point I'm not sure I can stop saving lids. I'm used to just tossing all lids into the little pan on the corner of the counter. I've been doing it for three years! Maybe I should continue. You know, save them up for the grandkids. Can you imagine how many I could save up in the next 25 years?!?! You'll be reading about me in the newspaper. No. Not for saving up such a huge amount of lids to send in to school with my grandchildren. But for being one of those poor old people who dies a terrible death under mountains of garbage I just couldn't bear to throw away. Hmmm. Maybe I'll just get used to tossing them away after all.

Quack!