Tonight Bella was playing on the back deck while Dom grilled up some hot dogs for dinner. I was in the basement doing laundry when I heard her scream. Dom picked her up and was soon yelling for my assistance as she had a huge splinter in her foot.
The piece Dom pulled out was about two inches long. We couldn’t tell whether there was a piece left in her foot. I cleaned the wound with hydrogen peroxide and slathered on some antibiotic ointment and then applied a magical bandaid. Then I hugged her to my chest and rocked her around the kitchen while I sang.
That worked to calm her down for as long as I kept it up. But soon Sophie started yelling for attention too. I picked Sophie up and Bella resumed howling. Dom’s picking her up didn’t soothe. So he deposited her on our bed while I changed Sophia and then Sophie and I joined Bella for a little cuddling. Soon Bella was flopping on our pillows, pretending to sleep, and rolling around with her sister. Then she found a rattle and clonked Sophia on the forehead, leaving a small welt over her eye.
That resulted in more hysterics from both girls. But finally Bella was soothed—Dom brought her a pair of socks which evidently had magical properties.
Still, at bathtime Bella was screaming again. She was still favoring the wounded foot. Actually she was favoring both feet. I guess the non-injured limb developed sympathy pains. A post-bath checkup convinced me there was still a chunk of wood buried in her foot. I would have to operate. So Dom held her, still wrapped in her towel, while I applied a safety pin, the only tool I could find. The splinter disintegrated as I dug it out so the operation took some time to complete.
Then more cuddling and singing and I had to be the one to put her pajamas on. Dom took over the hair and tooth brushing. Socks of course had to be put on again. She has a thing about needing socks for bed even in the summertime. Hopefully she’ll feel better tomorrow. Though experience tells me she’ll be demanding a bandaid for days. I just hope I got all the fragments out. I dread having to do that again.
Ah! Nothing feeds the soul like rural New England. (Er, excepting, of course the Eucharist and all the other holy sacraments… but you know what I mean!) Such purity and down-home-ness. I’m so happy you’re there.
Melanie, I read this book years ago…my ex-mother-in-law also lives in Maine, was born & raised there—& she knew I’d like it. I still think about it at times—how Louise was in such a remote location that many things had to be bought months in advance—and the only milk they had was evaporated (I guess dry milk hadn’t been invented yet?) Great read.