We have no printer paper. Again. I will go out and buy a new package today. I bought one last week. The boys use a lot for school projects, worksheets and sometimes, just for drawing paper. However, one pack a week is a lot even for our house.
For the past couple of weeks, I've been finding pages of 'printer test' lying around. I was reasonably sure that one of the Horsemen - ok, #4 - was just trying to see how it worked, but it was starting to bother me that we wasted so much paper on printing test pages. Earlier this week, I came donwstairs to find the living room floor covered with printed 'printer test' pages. Dozens of them, everywhere. The dogs had chewed some, the cats had flipped others under the couch, and my living room was a total disaster. As soon as the Horsemen pulled themselves from their warm covers, refreshed from a good night's sleep ( read: when they sat bolt upright and lept from their beds upon hearing my screeches of "Get up and come down here right this minute!") they stared at the floor, and then each began cooperating with The Authorities: each quickly pointed out that he had not done it, but he thought he had seen his brother do it. #4 also added that although he saw #3 do it, he didn't tell on him because he didn't want #3 to get in trouble. I stood there offering him more rope. For once, he glared back and said,"This is not one of those times where if you stand there quietly I will give too many details! I did not do it!" and then stomped back upstairs to feed and care for his righteous indignation. He's been doing a lot of that lately.
After a few more minutes of fruitless intelligence-gathering, I gave up and ordered them all to clean up the floor. They did, but with muttering and growling under their collective breath.
We began our usual homeschooling day after that. I assigned chapters, taught math, and then gave Poe her brekfast as the boys started their work. Usually by the time Poe finishes her bowl of kitten glop, the boys have completed something which needs to be checked. I went into the dining room to see who had finished his math, and heard the printer going.
I came back in, and the printer was just spitting out a new test page. Dang, I was disappointed. We have a new printer, and for it to somehow begin assigning itself jobs to complete was annoying. Ok, I know that very few objects which come into my house avoid the swirling vortex of Abject Weirdness which sucks everything in, but still, this was a highly rated printer, and I'd had a lot of hope for it. I switched it off until I could call Gary, our Computer God, for help.
I went back to the boys, began helping them, and bzzz- there went the printer again! I won't say that I was scared, exactly, but certainly I began to think up a daytrip for all of us. You know how kids need fresh air and all that.
Back to helping the boys, and that familiar whirring again. Another test page, and this time, I decided to try and see if maybe the printer was unevenly balanced on its table, so after I went into the kitchen, I turned back to take one last look at the printer.
Sitting on top of the printer with one small black paw pushing at the side panel was Poe. Poe found the 'test' button and whapped it. Whirrrrr! went the printer. Poe looked around, didn't see me, and poked it again. Another test page. And then another, and one more before I could grab her.
Now, we leave the printer turned off. So far, Poe hasn't figured out how to turn it back on, so her printing days are over. It's a shame, because she loves watching the paper go shooting out. She chases each page, and when she's wrestled it into submission, gets back up and fires off another page to chase. However, she's going to have to develope another hobby, what with the price of printer paper and all.
So, yes- life is just the same as it always is here at Chez Twilight Zone. Thanks for asking.
When Poe ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
Linear Mode
