KRAUT GETS EVEN--ONCE AGAIN--FOR THE HURTZ DONUT

Some time back I wrote about poor, donut-deprived Kraut being tricked by his mom, who I might add is a fine and funny jokster. Every child should have been lucky enough to have a mom like me. Kraut has "gotten even" with me what seems like hundreds of times. here is yet another instance of his diabolical revenge fine sense of humor.

I don't know the inner working of my first born son but I do know he is creative, smart and never, EVER lets a good idea go without follow through. I also don't know when he found the handy spool of wire or how long it took him to construct a fine looking EVIL, LARGE spider out of it. Nor do I know how he managed to be alone in my bedroom long enough to attach it to the ceiling above my side of the bed.

Perhaps he laid on the bed so he could pinpoint the exact spot my eyes would go to as I was lying down, after a long day of washing 86 items of clothing, folding and putting away all the clothing minus six socks that took a permanent vacation to outer space, all the while nagging the children to do their chores (that they had no intention of doing) until I nagged myself into a frazzle, making sure they practiced the piano, vacuumed the floor, cleaned up a fur ball from one of the interesting cats, thawed something for dinner, fixed dinner, said for the ten hundredth time "yes, you have to eat your vegetables," and "we don't need to have dessert every single night," cleaned up after dinner, made sure everyone had a bath or a shower and made sure everyone brushed their teeth, listened to everyone's prayers and finally said, "Thank goodness, one more day finished a normal day and was ready for some peaceful rest.

I later learned, from my patient, diabolical son, that I laid down under the wire spider many nights before finally looking up. But when I finally did look up I screamed. And then, as I was scrambling out of bed, dragging the sheets and blankets, and perhaps Phil, with me, all the while keeping one eye on the gigantic spider, I heard a familiar chuckle from the boy's room. It was Kraut. Then I looked up at the spider again and realized it was too evilly perfect to be a real spider. I stormed into Kraut's room, trailing sheets and blankets and perhaps Phil.

"What do you know about the spider on my ceiling?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Nothing," the innocent-faced child said. "And it sure has taken you a long time to notice it."

Score: Mom 1 Kraut 212 and counting

PS Kraut's children should read this. Surely one of them will want to avenge their poor shell-shocked Grandma. And I happen to know they are a clever bunch. I'll bet there will be stories to tell soon. Thank you, kids.