Big Brother Explains House Fishing

Thanks dad-blogs.com for initiating Fatherhood Friday! Thanks as well to both new and returning visitors to my blog!

A quick, shameless plug for my entry post, “Quality Time”, for dad-blogs.com’s Big Spring Contest. Check out this contest--you should definitely submit an entry, and I look forward to reading them.

Albeit a little later than originally promised, this week marks the launch of a new series of posts called “Big Brother Explains”, where my precocious 4 year-old will teach us boring adults a little lesson in “how-to”.

This week, Big Brother has opted for a step-by-step photo description of “House Fishing.”

While Big Brother has enjoyed a few fishing trips with Grampap-E and I, sometimes he just wants to fish when 1) the weather’s bad, 2) there’s not enough daylight after work, 3) Dad-E and Mom-E are exhausted, or 4) any of a number of other reasons why he can’t.

And so, being a creative little dude, he came up with a way to fish anytime he wants.

“House Fishing” is exactly what it sounds like: it’s fishing without even leaving the comforts of your own home. You can fish in any room of the house you like (except the dining room/atop the china hutch or in Little Brother’s crib), or even take it on the road with you. It’s completely portable.

Here’s what you do:

1. Find a Melissa & Doug wooden “learn to tie shoes.”


2. Remove the shoelace,


and put the shoe aside,


being careful not to choke yourself or Little Brother with the lace.

(Note, no Harry Potter figurines were harmed in this photoshoot.)

3. Get a ruler (preferably one with a hole in it).


4. Tie the shoelace to the ruler to make your “pole/line”.


5. Tie 3 pencils to the non-ruler end of the shoelace, to serve as a “hook/bait.”


6. Find an EMPTY jewelry box for a “fish.”


7. Find a room in the house to fish (we prefer the kitchen while making dinner).
(PICTURE LEFT TO THE IMAGINATION)

8. Cast your “line”—being careful not to hit Little Brother, parents, or anything else fragile/breakable—and dangle it over the “fish”.

9. Help the “jaw” of the “fish” take the “bait.”


10. Reel ‘em in!


11. Admire the “fish”, and then release back into the “water."

12. Disassemble fishing pole to complete conversion of the ruler into a “sword.”

(En garde, Mr. Potter!)

13. Chase Little Brother and Dog-E around the house with said “sword”, taking proper precaution not to break anything, of course.

(Who's your Dumbledore?! Say it, Potter!! Who's your Dumbledore?!?)

Ta-Da!

Thank you for explaining that to us today, Big Brother! You’re quite the fun teacher.

What are you going to explain next time?

Happy Fatherhood Friday,
Busy-Dad-E

P.S. Devoted fans of my blog may remember the saga of the "car bag". Sadly (or happily if you're Busy-Mom-E), Little Brother had fun throwing it away, unbeknowst to Big Brother, who amazingly forgot about it. However, before he could remember that it was gone...

Gramm-E to the rescue!! Both boys are now sporting the BMW of "car bags", thanks to her handiwork.

Dare I say, they're CARBAGALICIOUS?! I think yes. Perhaps she needs to change her screen name to Awesome-Gramm-E?

P.P.S. Because I enjoy exhausting myself, the family and I are headed out today for another (long) flight. So, while you're reading this post, please send us your prayers and good vibes for a smoother journey.

P.P.P.S. Check out Big Brother's self-portrait at the top right corner of the blog. Way to go, young artist! Please feel free to download it as a radio button for my blog. Thanks, Busy-Mom-E, for being my part-time web page designer!