Sunday, February 6, 2011

Little Blue Robot


I discovered the healing powers of duct tape a while ago. I imagine it is a requirement for mothers - pre-kids, clear packing tape was always good enough for any project I had.

But duct tape. I have fixed a rocket, a maimed Wall-E toy, a plastic Olivia dress (although that didn't last long), and a few other things. Bill fixed Buzz Lightyear's helmet in the biggest toy fix of the year, seeing as Buzz had been helmet-less since shortly after his arrival in June.

So when Isaac broke the leg and arm off this cute little robot, he stared at it for a while, declaring "Robot broke" before running off to the find the duct tape.

This is a pretty cool little robot. It is made of wood, and its arms, legs and head are attached to each other by an elastic similar to girls' hair ties. This made the robot pose-able. It also meant that if the elastic broke, there wasn't really a way for duct tape to rectify the problem.

So, in line with my earlier admission of being unable to resist a disappointed child, I decided to go to the toy store to find a replacement. I had to go out anyways, the toy store was on the way to the grocery store, and as the robot was only $3.99, I didn't mind finding an immediate replacement.

The toy store was sold out, with no plans to re-order.

So, after an unnaturally long trip to the grocery store, hindered by the scores of people emerging from their homes after a day of ice, I returned home and immediately began to search on google.

Turns out little $3.99 robot is out of production and a pricey commodity now, having risen to the price of $25 on one website.

Geez.

Bolstered by a new resolve, I took another look at the robot, since Isaac was still wandering around the house lamenting the loss of its leg and arm. A piece of elastic connected the severed leg and arm through a small tunnel in the body. While I couldn't replace the elastic, I used something that I have an abundance of - yarn.

I tied a piece of yarn around the leg, threaded it through the body, and then tied the other end of the yarn to a piece of elastic still attached to the arm. While he was about as pose-able as anyone else who has had limbs surgically reattached, he was 'fixed', if a bit droopy on one side.

Of course, this morning while I was in the shower, Isaac managed to rip that off and now I have no idea where the amputated leg and arm are now. I think little blue robot may have to stay this way.

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