Balloon Debacle

A couple days ago the girls got balloons from a play group birthday party. They were both so excited! Esther was extra nervous when I had the windows down on the drive home because she thought her balloons might "wind" away. I assured her they were not wide enough for the balloons to escape. When we got home there was a good ten minutes of balloon ecstasy until both balloons wandered away into the one high ceiling unreachable spot at the entryway of our house. Esther was beside herself and Lucy didn't really know what to do. This spot is so high that there are cobwebs gathering with no resistance. I told Esther she would just have to wait till Daddy got home. When Daddy walked in the door that was the first word fired at him: "Daddy, my balloooooooooon!!!!" (In her saddest whiniest voice). John got right to work getting our little ladder out. It wasn't even close enough to reaching so he got a broom and tried to wrap the string around it and pull it down. When that didn't work he tried holding Esther above him (much to her mother's dismay) and having her reach the balloons. I though for sure they were both going to fall off and break their heads and arms and legs. Esther did manage to reach one balloon. John asked me to hand him Esther again to the top of the ladder and before I could even refuse we hear the pitter patter of feet running through the kitchen. Esther was not going to be put in that compromising situation again. I suggested a safer more effective approach--putting some tape on the end of the broom in order to catch the string and wind it around. It worked like a charm. The girls were ecstatic!! Esther yelled from the depths of her heart, "Thank you Daddy!!!" That joy lasted about one minute (I kid you not)--just enough time for John to get the ladder and broom put away and the balloons were back in the area unreachable. Fortunately, we got distracted by dinner and bedtime and the Esther mentioned the balloons once the next day but then we forgot again all day yesterday (they really are so high you hardly notice them) and finally by Saturday those rascally balloons came down by themselves. Wahoooo!!!