Day 64/183: Friday’s Unscientific Poll: Which?

[nanila]

Our children have lived next to the canal since they were born. They’ve crossed the locks over the canal hundreds of times (supervised or carried). Remarkably, they’ve gotten to the ages of seven and a half, and five and a quarter, before one of them fell into it. This week, the streak was broken.

Poll #23844 Who fell into the canal?

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 67

Which child fell into the canal?

Keiki
42 (62.7%)

Humuhumu
25 (37.3%)

Photographic answer below the cut…


I’m just glad it happened right outside the house instead of a mile down the towpath. We were able to get him stripped off, wrapped up, and into the shower straightaway.

Convincing him that this was not a hilarious jape and he should not repeat it is going to be more challenging. Especially since he lost one of his pairs of glasses.

Comments

[lilysea]

I'm reminded of British parents warning their children away from waterways with tales of Jenny Greenteeth and Peg Powler...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Greenteeth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peg_Powler

[nanila]

Wow. I've always found, "You'll have to walk home wet and cold," to be a sufficient deterrent. Now that one of them has had that vividly illustrated through experience, I'm hoping it will remain so!

[shirebound]

Oh no, sorry to hear about his glasses. But I guessed right. *beams*

[nanila]

Heh, he's been moving a lot faster since his glasses arrived, so perhaps such a mistake was inevitable during the adjustment period.

[marymac]

Guessed right. Oh dear, well he'll maybe get a handle on it when he wants his glasses and they're gone.

H has now achieved two nosebleeds in two months, thanks to his amazing capacity to faceplant in new and interesting ways on a daily basis.

[nanila]

He's very keen not to lose his remaining pair. I'm hoping this will make him be a bit more careful of them.

Poor H! Keiki has mostly been bashing up his knees since he's now moving a lot faster.

[marymac]

I am awaiting the solo walking adventures with immense trepidation. His father will probably have a nervous breakdown, Child's immense placidity was not great preparation for H's burning desire to fling himself at life at high speed.

[rmc28]

I guessed right but argh that would be terrifying.

[nanila]

It was, but not until a while afterward for the parents. We were focused on getting him showered and dried immediately!

[corvidology]

Guessing the lad seemed like the most obvious option. :D

[nanila]

It could easily have been t'other one, as she takes bigger risks. The key factor here, I think, is the new glasses. Keiki is still adapting to being able to see where he's going!

[ironed_orchid]

Oh wow! So much excitement, so much potential for mayhem.

[silveradept]

Guessed wrong, but it was difficult, given that both of them have adventurous personalities and I can see it having gone either way.

Here's hoping this is the first and only time someone takes a tumble into the canal.

[nanila]

Keiki concluded that it was not a good adventure, mostly because the canal water tastes disgusting!

[silveradept]

That will be a surprisingly effective deterrent, I suspect. Although you might be trading bashed knees and bashed glasses for dry Keiki.

[marahmarie]

Guessed right. Glad he's OK.

[nanila]

Thanks, us too! He seems pretty calm about it, although he's determined that the canal is not going to have the other pair (his favourite, the green ones).

[st_aurafina]

I guessed right, but oh no! You must have gotten a shock! I'm glad he's okay. Poor little guy!

[nanila]

He was shocked too, but once he was warmed up in the shower, he got over it pretty quickly. I think he's more upset about his lost glasses than anything else. Naughty canal, stealing his glasses!

[askygoneonfire]

ARGH! I am delighted he's well (and that I guessed correctly) but I imagine it was a heart stoppping moment

[nanila]

Yes. It didn't sink in until after he'd been showered, dried, and warmed up. O.O

[ursajoanna]

Poor little thing! I guessed him due to still adjusting to be able to see everything properly either confusing him or giving him more confidence. That is the most adorable photo though, oh lovely boy.

We joke that our family motto is "Take A Change Of Clothes In Case You Fall In" due to all our time on the Broads. I have - so far - not taken a dip, outside of controlled falls in sailing lessons, but now we're making the next generation it's my time to start being overprotective :|

[nanila]

He was quite shocked at first, but then his usual sangfroid returned. The only lingering effect is that he's rather grumpy with the canal for stealing his glasses.

Haha, I wonder if the bloke fell into the Broads as a boy. He's never said, if he has. May the next generation have only safe dips during sailing lessons and the like.

[omnipotent]

I figured it was probably Keiki. I am glad he is okay, sorry about the glasses though. I love how innocent he looks in the towels.

[nanila]

He's still getting used to his glasses, so that was probably what triggered the slip. He's very chagrined in that photo!

[forthwritten]

Poor little dude!

I had to haul my sister's dog out of a weir a couple of years ago. The bit before the weir is very slow-moving with lots of leaves and assorted detritus on it, so Ralphie thought it was solid ground. It was not solid ground.

He had a similar look of soggy chagrin.

[nanila]

Aww, poor doggo! Tricksy ground, giving way suddenly to the cold wet. :(

[sfred]

Oops!

[nanila]

Exactly. Lessons have been learnt. :P

[thekumquat]

Fluxlet fell into his local canal at about the same age. Actually, that might have been soon after he got his glasses!

[nanila]

Oh no, poor Fluxlet! There is definitely a theme here re: glasses and getting used to them.