Bad Robot Eat Me

from JoeUser Forums

This morning at 3am my three year old started screaming, not a cry out for his mama, but a blood curdling “I AM TERRIFIED” type scream.  He’s never screamed like that in his entire life.

I jumped out of my warm cocoon of quilts and in the three seconds it took to get to my bedroom door I thought …. nightmare, but since he was still screaming, a stranger in his room.

Too late, I already passed the baseball bat.

I yanked my bedroom door open, sleep completely gone from my eyes, heart pounding hard.

He shot out of his room, still screaming, into my arms.   My eyes went immediately to the gaping dark behind him and asked what was wrong.

I couldn’t understand because he was shaking and so scared.  So I went into his room to look around.  Finally he told me a “bad robot eat me.”

So it was a nightmare.  He was clinging.  I put him in my bed where he refused to let go of my neck.

I can not sleep with a child wrapped around my head.  As soon as he drifted back off, I tried to disengage, he started whimpering again.  I held him close and he stopped.  He slept, I didn’t.  But I did get a crick in my neck that hurts whenever I look off to the right.

That was some robot dream.  Its effects linger even in the light of day.

The wind is howling here now.  It rained for 24 hours straight and finally stopped an hour or so ago.  I actually see the sun and blue sky.  But as I write this, the clouds have moved back in and all is once again, gray.

 

We have a couple huge trees in our backyard with splits in the trunk.  My husband and I disagree as to the severity of the splits and so he refuses to cut them down, but for my peace of mind, intends on having them "tied" by landscapers when he returns.  If we get ice, or the 50 MPH winds anticipated, I may have a tree in my family room.  Yeah, Merry Christmas.

So the winds are picking up, bringing in a cold front and knocking branches off the trees onto the roof of our house.  Another blood curdling scream.  My little one is frightened today and is jumping at every little thing.  My neck hurts and I’m exhausted.  

Shesh, that was some dream.

4,340 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Crazy dream.

If you want some advice on the trees . . .

Bust out your digital camera, take a picture or two of the split, and either post it here or send it to my email. I was a nursery specialist for quite a while before I moved to the "lazy man" banking industry, and I could tell you if there's hope for these poor guys or not. It all depends on the type of tree, size, age, and a picture would help me a lot.

Sorry your child had you up all night, pardner.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thanks San Chino...I will do that today and post it here.
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I don't like the coffee robot here...it gives you burning liquid in a thin paper cup...almost burned my fingertips off.

~Zoo
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Here is the one that worries me the most when the winds start picking up. The split goes down about two feet from the ground....I guess the dark stain is sap or something. When the wind blows you can see the two pieces of the tree separate at the very top just a little bit.

The tree is about 3 stories high.







I did have a landscaper look at them back in the spring, he poo pooed me, as does my husband. But if it falls it will be mid winter while he is gone and I will be stuck trying to find roofers......ugh.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
I don't like the coffee robot here...


  
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Here is my little man.



Why can't he be this brave ALL the time?

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Uhh...why does that tree have a face on it?

Anyone...I don't think they'll topple...but I'm no tree expert, well I know a good bit about them...but that's all scientific crap. Perhaps a band or two around the base might be wise...but I'll let SanCho give the verdict on this one.

~Zoo
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

Shesh, that was some dream.


Shesh, that was some writing! You continue to impress me Tova.

(is the tree a maple? If so, cut it down ASAP! I've learned that the hard way, trust me)
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
(is the tree a maple? If so, cut it down ASAP! I've learned that the hard way, trust me)


It's looking more oak-ey than maple-ey . . . and it should be okay for a couple more years. I'd get it wrapped up, though, just to be safe . . .

Better safe than sorry.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top

Shesh, that was some writing! You continue to impress me Tova.

(is the tree a maple? If so, cut it down ASAP! I've learned that the hard way, trust me)

Thanks Joe....though I wasn't trying to be creative or anything...just a daily blog.  But I'll take that compliment and keep it for a rainy day!  Oh yeah, it IS a rainy day.  Heh.

It's not a Maple, and its not an oak.  At least it doesn't produce acorns.  It is fully grown, about 30 years old.

why does that tree have a face on it?

hahahaha.  Well we saw these tree spirit faces at the store, it glows in the dark, and had to have one.  The kids love it, and it STILL freaks out the cat.

What's weird is, as the summer progressed, that face started to actually look like the tree bark!

There's magic afoot!

(That's what I tell my kids. heh.)

Nothing about no stinking robots though.

Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top

and it should be okay for a couple more years. I'd get it wrapped up, though, just to be safe . . .

When we moved in the previous owner said it was like that for years and years.  I don't know how long that is exactly, but it worries me.  I don't think there is any rot with this one, however, the other one has issues.  I can slide a ruler through the crack in the center of that one and its soft, almost half way down.  (sounds kinda gross doesn't it?)

The landscaper told us to wrap it, and it'd be fine.  IT sits right off our deck and provides wonderful shade in the summer so my husband is loathe to cut it down.  I just don't want it falling on my house.

Thanks SanC.  I appreciate it.

Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
these tree spirit faces


Remember those angry apple trees in The Wizard of Oz? Hmmm... now THAT'S what would give me nightmares!

Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

Remember those angry apple trees in The Wizard of Oz? Hmmm... now THAT'S what would give me nightmares!

My kids are too chicken to watch the Wizard of Oz. hahaha  As soon as the bad witch cackles, that's it.  They're done.

Too much like their mama for comfort? buwhahahahahah.

 

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
That poor boy. There is nothing worse than a terrified little one from a dream. I hope you both sleep tonight.

I love the face on the tree.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top

I hope you both sleep tonight.

Me too! hahaha.

Thanks.

Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yikes that must have been quite a nightmare. Does he talk about it at all? I find it helps with mine when they talk about a nightmare they have had.

Hope you do get to sleep tonight! At least it's the weekend!
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
You need to provide him with a Super-Duper-Robot-Killer to keep under his pillow. (maybe some plastic beads taped up in a colorfully decorated toilet-paper tube..something to shake and make noise with..)


That oughta do it. Or you could sing him a little Metallica lullabye too.

Hush little baby, don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
Its just the beast under your bed,
In your closet, in your head...

On second thought, scratch that second sugestion there...  
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Your tree looks creepy. I love it!


The kids round here love it. They sit on the deck at night in the summer and laugh and tell stories.

Or you could sing him a little Metallica lullabye too


hahahaha. The words wouldn't scare him as much as my singing. He tells me "no sing, hurts my ears!"

Some kids just don't appreciate talent. buwhahahahah
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ooo, I really like the tree face... Excellent

As for bad robots, you could always say they don't eat people, only nuts and bolts and tin cans. And people who can't sing but try to anyway
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

And people who can't sing but try to anyway

Well then I guess I'd be SAFE since I can belt so well!  hahahahaha

Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Well then I guess I'd be SAFE since I can belt so well!


oooooh I bet!!

From bees to robots?

I remember my youngest (the one you met) had nightmares alot. I remember getting up a bunch with him. Most of the time I'd get up and go and sleep in his bed until he fell asleep because he was starting to get into the habit of crawling into our bed almost every night. It's really a cramp for three in a double bed. He moved around in such a way I remember waking up with his little pj covered feet in my face more than once.

I'd keep him away from robots for a while. ....

I wish I had a tree like you have that I could put a face on. Most are too far away from the house to really be noticed. I'll haveta grow one...lol.

Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
When I was little, preschool, I used to have terrifying nightmares about a neon green woodpecker trying to peck my head. Kid's imaginations are pretty amazing.
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top

wish I had a tree like you have that I could put a face on. Most are too far away from the house to really be noticed

Uh, I saw pictures of your house and yard remember?  You live in a beautiful wooded country.  I'll take that and you can have my old tree with a big butt crack! hahahahah

he was starting to get into the habit of crawling into our bed almost every night. I

Yeah it takes A LOT for me to allow my kids to sleep in my bed.  That's MY private area and they are not welcome for sleeping, snuggling sure, but they have their own beds for sleeping.  He was ok last night so I think it was a one time thing.  ~crosses fingers~

 

Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top

I used to have terrifying nightmares about a neon green woodpecker trying to peck my head

HAHAHAHAHA.  Mason!  That should be the theme for the next JU Writer's Club...working a story around it.  That is so funny I laughed out loud.

 

Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
HAHAHAHAHA. Mason! That should be the theme for the next JU Writer's Club...working a story around it. That is so funny I laughed out loud.


Hey, I didn't think it was so funny when I was three. Come to think of it neither did my mom and dad when I came screaming into their bed.