I was making toast. I made the first batch. I put in the second batch—and the lever wouldn’t stay down. I jiggled the handle for awhile, checked to make sure the toaster hadn’t somehow come unplugged, etc. etc. BORING, and then finally looked inside the toaster, where I saw a weird gooey green thing. After unplugging the toaster and messing around with the pliers, I extracted the not-actually-gooey green thing, and figured out what it was: a green plastic baby spoon, melted around the heating element.
SOMEONE (I’m looking in the 3-year-old department) must have put or dropped a plastic spoon into the toaster at some point. Then I made toast, and the spoon melted. The toast popped up and the melted plastic went solid again, jamming the toaster.
(Non-melted spoon, for comparison)
Problem: Toaster not working.
Diagnosis: CHILDREN.
*****
My Life has her new pay-it-forward up.
Laura won the contest over at The True Adventures of Axel and Outlaw, and now Laura’s posted her own—as well as photos of the package she received.
We have those same spoons. Mental note to check toaster before toasting anything once Amy can climb up on chair and reach counter.
I’m going to make a duh! comment. Perhaps you could invest in a four slot toaster. What with there being seven!! people at your house. I was just thinking I need a bigger toaster (I have a two slot toaster also) and there’s just four of us here.
I love those spoons!
but..but.. didn’t that SMELL? Didn’t you smell the faint whiff of plastic burning? Or maybe you did and dismissed it?
You know, I’ve been wondering where those spoons have been going to in my house. We don’t use the toaster that much. I probably should check it out.
Omaha Mama- I’ve also considered getting a six-slice toaster oven: then I could use it for other things, too, like re-heating muffins! We’re really skimpy on counter space, but I think I could put a toaster oven on top of the microwave.
Jen- I think it wasn’t in there long enough to really COOK: it just softened and folded over the metal parts, and then tangled when the toast popped up. I did smell a faint funny smell, but I had something cooking on the stove and I thought it was because I’d cleaned the stove the day before: faint cleaning-supply smell as it cooks off the burner.
Oh my. We’re trying to get pregnant and it occurred to me that we should be enjoying every last day of working electronics, unbroken glassware and bowls, books that aren’t torn or scribbled in… I know I’m leaving out a lot, but you get the point.
My brother once put his pajamas in the oven and my mom rescued them just before they caught fire.
I love your diagnosis. Most of what is wrong with my house could be diagnosed with the same!
Thank you for starting the pay it forward contest. I have really enjoyed seeing new blogs and reading about prizes.
I would like to host a pay it forward contest of my own and missed getting on your original list. If I hold one, will you publicize it on your blog? You can email me or leave a comment on my blog.
Thanks!
Elizabeth
edbteach@yahoo.com
edbteach- YES! Let me know when you post the contest, and I’ll mention it! I do dearly love pay-it-forwards!
That stuff ALREADY happens to us and we don’t even have kids yet. I shudder to think about the state of our household appliances once we have a three-year-old and a plethora of plastic implements.
That’s happened in the bottom of our dishwasher before. It STINKS (literally) when the heating coil tries to dry everything and plastic is melting at the same time. KIDS, I TELL YA.
bummer about your toaster…something about dying toasters is in the air…our just up and died a couple weeks ago…thanks for linking my new PIF giveaway on your blog…u r a sweetie!!
Wow. Now that’s dedication to toating. I have to know: once you dug the spoon out, did it once again function correctly? Ok, and how long did it take you to figure out that was formerly a spoon?
Michelle- Yes, the toaster lived to tell the tale! The spoon was melted over the heating element but hadn’t BONDED to it, so I could just pry it out and no residue was left behind. Once I dug it out, it was obvious it was a spoon: I could see the bowl of the spoon, even. But while it was still in the toaster, I was like, “WTH could that POSSIBLY BE??” The color of green looked so familiar, and yet…
What is it with three year olds and toasters? When Zack was just three he put my cell phone in the toaster and melted it all to shit. It still worked and I had to fly the next day but had no time to get a new one. I got an almost full body cavity search after that went through xray at the airport, they made me make a call because they couldn’t believe it was a working cell phone. I saved it and put it in his baby box.
I have to admit, I read this and thought, “Well there’s one thing Harper hasn’t done yet.”
Which means I’m due for plastic silverware in my toaster sometime this week.