We went camping this past weekend. If anyone has read this blog for awhile, you might be recalling that we go camping once each year in April. This is for to celebrate my dad’s birthday.
Would you like to know what my dad wanted for his birthday?
A Disc Man.
You might ask, “Taylor! Didn’t you once do a post about your dad and his 2 song iPod?”
Yes. Yes, I did.
Many moons ago, my dad received an iPod for his Christmas.
Why? We cannot be certain.
It sat on his nightstand for about four months, unopened. For his birthday in April, he asked for iTunes gift cards. He got about $100 worth and there they sat by the unopened iPod for a time.
One day, David and I were over at his house and Dad asked if we could help him figure out “that darn I-whatever.”
So, we get everything all set up and he selects two songs that tickle his fancy.
Dad: Ok, that’s good.
Me: Dad. You have two songs.
Dad: I know. That sounds good for now.
Me: Dad. You have like $98 left in your account.
Dad: I’ll buy more later.
So, there he went to mow the lawn, donning the headphones of his Two-Song-iPod.
And every time we tease him about the 2-song-iPod, he likes to set the record straight and inform us that he has, and I quote,
“Well over 100 songs on there now.”
Because that is a lot. As you are all aware.
Anyways. I asked my mom what Pa would like for his birthday this year and she said a Disc Man. So, I bought him the Disc Man, even though the man has in his possession the more convenient, more expensive, more desirable, iPod.
My parents. Ever the mysteries.
And do we think he will use said Disc Man?
No. No, we do not.
Back to the camping trip. I was in charge of lunch and needed to wrap some potatoes in foil. My mom saw me with my potatoes and foil.
Mom: Taylor! We have those foil wrappers, you know.
Attention: Foil wrappers are simply sheets of already ripped out foil. It is all just foil.
Me: Ok. Well, I don’t mind using my foil.
Mom: No! Let me get you the wrappers! That’s what they are for! Potatoes!
Me: It is not a big deal to just rip out some foil, Mom.
Mom: Oh, but they are so handy! And a good deal because you can get them at the dollar store!
Me: Mom. I am fine.
Now, dear readers. David and I had just arrived at the camping, so he was setting up our trailer and I was going to use my parents’ trailer oven.
Me: Dad, can I put these potatoes in your oven?
Dad: Sure!
I start to rip foil out.
Dad: Wait! I have the foil wrappers! Use them!
Me: Dad, I am fine. I brought foil and I can use it.
Dad: No, use these.
So, he makes me use the foil wrappers. Because, apparently, foil wrappers are deeply important to my parents now. But the best part of all? The best part was that the foil wrappers were extremely large compared to my small-ish red potatoes.
So we still had to rip the wrappers in half. Does anyone else see the insanity of it all?
Anyone?
Hello?
So, as we are ripping the foil wrappers, and not my inferior, tube-like foil, my mom walks in.
Mom: Oh, good! You are using the wrappers!
***
Camping was fun, but I got sick. And I am still sick. And being sick and the adult and the mom and the teacher is not fun. I would not recommend it.
But I am drinking Fresca that my husband so graciously drove and retrieved for me last night. He is such a nice boy. So that makes things a little bit better.
So. I’m gonna go feed the rascals lunch. But I am probably going to need you all to weigh in on this hot topic:
Foil Wrappers: What’s your stance?
My stance is foil is foil and who cares?
But maybe my parents are on to something?
Please Advise.
I love how you talk about your family because that is exactly what goes through my head with my family, but I can never figure how to word it in quite the same way.
Foil Wrappers….apparently they are super important. Why? We do not know. Nor will we ever!
And you crack me up!
I have never heard of foil wrappers!! I will have to give them a try =)
I am curious. Is buying a pack of 10 or 20 foil wrappers for a dollar cheaper then a roll of foil that could probably wrap 100 potatoes? This inquiring mind would like to know.
Did the wrappers seem thicker than the typical cheap foil? If so they may be worth a try for our “hobo dinners”…. Please weigh in on that. As to the potatoes… I’m of no help there. I don’t wrap mine, I like the crispy crusty skin 🙂
And I never got around to telling you, but I had a dream about your family a few weeks back. I don’t remember all of who was involved, but Jason and Amy and you Dad and those in your household were all there for sure.
It was a musical.
It was more of a chant.
About a game.
David was chanting.
You were sitting at the table taking it all in.
David was chanting and then laughing. I think it must have been shortly after the post about the weekend getaway because in my memory he acted much as you described after He got Paul and Jackie to pull over on the side of the road.
Happy Monday!
My hairdresser uses the foil wrappers/sheets to color my hair…never knew they were for wrapping potatoes. Who knew? And I’m am anti foil wrapper because the ones I have seen are in a wider box than my roll. More room in my overstuffed pantry=BAD!
For me, foil wrappers are just one more box in my cabinet and one more thing to spend money on. I have my trusty roll of Reynolds Wrap (or whatever happens to be on sale or that I have a coupon for) which I can unroll to any size I want…..BUT…..I have “interesting” parents as well, so I get your dilema. My solution: In my house, I do what I want. At their house, if it makes them happy to have me use their foil wrappers or whatever other unnecessary gadget my mom has recently discovered, so be it! 🙂
…foil is foil, who cares? …yup, my sentiments exactly.
I am going to go pro wrappers just so your parents have someone who supports them!
I found your website through someone else, I can’t even remember. I find you wildly entertaining and hilarious.
On to the foil wrappers. I too buy foil wrappers at the Dollar Store-for a dollar no less. I use them when I make breakfast sandwiches or breakfast burritos. It’s easier when I am making a whole bunch of either to just be able to pull the wrappers from the container. I have a big family so when I make a bunch, I make a BUNCH! I like them to last at least two breakfasts and when the senior eats four dang burritos at once, well you can imagine how many I have to make.
I only use the wrappers for those types of things. Everything else gets regular old aluminum foil.
I am a teacher too and have to recertify in March. Where I live we have classes we can take over a weekend and get 2-3 hours of credit with very little work. You should check and see if one of the universities in your state offers such a thing!
You can buy a roll of heavy duty thicker foiler if you need too. Foil is foil. I hope you feel better.
I thought you were going to say that you made hobo dinners with the foil.
I have both the potato wrappers and foil for the first time ever. I have a potato in my fridge right now still wrapped in a slightly-too-small potato wrapper because I decided to cut the wrappers in half to better fit my potatoes. It was easier than ripping foil (sometimes I don’t tear it off so well.)
Foil is foil. Wrapper foil IS thinner than regular foil.
Hope you feel better soon! I have a roll of long and heavy foil and a roll of regular lighter weight foil. Both of these fulfill all my foil needs. I think adding another box would be too much for me. But I understand the convenience for larger families who make multitudinous breakfast burritos. Press and seal, I can’t live without. Do you Press and seal?
Got the sick mom/teacher thing down pat.
I’ve never used foil wrappers, but I’m sure they’re super important. I am old fashioned and just rip and wrap.
Feel better! It stinks to be the mom when you’re sick.
Mom and Dad are NUTS and I love them!
Do you ever wonder if they do this stuff because they’re just trying to get featured on your blog?
MAYBE THE JOKE IS ON US
Meagan hah….. I wonder the same about my mom !
It is a great plot to drive us all crazy !
It has taken me 20 years of being an adult to figure it out, but I am finally getting it. While my metaphorical foil may be just fine, if my parents are excited about their metaphorical foil wrappers, I will use them to make them happy. Even if I have to cut rip them in half.
Fun for a buck, I guess.