rescue mission

Last night on a little drive, we noticed some foolish teenagers who, while attempting to go mudding through the fields, were very, very stuck. Apparently they don't realize how nasty spring mud is in the fields. How it can you suck you down and not let go of its grip. I got a good laugh watching them. It was a very much "serves you right" sort of feeling. (It would be so destructive had they gotten farther.)

Today, my darling daughter got the lesson first-hand. Little PrincessGirl, in a very non-princess moment, decided to go walking through the fields with Cowboy. They found an extra mucked-up spot and she started sinking. Her rubber boots had a couple of inches poking out of the top when Cowboy came running for me screaming about an emergency and a stuck sister.

I walked down the driveway to as close as I could get to her without stepping in the mud myself. Tried coaxing her into holding onto her boot straps and pulling her foot out. Not happening. She. Was. Stuck. I left her - as she frantically wondered why she was being abandoned - to find a way to bridge to where she was. An old piece of cardboard saved the day. A piece thrown down, walk. Throw the next piece down, walk. Pick up the other piece and move it, walk. Repeat as necessary. Reach little girl. Pull. Sloooookpla! One boot and the girl landed on the cardboard. The other boot stayed in the mud. The stuck bootstrap broke as I tried pulling it out. Finally the suction broke and out it came. I still cannot believe the mud that was stuck to those things. Glad things will be a little drier soon - and that lessons can be learned so effectively ;)