Thursday, August 13, 2009

Operation Ellie in the Box

Objective: to make a paper box large enough to contain a person who will then play the part of a jack in the box. Needed for this: A very large sheet of paper. Music for "Pop Goes the Weasel". Appropriately costumed person to fit in box. A crank to turn on the side of the box. Training for would be "jack" to know when to pop up. And code names-definitely need code names. 10:05 Base Detlaff. It was determined that Gopher would remain to hold down the fort and was tasked with finding a proper hat and costume for operation Ellie in the Box, plus to greet the young Youngs when they arrive from Camp Szedlak. Arrow, Nuts & Bolts, and The Adult would head off to get the necessary tape supplied for making the box. 10:53 Youngs arrive with grandma Szedlak. 10:54 Arrow, Nuts & Bolts, and The Adult return with $.99 worth of masking tape 10:55 Mission briefing. Youngs are apprised of the mission. It goes well with one major break for laughter when Grandma notices The Adult has new shoes. Arrow is appointed to chair the first meeting to decide on code names for the team members. The Adult goes to deal with Grandma. 11:05 Mission commences in earnest. Grandma leaves. Notes from SOS on the project. Mission Center of the Universe(aka COTU) in the Box. (with some minor additions and corrections by The Adult.) 11:00 Nuts & Bolts and Construction make paper large enough to cover center of the universe. Gopher is off to fetch the following: 1. Construction paper & crayons 2. Newspaper 3. Hard surface. Arrow is looking for music. Center of the Universe-coloring. SOS taking notes to capture the action.

11:15 NUTS & BOLTS and Construction find how big they have to make the paper by measuring the height of the table. Arrow found Music.Arrow practiced and mastered the music.Arrow captures the action. 11:19 The Adult demonstrates how to make the box 11:20 Nuts & Bolts and Construction started taping 24 4 x 6 pieces of newspaper. 11:23 Pictures by COTU are shown to Arrow. 11:23 Arrow finds food phone number. 11:25 Center of the Universe jumps due to boredom. 11:27 Papa John's number is found. 11:28 Gopher makes top of box with words: Ellie in the Box. 11:30 The Adult calls Papa John's for Lunch FOOD! 11:33 Ellie in the Box has been written by Arrow.

11:37 Gopher gets blanket for back yard pizza picnic. 11:30 COTU is in the BAFROOM! 11:40 COTU learns a new piano piece. 11:42 Gopher colors in sign. 11:44 Taping by Nuts & Bolts + Construction halfway done. 11:45 Adult & Arrow are gone for FOOD! 11:47 COTU sees the sign for the top of the box and says, "That's Beautiful". 11:47 Gopher & SOS set up for lunch COTU helps out. 11:50 NUTS & BOLTS puts on knee pads. 11:55 Adult and Arrow return with Pizza.

Noon Pizza is eaten in backyard. 12:30 Operations resume. Gofer suggests that they all make signs bearing the code names to decorate the box. Adult thinks it's a good idea but those working on box construction don't have time to make their own. 12:35 status Nuts & Bolts and The Adult are taping the second half of the page. Construction taking Pictures with The Adult's camera. COTU plays with doll house. Arrow washing hands. SOS & Gofer Coloring. 1pm folding of the box starts with Construction and The Adult. Nuts & Bolts leaves to work on crank. 1:10 COTU now in costume practices jumping with music. 1:11 Four sides of the box have been completed. 1:15 The last side is being completed. 1:17 Box is made and is being decorated. 1:18 The crank is installed. 1:20 SOS agrees to play the piano so Arrow can film. We film a practice run with COTU outside of the box and Nuts& Bolts and Gopher holding the lid over her. It goes well. 1:30 COTU is in the box. Construction is behind on the box. Nuts & Bolts is on hand to turn the crank. Arrow is ready to film and SOS is at the piano. Gopher is watching as The Adult gets ready to say "Action!" 1:32 Filming takes place. 1:35 We all go down the watch the video.Mission accomplished. 1:40 We go upstairs to clean our mess. Construction is charged with demolishing the box. He gets COTU to help him. 2:00 Everything is cleaned up before Grandma arrives to see the video.

2 comments:

  1. Well... that is meticulously detailed.

    The code names are the best part ;)

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  2. SOS did her job well. We all had our code names written on masking tape and worn until the project was done. That means I picked up pizza from Papa Johns labled as "The Adult."

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