Oh #@%&*!

Yesterday my boy heard me audibly swear. Not a "Holy Schneikies, Batman" kind of swear, but the kind you use punctuation marks in the funny papers to represent.

I had cooked a roast in my electric pressure cooker (a wonderful kitchen appliance that I never thought I would really use...). I had released the pressure and removed the lid. I took my big spoon to begin to scoop off the carrots and potatoes from the top and put them into a serving dish, when a bubble from below the meat and sauce and veg exploded. The sauce was splashed up and out and all over me. My wrist was at point blank range and took a big blast of boiling sauce.

Just then The Boy came us the stairs into the kitchen to tell me he couldn't find what I sent him to the storage room to get for me.

@#%&*!

I rushed my arm to the sink and ran the cool water over the burn. Man, it hurt. Then the pain receptors really kicked in and there I was sobbing over my burned wrist at the kitchen sink. I think I scared The Boy. Poor kid!

The only other time I remember saying anything remotely loud enough for the kids to hear was when I saw the car behind me, as I waited to safely turn left on a two way street in town, come barreling into us and rear-ended me with a car load of kids on our way to school. But I believe that was either under my breath as I braced for impact, or the kids were so caught off guard that they didn't register the obscenity.

This time, there was no doubt, and no mumbling it. The Boy heard it clear as a bell.

Several hours and a few ice packs later, I returned home from a meeting and caught both kids int eh hall outside their bathroom as they were getting ready for bed. In a calm a voice as I possess, I apologized for the slip of my tongue. I didn't excuse myself, for the mistake, but I told them that the burn on my wrist hurt really, really bad and when you are hurting that bad, you don't always make the best choices in your word selection.

The Boy, said something like this to me: "Yeah, mom. You said it alright. But it isn't like you say it all the time. I knew you must have really hurt yourself to say that. Don't worry."

Poor kids. I hope they survive to adulthood in spite of my parenting. Good thing they have their dad too.