The Gnome Knows

Have you ever had a practical joke which took on a life of its own? This last month in the Martishius/Latta household what started as a quick little trick has grown to become a downright crazy phenomena. It's one of those things which took off and is now becoming a part of our shared family history. I'm sharing it with my readers because I think it's a neat, zany way to help promote family bonding.

I love to garden. Ok, I am obsessed with gardening. Not only does it make my home more beautiful it also is a great stress reducer. It gets me outside, it gives me exercise and it brings me closer to nature. One of my proclivities is toward sprucing up my garden with metal sculptures and other decorations. My husband teases me every time I bring home a new metal grasshopper or copper dragonfly. My son teases me too. “You know, Mom, you’re just one step away from starting that ceramic lawn gnome collection.” This comment came soon after he read a Goosebumps story about evil lawn gnomes which came to life. Every time I bring home a new plant or garden item he'll ask: “What, no lawn gnome?”

As a joke, I purchased a cheap, foot-high, ceramic lawn gnome at Big Lots and stuck it on his bedside table prior to his waking up in the morning. To say he was startled would be an understatement. The way he screamed “Mom!” was like a chainsaw going through concrete.
Revenge being a powerful thing, the next morning as I sleepily reached for the coffee pot there was that darn gnome staring up at me! I about hit the ceiling!

Since then the gnome has made a grand tour of the house. That little devil has been found in the shower, in the TV armoire, on the mantel, under chairs and even in the fridge! We suspect that he may even be moving under his own power as no one claims that they were the one who moved him!

We never know when or where we'll see him again. Each time he finds a victim the rest of us in the house have a chuckle.