the what-is-it humidifier

Last week I found myself packing up what is quite possibly the funniest thing I own. And that's saying something, because I have a toddler and therefore my home is full of odd toys, whimsical what-nots, some choice Sandra Boynton books, and a gem of a story called "Swim, little wombat, swim."

I'd found this humidifier several months ago at a discount grocer. I'd been looking for a humidifier that wasn't enormous and loud and smelly -- in other words, one that didn't scare the baby, who was the whole reason for having one to begin with. So it was really swell that I stumbled into this particular store in that particular week. Seriously, though, this is the oddest little thing I've ever seen. It is green and it has a face with a snout that kind of looks like a pig snout, and of course the steam comes pouring out of the animal's nostrils. The top half -- the water resevoir/animal's head -- is clear, so it's not too easy to see the features, other than the eyeball stickers, the plastic molded ears, and the nose of course. But when I look closely, I think I can see what is supposed to be horns etched down the sides of his head like a ram...

Aaaaaaaand after months of wondering, it has JUST occurred to me RIGHT THIS SECOND that this is a bull. I'd planned this whole ridiculous post to posit all the different animals it could be (looks like a cow but has the horns of a ram but it's green) and now, of course, I realize it's a little green bull. With the steam pouring out of its nose. Because I watched Looney Toones as a child, so I know that all bulls snort giant clouds out of their noses.

Well. I am enlightened. I'll be back with a photo or maybe a video of this thing in action.