The Princess Castle Battle

So today my dear readers, I am multitasking.  Or at least I was until I took on the princess castle.  I was rolling right along, getting the packing process started, when I thought it was a good idea to tackle my daughter's room and the castle.  I did not think it would take very long to tear down,  twist up, and fold into it's little bag, right? Wrong.  What started out as a good intention, became an out an out fight.  I found myself thinking,"I wish these things came with tear down instructions!" They all come with set up instructions, why not tear down instructions? Oh well!  So I begin twisting.

    An hour later I have enlisted help on two fronts.  One suggested twisting, oh really? You come and try!  The other suggested a bigger bag.  Good suggestion, but that is not the point.  I will not give up and let this, this...TOY win! So now it is a moot point.  I must figure this out.  I am smarter than the castle, I am smarter than the castle, I am smarter than the castle!  So I resume twisting, while trying not to break it. I think I have it, so I take it to the little bag.  Too big.  I let it pop back out.  I fold it and resume twisting again.  This time it pops out in my face.  Smack! Take that you, you mommy trying to put me away! So now I am enfuriated.  I WILL get you into that teensy, tiny, little matching purple carrying case, if it is the last thing I do!!!(Geesh I sound like my mother!)  So I walk away from it for a bit.
    I discuss it with my two cohorts, none of which took me up on the invitation to come and take a whack at stuffing this castle as tall as I am, into a teensy little plate size bag! Thank you very little!(kidding...Alex and Tracie, I wouldn't want to attempt this if I did not have to myself!) So I have calmed down enough to take another whack at it, so to speak.  This time, it untwists under my armpit.  I grunt and throw the thing in the floor.  Where of coure it pops back up to perfect castle-i-ness just to snub me. ARGH!  So the next time I go in with the determination that I am smarter than this little punk castle, I will defeat it! 

   I am happy to report that there was a breakthrough.  I tried and failed three more times.  On the fourth attempt, I figured how to fold one of the two gigantic loops into two smaller ones.  The other side wouldn't cooperate.  So I let it spring back to life, and started over.  I felt I was nearing success. I got the first two done, there, put my knee on them to hold them.  Now let me just fold this half this way, now that way, now tuck this in here, and slide, and twist, fold that one in half, and tuck some more, and TAHDAH! I did it! I actually did it!  Oh poo! I better slide it under my knees to hold it down, so it doesn't slip. I really freaking did it! I am amazed at myself.  I just beat the princess castle in all her pink and purple glory! I want to do the happy dance, but then I realize, if I move my knees, where it is tucked, it will pop back up.  I must stealthily stretch to reach the bag.  Stretch, almost there, just a little bit more, there! I got it! I can hardly contain myself as I stuff this castle into it's matching purple bag.  I have defeated the toy.  I am smarter than the princess castle. I am master of the universe! And yes, I did my little happy dance!  I then just had to let my cohorts know that I did it!  Tracie replied,"holy crap, U did it! U win the prize, U made that castle your bit&%!" Why yes, yes I did!  Now onto a well deserved break and lunch!
  P.S. When I did open the matching purple bag to shove the castle inside, there were the directions! The set up and take down directions! Who would've thought it?