Im supposed to be out walking with my friend right now. Instead I am sitting here eating junk food and thinking about this crazy life that feels like it leads me more than I lead it.
Every Sunday night, when we take a look at the list of things we have to do during the coming week, we all take a big dramatic sigh, and try to prepare for the onslaught. There is just so much to do on the agenda, and then is so much more that comes up during the week that wasn't even on our radar, much less on the agenda, that every week feels like an Ironman competition. Then somehow, Saturday night rolls around again, and we can heave another dramatic sigh of gratitude that we survived and conquered another crazy week.
Just today for instance. Dan has to work late every Tuesday, but I get off at two on Tuesday, so you would think that wouldn't be so bad right? I even left work right at two o 'clock today, because Olivia had an eye dr. appt. this afternoon and I was so proud of myself for remembering, and even putting it on my calendar, and I wanted to be sure and give myself plenty of time to get her there. I just needed to make one stop at Sam's Club for a couple of things that Will needed for his big orchestra trip that he was leaving on tonight. Also, before I left work, I really needed to go to the bathroom, but as luck would have it, the bathroom was occupied. No biggie, I thought. I'll be at Sam's in 15 minutes. It will be fine.
No. It was not fine. I-15 traffic was stopped. I sat on the freeway, bumper to bumper, for 25 minutes, trying not to fume about being late for the doctor and really wishing I had stopped at one of the many other bathrooms at work on my way out. When I finally got to move again, I knew that if I hurried really fast, I could still stop at Sam;s AND get Liv to her appt. on time.
When I got to Sam's I headed straight for the bathroom. IT WAS CLOSED. For cleaning. And on top of that, they didn't have what I needed anyway. But you can't go to Sam's and not get anything, so I scooped up a bunch of random stuff and beelined it through the cash register and headed to the school.
We were exactly on time for her appointment. And blessedly, there was a clean and open bathroom there. Then we waited for an hour and a half for the dumb doctor. While we were waiting, Will's math tutor called to tell me he had not shown up for his after school tutoring appointment. I reminded him about tutoring this morning! How could he forget so fast? So I tracked him down, chewed him out, and made him call her. By this time we were in with the doctor. The dilating drops really stung Olivia's eyes and she started to cry. Then the doctor told me she had pinkeye. She does not have pinkeye, I said. Her eyes were just fine til you started putting drops in them, I said. Call me in the morning if her eyes are still red he said. They won't be I said.
Two hours later, we got out of the doctor's office and I ran home to help Will get packed for his trip. Which was a good thing I did or else he would have forgotten his swimsuit. Then I realized Audrey was not home so I panicked. I knew she had play rehearsal after school, and really should not have been home yet, but I can never pass up even a little opportunity for some good panicking. I would not have panicked if she had answered her stupid phone, and as soon as she did answer, I quit panicking, but still, it got the adrenaline flowing even more than it already was. Anywho,as soon as I talked to her, I dropped everything to go pick her and her friend up from school. Most nights, her friend's mom has to drive them because I'm not home, so when I am around, I feel like it's my duty to get them. Mom guilt. Then she reminded me that she needed leg warmers for her costume for the play. She needed them Monday, but we are always a little behind around here.
By the time we got back, it was time to get Will to the high school so he could catch the bus to San Diego. I remember taking high school trips in a school bus, but this is a deluxe trip. They have a fancy chartered bus. But it's still a bus. He didn't want me to come in with him or help him with his stuff or anything. So it was pretty much a dump out in the parking lot. I barely even got a hug. So I drove into the upper parking lot. I parked the car and tried to stalk him for a while but there really wasn't anything to see. Then I remembered that my visiting teachers were supposed to come over tonight. Those hearty souls try to catch me every month, and every month I have really good intentions of being home when they say they are coming. Then I either forget, or have something else to do and I wind up standing them up. One month we had a time set up for them to visit. They came on time and rang the doorbell. We were all inside watching a movie. I didn't even hear the doorbell. I found out later that the kids heard it and just ignored it. I am probably going to hell for being a bad visiting teachee.
Since I was already too late to catch them, I went shopping for leg warmers. Got home at 8:30, heated up lasagna for dinner, and now should be starting on the housework and laundry. Instead I am sitting here, standing up my walking buddy, and stuffing my face. And trying not to think about everything there is to do before Saturday night.
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