Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Um...Ooops?

ON THE SUBURBAN FRONT:

Looks like I have found my limit. Unfortunately for me, (and Hubby) I had one of the balls I've been juggling lately break loose and bounce off down the street. I've been doing a little too much running around.

It happened yesterday. Innocently enough. I decided to look up how to get to a certain school my daughter's basketball team was playing, and when I mapquested the location, I started screaming, because her game was in 30 minutes and it said it took 29 minutes to GET THERE.

I piled all the kids, the stroller, the jackets and a bewildered Thing One in the car, and we were off. They had gotten home from school fifteen minutes earlier, and were still in Dazed Mode.
Luckily I had emergency snacks in the console of the Expedition, so I doled those out while I raced to the game.

Well, traffic being what it was, we got there five minutes late. I still had to put socks and shoes on the baby, and situate the stroller and diaper bag, and Thing One decided all of a sudden that her confidence was out the window and stubbornly refused to go inside the strange school and find the gym to join her teammates.

I finally told her through gritted teeth that she was GROUNDED if she didn't march in there right that moment, and luckily her younger (and apparently much braver) brother volunteered to go with her.
Five minutes later, I went in, and no sooner had I sat down then my sons began whining to me about how hungry they were and why couldn't I buy them concession nachos, pizza, etc. I curtly told them that they would survive the game, and we would go home to have a "real" dinner, not the crap that everyone else was eating.

The game was good, except one moment when Thing Three, whose friend had bought him a large grape Powerade, spilled most of it all over the gym floor. I had to run and get paper towels and wipe it up, because it was on the court. UGH.

Anyway, on the drive home, Hubby called with the results of his test and they weren't great, he needs more tests now and by then, I had had it. We got home, I gave the kids corndogs, and told them they were missing Cub Scouts. I just couldn't do it. I needed a break.

So I went downstairs, got on the computer to check email, and...LOOKED AT THE CLOCK. It was 6:59 pm. I SCREAMED. I ran upstairs, still screaming, ran out into the garage and got into the car, and sped off, leaving a shocked Thing One to watch the kids while I ran down the street.

My problem? Two days earlier I had taken all the clothes Hubby needed for his L.A. trip to the cleaners, and I had forgotten to pick them up, and they closed at 7pm.

Usually, our cleaners is open past 7--they are very busy. So as I raced at breakneck speed down the dark streets, cursing my forgetfulness, I prayed they'd be open for me.

Nope. I pulled up and the store was as dark as dark could be. I knocked on the glass windows, hoping someone would be in the back. It was 7:03 for Crud's sake--had they left EARLY?

Yep. I even, in my desperation, ran around the back, to try and catch them leaving. They were long gone, and everything was locked up and dark.

I started to panic. MAJOR panic. All of Hubby's nice shirts, pants and sweaters were locked up inside that building, and I wasn't going to get them. He needed to leave for his flight at 5:45 the next morning, and they didn't even open up until 7am.

I was screwed. So was Hubby.

I actually cried in the car on the way home. In nearly 13 years of marriage, I have NEVER forgotten the dry cleaning.

Clearly, I'm a little "too" busy. I guess that's the way it gets, when you have three older children in activities and sports, and a busy toddler, AND a husband who lives at work and travels often. Sometimes you drop a ball or two.

Hubby was remarkably understanding. Probably because I greeted him at the door in quite a state, my eyes red from crying.

He looked in his closet and figured it out, and everything was fine. Luckily he had some new clothes he could incorporate.

Today there isn't any basketball or craziness, only one after school club I need to pick Thing ONe up from. I could sit inside the house all day and not go anywhere, and I might just do that.

ON THE WRITING FRONT:

I guess its inevitable. I have been researching and plotting this story for a few weeks now, and I have ANOTHER story that wants to get written, so much so that it's beginning to occupy my thoughts a LOT more than the other one. I wrote to a seasoned NaNoer for advice, and she said it happens. So I will make notes on both stories, and see which one "wins," by October 31st.

Ooops, better get the kids on the bus!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry you had such a stressful day. Good thing Hubby was understanding -- anything less would have been unacceptable. There's too much for you to do all by yourself, I don't care how busy his job is or how much he travels. And even if he hadn't been able to reconfigure from the closet -- I'm sure the place to which he travelled has clothing stores.

Here in NY, we have "commuter cleaners", where people drop off their dry cleaning at the train station on their way to work and then pick it up when they get off the train (or the next morning, if they get back too late), and some services in the city will actually pick up from the office. If you've got anything like that in your area, he could drop off and pick up his own dry cleaning to and from work, or it could be picked up and dropped off at the office.

Most reputable dry cleaners around here also do pick up and drop off services -- not just to shows, where we have our weekly stops set up, but to offices. It might be worth it to look into it -- less stressful.

As a wardrobe person, I spend way too much time researching and handling accounts with various dry cleaners!


I am sorry that he needs more tests -- that, too, is an emotional stress for both of you.

Storywise, just see which one pulls you harder on Oct. 31 and then fly.

Unknown said...

You poor little chicken...your head has fallen off!!!

Hope today is better!!!

Anonymous said...

DEEP BREATH.

Major hugs on Hubs needing more tests, that just adds to an already stressful situation.

As far as Hubs's dry-cleaning, is there a cleaner close to where he works where he can take his cleaning?

Hope today is better. Take care.

Lowa said...

Wow, I am glad my husband works in an office off of our Rec Room and goes to work in his boxers and no shirt most days! If he has a meeting, he takes care of all of that himself. I have enough on my plate and I learned long ago that he can do some of it himself. There is no reason they can't step up and do some of it. Not saying your's doesn't...I am just saying you can't possibly do it all.

Good for you not going to cub scouts! You certainly need a breather. Hope the test results for hubby come back clear and fine!

I can understand Thing One not going in to the school...I have two who would not have gone in at all. I also have a few who would step up and help, like your son did:) Thankfully!

Michelle Miles said...

You poor thing. I'm glad Hubby was cool with you or we'd have to talk. ;) You are an amazing Mom with everything you do and I, quite frankly, am in awe of you.

Hang in there on the test thing. I'm keeping you in my thoughts.