2. At 9:40am, I suddenly realized I had neglected to do any promotion for today's guest host on my blog. Ack! I hastily made the rounds, posting on all the loops, but because I'd shut down my computer last night instead of going stand-by, had to look up the log-ins for the five different reader forums I post in as well. Clock ticking: 10:10am by the time I get done. No problem. I can still get ready and be out by 10:45am, just enough time to get there about 5 mins late. That's okay--doctors nefariously run late, right?
3. As I'm about to walk out the door, 10:46am, I receive a call from Twin #2 at school, who claims to be having "severe stomach pains," and can I come get him? No, I can't. Not right now, because I'm late for my appointment and it is too late to cancel. The ensuing discussion leaves me with only 15 mintues to make a 20 min trip. I can still do this. I think.
4. Just as I'm nearing the intersection where I must turn to go to my doctor's office, my cell phone rings. It is the nurse at Twin #2's school. Drat, I think, maybe he's barfed all over someone. As the nurse repeats to me the EXACT SAME STORY Twin #2 told me five minutes ago, and asks if I can come get him, and I tell her the EXACT SAME STORY I told him, no I can't, I miss my turn. Must go all the way around the block to get back. I quickly call the doctor's office--gonna be 10 mins late. Except, because I hit EVERY FREAKING RED LIGHT IN AMERICA, I'm actually 15 mins late, but they take me anyway.
5. 12:15pm--I call Twin #2's school and am told he is still feeling bad--but not so bad he decided to skip lunch--and he's back in the nurse's office. So, even though I have to go through the drive-thru for Twin #1's lunch because I ran out of time to make him anything, I don't have to buy Twin #2 anything. This is good. I get in the long line at J in the B, and have just enough time to get over to the school to pick up BOTH my kids at 12:45pm.
BUT...on the way to Twin #1's PT, I decide to make a quick pitstop at CVS Pharmacy because I am convinced Twin #2 just has gas (which I told the school nurse, but whatever). "Stay in the car. I'm setting the alarm. Don't open the doors. This will only take a minute!" I race inside, pick up some Gas-X and go to the counter to buy it. I give the saleslady my CVS bucks coupon for a discount. She says, "I need your card number." I don't have it, so I give her my phone number. "You're not in my system." "Of course I am--how did I get the CVS coupon mailed to my home as a card-carrying member of the CVS coupon club if I'm not in your system?" She insists I'm not, I insist I am, and a Mexican Standoff ensues--until I hear my car alarm go off outside and realize one of the boys has gotten out of the car. It's Twin #2, of course, and he says over the blaring alarm after running inside, "I gotta go to the bathroom!" I hit the alarm key button, pay the lady full price, and race out to check on Twin #1 while Twin #2 races to the bathroom. Then I race to the bathroom to hurry Twin #2 along since we still have to make the PT appointment at 1:15pm.
6. We hop into the car while I shovel Gas-X into Twin #2. We get to the PT appointment right on time, and Twin #1 goes in while I wait with Twin #2 in the waiting room. Miraculously, after 30 mins (a time period in which I cannot call Twin #2's doctor to make an appointment because they are at lunch), he begins to feel better. It was, after all, just gas.
7. Despite having eaten lunch, after Twin #1's PT, Twin #2 wants a hamburger. And since Twin #2 is having one, Twin #1 wants another cheeseburger. Back to J in the B. Back to school at 2:20pm to drop both kids off for the rest of the school day.
8. 2:30pm Head to the music shop where my kids have music lessons to pay tuition fees for the month. Have long, intense discussion with music tutor about whether the kids are ready to play in a quartet in public next week. I think they're not ready--the quartet, not my kids--she says they are. She's insulted that I doubt her, but we agree if we can squeeze in another practice, I and the kids will feel better about the fact that the fourth member in the quartet sounds like she's playing with her feet, not her hands.
9. 3:00pm, off to the drug store to pick up my multiple prescriptions for my various advancing middle-agedness.
10. 4:25pm Sitting and waiting for Twin #1 to come home so I can whisk him off to the haircutter's while Twin #2 stays late for tutoring in math, which he is barely passing, at school. Twin #1 looks like a homeless person with a nappy head and I've been trying to drag him to the hair cutter for three weeks now. I will no longer give him a choice. I'm to go pick up Twin #2 by 5pm if I can get Twin #1 in and out of the hair cutter's by then. Twin #1 was supposed to have been home 5 mins ago, so naturally, he's late. I drop Twin #1 off, race to school to get Twin #2, race back and overtip the haircutter for watching my kid while I was gone.
11: 9:15pm I won't even tell you how the rest of the evening went, but it involves--among other things--banning the kids from all social media until they finish the homework they swore they didn't have. Twin #1 is still working on his as bedtime ticks past.
So, now you know why my blood pressure was 149/84 (high) today. Is it just me, or does anyone else have days like this on a regular basis (which is what I do)?
:-)
TJB
20 comments:
Oh TJ --these kind of days are not fun. I don't remember ever having one quite as rough as this, but then I may have repressed it from my memory. I do know I've had days where I just want to crawl back under the covers and wait until the next day would come even though that was not possible. Hugs... and take heart--it does get easier as the kids get older.
I'll miss reading your IMHO during your hiatus, but I definitely understand the need to regroup.
Thanks, Kathryn. I appreciate the sympathy. If I survive my kids, I hope to get back to having visiting guest hosts at some point in the near future. IMHO will still be around, but the content will be more flexible to fit my schedule.
With my vast collection of books, however, I might still do a random freebie or two, heh heh heh.
TJB
Oh! the memories you bring back! I had three kids three years a part, I swore I would be a raving lunitic, by the time they finished school and left home! LOL!
Now they are all grown, on their own in their early twenties and I am so enjoying their lives as young adults! They are fun, sucessful and so full of life everyday. I miss the crazy days sometimes! Until they are all home for a day, then I can't wait until they leave LOL!! Enjoy the hectic times along with the great times, they are so very short!
Dear Jane--
Not. Short. Enough.
:-)
TJB
TJ, oh, I do remember these days. My older two were about 1-1/2 years apart, and the youngest is 6 and 8 years younger, so I had the little one to drag around when I took his big brother & sister places. We lived in a rural town about an hour out of Waco, and had to drive a half-hour just to go to a Wal-Mart, so we spent a LOT of time in the car, and were usually late. I was so glad when they learned to drive. (When the youngest was in high school, we were 60 miles from the eye doctor, the dentist, most shopping--pretty much anything was at least a half-day expedition!)
Hang in there. Life actually never slows down, but you get used to it. (Sorta) ;)
I have had days like that myself! Like putting up the Christmas tree and then turning it over right after you spent several hours putting it up. This happened to me just last week. I am sure glad I didn't have twins, I am not sure what Iwould have done if I had. My mother was a twin. I would say they are a lot of fun but a lot of work too.
Well, no, not yet. But I suspect those days are ahead of me.
One thing that makes life easier here is that I use a pharmacy that delivers. If they'd come to you, I'd give you their number.
Hang in there!!!
I love this! This sounds like most my days racing around with the children. Oh, but I love the days when its smooth sailing and I can write.
Ah, Maggie, my dear...those days are getting fewer and farther between. Which is one of the reasons IMHO is taking a break, because I. AM. IMHO. (Read like: I.AM. SPARTACUS.)
And I.NEED.A.BREAK. LOL!
But do come visit throughout the month, everyone, and give our December guests their due. And I swear, I'll get my promotion out on time next week...God willing and the creek don't rise.
TJB
TJ,
I'm exhausted from reading your post and I think my blood prssure went up. LOL Hang in there. It has to get better.
Merry Christmas,
Linda
Here's hoping today has been MUCH better! Hugs!
Linda, it can't get much worse!
Colleen, not too bad today, with the possible exception of the red light camera I may have accidently run by your Krogers...we'll see if I get a very expensive photo of myself in the mail for Christmas. :-(
I think we all have days where nothing goes according to plan and you end up running around and not accomplishing anything.
You need a vacation, T.J. Or at the very least a bubble bath.: )
But I recall those days quite well, and no, I don't wish to go back.
Wow, I do think we all have days like that. Luckily mine don't happen very often.
You are not alone! With 3 boys at 3 different schools in 3 different cities in LA, I have many days like that. And then I own a company which provides party entertainment, and can have a last minute emergency at any time, so I'm always grateful when the day DOESN'T turn out quite so hectic!
Wow,a story like this makes me grateful God only blessed me with one child!! LOL!! I was the taxi driver though for 22 yrs. We did have crazy emergency runs all over town, at times jumping fr Xpressway to Xpressway. I had high BP and I swore it was fr DD. There were times the meds couldn't help me. I was never w/o a rom novel in the car, as I had waits up to 3 hrs. at times. Soo glad My 22 y.o. DD got her license this year!! I won't have to driver her to her 1st real, full time job!!Yess!!! Learning to just shut-down and relax at the end of a crazy day is the answer. Good Luck, Sue
Sue, I hear ya! If it wasn't for my romance novels, I would truly be insane. Possibly am already. Thank God for my Kindle, which I keep stashed in my purse for emergency "wait" times.
Chellsie, you're probably crazier than I am at this point. I remember the LA traffic. What are you thinking! Put them all in the same zip code, at least, if not the same school. Mine are in same school. Of course, mine are twins, so it's cheating.
Robena, I know your kids turned out great, so maybe there is hope for mine yet. I keep thinking there's a book in there somewhere, though: "How to Raise Twins Without Popping a Major Artery." What dya think?
TJB
I used to have days like that all the time. Now the kids are grown and gone, so things are a little more settled. There are still hectic days, but not as bad as trying to juggle 3 children who all need to be in different places. Now it is usually my fault for backing myself into a corner by making too many promises to help out somewhere or work just getting crazy. Those kids still manage to upset the apple cart even though they are 26, 34 and 36. Then there are our grandson and a whole mini-zoo of animals.
oh my goodness, I feel for you. My head would be spinning and definitely the BP would be overboard. Twins, ah ha. I am a twin but my twin is a brother. I imagine my Mom and Dad has some fun times with us.
yourstrulee(at)sasktel(dot)net
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