March 26, 2007
by 9:00 am, I was completely frazzled
The last bit of ugly.
My alarm clock went off at 5:00 am this morning, because when I turned it on last night, I forgot to reset it to a decent hour of the morning (say, 5:45) instead of the ass crack of dawn, which was when we got up last week to take my mom to the airport. It was too early to get up and shower but too late to really go back to sleep. And I really wanted a cup or three of coffee.
While Henry ate his breakfast, I filled out his school enrollment forms (due today!) and wrote a check. When he realized what I was doing, he started to cry, insisting that he wants to go to a DIFFERENT school next year. His school has had some administrative upheaval recently (the headmaster resigned under duress a couple of weeks ago) but we had been feeling like everything was fine! dandy! just great! for the kids. Suddenly, at 6:45, I was wondering if some horrible thing was going on at school that I didn’t know about.
It seems that the answer is no; it seems that Henry just assumed that he would change schools AGAIN this year, like he’s done EVERY OTHER YEAR. Yesterday we drove by the Catholic school that Wade went to, and today Henry said, “I want to go where Dad went to school!” I tried to explain that he would have to sit at a desk and only have one recess each day at that school, but he cried and said, “Daddy went there! Why can’t I go there?” When I dropped him at school, he said, “I’ll go here next year, but I’m not going here forever.” Okay, I said, deal.
Charlie got up late, after insisting that he was NOT GOING TO SCHOOL, at sat at the table eating his waffles and singing. When I told him that the men were coming today to paint the kitchen cabinets, he said, very sadly, “But then our house is going to look completely DIFFERENT.” Not different! I promised, just BETTER! He was still sad about it, though, and told me that he wants to live in this house FOREVER. When he was brushing his teeth, he said, “I like my new blue bathroom. Let’s not move! Let’s stay here, where the blue bathroom is.”
Last night, I got a call from Charlie’s school, about subbing today. I’ve talked to this particular woman before, and it’s always an unusual experience, mostly because I’m not entirely sure who she is or what she wants; she’s always a little vague. Last night, after she told me that she had gotten my number from Charlie’s teacher, she said, “Do you work?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Oh! Well, do you work outside the home?”
I had the same conversation with her the last time she called, but this time it really irritated me. Because if I worked OUTSIDE THE HOME it would be okay for me to say no, I can’t sub, but since I work at home, I should say yes? And I was already feeling bad because Charlie’s teacher had called earlier, to say that she has a family emergency and could I possibly sub today? But I had no idea when the painters were coming, so I had to say no, not today, but maybe Tuesday.
And then I felt bad because when I list the Things I Must Get Done this week (writing, cleaning closets, looking at houses) it sounds so frivolous. But dammit I’m busy this week, and some of my busy is stuff that I’ll get paid for. Plus, I really didn’t know when the painters were coming, and I needed to let them in.
There is a complete stranger in my kitchen RIGHT NOW, taking all the doors off my cabinets. You would think that would make me happy, wouldn’t you? But what I really want is another cup of coffee, and I can’t get to the coffee pot. I’m also uneasy about leaving these guys alone in my house tomorrow, while I sub, because they don’t seem to really know what they’re doing. I’m sure they are fine painters, but if I hear them ask one more time exactly WHAT they’re painting, I may scream.
All of my dishes are piled in the laundry room, and in the guest bedroom. I’m sitting on the sofa, trying to work in here, because I usually sit at the kitchen table or the desk, but it’s too weird to be lurking while the men are disassembling my kitchen. And dammit I need some more coffee.
Posted by Susan @ 7:56 am • Uncategorized
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March 26th, 2007 at 2:24 pm, Angela Says:
Work outside the home… that would make me so mad. And I’m not even a parent yet (or really, anytime soon, either). Why did she call you if you’d already told Charlie’s teacher that you couldn’t come in today?
Good luck with the confused painters!
March 26th, 2007 at 2:43 pm, The Daring One Says:
But seriously, what are they supposed to be painting?
March 26th, 2007 at 3:06 pm, gorillabuns Says:
do i slave in and outside of the home? then, the answer is yes.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:36 pm, M&Co. Says:
I can’t sub, or do much of anything else, because I’ve not taken that archdiocese class. That one where you can’t do anything with the kids until you’ve taken it. You didn’t actually take it did you? I mean it IS the perfect excuse, “oh, I’d love to, but I’ve not had time to take that class yet.”
March 26th, 2007 at 6:41 pm, Susan Says:
Oh, I took the damn class. And now I’m regretting it.
Also! On Friday I will be going to church with Charlie, for the stations of the cross. Because I can’t pick a CHEERFUL day to go with him to church! Oh no! Of course not.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:15 am, cce Says:
I know the feeling of total displacement in your own home. I lived through a four month kitchen remodel that had all nature of people and noises and ungodly messes in my house. We ate out of a toaster in the dining room for 120 days. It was awful but the kitchen’s great. I keep telling myself, the kitchen’s great even when I get bummed out about the fact that we are now broke. Hang in there, a few days without coffee is worth a refreshed kitchen!
March 27th, 2007 at 7:37 am, Aurora Says:
Hang in there! You can do it! I keep telling my students: “ALL parents work! Some of them get paid money for it, some of the time, but ALL parents work!”
March 27th, 2007 at 7:54 am, candace Says:
Just go work on the porch or the deck. Then you’ll be OUTSIDE the home!
March 27th, 2007 at 9:26 am, elise Says:
Ahh, the fear of change. I am very familiar with this.
March 27th, 2007 at 10:55 am, M&Co. Says:
There are CHEERFUL days to go to Church?