Bad Day

I wouldn't wish my day yesterday on Paris Hilton.

First the disclaimers - No one died, there are no sick kids, my house didn't burn to the ground, nothing earthshattering. I always feel I have to throw gratitude out there for all the good things I've got before I start bitching about the mundane crap that does you in. Disclaimer out of the way...let's go.

My class ended early at 3:40, so I called the Film Geek (FG) on my way to my car to tell him I could pick up the kids from school at 3:45, so he could stay at work. I got in my car and cranked the radio, little knowing this would be my last bit of peace until almost midnight. I should've enjoyed the drive more.

Got there to get the two younger ones and realized that the eldest had forgotten his house key yet again. Tried to get Surfer Dude (SD) and Gumby (G.) to stop playing on the playground so I could get home to let Sasquatch(S.) in. I knew the longer he stayed on the porch the longer I would hear about it, never mind that it was totally his fault. Finally got them home only to find that the FG hadn't shut the back door all the way and because of all the rain and the swollen wood the door had been left open all day, allowing the entrance of a bunch of smelly ninth graders after school. I walked in to find a group of them lounging in my living room. First words out of S.'s mouth was a request to go out to dinner at the Chinese buffet with the Red Headed step-child (RHSC) and his family. I said no. Argument ensues.

Check my phone messages. Soccer practice that I thought was off is now back on and I have thirty minutes to feed and clothe two kids before driving the first leg of the carpool. On the phone arranging that with one friend when other friend calls to arrange pick-up of RHSC. One phone to each ear at that point, tell RHSC to go out to curb as his mother will be there in two minutes. He says he'll wait until he actually sees her car in front of my house. S. still following me whining about the Chinese buffet. Smelly teenagers still filling living room. Three smaller kids begging me for food while I have a phone on each ear. Arguments ensue.

Break up fight over computer rights, feed and supervise soccer players getting dressed, hang up both phones, start to wonder what the heck is for dinner since I'll be out for an hour driving the carpool. FG walks in from work and offers to go get stuff for Chicken Caeser salads (my go to dinner when I'm in a hurry). I say a CC salad doesn't thrill me but that's fine since the kids will all eat it. Go drive the carpool and get stuck in accident traffic. Drop them off and head home. FG meets me at the door and says he didn't go to the store because he wasn't quite sure where we left the Chicken Caeser discussion. I say we left it at you were going to the store. He says that's not the impression he had. Argument ensues.

Go to the supermarket and wander around for thirty minutes in a brain fog. Get home, throw dinner together(I've switched to burgers and fries by this point) and say bye to FG who is on his way back to work. Make a few scheduling phone calls and make a doctor's appointment for G. who got bitten by a tick Saturday and it's looking funky. Check the balance in the checking account. Very bad move. Open schedule for the soccer tournament this weekend that we just got. Eight games between two players in four days. Nice.

G. gets home, eats and remembers a bunch of homework (it's 8 pm). S. finally finishes his computer homework and I get on. Open the email from his AP Biology teacher telling me he has an F due to unturned in work. He tells me this is what he was working on. I say what about the other project, the one you said you turned in two weeks ago? The one I know is finished?Argument ensues.


One kid wants to be on the computer but won't stay downstairs by himself. Other kid leaves him alone just for kicks and sneaks upstairs. I've already gone upstairs to collapse on my bed for a minute, but sit straight up to the sound of frantic feet running upstairs once they realized they were alone on the computer. Argument ensues, but I miss it because I've had to go downstairs and turn off a) the TV, b) the computer and c) all the lights.

I get SD and G. to bed and lay on my bed to read. Three seconds later S. is at my door remembering a computer test he has to take that night. Of course he won't go downstairs alone either. I go with him and putter around while he finishes. We go back upstairs. By now I'm wide awake, so I read for a bit. Am just dozing off when S. says he's thirsty and needs a drink from downstairs and will I go with him? I say get it from the bathroom or go downstairs yourself, but he won't do either. I won't budge at this point. Argument ensues.

He finally goes to bed unwatered and I turn out my light. The dogs all of a sudden go ballistic and I have to walk through the house to see if anything is wrong. Nothing to report. Back to bed and am now totally wide awake.

And all I can think is that I need to sleep just so this day can end.