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shiredancerOr, How Not To Spend a Summer Vacation (to be more accurate).
Week 1: Have Kidlet get tonsils out. Spend rest of week looking after her.
Week 2:
Sunday: Realize that Kidlet's high school orientation is tomorrow, so dig out packet she picked up last week and look it over. We had pegged her for turning it in on Monday because we'll all be home and able to deal with it. Oh, what luck -- turns out that inside the (not-yet-looked-at) packet is a schedule for when to return it and report for orientation, assigned by class. By sheer dumb luck, freshmen were assigned Monday. The other days had already passed. Note for next year: look at packet *ahead of time*. Fill out many, many forms, write many, many checks, learn that Monday is also *picture day*; watch Kidlet tear into shower to wash hair. Also make final decision re this year's dance classes (continue with basic jazz? move on to Broadway jazz and tap, in preparation for Kidlet's Broadway stardom? {Her idea, not mine.}) and settle on Broadway; write another check. Learn that Kidlet has once again passed the audition to sing with the Beach Girls; write another check. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Monday: Get Kidlet to freshman packet return and orientation. Clear kitchen area in preparation for new refrigerator (energy-conservor, yay!). Park old refrigerator in living room. Refrigerator arrives; clean all components completely and arrange shelves, etc. Start prep for painting Kidlet's bedroom. Get entire closet painted with Kidlet's help. Learn that Kidlet didn't get anywhere close to her first choice in electives (Theater Arts) because of being in vocal group one term and having to take physics the other; get used to high school scheduling. Shop for groceries. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Tuesday: Take Kidlet to orthodontist to get braces and palate-spreader installed. Transfer food from old refrigerator to new one (now that it has reached the right temperature) and thoroughly scrub out old one before it's picked up to be recycled. Pick up Kidlet and learn how to crank the palate-spreader every day with a tiny key. Mentally prepare to torture one's own child daily. Marvel at her complete trust in you. Cook huge batch of vegetable soup for work lunches in preparation for getting back on Weight Watchers *seriously*; divide into small containers that now fit in the new refrigerator and be pleased. Call jury commissioner after 5 p.m. to see if I have to report for jury duty on Wednesday; receive instructions to call again the next day. Continue prep for painting; buy actual paint (yikes! Committed now...). Begin hand-painting edges of 13-foot high wall on 12-foot rickety ladder; refuse to continue unless husband is holding ladder firmly. Get mad because Kidlet says she doesn't feel good and won't help. Take Kidlet to first Beach Girls rehearsal; bring home with friend for sleepover. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Wednesday: Continue painting edges and corners of first two walls; hate the rickety ladder borrowed from the condo association. Take Kidlet for hair appointment. Snarl at each other the whole time; family is piled on top of each other being short one bedroom for the duration, and getting cranky. Give up on old ladder; go with husband to Home Deport and find great new versatile ladder that can even go on stairs, for $99. Should have bought *that* years ago. Buy extension pole for paint rollers (Kidlet's room has cathedral ceilings). Buy buckets and sea sponges for sponged-on glaze. Get a *lot* of painting done with proper equipment; two walls painted with base coat (Summer Melon) plus parts of other two walls, and three corners. Get mad again because Kidlet still says she doesn't feel good and won't help. Call about jury duty and get told to call the next day. Crank Kidlet's palate-spreader; feel like it's wrong, panic, back-track it, start again, feel terrible for a long time. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Thursday: Start sponging on the first glazed layer (Rice Curry). (Kidlet wants a "Tuscany" room.) As this is the first time I've ever done this, designate a trial patch to test it out. It looks good! Take Kidlet to get ears pierced at doctor's office at 11 a.m.; hope that third time's the charm (she's had two bad experiences but is stubborn). Go to doctor at 2 p.m. about funky bump-growth-thing on finger; get prescription for antibiotic and referral to dermatologist for possible incision-and-drainage which sounds like *so much fun*. Have window-replacement guy come out to discuss replacing patio glass doors which have warped and allow leakage into side wall; wait for estimate. Husband takes Kidlet to final post-tonsillectomy check at 4:15 while I go to belly dance class at 4:30. Learn that Kidlet has sinus infection as possible result of tonsillectomy *facepalm*; feel terrible about getting mad so much. Start clearing Kidlet's bookcases and desk and dresser in prepartion for moving furniture. Call jury, yada yada, call again tomorrow. Get more sponging done. Crank Kidlet's palate spreader with more confidence (and success). Fall into bed, exhausted.
Friday: Get up early to get lots more sponging done; decide against a third layer as this is looking really good as is (and with only two walls almost done, there's not enough time). Wait for plumber to come to install lines for automatice ice-maker in new refrigerator -- such a novel and pleasant concept, to always have ice! Scrub out area under the sink to prepare for plumbing. Husband finishes trim on first wall; move bed back into place. Panic -- two walls still to go from scratch, and only two days left! Call jury -- *crap*, tentatively report on Monday, but call at 11 a.m. to confirm. Well -- looking at the bright side, at least it didn't interfere with my vacation *heavy sarcasm*. Now I'm about to fall into bed, exhausted.
Speaking of vacation... I seriously want a do-over.
Week 1: Have Kidlet get tonsils out. Spend rest of week looking after her.
Week 2:
Sunday: Realize that Kidlet's high school orientation is tomorrow, so dig out packet she picked up last week and look it over. We had pegged her for turning it in on Monday because we'll all be home and able to deal with it. Oh, what luck -- turns out that inside the (not-yet-looked-at) packet is a schedule for when to return it and report for orientation, assigned by class. By sheer dumb luck, freshmen were assigned Monday. The other days had already passed. Note for next year: look at packet *ahead of time*. Fill out many, many forms, write many, many checks, learn that Monday is also *picture day*; watch Kidlet tear into shower to wash hair. Also make final decision re this year's dance classes (continue with basic jazz? move on to Broadway jazz and tap, in preparation for Kidlet's Broadway stardom? {Her idea, not mine.}) and settle on Broadway; write another check. Learn that Kidlet has once again passed the audition to sing with the Beach Girls; write another check. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Monday: Get Kidlet to freshman packet return and orientation. Clear kitchen area in preparation for new refrigerator (energy-conservor, yay!). Park old refrigerator in living room. Refrigerator arrives; clean all components completely and arrange shelves, etc. Start prep for painting Kidlet's bedroom. Get entire closet painted with Kidlet's help. Learn that Kidlet didn't get anywhere close to her first choice in electives (Theater Arts) because of being in vocal group one term and having to take physics the other; get used to high school scheduling. Shop for groceries. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Tuesday: Take Kidlet to orthodontist to get braces and palate-spreader installed. Transfer food from old refrigerator to new one (now that it has reached the right temperature) and thoroughly scrub out old one before it's picked up to be recycled. Pick up Kidlet and learn how to crank the palate-spreader every day with a tiny key. Mentally prepare to torture one's own child daily. Marvel at her complete trust in you. Cook huge batch of vegetable soup for work lunches in preparation for getting back on Weight Watchers *seriously*; divide into small containers that now fit in the new refrigerator and be pleased. Call jury commissioner after 5 p.m. to see if I have to report for jury duty on Wednesday; receive instructions to call again the next day. Continue prep for painting; buy actual paint (yikes! Committed now...). Begin hand-painting edges of 13-foot high wall on 12-foot rickety ladder; refuse to continue unless husband is holding ladder firmly. Get mad because Kidlet says she doesn't feel good and won't help. Take Kidlet to first Beach Girls rehearsal; bring home with friend for sleepover. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Wednesday: Continue painting edges and corners of first two walls; hate the rickety ladder borrowed from the condo association. Take Kidlet for hair appointment. Snarl at each other the whole time; family is piled on top of each other being short one bedroom for the duration, and getting cranky. Give up on old ladder; go with husband to Home Deport and find great new versatile ladder that can even go on stairs, for $99. Should have bought *that* years ago. Buy extension pole for paint rollers (Kidlet's room has cathedral ceilings). Buy buckets and sea sponges for sponged-on glaze. Get a *lot* of painting done with proper equipment; two walls painted with base coat (Summer Melon) plus parts of other two walls, and three corners. Get mad again because Kidlet still says she doesn't feel good and won't help. Call about jury duty and get told to call the next day. Crank Kidlet's palate-spreader; feel like it's wrong, panic, back-track it, start again, feel terrible for a long time. Fall into bed, exhausted.
Thursday: Start sponging on the first glazed layer (Rice Curry). (Kidlet wants a "Tuscany" room.) As this is the first time I've ever done this, designate a trial patch to test it out. It looks good! Take Kidlet to get ears pierced at doctor's office at 11 a.m.; hope that third time's the charm (she's had two bad experiences but is stubborn). Go to doctor at 2 p.m. about funky bump-growth-thing on finger; get prescription for antibiotic and referral to dermatologist for possible incision-and-drainage which sounds like *so much fun*. Have window-replacement guy come out to discuss replacing patio glass doors which have warped and allow leakage into side wall; wait for estimate. Husband takes Kidlet to final post-tonsillectomy check at 4:15 while I go to belly dance class at 4:30. Learn that Kidlet has sinus infection as possible result of tonsillectomy *facepalm*; feel terrible about getting mad so much. Start clearing Kidlet's bookcases and desk and dresser in prepartion for moving furniture. Call jury, yada yada, call again tomorrow. Get more sponging done. Crank Kidlet's palate spreader with more confidence (and success). Fall into bed, exhausted.
Friday: Get up early to get lots more sponging done; decide against a third layer as this is looking really good as is (and with only two walls almost done, there's not enough time). Wait for plumber to come to install lines for automatice ice-maker in new refrigerator -- such a novel and pleasant concept, to always have ice! Scrub out area under the sink to prepare for plumbing. Husband finishes trim on first wall; move bed back into place. Panic -- two walls still to go from scratch, and only two days left! Call jury -- *crap*, tentatively report on Monday, but call at 11 a.m. to confirm. Well -- looking at the bright side, at least it didn't interfere with my vacation *heavy sarcasm*. Now I'm about to fall into bed, exhausted.
Speaking of vacation... I seriously want a do-over.
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no subject
Date: August 26th, 2006 02:56 pm (UTC)::sticks tongue out atcha::
no subject
Date: August 26th, 2006 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: August 26th, 2006 07:59 pm (UTC)*hugs* to you. I wish I had a pool of extra vacation days I could just hand out at will -- you deserve some!!
no subject
Date: August 26th, 2006 08:32 pm (UTC)Please don't kill me.
no subject
Date: August 28th, 2006 04:42 pm (UTC)Hope your next week is *far* easier, even if it involves jury service. ::hugs::