I was so frustrated yesterday. It was my fourth day home with Boy 1 and Miss W returned from her sleepover. I noticed she wasn’t wearing her glasses and she said she hadn’t taken them to her friend’s house, then moments later came the announcement that never fails to make me cringe with dread : the glasses were lost. We searched her room (stripped the bed, vacuumed, pulled furniture away from the walls) with no luck, then Mr W arrived and began excavating behind the washing machine and dryer. Things had piled up so badly due to Boy 2’s OCD flaring up again this break, so there were balls and soft toys, pieces of toast, underwear, a lost earring, wooden spoons and spatulas (which I’d been missing quite badly), cat bowls, cat food, pieces of paper etc. etc. etc. I was so edgy and frustrated with the mess, worried about the glasses, trying to cook a ham, and there was Christmas stuff everywhere I’d started dismantling. Then I had an idea for something I could write, it had been churning around for about 24 hours and suddenly developed much more clearly. I still haven’t jotted down so much as a word for it, as it’s still percolating and I don’t know yet if it’s rubbish. But there seems to be increasing evidence that Dorchester is folding and so that market is now closed off to me, M & B do not want my romance novel, and I do need a project to channel my energy into.
I felt giddy with joy this morning as the boys were returning to school, Boy 2 actually went off very cheerfully (looked very cute in Wrangler jeans and new red sweater). Even though I had to go to 1 Hour optical to see about getting Miss W’s glasses replaced, after being cooped up for so long a trip to the optician’s seemed like a marvelous treat. Arrived early with Mr W and Miss W. Miss W was deeply unhappy and churlish because she hates wearing glasses still, and hates visiting the optician. All the staff were absolutely brilliant and kind and we had some discussions this time about the possibility of Miss W wearing contacts, staff seemed to think this might be a good idea as she hates wearing glasses, i did not think it was a good idea as I don’t think Miss W would take care of contacts very well. But it’s something to think about over the next few years, Miss W actually agreed with this and said she would like a yellow pair that resembled wolf eyes. But for now we have gone with a quite trendy pair with dark frames that will be ready after 2pm on Wednesday. I was so impressed with the way everyone here was kind and understanding with Miss W, she had to have her eyes puffed into and dilated and hated every minute of it and wasn’t shy about showing her displeasure. She’s far-sighted and has astigmatism.
After this went to Barnes and Nobles for a calendar (50% off but all good ones were gone) and then went to Target and bought a microwave with my Christmas $$$, what a relief to get rid of my old one. The enamel had started to seriously burn away, don’t ask me how, but I’m sure it wasn’t really safe to use. Then to World Market where I discovered that I was a day late to take advantage of their sale and buy a beautiful, apple green, cast iron pot for 25% off. Staff told me that sale was over. Mr W pointed out (calmly) that sale signs were still all posted and they changed their minds and let me have pot for 25% off! Now I have no excuse not to whip up things like boeuf bourgignone and complicated chicken pot pies!
There was a message from school nurse when I arrived home, gritted my teeth at the sound of her voice telling me there was a problem and I needed to call her. I checked and she hadn’t called my cell. Why not? She made a huge song and dance about needing my bloody cell phone number a few months ago. Clicked message #2 and it was her again, quickly saying she’d made a mistake and I must ignore the previous message – she’d thought Boy 2 was absent from school but now realized he wasn’t.
WTH?
Boy 2 suffers from a lot of issues but not invisibility so what the hell is going on – did he escape from school again or something? How in God’s name could staff ‘think’ a student was absent but then ‘realize’ he wasn’t? I am going to call these morons tomorrow. However I very much doubt they will admit what happened if he escaped again. No note in back pack (of course) but Boy 2 seemed happy and OK this afternoon.
Back to work tomorrow and I don’t mind one bit.