that's my day. i forced myself out of bed at 7:15 (i usually sleep until 10 on saturdays), and went to school. I worked in a cafe until 10:30, and then went to the gym. Oddly, despite the fact that 1L's have exams this week, and us 2 and 3L's shortly after, our school library didn't open until 9. wtf? 9? the sun comes up at, like, 5!!!

I spent my work time typing up Fed Courts and Employment law notes that i'd taken throughout the quarter. While it didn't move me forward on my outline, it was nice. It gave me a recap and overview of the courses that refreshed my memory, helped me see themes and policy considerations, and just a general review. it was also nice to be doing work and thinking and moving forward with a wee bit less intensity than is required when i read for class. The fact that Au Bon Pain was playing an alternative sattelite station didn't bother me .... if I was reading, i would be out of my mind with frustration and a need for quiet. The fact that the table next to me was a revolving door of professors on their way to a conference, undergrads babbling about last night's party, and 1L's freaking out about their Contracts exam didn't bother me. I wonder if my needs when reading for class are unusual? I'm not sure, but it made me look forward to being done with school, and being more portable in general.

Beloved and I had planned to split this day - I would take 1/2 to go to school and make some progress toward exams, and then he would take 1/2 to pursue his own projects and other personal needs (i.e., go to the library and look for more books and CDs, let anyone be thinking something less honorable). When I got home, all hell had broken loose. Thing One's plans had morphed and Thing Two was jealous b/c her sister was getting to go to (basically) a party and then to a friend's and wouldn't be home all day. Beloved wanted to be helpful, and was going to take Thing Two with him to the library so I could have more work time, but Thing Two was insisting that she also needed to call a friend and have a "playdate." [the word bugs me.]

I had already told Thing Two - if she could work it out with a friend to go over THEIR HOUSE, then okay - but I had things to do in the home in preparation for book group being at our house this month, and I could not have a friend here this weekend. She had two "playdates" already this week, on top of her theater group, softball, and art class. Hello????

So I turned into groucho mom for a little while b/c of my irritation with her not listening to the MANY talks we've had in the past about 1) this weekend needing to be a bit more home-focused; and 2) WE DO NOT CALL PEOPLE AND INVITE OURSELVES TO THEIR HOMES!!!

Also, before I left, I had written their chores for the day on the chalkboard in the kitchen that we use for that purpose, and when Beloved pointed out to her taht she had a chore, she came out with one of those "well, mommy didn't say i have to, so i don't have to." and that upset me as well. we do have to walk a line at times due to the fact that beloved is not their biological father ... but he has filled that role in this home for over 2 years at this point. they go to him for things, they ask him for things, they have problem expecting things of him - it is only when it serves their purposes that they pull that trick from their bag, and it's bothersome.

The strife lasted about 20 minutes. I made up with the child, gave her a hug, told her I loved her (with a reinforcement of what I expect of her), and let her choose waht she wanted to do with her day - stay home with me while I do a full blown cleaning of their room, or go to the library with Beloved. She chose to stay home.

Beloved brought Thing One to her newspaper meeting, from which she went home with a friend through dinner time, and Thing Two and I stayed home, and cleaned.

That was hard. For her.

My kids are freaks. Of course, with a freak for a mother, they have little chance to be other than freaks. but they collect odd things. they like odd things. they like cardboard boxes. They have made a "library" in their bedroom, and it has an elaborate check out system, and it has a "computer" and it has accounts. For some reason, associated with the library, they also had many mailing envelopes - the big 11x17 kind? I am not sure why. but they were a mess, and bulging out from shelves in an ugly way, and i recycled them. Thing Two cried. They also had a very old, very cheap, very covered with stickers lunch box. It seemed empty. I haven't seen them use it in FOREVER, so threw it away. The tears!! The throwing of one upon a bed!! the exclamations that "Just b/c it's ugly doesn't mean you can THROW IT AWAY!!!" Know why? b/c inside was some theater tickets and record-keeping. b/c attached to the library is a THEATER. Thing One and Thing Two's Room Theater. it was payment records and such. she cried. and yelled at me.

i got their room cleaner, though. i swept, and dusted, and reorganized, and after giving Thing Two the "privilege" of watching a movie, I purged.

Their room looks great.

Then I was tired. and I fell to sleep. On the new couch. For about 50 minutes.

Then I finished their room.

Then beloved cooked. He made a pasta with sauce, a yummy meat and veggie tomato sauce. It required wine. He got one of my faves from Trader joe's, but only need about 1/3 of the bottle.

So then I had some wine.

now the girls want to watch a movie (they just were in the park for an hour playing catch in preparation for softball tomorrow), and I think I'll add more "school" to the end of that above list while they do so with beloved.

Fun day (sarcasm!!)

posted by Zuska @ 7:39 PM

2 Comments:

At Sunday, April 30, 2006 12:45:00 AM, The Marpepps! said…

If you were anywhere near me, we could go hang out in the garden and proscrastinate/commiserate our misery. Whoot?
At Sunday, April 30, 2006 8:15:00 AM, Zuska said…

oh, that would be fun. and today, if you lived anywhere near me, you could come and watch a lot of super-cute little girls run around after a softball for the afternoon.