The Art of Busy

Being busy is an art. We're all "too busy" or have busy-ness built into our day. And being busy certainly makes the days go by fast............but honestly? I'd love to be a little less busy. We used to be busier.......if you count outside activities. We've cut back on a lot of that, including sports, so our "busy" days should have decreased, but somehow, I don't feel any less busy. Sure, I've added a job to my already-full days. But c'mon. Plenty of people work full-time AND do all the other family/mom/wife/friend stuff and I truly have no idea how they do it. I figure something's gotta give in some area.........no one can do it all!

Today, I woke up at 6 a.m., worked out to a TV workout show at 7 a.m., showered by 8 a.m., and had my "kids" arrive at 9 a.m. (the two I nanny for). They don't normally come to my house, and we thought this would be a fun switch-up. Not so much! I felt like I was busier than ever, since one of them has special needs and is into everything! Two spilled yogurts later, a few knicknacks tossed about, my digital frame about meeting an early demise, and many quickly diverted accidents (and this was all AFTER I "babyproofed" quickly before they came), and I was exhausted. I felt like having my own kids here was also just added work, especially since two of them had sleepovers (making breakfast, cleaning up endless messes). I finally took the girls back to their own house around 1:45 p.m. and took Hannah with me, since I was leaving at 2:30 and she was to relieve me. I left around 2:45, went to Jeff's work to switch vans (he needed mine to drive to Vantage tonight), then had just enough time to grab a quick coffee and run to Staples for pencil leads for Hannah's mechanical pencil. I then had physical therapy at 4, which took till 4:50, then I raced to pick up Hannah (15 minutes away) and head to a meeting for the Jingle Bell Run committee (a 35 minute drive away). We were late to the meeting, left there around 6:45, headed to Fred Meyer to pick up prescriptions for Hannah that were NOT ready - again (this was our third trip trying to get the same two prescriptions!). After we waited 20 minutes for this fiasco, we went to get teriyaki for dinner. Waited for that, got home around 8 p.m. and finally had dinner. Really, just not a minute in the day (save for that coffee!) to just relax and not be "on" all the time. And most of my days are like that!!

Now, having some help in all of this would be heavenly. Like a maid or a chauffer.......but, please! Who can afford that? What I COULD use help with often is transporting kids to various appointments. I went over my calendar today and realized that next Monday I have an even busier day - yoga 9-10 (maybe!?), PT at 10:30, lunch with a friend (we've been trying to find a time to do this since JULY!) at 11:30, appointment to remove my stitches in my back at 1:40, dentist appt. for Arlie at 3, counseling appt. for Hannah at 4, gymnastics make up and trampoline class makeup for Arlie and Harrison at 5. That's on my "day off" (which is so laughable.....really? A "day off"?). As you can see, I cannot be in two or three places at once, so I called the seemingly most obvious person to help me - my children's father! But can he help? Oh no, he has something going on. ALWAYS!!! I love how divorce automatically puts the non-custodial parent in the envious position of being able to just CHOOSE to participate or not in their child's lives. I ask you - what would have happened if we were still married? He'd HAVE to find a way to make it work, because he'd have no other options. But, alas, he KNOWS he has options so he just says "no" and that's that. Now, I will have to ask Jeff to take time off work to help me. And he will do it because he actually UNDERSTANDS what it means to be a parent.

This is just some of the busy-ness I could do without. Appointments (endless), grocery shopping, errands, constant "running around" for things that crop up - and all on my days "off". I'd really love a true "day off" - just a day where I have absolutely nothing planned! Maybe I'd get a massage or pedicure..........but, oh yeah, I'd have to make an appointment for those.........and so the busy drags on..........and I'm tired of it!

Interminable Tuesdays..........

Tuesdays are way too long. For one thing, I go to work 15 minutes earlier on Tuesdays, not that it's a big deal, but it makes me have to get ready earlier........bleh. Then, I sometimes work later on Tuesdays.......like today I worked an hour later, and then had to race home, get all the kids ready quickly (changed into exercise clothes, get water bottles filled, yoga mats found, snacks eaten, etc.), then leave the house again in 15 minutes so I could pick Hayley up at school (drama practice). Turns out, though, that Doug picked Hayley up from school (because I told him to, but then plans got changed and I forgot to tell him). So, I had to turn around, meet him so I could get Hayley and then FINALLY head off to the gymnastics studio. Except I remembered that I needed to pick up the dog's medication at the vet. So, I made a quick stop and, lo and behold, made it to the gym with ten minutes to spare (no small miracle given my track record!). I dropped the kids off, raced to the grocery store, and made it back to the gym in time for my yoga class with the girls. In the meantime, Arlie was spending two hours practicing for her gymnastics team, Harrison was taking a trampoline class and Hayley and Hannah were doing their homework in the waiting area. An hour and fifteen minutes of hot, sweaty yoga and we headed home. But, oops, what about dinner? I decided to swing by KFC. Now, we don't eat out much and especially not fast food, so the collective gasp of disbelief followed by cheers from the kids was amusing. You'd think I was taking them to Disney World! Nope, just KFC for some greasy, overpriced and overcaloried chicken. Ah well, simple pleasures. We ate a fat-laden dinner at nearly 8 p.m. and then there was the usual finishing up homework, showers, etc. Finally, at 9:45, I thought most of the kids were heading to bed (we have a 9 p.m. bedtime, except for, apparently, Tuesdays). Turns out Harrison and Arlie were still picking out school picture day outfits, Hannah was helping Arlie (and making elaborate promises to curl her hair in the morning) and Hayley still had a couple hours of homework left...........GAH!!! I'm tired, sweaty, in need of a shower, still haven't made lunches for tomorrow and I have a headache the size of Texas. I'm not such a fan of Tuesdays.

I Need a Wife!

Today I went to yoga. And since my kids were still with their dad, I also went to coffee with Amy and Carla. Well, we got to talkin', you know how girls do, and all of a sudden it's 12:20! Holy crap! I was supposed to drop Harrison off at a friend's house at 12:30, get to an appointment in Seattle at 1:30, take the girls to their well-child checkups at 3 and pick up Harrison at 4:30. In my mind, I had it all planned out (as I usually do....) but, the best laid plans.......

Anyway, we raced home from yoga and I took the fastest shower in the West, dressed and took Harrison to his friend's house (12:55). I then drove as fast as I could without getting caught to downtown Seattle for my appointment. Of course there was traffic. And construction. And I arrived at 1:45, fifteen minutes late (not bad, though, considering). Now, this is the part that bugs the hell out of me. I see this endocrinologist for my hypothyroidism and he's one of the best, blah, blah, but he's located south of downtown Seattle. Which is a bit of a drive for me. And so I park in the parking garage, and zip to the elevator, but end up stepping on the "down" elevator without realizing I just needed to go "up" one floor! Grrrr....now I have to ride the elevator down five floors and back up. Then, I have to pay my copay and check in, THEN wait in the doctor's little cubicle office area. And wait. And wait. Because, I'm late. And I deserve to wait, right? I finally get called, the nurse checks my weight (I tried not to cry in front of her) and blood pressure. The dr. comes in, we have a five minute discussion, he writes a prescription, says see you in six months and I'm outta there! But, alas, I check my cell phone and it's 2:45. No way on God's green earth I'm getting all the way home and then to the dr. office by 3. So, what to do? Naturally I call Jeff. But he can't help me because he's ridden his bike to work. And the kids' dad? Useless as tits on a boar hog when it comes to driving them anywhere. I thought about calling in a neighbor's help (all the while wishing Hayley had already taken the initiative to get her license now that she's 16). Jeff was able to reschedule the appointments, whew! I get in my car, pay $5 for parking (thank you very much, no validation people!) and head home. In traffic. All of that for a ten minute appointment. Lame.

And I'm STARVING! I have not eaten anything since coffee and a slice of lemon bread and my stomach is growling painfully the entire drive home. All I can think about is Taco del Mar. I have not eaten there but maybe twice before, but a big ole burrito with rice in it sounds way too good. I finally reach my exit and it's already 3:15. I still have to pick up Harrison at 4:30 so I head into Taco del Mar and eat my big ole burrito and some chips and a pop and I'm full to bursting. I had 15 minutes to kill so I went to Blockbuster and bought a bunch of movies off their "4 for $20" table. Was a couple minutes early to pick up Harrison, talked to the other mom for twenty minutes and came home. He and Jeff left right away to go salmon fishing and crabbing at the pier in Edmonds and I told the girls I wasn't making dinner. Ate a chocolate bar.

And got to thinkin'. I really need a wife. I would have enjoyed a wife making me breakfast this morning so I wasn't so starving at yoga. A wife might have been able to help me by taking Harrison to his friend's house or being home to take the girls to their dr. appts. so I didn't have to reschedule them for NEXT week on one of my days off. A wife perhaps would have had dinner ready when I finally arrived home. A wife might be doing laundry or tidying up or grocery shopping or some other mundane chore right now while I blogged guilt-free. I try to cram all the boring essentials of life into my one or two days a week I'm not working and I can't even make that work. So, I'd like a wife to help me do these things. I'd like her to be pretty and personable and never yell or get frustrated. If she could also be organized with charts and lists, that would be wonderful. Bonus points for washing blinds or getting the carpets cleaned. Yes, I'd like a wife. Any takers?