I drive to work every day now, on account of The Routine.
Depart home 8:05am (or earlier…or usually later, which is stressful).
Drop off Babygirl 8:15am. Brave the parking lot at LittleMan’s
School 8:19am. Sign LittleMan in 8:20am. Do morning paper with
LittleMan. Read short book with LittleMan until the bell rings 8:33am.
Get in car. Get gas. Stop at Trader Joe’s to buy
non-perishable groceries. Make friendly chit-chat with check-out guy.
Drive to work. Work 9am to 2:40pm. Drive (too fast) to
LittleMan’s school for 3pm pick-up (change into flat/comfortable shoes at red
light on Van Ness and Broadway). Get LittleMan. Get Babygirl.
Play at park. Stop at fishmonger/butcher for dinner. Home.
Depart home 8:05am (or earlier…or usually later, which is stressful).
Drop off Babygirl 8:15am. Brave the parking lot at LittleMan’s
School 8:19am. Sign LittleMan in 8:20am. Do morning paper with
LittleMan. Read short book with LittleMan until the bell rings 8:33am.
Get in car. Get gas. Stop at Trader Joe’s to buy
non-perishable groceries. Make friendly chit-chat with check-out guy.
Drive to work. Work 9am to 2:40pm. Drive (too fast) to
LittleMan’s school for 3pm pick-up (change into flat/comfortable shoes at red
light on Van Ness and Broadway). Get LittleMan. Get Babygirl.
Play at park. Stop at fishmonger/butcher for dinner. Home.
Quiet time.
Rest.
Repeat.
Before the double-drop-off, I used to ride the bus to work and
some days I miss the forced 30 minutes of downtime: I have no choice
but to read! There is something to
be said about just being a passenger. The anonymity. The few
moments when you’re just not responsible for anything at all. Walking two
or three blocks from the bus stop to the office or the school in the fresh air.
some days I miss the forced 30 minutes of downtime: I have no choice
but to read! There is something to
be said about just being a passenger. The anonymity. The few
moments when you’re just not responsible for anything at all. Walking two
or three blocks from the bus stop to the office or the school in the fresh air.
But some days I am grateful for the car. Today it is
raining. The kids have been sick for the better part of a month, and they
are finally on antibiotics (three infected ears and one case of impetigo
between them). They are cranky, and Babygirl has germies caked around her
nose, and LittleMan has no appetite (unless, miraculously, he is offered
ice cream) and has lost visible weight. For a week they have thrown
tantrums at meals instead of eating.
raining. The kids have been sick for the better part of a month, and they
are finally on antibiotics (three infected ears and one case of impetigo
between them). They are cranky, and Babygirl has germies caked around her
nose, and LittleMan has no appetite (unless, miraculously, he is offered
ice cream) and has lost visible weight. For a week they have thrown
tantrums at meals instead of eating.
Today we fought over breakfast. We fought over shoes.
“Stupid, boring!” toys were taken and stashed in the closet.
LittleMan pushed Babygirl. Babygirl pulled LittleMan’s hair.
Time-outs ensued. Sesame Street was withheld. “I’m
hungry now!” sobbed LittleMan as I forced him into his carseat at 8:11am
(of course). And then…”I’m just gonna scribble-scrabble my morning
paper and I hate school because they always make me nap and I hate naps!”
“Stupid, boring!” toys were taken and stashed in the closet.
LittleMan pushed Babygirl. Babygirl pulled LittleMan’s hair.
Time-outs ensued. Sesame Street was withheld. “I’m
hungry now!” sobbed LittleMan as I forced him into his carseat at 8:11am
(of course). And then…”I’m just gonna scribble-scrabble my morning
paper and I hate school because they always make me nap and I hate naps!”
Today I left the school and got in the car and there was rain
obscuring all the windows and I put my head in my hands and had a good, hard
cry.
obscuring all the windows and I put my head in my hands and had a good, hard
cry.
You can’t do that on the bus.
Pull self together 8:45am. Stop at Walgreens for a
toothbrush and toothpaste because somewhere in the middle of it all I forgot a
really fundamental act of human hygiene. Arrive at work
9am, where there is a warm muffin waiting thanks to the kindness of a
colleague.
toothbrush and toothpaste because somewhere in the middle of it all I forgot a
really fundamental act of human hygiene. Arrive at work
9am, where there is a warm muffin waiting thanks to the kindness of a
colleague.
Clouds break 10:26am.
This storm will also pass.
p.s. Rainy day looks on show at the Eagle’s Nest this week.
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