Hopeless

Today's entry is actually about me. It's a step-by-step rundown of my day yesterday. It wasn't really a bad day, but at the end things fell apart so quickly, it was almost humorous even then... it's funnier now that it's over...

5:30am - got up and biked 18 miles at the gym

7:30am - attempted to wake all 4 children with the bribe of chocolate chip waffles; succeeded with 2 youngest.

8:00am - Charla begins throwing tantrum because she doesn't want to wear pants under her dress (it was chilly and I knew we'd be playing outside... it was a good thing later that she wore them)

8:30am - threaten Gregory NO breakfast if he doesn't get up- he hauls his lifeless body downstairs. Charla still screaming, now emptying drawers and throwing toys at her walls.

9:00am - our friends show up to take us along to the zoo. 3 children happily load into van. I go upstairs and force the screaming Charla into the pants, hand her a baggie of Cheerios and we are finally on our way to the zoo.

9:30am - after getting lost a couple times, we eventually pulling over to check GPS. A nice local guy pulls up next to us and gives us directions- I love people in the South.

9:40am - We arrive at the zoo! No more tears!

9:45am - we check in and I decide to buy zoo membership which means embarking on a frustrating endeavor, which I will spare you the details of, but success in the end.

10:15-12:15pm - zoo time! Kids are really very good and happy. Charla trips a few times, skinning her knee (would've been a lot worse without the pants) and hands. After more screaming for a while, she insists on being carried until she has a miraculous recovering upon seeing the playground. I try to take kids on the train, but when it's finally our turn, it breaks down. We wait 15 minutes and I finally dash my kids' hopes and say we'd better get the toddlers home for naptime.

1:00-2:00pm - we have a nice picnic lunch in our friends' backyard and the kids get to play on their swingset. Kai walks into the basket swing, getting a nice big bruise on his lil' cheek.

2:00pm - Kai goes down for nap. I assemble gardening tools and start having my way with the front yard garden, clearing away old leaves and trimming the hedges (... of many small villages... sorry, I couldn't resist).

3:00pm - I go inside to start making Italian bread to go with dinner, leaving Gregory with a big shovel to till the garden bed.

3:30pm - come back outside to find Gregory flinging shovelfuls of dirt back, high over his head onto the sidewalk, like a cartoon character. I demonstrate the correct way (again) and resume attack on the bushes.

3:45pm - some joggers jog by and give me a weird look when I wave "hi" to them.

4:10pm - I get the dough to punch it down and discover that I'd been gardening in my bright kitchen apron that I had forgotten to remove after starting the bread.

5:00pm - abandon garden battle, to throw bread in the oven and start lasagna. All kinds of cooking mishaps happen (getting scalded by hot water, dropping noodles on the floor, etc), but success in the end. Feeling really tired and drained. Tell Fred I'd like a night to myself. First some soaking in the gym hot tub, a shower at the gym and then some relaxing at Barnes and Noble where I need to pick up a book anyways... yeah, that sounds nice.

7:00pm - dinner is FINALLY all ready (note to self: start making lasagna before 5pm). I sneak a bite of fresh warm bread and my heart sinks. I can't taste a thing. I've been getting progressively more congested over the past week. I'm not able to taste a single bite of dinner. At least the family likes the food.

7:30pm - head upstairs to grab a change of clothes and shampoo. Make a pit stop and heart sinks again... stupid Aunt Flow. Can't go to the hot tub. SO, I announce that I will shower at home and then go to Barnes and Noble. Discover rash on foot, probably from kneeling in the garden.

8:00pm - Fred gently asks whether I've seen a Barnes and Noble around. I was sure I had, but research reveals that the nearest one is 66 miles away. Exasperated, I consider trying a different book store, but decide to just head to the base Starbucks and read a book in peace.

8:15pm - climb into van and discover that girls left the lights on and the battery is dead.

8:16pm - I send Fred this text: It's pointless. I can't win. The van is dead. I give up. I'm sitting in the car until the kids are in bed and you rescue me. Love you.

8:30 - get a call from friend Maryjo. Turns out I had accidentally sent the text to HER. I unload my day on her and she reassures me that it'll be ok. Then I send Fred the text. I add that I need chocolate.

8:35pm - Fred comes out to the van. We consider jumping the battery, but by now Aunt F. is really having her way with me and I just want to lie down. Fred suggests a movie. I surrender to the idea and trudge upstairs to collapse in bed.

8:40-10:30pm - Fred brings up a bowl of Kettle corn (my favorite popcorn. I had talked myself out of binging on chocolate). Luckily the shower helped clear my nasal passages enough that I can taste the popcorn a little.
Movie interrupted by Gregory informing us that the girls were sneaking into his room, mouths full of water, and spitting it on him. We discover them soaked, give each one good swat on the bottom and leave them screaming in their room, to go enjoy the rest of the movie. My cat senses my misery and snuggles with me until it's done.

11:00pm - I finally crash for the night, grateful that the day is over.