Cold Old & don’t want to Fold

Yesterday was a long – odd day. I was home- it was my day off- ms 18 had plans with a friend so she wasn’t home & I had the appointment to get my new satellite receiver installed between 12 & 5 which meant that I really couldn’t go anywhere (especially since Thursdays are my only day to catch up my sleep a little & so I slept in that morning & didn’t get up – even then with difficulty- until 10)

I had already been up of course- at 6:30 to insist 12 & 9 get up & get ready for school plus pick up their rooms a little so I wouldn’t be embarrassed to death when the installer came to put in the new receiver & move my old one upstairs for 12 & 18 to share. I was in & out of sleep until the kids left around 7:30 on the school bus & both of them heartily assured me their rooms were clean & I would have nothing to be embarrassed about.

When ms 18 left around 8:30 she woke me up to say she was leaving then. I acknowledged that & knew no more until 10 when my alarm went off because I wanted to pick up before noon. I got up- dressed & started picking up- made my bed- picked up the living room- dinning room & kitchen- washed laundry – sorted laundry -settled down to write out bills & found the living room rug required immediate attention- when I went to get the vacuum I found mr 9 had lied.

Lied to my face– told me his room was clean & not embarrassing & all set for company- well it wasn’t it was a pit- blankets all over the place- half on the bed half on the floor- clean & dirty clothes strewn all over the rest of the floor- a basket full of clean clothes right in the doorway making it nearly impossible to get into the room & go up the stairs to his sister’s rooms.

I moved the basket of clean laundry- all scrambled up – although I had folded them all on Monday or Tuesday – quite neatly I might add- when I moved them I found a weeks worth of school papers – like he’d emptied his backpack right there between the door & the stairs without a thought for anyone’s need to get into his room or up the stairs (not to mention the part where I might want to see how he’s doing in school!)

I didn’t go so far as to actually clean his room for him- I really feel at age 9 he should be able to do it himself- but I got the laundry out & perused the papers. He’s doing well- as is ms 12 this year thank goodness- I was worried since they don’t have the mentoring program any longer as they’re without insurance. I was too afraid to go upstairs & check ms 12’s room.

I got my checks all written out to pay the bills- caught up on what was on the DVR- especially since this was my last day with that DVR & played video games (I love my game boy advance- I could play Galaga all day every day – with frequent breaks for Megamania) I didn’t play too much because it was chilly in my living room & I had to take breaks to warm my hands here & there.

At 1:30 my phone rang & the technician’s boss asked if he was there yet- then when I said no & asked if he should be the boss hastened to assure me that it was fine- everything was fine! At 3 the kids came home & I read them the riot act- mr 9 cleaned his room- ms 12 assured me again that her’s was fine & took pictures to show me since I still wasn’t feeling like going upstairs (I was starting to stiffen up from all the cleaning I’d done earlier)

For the next 4 hours mr 9 & ms 12 fussed & complained about the tech not showing up yet. “Can’t you call- ?” “where is he?” “Why is he so late” I felt like I was at work as I parroted all the reasons why techs can run late- at 5:15 the tech’s boss called again to ask for the tech (the tech’s cell phone was out of range in my area) & again assured me everything was going fine.

I was a little edgy when I finally started dinner at 5:30 ( I was postponing because I didn’t want to be cooking or eating while they were there) finally at 7:20 the tech showed up- it was 2 of them- the senior one was training the other- to make matters worse they had concerns about my line of sight due to a tree. I agreed- I had wanted my original dish installed in 2005 when we moved here- on the chimney due to that tree.

The tech who came that time assured me it’d be fine where he put it & I have never had a bad signal at all since then but this tech insisted when the leaves came in on the tree in the spring I’d lose signal. So they remounted my dish at the top peak of my house- in 4 degree weather- arriving after dark. I have to give them props for dedication.

However- they took forever- I am not kidding- it’s a good thing that my extra day of work on my Friday day off is an abbreviated one & I was able to sleep until 8 this morning because they didn’t leave my house until 11:48 last night.

To make matters worse- I work with the senior tech’s mother & the trainee’s daughter- son & son in law have all worked where I work in the past. Augh! I can’t get away from people who I either know- should know or know someone in their family.

At least I wasn’t confronted with yet another person who knew my ex or worse yet- was ripped off by him. Things can always be worse! Today was a mad scramble from start to finish- they postponed school by 2 hours today so the kids were getting up & ready to go at the same time I was- usually I wake them just as I’m about to go out the door so I have peace & quiet & no line to the bathroom while I’m getting ready to go.

And the kitchen sink faucets froze up (still not defrosted now) But the bathroom’s ok so we’re ahead of where we were last time it was this cold.

And the most pleasant- friendliest- person around me is going to be off for the next week- on a mini vacation.

And I had to go pay bills- get some groceries & bring home dinner after my lovely ‘day’ at work.

And then after I got home I discovered the pizza place hadn’t included any salad dressing with my salad & we didn’t have any (among other things I’d forgotten at the store) so after the kids were through with their dinner we went back out to the local store & got more groceries!

And I’m not through yet- this shopping at 3 or 4 different grocery stores every two weeks is just crazy- but one has good meat- one has my breakfast drink stuff – really cheap- one has other things we all like at good prices & of course- walmart has nearly everything- just not always as good quality or exactly what we want.

Still have yet more laundry to fold although I don’t know if I can actually sit on the floor in this cold weather- it’s cold enough that if you’re not huddled on top of the heater- you’re pretty cold & probably need a blanket. Brrr!