Friday, September 18, 2009

Friday Report

After a two-year absence from the carpool drop-off line at Our Fine School, I'm back. The past two years, I dropped off Jack, and then Jack and Will behind the school. It was an easy, aggravation-free gig.

This year, I'm doing two drop offs, and both of them are in the carpool line, one at the lower school and one at the middle school, and I'm talking a lot of trash while I do it. It's so hard not to, especially when half of my fellow dropper-offers are chatting away on their cell phones and consequently driving like idiots.

So far, I haven't cussed. I've been good about referring to other drivers as "honey" or "sweetie," as in, "Gee, honey, you drive like an idiot," or ""Sweetie, if you don't put down that phone, I'm going to put it down for you."

I know, I know, it's such a bad example for the boys, especially Will, who's a little parrot. My only hope is that it's teaching them that paying attention while you're driving is a good idea if you don't want to incur the wrath of other drivers. Or at the very least, it's possible to vent one's rage without resorting to out and out profanity.

I think those are important lessons, don't you?

***

I have been an inconsistent blogger and blogging neighbor the last few weeks. I'm working on a book, and I write in the mornings, which is usually when I blog and comment on my fellow bloggers' posts.

The writing is going well. I'm trying to treat it like a job that I'm expected to show up at every morning, not as an optional activity. I've been working steadily since the boys went back to school and am happy with what I've written. The only thing about writing steadily every morning in an empty house is that it's quite possible by the end of the fall I'll be stark, raving mad. It's not necessarily a great thing to live so firmly inside one's imagination for long stretches of time.

But it's really, really fun.

***

Last night we went to yet another Parents Night at Our Fine School (middle school division). This is the last one for the year, thank goodness, and by my calculations we only have eleven more years of them.

The great thing about Middle School Parents' Night? All the parents are older. You get to see what those young moms in the preschool look like five years later. Guess what? They look really tired. They've put on a few pounds and added a few gray hairs. But they also look a lot more relaxed. Their faces are softer. Their clothes are looser. They've come to terms with the fact that gravity wins in the end.

Yes, I felt like I was among my people last night, the tired, the stressed, the chubby. Long may we reign.

***

Have a great weekend. Be kind to yourself. Eat some cake. Eat all the cake. What the hey.

8 comments:

Danielle said...

For years I've voiced in snarky terms that parents are some of the biggest violators of the manners we are purportedly trying to teach as they cut people off, drive on the phone, etc in the parking lot. My kids have said, "come on people" for years in the car.

Just last month I had a women aggressively PASS ME in the carpool lane! First, she honked when I didn't inch up within seconds of an opening. This didn't put me in the mood to inch up until there was some real movement. So then, the pass. I was speechless. I was ready to get out of the car and give a smackdown and then thought the better of it. I gave her the evil eye. I didn't break my gaze as we faced off in the mirrors. I reported her to the Assistant Principal when I got to the front of the line.

I'm so glad the writing is going well and assumed as much when I noticed the gaps in the blog. Happy writing. We are on intersession and traveling for the next week. Will touch base upon return.

Left-Handed Housewife said...

Thanks, Danielle--I feel affirmed! And I can just hear Aidan and Erin saying, "Come on, people!" just the way you do. And I've been passed in the carpool lane, too. What are these people thinking?

Have a great trip--I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back!

Tracy said...

Oh the special joys of going to a school in the middle of the bush where car parking is reasonably plentiful....and I get to use the staff car park right next to Miss Mischief's classroom :)

I love your view on all things school related. You make me laugh ~ a LOT, you make me thankful to be where I am and you make me want to rescue you LOL.

Writers have very special imaginations....even if you can't stay in yours for too long. I still laugh every time I hear an author say "I just met this character one day and I had no idea what they were going to do".

Oh...and thank you for the award. I will be doing my thing with it today.

Pom Pom said...

I just knew you were brewing another book. Yay! I'm glad the middle school moms have relaxed and don't look quite so "wow" anymore. It's as it should be, huh? When we have our first go around of parent/teacher conferences, I leave the table feeling pretty darn bouncy in comparison. Middle school parents have SO much to think on, so much sass to cope with and a lot of worry. It's so nice to hear from you, Frances!

Angela said...

Tired, stressed , chubby...You just wait till you are the parents at the University Graduation Day, and realise nobody is ever going to repeal the Law of Gravity especially round your tummy muscles or jawline.
In fact ,just lately, this menopausal wife of a Pastor feels more like the statistics in her daughter's workplace[she is a market research executive] - Like her figures, I too am broken down by age, religion and sex!

Gumbo Lily said...

You are so good not to cuss, Lefty! I'm not one to use profanity, but sometimes it's quite effective. Little ears don't need it tho....especially these days when everybody's doing it.

Love your command to "eat cake." How about apple crisp? I've eaten a lot of it today.

Happy week to come!
Jody

Left-Handed Housewife said...

Tracy, I imagine the parking lot of be a vast, endless space with a kangaroo or two hopping past. That would make drop off easier!

Pom Pom, Maybe someday you ought to do a post on hints for middle school parents--what to worry about, what to be more relaxed about. Jack is in the very early years of middle school (fifth grade), but there's a lot more to come!

Angela, Too funny! And yes, seeing all these formerly perky parents at later graduations ought to be quite an education in itself!

Jody, It is only a matter of luck that I haven't cussed--I've definitely caught myself at the last second a time or two, just as the offending word was about to leave my lips.

Apple crisp is good cake substitute! I hope you enjoyed every bite!

Tracy said...

Kangaroos, wombats (at night), echidnas, goannas and ducks are regular visitors around the place. Brave things that they are! Fortunately we have lots of bushland for them to hide in, away from children!