Whadda Week

Have you ever looked back over your week, pinched the upper part of the bridge of your nose between your thumb and index finger, and wondered how on earth you managed to survive it? I'm there today.

Topic 1:

My week starts with my oldest son's debit card being used in large sums of money - around $1k - in Germany and Italy. Is your son there, the bank asks? Why no, I say. To my knowledge, he is sitting in Baghdad. So they froze his bank account. Well, guess who got a few days' leave and took off to Europe without telling his mom? Bingo. So I spent 3 days trying to get 2 Western Unions to go through to him in Italy so he wouldn't starve.

By the way, it's not as easy to send a Western Union as they make it look on TV.

Topic 2:

So then on Thursday night, I start my second job at a local department store...basically working weekends. I wanted to have a little extra cash on hand since I will have 2 daughters in college, and my savings account is sucking air. Money=freedom=options for Your Fearless Leader. Well, bring in the band, because I have a sneaking suspicion that my child support might develop some "issues" in the very near future and my "extra money" will be conscripted into service as "grocery money." More details to follow on that later, when my suspicions are either confirmed or squelched.

Topic 3:

My 19-year old daughter informed me at 10 p.m. on Saturday that she was moving out on Sunday. She's moving in with a friend of hers, about 2 blocks from where I work. I am okay with this...but a little "heads-up" would have made the transition a little easier on poor old Mom. Of course, she is leaving her stupid cat here. Of course.

Topic 4:

Saturday night at 9 p.m., my youngest 2 kids show up at the door unexpectedly...they were supposed to be at their dad's for the weekend. Guess what evidently didn't work out. Bingo again.

Topic 5:

Sunday, while I was working my second job, I get a call from my daughter telling me that my other daughter has driven my husband to the ER. Suffice it to say, he's not missing a limb or anything, and I don't want to talk about it, because the whole thing really, really irritates me. He has a condition that my little old 89-year old grandma also has, but when hers flairs up, she manages to take an over-the-counter pill and go to bed until she feels better. Yes, I know you think I'm heartless in the face of another's pain, but 4 rounds of natural childbirth will do that to you. So let's leave that topic at - I had to leave my new job to sit in an ER for 2 hours.

Topic 6:

Sunday night/Monday morning at 2 a.m. I had to get up and drive almost 3 hours to the airport to drop off my daughter, and then 3 hours back home again, of course. I collapse in bed and the phone starts ringing - 3 different calls between the hours of 8 and 9. Nobody EVER calls me. EVER. It's like the batman light is on over my roof or something, so everyone knows to call me and wake me up.

Now I'm semi-conscious, but writing a blog post. I have discovered that this is the optimal state for writing, actually. Or not. You be the judge.

Here's to a new week. Salud.