Multitasking 101

Ah, summer; slow lazy days, sleeping in, school's out...

NOT!!

Welcome to the new summer!  This summer is going to be anything but! Let's start with slow lazy days. Where, as they wizz by? We've already had our first heat wave and as you all know, I hate the heat...AC for me!

Yes, that's my confused, deer in the headlights goofy face. I'm juggling:

1. My husband's work and summer travel schedule (the state of Washington for a week and Vietnam(whoa!) in August.

2. My work schedule* - usual days plus filling in where needed for others vacationing or CHA.

3. My mother-in-law's schedule - which is sparce, but I must make room every week for her weekly supermarket/Walgreens shopping and hair appt. Suitable angst over this as her original stylist has retired and at 81 almost 82, she's "too old to change" - this woman was too old to change at 25. I think she was born old...

4. The dog's schedule - yes, we must work Abby into the groomer more often as it is hot and with her coat she needs more clipping and grooming.

5. Last, but never least - my daughter. She will get a whole paragraph (or two to herself!)

The one good thing about Norman being away is that I actually get to drive my own car! Norm takes our car to work everyday so I never get to drive it. Even on weekends I end up using my MIL's car so he doesn't have to squeeze into her little compact. This also makes items 2-4 easier as I don't have to share MIL's car. I also get to do the garbage, let Abby out and all the fun little things he does. However, I draw the line at mowing the lawn. Definitely not in my job description.

Work is never a hardship, except when trying to get anyone in my family to remember I do work, yes, it's a REAL job, and no I don't get to play at work or skip days when it conflicts with someone elses schedule, i.e., MIL and Alexa.

Case in point: The Bend Over Backwards Theory
Everyone assumes that because I don't have a 'Real' job (Alexa's words) I can pick and choose when I work - NOT! I bend over backwards to be able to have everyone else not have their schedules upended almost always at the expense of my own!

Now if only I could really do this, but those days are gone!

Alexa's summer vacation from school - NOT! My beautiful, intelligent daughter decided she wanted to take a class this summer so she would not have to do it next year. Her grades are stellar and we really can not fault her initiative. However, gone are sleeping in mornings. She needs to be in class, in her seat by 7:30 a.m. ACKKK!! The good news is Bagel Jay's drive up window is open that early...

Alexa needs to be picked up at 11:11 - not 11:15 - 11:11!! (Grinding my teeth here...) Since MIL can't get herself up and out of the house much before 11:30 anyway, you'd think that would be OK, nope, I go to work at 10:00 a.m. on Thursdays and when I have to cover for someone, I need to be in at 10:00 (insert more grinding here...)

Then there is Alexa's travel schedule. She's going to Atlanta next weekend starting on Thursday, missing a day of school (MAJOR panic here). She looses a point off her average for every missed day of summer school. There are NO exceptions, none, nada, zip, zero! Did I mention that Thursday is the day I work, yeah. I'll miss work time again next week!

The only thing that doesn't conflict (knock on wood) is Alexa's tennis lessons, or High School Tennis drills. I get to drive her and a friend there every Thursday afternoon - thankfully AFTER I get home from work.

Then there is her 'going back to school' schedule. Every health form imaginable needs to be filled out and sent into school. Appointments for physicals, dental exams, braces (due to be removed - Yay! - conflicts with tennis tryouts - Boo!) also must be navigated.

This is all way too much like work! I used to get paid to do this for other people! Where's my check! how about a bonus! Well, I guess what they say is true...

Anyone got a pina colada handy? It's got to be five o'clock somewhere...

Laundry as Rabbits...

I will never be known for my sterling housekeeping abilities. Let's be honest, my husband is friendlier with the vacumm cleaner than I am. That said, I am a regular in the laundry room although, not as often as my daughter would like.  "Mom! when are you going to do laundry? I need: _________________ !!"(fill in the blank). As badly as I may spoil my daughter, I refuse to be a total slave to her, especially to her clothes.

Alexa's clothes multiply like rabbits! I used to ask her for her laundry. It would fill up a laundry basket or two. I'd do those clothes and the baskets would fill up again. I'd do the laundry and Alexa would complain that I didn't wash: _______________(fill in the blank)!

Therefore, about two years ago I introduced her to the wonders of the washing machine! I know, mean, mean, MEAN! mom! Now, no more worries! No more complaints! No more, "Mom! what did you do with: ________________?"(fill in the blank).  This week I relapsed. I made the mistake of starting to do some of Alexa's laundry and just like the bunnies that live in our backyard it started to multiply...

 Under this pile is MY clothes - at least everything is clean!

 Pile 2 - I got to finish off several loads so that Alexa could go to bed...*

15 Cami's are to the left and under this yellow/green/turquoise top is about 12+ tees and tops

These are Alexa's white 'delicates'...I figured I was done. I'd run out of places to stack her folded clothes and it was 1:00 in the morning, then I turned around and look what I found - more baby bunnies to wash!

I swear, if that child every says she has nothing to wear...

*I sent her to bed because the next day was the first day of summer school and she had to be to school by 7:30 a.m.!