Sarah's Mother's Day rant!

Good morning!

This has been a tremendous week for me.  My son, Skippy, released his first book A Collection of writing from under my sheets, Noelle C gave her two weeks' notice, and it's Mother's Day!

Yes, you read all of that.  Noelle C is less than two weeks away from being gone out of my life.  I'd like to say it'll be the end of my book series that I'm working on, but I said that when Elsie W left in a cloud of divine fury, so we'll just have to see what Lumbergh hires next.

So it's been a good week, which should translate into a good Mother's Day weekend, right?

Not quite.

In true, "It can only happen to Sarah" fashion, my Mothers' Day weekend went from a dream weekend of writing and napping to, well, let's see if you can keep up with the time line.

As some point about a week ago, my mother sent me a text asking if we could "all be together." This is a very typical mother guilt technique.  I've used it myself on my kids when they say, "What do you want for -------"  I say, "I just want us all to be together."

Which is fine when you're four people who live in the same house and can manage to get your schedules to connect for a couple hours.  Not so easy when you're three family units living in four houses  (my brother's kids split their time with their mother.) and have that many more schedules to clear. 

Now, Hubby and the kids and I had plans to go to brunch at my favorite brunching place.  I directed my mom to talk to him.  He invited her, and therefore also his mom, who lives a couple hours away, to join us.  All was well, it was going to be a nice brunch at a nice place.  No muss, no fuss.

Except...well, Brother's kids were going to be at their mother's for , you know, Mother's Day.  So then we wouldn't be "all together."

So my mother sent Hubby a text saying that Brother had wanted everyone to come to his house in the evening when his kids could be there. 

Problem one:  My kids were both going to be WORKING in the evening.  So then we wouldn't be "all together."

I won't go into family dynamics with you, I'll let you draw your own conclusions about what's happening. 

So okay, Hubby sent a text back saying he and I would be there.  And that satisfied Mother. It doubled up our plans, since we still had Mother in Law driving in, but that's fine.

And then we got a text from Brother, who expressed confusion...he was looking forward to BRUNCH AT THE BRUNCHING PLACE.

Are we drawing conclusions yet?

But we aren't done.  Hubby and Brother worked out the menu, and all was still well.  Since my kids weren't going to be there, we wouldn't be "all together" but I guess it was closer than not having Brother's kids there, so it was fine.  Hubby and I would make half the meal, then drive across two counties on a Sunday evening for dinner.  Our plans for brunch?  Scrapped. Mother in Law will be eating at our house...after we do four hours in church because my Sunday School kids are singing in both services.  So now we're cooking for two meals and DRIVING.

But we're not done yet.

I get a phone message from Brother late this week saying that we don't need to bring any food, but that as a housewarming present he'd like us to buy him a butcher block cutting board.  (Oh, did I fail to mention he moved into a new house?)  Now, my typical housewarming present is candles because, while I have NO MONEY, I have millions of very nice candles.  But no, he wants a butcher block cutting board.

But we're not done.

So Hubby says he's still making what he was going to make because he's a vegetarian and Brother never met a dish he didn't want to dress up with meat of some kind.  So now, we're cooking for two meals, we're driving across two counties, we're SHOPPING FOR A GIFT, and yes, we're cleaning the house because Mother in Law is coming TODAY in the early afternoon.

But we're NOT DONE.

Hubby then asks if it's okay if he WORKS TODAY 8-1.  The extra money is nice, but ummmm....well, he promised last night he'd clean the house.  Well, he did do most of it, but the bathrooms are still a stink pile mess, and I have to get the office in shape for company. ( I love my mother in law, and she always says she's not coming to see the house, she's coming to see up, but frankly, if she saw the squalor we live in she'd run screaming from the house.) Plus now the shopping errands fall to me this morning, alone. And since she's coming in the afternoon, my one shot at a nap is gone.

BUT WE'RE NOT DONE!

Hubby also mentioned he has a YOUTH GROUP event tonight.  He'll be bowling with the church youth group until very late tonight.  Meanwhile, I'll be watching TV with Mother in Law, when what I really want to do is work on the Else W. book. And I won't be able to do THAT because Mother in Law will be sleeping in the office.  (Hey, I suggested she sleep in our room...I was overruled.)

So let's review:  My mother's day weekend started with gift shopping for my brother, cleaning the house my mother in law.  Today I get to run errands, clean some more, cook something, (I have to bake a pie for a choir thing on Monday...) Tomorrow I have four hours of church, brunch at home with mother in law, clean up after that, the drive across two counties to Brother's house where we will be "all together" except for my kids.

We'll be done right about the time I have to go to bed to get up and face my work week again.

To ease the blow a bit, Hubby and kids had roses delivered to me at work.  That was very nice and I like the flowers very much, but that should tell you a lot about the mood in our house right now. We are not a flower buying couple.  Hubby is doing what he can to sort of smooth over the fact that my simple weekend of writing and napping has turned into a rant on my blog.

So happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there who will get to celebrate with your kids.  And none of you better say one word about your family doing NOTHING special for the day.  I will trade with you in a single heartbeat!