I was almost distracted by another blog post titled 'The Gin Tonic', but here I am, months later, having finally remembered my password to this damn thing!!

I just finished re-reading 'I Don't Know How She Does It' by Allison Pearson and now am feeling guilt on top of my already all-consuming guilt because not only do I not do enough for my kids, but I don't even make lists about the stuff I should be doing for them!! AArrrggg! Still and all, I loved the book (even though I was reading it instead of spending time with said children). Oooohh, I am a really bad mumma! I know that these years go by way too fast and that I'll regret what I missed, but come on, if the choice is to sit in the backyard reading a terrific novel or having my hair ripped out of my head because my almost 3 year old is playing hairdresser, I'll choose the backyard every time.

Perhaps it's time to go find that Gin and Tonic post after all...

Why I'll Never Be Published

After looking at the date on my last post, I quickly realize why I have never been published...I don't write anything! I wonder if it is too late to change my slacker ways, or if I should once again give myself permission to put this aspiration behind everything else in my life; kids, husband, day job, house cleaning, dog walking, snow shoveling, laundry...

I've always been a procrastinator, but usually the fear of getting fired, yelled at, shamed (you get the point), is enough to motivate me to complete whatever task lay at hand, and usually with quite decent results, if I do say so myself. So that leads me to wonder if there has ever been a time in my life when I was honest with myself about my priorities and what makes me happy. Did I go to school, get married, have kids, buy a bigger house, buy another car, set unrealistic standards for the cleanliness of my home, etc, etc, etc, in an attempt to keep everyone around me happy because that was what they wanted for me, or because it was easier to do that than to admit I might not have the talent to do things that would really fulfill me?

Or perhaps this is all a reaction to the Sudafed and Vicks Vaporub...I think I'm going to go back to bed now...

PS - Could someone remind me why it's not completely insane to live in a climate where there is snow on the ground for 6 months of the year.

As one of the few of my group of friends who already has children, I quickly learned that very few people but my husband and I were interested in a continual monologue of the fascinating things our kids do every day. Once in a while however, you've just got to share. Partially as a way to ingrain the moment in your brain, and partially because some things are just too damn funny not to share. That being said, you can quit reading now if you're not interested in a funny anecdote regarding our oldest daughter who turns five tomorrow.

So Janna had asked for a bowling party to celebrate her fifth birthday, and we thought, hey, why not. A fairly non-competitive, age appropriate activity for a girl who would rather pick dandelions than kick the soccer ball down the field... let's go for it. The invitations were sent, RSVPs received, goodie bags filled, we were good to go. My only concern was making sure I confirmed the use of bumpers at the lanes, to ensure the game didn't end up completely in the gutter.

It is now the day of the party and we are ready to roll. Except for the house, which is kind of a disaster. Okay, everyone clean up your rooms, it's Janna's birthday today and God forbid the other mommies figure out that our house isn't always tidy. Amazingly enough, everyone heads off to do their share of the clean up. About fifteen minutes into it, I go to check on the progress in the kid's rooms. This is often an hour's long process where everybody either ends up crying or screaming...nuff said. I am, in fact, very impressed when I walk into Janna's room. All the toys have been shoved in the desk or closet so you can now see the floor. All the clothes have been balled up and thrown behind the dresser. Did I mention you can actually see the floor. I'm about to compliment Janna on her technique, when I realize she is in the corner of her room doing pushups.

"I'n exercising Mumma," she puffs while continuing her push-ups. "I gotta stay loose, I don't wanna lose today at bowling and embarrass myself."

I managed to keep a straight face until I got to the basement to share this information with the hubby, where we immediately burst out laughing. Where do kids come up with these things? And more importantly, does anyone know if there's a way to avoid being held accountable for the inevitable psychiatry bill we'll be sent, some 25 years from now???

Shadow Puppet -
Pseudo Creative Type
& Bobble-Head Wannabe