An extra day off

I took Monday off after The Kid's ultimate sleepover birthday party. I knew I would be exhausted.

I was right. I did so many dishes my knuckles were cracked and bleeding.
I thought, that with the pick-up done on Sunday, I could enjoy some knitting time in a quiet house with investigating detectives and autopsies on t.v. (in the MIDDLE of the day), snacks and possibly a few errands. My possibilities were dreamy.
 
I didn't realize the Man Friend had the day off as well. Well, that's fine, we're pretty independent of each other in theory.

The alarm went off and I decided I could not hog the day or the sleep in. We took the kid up to school as a family and enjoyed a leisurely walk from the Castro down Market street, up through Civic Center into Tenderloin. Originally I wanted pancakes, mini Swedish pancakes with a circle of sausage at Sear's. However he had breakfast food earlier that week and wanted something else. Something else meant Pho Vietnamese soup at Turtle Tower which was great and less stones in my stomach inducing. It was definitely a warm and soothing way to begin our day. It's never as good take-out either. We stopped for "Mom coffee" on the way home which is very high maintenance of me (a Starbucks' Vanilla Latte w/half the syrup) but was not criticized and did not criticize myself knowing it was a treat kind of day.

And then ... all bets were off. He read, I turned on the t.v. and pulled out Lo's cowl to finish up. "Wow you watch tv during the day? I never watch t.v. during the day." (Ignore him the good angel said. Tell him to shut his pie hole the bad angel said.)

Our flat is really cold, so I saw him go into the bedroom ... to nap, er read. I got on the computer to take care of some financial stuff and other chorey stuff, and then I figured I would get into bed and knit too. Maybe work on a blanket and use it as an extra blanket. The problem was I ended up being on the computer for over an hour. At some point he put on 13 Assassins this violent Samurai movie that is WAY worse than watching CSI in the middle of the day ;). Not that I care what he watches. But then I yelled at the computer that I am not taking a day off to work on the computer and yelled at it again and then started knitting.

He took a nap.

And I was stuck watching decapitation and jungle short cuts. I woke him up and asked him to work the Netflix so I could watch what I wanted. He slept another hour ... at least.

So jealous. I can't sleep during the day unless I'm really sick or I didn't really get up in the morning. Otherwise I just lay there like a floppy teenager.

I knit for a little bit and finally peel myself  out of the warm blankets to tidy up. We had company coming that evening, and dishes needed to be washed, floors swept and meats marinaded. Oh yeah, and someone needed to pick up The Kid from school.

He did. In that one hour he was gone, I weaved in some ends, stitched up HM's old log pillow and stuffed it, and worked a few rows of a blanket. Walk, Soup, Non obligational talk, Sleep (okay, lay there), Knit, Early Kid pick-up, Easy Old Friend's dinner. It went by so much faster than I thought it would for such a relaxed pace. But it was definitely what I needed. Can't wait to do it again.

Rolling your eyes at the plan

The weekend wasn't quite what I anticipated ... but it all worked itself out.

Be proud of me, I remained calm, with the exception of the season finale of Downton Abbey. I think I was sighing and talking to the t.v. so much poor Manfriend just went to bed.

I got out of a meeting at 4:30 on Friday (those are tough ones) to a phone call from The Manfriend letting me know it appears our son has a case of the stomach sicks and he would be bringing him back from Pt. Reyes (at the grandparents) in an hour or so.

So this uncomplicated the weekend. Keep him comfortable and get him healthy. A focused goal that works for all.

It actually could've been a lot worse. We spent some quality time together and he was even able to help pick up around the house and his room a little.

Stomach cramps aside, it was some good Mother & Son time. I washed floors, and do laundry. We would read War Horse and watch movies.

We asked him about the 5k. Dad would stay home if he didn't feel well enough, but he was fine. In fact we knew he was on the mend when after he ran he asked if we could go to dim sum instead of driving home.

So here we are!

Making it complicated ... again.

You know, I was just over at Peppermint Mocha Mama and her 3 day weekend post really made me happy. Just because it was about the sweet and simple. She thought maybe they would go off and have a family event day but then ...

So the three of us will probably be hanging out at home on Monday... one reading in her room, one probably on his computer and me in my chair, covered in yarn.

Doesn't that sound just dreamy?

I keep thinking to myself, "yeah, yeah, keep it simple this weekend."

Meanwhile The Kid has decided to turn 9 on me. Yeah right? How'd that happen? He wants to see his best pal. He's been invited to go to Santa Cruz w/him and another family from Sunday/Monday. But Monday is his REAL birthday.  You know my real mother's day. (I warned you I was a selfish beast). His father says he can go. Which really I love this family, I'm OK with it. (We are having the sleep party next week)

The other kicker though is, before he can go he has to do the Chinatown 5K with his father and me and Auntie Sunday morning. (We didn't let Baby Big Head come this time, because if he got whiney, he'd insist on being carried and that's just not going to happen. Plus, I feel like my sister wouldn't "relax" if he was around. I think for the next one we can bring him, because he will be eager to be on best behavior to participate with the rest of us.)

We will get our T-shirts at the local Y (which is what the run benefits) and have dim sum breakfast while we are there :) Yay for dim sum. It's like 3.1 miles for dim sum ha!

So you see, now I feel like it is complicated, this lovely, lovely 3-day weekend a'comin'. (My ability to overcomplicate matters seriously is like a super power). Maybe it feels complicated because I don't have things nailed down. When people are coming/going. And in the back of my mind I see the white laundry basket and the dirty floor.
Drat. That just doesn't sound like being covered in yarn like Peppermint Mocha!

Oh but it will be.

This weekend is the time to be covered in yarn. I need to make some stockinette inches on a sweater, add a panel to a baby blanket and a few baby chalice repeats to another. I need to weave in the last of those damn handwarmer ends!! I should be able to do this with some copious amounts of tea and a return to PBS Mysteries and maybe slap in some Harry Potter (yes again husband!) or some Two Towers (yes again, my son).

We will all be productive, we will all have fun and we will relax ... damnit.

Heartshaking - not heartbreaking

Heart ... shaking ... get it? It's J-E-L-L-O!

I found a photo, act impressed kids.

This picture that I pulled from the family photo site is from 2009. That's 3 years of photos not uploaded. Sad no?

My Valentine's Day card to my kid reads like a chapter out of a passive aggressive text book. (shame on me ... shame. It's decided I'm not quite a Tiger Mom, it's more like a Meerkat Mom. *sigh)

My husband came home from work at the restaurant and says, "Hey, did you know that Valentine's Day is kind of a big deal? We were so busy. I think people took the day off." Now mind you it's not sad for me because he obviously doesn't know the value of a good Hallmark holiday (this is sarcasm for those unfamiliar with me) it's that he's of a grown-up age and still surprised other people like it.

I went to Zumba rather than stay home and eat dinner w/the family. I like when The Kid asks me to show him a new fast move or tries to immitate me. If I really flail around like he does, that's sad ... but funny. So I get my heart shaking in the best of ways :)

My "Old Lady" Moments

* Crappy with options: When I can't tell you what I prefer, because I know I'm capable of ALL three options and therefore should be a good person and let you pick. I might possibly physically wince when you don't choose the option I prefer because apparently I'm kooky like that (For HM, my Mentor on Overcompensating)

*Talking for the sake of being friendly. (For littlesnoopy who must witness my various "Too Much Information" or "What are you talking about?" moments at school drop off.)

*OK, I have my keys, but where are my glasses (or watch, or wallet or lunch or whatever)  (for The Kid who endures this 50% of the mornings we leave for school.

*My feet are always cold. Even when I don't think they are ... they are. Like blocks of ice. Maybe I don't have old lady feet, I have corpse's feet. (For the man-friend which must endure my attempts to warm them by pressing them against him. I am merciless. You can whine, you can cry, Thy warmth shall be mine!)

*Dry skin. It is a mild winter even for the bay area, but I have dry skin. I'm itchy and I'm either coating myself in lotion or itching and very concerned I might be bringing on my own allergic reaction. I may want to discuss my dry skin with you. However I promise if I'm not related to you, I won't request a backscratch.

*Dating yourself. At Zumba our instructor as a "tribute" did the warm-up and cool-down to Whitney Houston. The warm-up was some newer song I'm unfamiliar with. Anyways cool-down was to "You give Good Love" and I turned to another familiar student and said, "Oh my! We're going old school!" and she turns to me and says, "You are old enough to know this song?" I'm thinking she thought I was younger. How sweet!

*Discussing my digestion. I am trying to make sure I drink lots of water and I also like to fuss about my caffeine intake. On the otherhand, I cannot stop eating spicy things and it's citrus season. I am a total hypocrite. Um can you say, Crazy Curry night? Hell I had a crazy curry weekend!

*I really want everyone to be happy, but please do not get in my way if i need to knit, read or bake. But please go ahead and do the dishes.

Sew What?

I have a desire to learn how to sew. Everybody is doing it.

Mom makes quilts and pillow cases for The Kid.

HM sews her own aprons and napkins and table runners.

Little Snoopy is making dresses and jammies.

Al can make, well ... anything.

I just want to sew on a sewing machine. I want to be able to understand how to piece together a pattern with the pins and sew it without getting my fingers ... or the pins.

The thought of it makes me get nervous tummy.

But look, I think I found a lesson just for me! I just need someone to watch The Kid for me one of these Saturdays and if I plan now, I might just be able to do it!