January's Junk

January 27, 2012 0530

I sit here at the computer morning after morning trying to think of something to say. I know what I want to say, part of which my be deemed inappropriate and part of which might be too much information.

I have struggled some since my last post about my doctor’s appointment. The prescription he gave me has helped hold myself together as I try to focus on the daily rigors of life. If I were tested and scored right now I would qualify as severely adult attention deficit disorder. Things pull me from one direction to another on a daily basis. Where I think I am one place in my routine, I quickly get sucked into another. It is a wonder that I can get any work done in 8 hours at the office, and despite the things that pop up in the office at a moment’s notice, I can pretty well manage to stay together and organized.

When I get home it is a different story altogether. I am the mom and the dad, the referee, the chef, the maid, the launderer, the butler, the driver, the errand girl, the wife (and all that implies), the nurse, the basketball coach, the social director, the spiritual director, a teacher, the entertainment committee, the financial director, the professional planner, the organizer, and sergeant at arms…or disciplinarian. You wonder why I might drop the ball from time to time. You would think my “helpmate” would pick up the ball and dribble it for a while, if not at least score a few points….when I get him in the game I will let him know that he has a job to do… but shouldn’t he be in the game by now? (Switching analogies here) Shouldn’t we be able to tag –out once in a while? We do tag-out, but it is mostly at his convenience. (And wouldn’t you know that I came home to a clean house??? I did thank him for his effort…I know it won’t last, but I enjoyed it. I even pitched in and mopped the floor in the living room, which requires hands and knees action since the Swiffer was taken apart my by inquisitive six year-old.)

That being said, let me move on to something I want to write about. Now maybe I can get some thoughts out since the trash has been taken to the curb.

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January has been an extremely busy month. I can’t believe it is almost over. Not even having had time to stop and think of what a New Year’s Resolution might be I have just been plugging away at life on a moment to moment basis.

At the first of the month, I donned a red tshirt and said Roll Tide for about 24 hours. You won’t hear that from me again for a while. I did not lose a bet. I said that in support of my Alabama friends who supported Auburn in the last year. That and I refused to pull for LSU. In the good spirit of sportsmanship, which I am trying to teach my children who play sports, I didn’t have a problem saying these two words…so get your chin up off the floor. It might not happen again for a few years.

I have spent time with friends and family. My best friend for 31 years, Ginny, has been in the hospital a good bit during the month, but I have been able to visit her on my lunch hour and weekends. My kids and I even had a slumber party in her room one night to keep her company. Meghan will climb up in the bed with her and sleep next to her. She is quick to tell all the nurses that we are "family". I met my good friend from Florida at a Mexican restaurant in Talladega one afternoon for lunch. She had brought a friend of hers and the two of them taught my daughter a new word...crackhead. We laughed and laughed that whole time we were together, but I usually do when I am with my good friend Dessie from Florida. 

Also this month we had Erin's birthday celebration. I would call it a party, but it wasn't. I took her and a friend and the twins and my daughter, sister and mom to the movies to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D. My mom treated us to lunch at Chic Fil A, we had popcorn and sour straws at the movies...sour straws are to them what JR Mints are to me, what jelly beans were to some others. After the movie we met my grandparents and Poppa Dave at Mexico Lindo where we had chips and cheese dip, flan, and sopapilla. Carlos and the gang sang to Erin as a treat for her birthday. 

In January I get to see Mrs. Bobbie Pierce Dulaney. Many remember her as Mrs. Pierce from Lincoln Elementary School, 4th grade teacher. I loved Mrs. Pierce as a teacher. She read to us Bible stories and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Super Fudge! She let us play on the computer...a novelty in 1984, and put her make-up on in front of us every morning. Once she had her face on, we could begin class. She was funny.  She still is.  She won the hearts of the unreachable. I remember this one kid in class, a new kid, a tough kid. He pierced his ear with a wire...in class...this was before AIDS. He loved Mrs. Pierce and still does. Every year I see Eric, and he always asks about her. Mrs. Pierce was the first person I ever saw put peanuts in her Coke. I had to try it. Even now when I see her it is like seeing an old friend. I look forward to our meetings and she also. I recently bumped into her at the DMV. As soon as she left, I phoned Eric. "Give her my number," he said. "And tell her I said hello."  THAT is a sign of a good teacher!!!