Surviving Today...a Trilogy

Part 1
The meeting went better than anyone could have predicted. I was so nervous my hands were freezing and sweating at the same time.

(Hubby just popped in to room and said, "Say hi to all your blogging buddies out there." So, HI!)

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.

It was only 30 minutes long (my part of it) and I couldn't describe it if you paid me a million bucks. I was totally in a zone and having an out of body experience. Amazing how we can tear ourselves up that way, isn't it?

Anyway, at the end of it? the most astounding thing happened. She thanked me. She thanked me for being the first manager in a long time who has actually cared. She told my boss that she totally respects me and appreciates the way I deliver my messages. She even told me that she remembered I had told her a long time ago how I got very uncomfortable when I had to give bad news to people and she told me it never came across that way. She cried, and then said the tears were because she heard what we were saying and that she appreciated the support and attention we were giving her. Honest to God, it was like coming to Jesus.

I sent her home afterward and asked her to come back ready to start fresh but to pay attention to the written consequences in the memo. The next downslide will be the last. I hope there won't be one.

And so we live to fight again another day...

Part 2...
They're heeeerrrreeeeee. Well at least 2 of them. Mom and Unc arrived today and are settling in. I arrived home at 6PM (miracle) to find them huddled under a blanket (okay, get your minds out of THAT particular gutter). They were freezing because up until yesterday it was 75 degrees out and who needed heat?!?! We never turned on the thermostat!!! It was only down to 68 in the house, but poor Mom and Unc had been quite chilled to the bone. So I cranked it up a few degrees and also lit a fire in the fireplace.

I experienced some role reversal since hubby has always had the more regular hour job (until now) and he is usually home during the cocktail hour and handling the cooking while I am still struggling with the homebound commute. Tonight I was here until he called at 7:15 to tell me he was just leaving work. No sweat. He picked up the slack for me many a time in the past. I regrouped and stretched my culinary talents to the limit by putting a tray of crackers, cheese, and fruit together to get us by and called the friendly neighborhood applebee's for takeout.

After cocktails, conversation, a crackling fire, and Applebee's culinary delights - all were suitably mellow and ready for entertainment. What do 4 over 40 adults watch when left to their own choice? Happy Feet of course! (don't ask.)

Part 3...
I explained my attack of cleaning fever last night to help balance my stress and anxiety over the coming work day. As a result, when I left here this morning I felt that my mom would be impressed with the state of my household. Don't get me wrong, she never complains or criticizes...she just tries to help. Any I have to say, when she does things like cooks us dinner, weeds our gardens, etc. it is labor we greatly appreciate. But this time, I thought I'd have her scratching her head wondering how she could help us out. No random food on counter, all dishes put away, no need to dust or vacuum, I even sprayed air freshener everywhere. Their bed was made up like the Hyatt I stayed at last week with layers of covers in various folded scenarios, and I even left fresh towels out in their room. What was the one thing I forgot? There were about 10 pieces of paper I had tossed into the wastebasket in the bathroom adjacent our home office. And so the following conversation ensued:

Me: I can't believe the kitchen garbage is so full...I just emptied it last night...

Mom: Well, there was garbage in the bathroom wastebasket so I emptied it. Maybe that filled it up part way.

Me: (cuz I just can't let it go - 2 alpha females in one space...) Oh. Well. That REALLY should have gone in RECYCLING since it was all PAPER.

Mom: Oh.

{Pause. }

Me: (cuz I can't be mean to my mom for more than 1 minute at a time). That's ok Mom. I'm really not that good at recycling anyway - last week I cleaned out the fridge and there were some leftovers gone bad that I just couldn't face and I threw them in garbage. Container and all.

Me and Mom: (Laugh...) Good to know neither of us is perfect!

Lesson:
Always good to remember every day that no one is perfect...including yourself. Oh...and be nice to your Mom.