Rockin' the Van

Not too long ago all of us (meaning the whole lot of the dysfunctional family) had to go somewhere together.  This in itself is usually traumatic, especially when the time in the van is longer than say 11 or 12 minutes.  Yes, 12 minutes is just about the limit for us.  After that someone either gets emotional, pissed off, or decides to let one rip which causes someone else to have to roll down a window then another gets ticked off because her hair is whipping around her face from the breeze.  No names (maybe me) to be mentioned.

That's neither here nor there and not really what this post is about.  No judging.

What it IS about is learning that my spouse who is only 9 months older than I am can tend to act like a fuddy duddy.  For example, when having a bonfire and someone (again no names) comes up with an innocent game of "Jump The Fire", he's the one to point out how dangerous it can be and someone's going to get burned.  Oh come on.....really?  We are all pretty good jumpers.  I've won that game countless times and only singed my leg hairs on one occasion.

So, we all hop in the van.  There's a bit of bickering from the 2 shorties about which one of them gets to be cool and sit in the back with the teen, but that doesn't last more than 7 minutes.  After everyone is settled and buckled in, we head to our destination.

It's eerily quiet for a moment.  I can hear people breathing.  Not good.  Not good at all.  I turn on the radio.  I hear some talking...thinking it was a commercial, I let it go for a moment.  A few minutes later, still more talking.  WTF?  Where's the music, dammit?  And why is this station so flippin static-y?

I ask the spouse:  Hey you, why is this station so FLIPPIN static-y??

The spouse:  It's AM.

Me:

Still Me:  It's fucking WHAT??  Are you fucking kidding me??  Seriously?  AM as in TALK RADIO??  

He gives some spiel about radio waves, transmitters and whatnot.  I look at him like he's grown a second head.  I think, who ARE you??  When did you become my Dad??  AM??  Where's Bruno Mars with Uptown Funk??  Where's SHUT UP AND DANCE WITH ME??  

Where's my FLIPPIN muuuuuu-zic??

I'm acting like a spoiled brat.  I know this.  The teen is actually quiet, taking it all in, probably jotting down pointers to use on me some day.  The Lil Lady is sitting there, smirking.  My serious Little Man says:  "Come on, Dad.  Turn on her music.  Don't you want to rock the van with Mom?"

The spouse looks at me, he's got that gleam in his eye.....you know the one.  I may or may not have rocked some vans in my lifetime, not this one playing AM TALK RADIO though.  But seriously, if all you listen to is blah blah blahblah blah, when the hell do you lighten up?  How do you unwind?? No wonder he's afraid to jump the freakin fire!

So I get to jam a little, sing and shout a little, and even rock the van a little.....just like the shorties and I do after I pick them up from school.  I think I even saw the old fuddy duddy tapping the steering wheel a few times.

Mission accomplished.

Next challenge?

Peace out, people.  And don't forget to rock the van once in a while.  It's good therapy.

Just T.

For Real.

Ok, so I had damn good intentions when I said I was gonna blog again.  But do you see what has happened?

Right.  Nothing.  Nothing but 2 measly posts.  Oh For Fox Sake, what was I thinking??

So, what happened?  I'll tell you what happened.  LIFE,  That's what happened.  Just LIFE.

Really,  does anyone else find that they don't have enough hours in a day?  Is it me?  Do I dilly dally all day long?  No,  I'm sure I don't.  I'm a nurse.  A hospice nurse.  I provide end of life care to my patients in their homes.  Most people cringe at the thought.  Not me.  I find it to be an honor, but that's another blog post.

Let's figure this out together.

I get up at 5:00am.  Ok, so my alarm goes off at 5:00am and I am out of the bed by 5:30.  I currently have 2 shorties that I have to get ready for school.  First and second graders.  The Little Man is the younger of the two and he's more self sufficient although sometimes I wish he would wait for a little help.  He will tell me he's going to make toast, and in my morning stupor I say ok, yeah, whatevs Man.  Then I hear the blazing siren of the smoke detector and I'm brought back into the present moment.

Lil Lady is less self sufficient.  In fact, putting it in a nice way, I can certainly say she is one hot mess.  Not sure where she gets it.  Certainly not from me.  I blame the girl teen.  Yes, I have one of those as well.  Neither of the girls likes to get up, and neither of them likes to go to bed.  I am raising night owls.  I love that they will be great party people some day.  

Except for one thing.  I work a day job!  Seriously people.  If I say it once, I say it a kazillion times in the morning.....HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN I HAVE A J-O-B?????  And yes, I spell it out.  Just like that.  They all look at me like I've lost my mind.  Spelling J-O-B like it's a dirty word.

So, for my J-O-B I am a nurse.  I run from house to house, medicating, managing pain and symptoms during the end of life, supporting families as best I can.  I give it my all, I truly do.  Even to the crotchety old guy that refers to Starbuck's as Starbuckles.  Yes, even he gets my 110%.  

During work I answer several texts from the teen girl.  Somehow the rule of no cell phones during classes has gone to the wayside, because either she's not in school when she's supposed to be, or the teachers have given up.  I must admit that sometimes I'm the one that starts the texting to her. Sometimes I just can't help it.  I see something funny, and I MUST share it.  Like this doozie.....

How could I NOT send that??  In my defense, she is nearly 18, so it's not like she hasn't heard profanity before.  I know you were thinking it.  Stop the judging. 

Anywhoozle, where was I?  Oh yeah, how my days go.  So after work I pick up the shorties, I listen to how their days have gone.  I ooooh and ahhhhh at the precisely the right times.  They are pleased I have paid attention.  We get home, I start to cook dinner, I start to get them going on their homework, I start to pet the dog, I start to vacuum, I start to fold some clothes, I rewash the ones in the washer since they have been in there for 3 days and smell like funk......I START all this shit, but never complete a thing.  We have dinner eventually after the spouse is home and saves me from the madness.  Actually, there is no saving happening.  He THINKS there is saving when in fact, he's my fourth child.  

After dinner I re-visit the homework situation.  Nope, Lil Lady is not done.  Not even started.  Little Man has been done for hours.  Remember?  Self sufficient.  I get Lil Lady to do her homework in between cleaning up the kitchen, picking up toys, emptying back packs, getting clothes ready for the next day, signing planners, wondering where my fourth kid spouse went, running bath water, getting my next day planned, charting if I slacked off during the work day like people think I do.  As if. (insert eyeroll)

I then retreat to the bathroom aka my office to check facebook, check email, play DOTS....and then all of a sudden it's after 11pm.  I have graduated from wherethehellismyspouse to wherethehellistheteengirl???  Seriously.  Hasn't she been given a curfew?  Who's in charge here??  So then starts the series of texts to find her whereabouts and tell her to get her scrawny ass home.  I don't know when I am supposed to not wait up for her.  Age 22?  35?  I don't know.  But I don't think it's 17.  Or 18.  Does any one know?  

There you have it.  The day is done.  The missing spouse is found on the kid's bedroom floor passed out, snoring like a freight train.  I leave him because I despise the snoring wouldn't want to disrupt his sleep.  The teen girl walks in the door, all happy and ready to chit chat when I'm ready to pass out. The dog is patiently waiting for her bedtime treat.....

She gets her goodnight cookie and I finally crawl into bed.  I don't look at the clock because I know it will flip me out.  I secretly convince myself I am getting more than 4 hours of sleep.  In fact, my clock isn't even set on the correct time.  About four years ago I gave up resetting it for daylight savings and shit.  And I also had it set to be 20 minutes fast, so I would get up and rush but then find that I was early.  It's a great feeling I recommend to anyone trying to pull a fast one on themselves.  

Before I know it, the alarm goes off and it's a mad rush to do it all over again.  I'm still wondering for how long my body can continue this madness.  There has to be a limit, yes?

So, peeps.....that's my life. 

For real.  

Peace out,

Just T.