Smacked Upside the Head

I am having a DAY. First I burst into tears in Jane's school parking lot because some woman yelled at me. Then Ana woke up with a fever so I took her to the doctor and she has strep. Next, on the way home, she THREW UP in my car--which I think I have to sell now. So then I was standing in CVS getting her prescription filled and I got one of THOSE migraines, which explains the crying because someone yelled at me in traffic--since it happens every day up here.

And oh look, it's raining again.

There's more to this story, of course, like the fact that the woman who yelled at me in the parking lot did so because I almost hit her child with my van. But see, I was watching the little girl and she was bouncing all around and I knew she was about to bounce in front of my car so I was INCHING forward. I was doing the RIGHT thing. But you know, if someone almost hit my kid with a car, I think I'd probably yell, too. The look that little girl gave me, my gosh, it just froze my blood.

Or like the fact that I got home from taking Jane and crying and the three Southern men in life, my FIL and BIL and husband, were all standing there, not quite knowing what to say to a woman who is WEEPING ABOUT A TRAFFIC ALTERCATION. And I was all embarrassed and my husband was holding me and I said, "I feel like I'm in trouble all the time up here." And so Coop told me that a woman in the pet store parking lot had been so rude and abusive to him and clearly in the wrong that he actually called her a NAME and walked away. And this is my husband, one of the most chivalrous men I've ever known. He said, "It hurt my feelings when she yelled at me. I understand." I guess that sums it up--I got my feelings hurt and I cried. Because I'm all mature like that.

Another lovely little shading to the morning is that Ana cries a LOT about going to school. (She's not a morning person. Which is sort of like saying HITLER wasn't so much a People Person.) So Coop and I were getting all Tough Love on her this morning and talking to her about how sometimes she just needs to SUCK IT UP. Sometimes she needs to just put some fuel in her body, and get dressed and GO TO SCHOOL.

And then it turns out that she's not only really sick, she's REALLY sick. Because that's how it is in our family--we are always filled with the right resolve at exactly the wrong time.

I was just about to say that I need a Do-Over on today when I got two more Joy Rush Lists:

Texas Peach

Tiny Tyrant

AND the sun came out.

Comments

Ei said…
Dear Flying Spaghetti Monster! Are you channeling me or what?
Anonymous said…
Sweetie, you know what? Kids DO have to learn how to suck it up once in a while. I feel bad that you feel bad and that Ana is sick but my kids are the same. EVERY day I get up and make their breakfasts and then make their lunches and then make sure the swimming stuff is ready (if it's Friday) and make sure Jessie's Girls on the Run shirt is clean (if it's Monday or Wednesday) and change the cat litter and then feed the cats (just so that I can clean the litter later when I get home) and then brush my hair and my teeth and make my bed and find my shoes and my clothes and make sure Jessie has sun screen available and a cold bottle of water in her book bag, and all her books in her book bag and make a full pot of coffee and then drink half a cup of it.....and Jessie actually growls at me when I wake her up! And Ben practically bursts into tears if he sits down at the breakfast table and he's got the wrong effin' spoon!!

And then thankfully, it's 7:30 and I get to leave (and I usually cry on my way to the streetcar).

Go easy on yourself there my friend.
LaDonna said…
Oh, big hugs to you, Barb! I'm so sorry you got yelled at. Ya know, I cried alot when we first moved to Seattle, too. Just something about being far from home in a completely strange land that makes one feel incredibly intimidated, and small, and alone.

And it sounds like maybe that mom should take a chill pill and teach her kid how to move through an area where there are moving vehicles.

Glad the sun came out today and you don't have to wait til tomorrow!
Memarie Lane said…
You know what? That was NOT your fault. No responsible mother will allow her child to bounce around in a parking lot. You did nothing wrong, hopefully she learned her lesson and will keep that kid in check next time.
Tiny Tyrant said…
I agree with Ladonna and Memarie.

You were being careful, the other mother needs to monitor her kid better.

Hope Ana feels better soon.
Anonymous said…
So is Ana happy at school once she's there? If she is, it's just the morning thing - which isn't going away. If she's not, call me and we'll talk about it.
Miri said…
Oh! What a terrible, no-good, awful crappy day. I hope your little girl feels better. And she'll forget the "suck it up" part. Probably already has.
TexasPeach said…
{{{hugs}}} just cause you need some.

And I agree...you were doing the right thing in the parking lot. Our school lot is atrocious. I am always going slowly because no one ever looks. My preschool lot is even worse then the elementary one. I have seen so many parents just throw their cars into reverse and not even look. You'll slowly get used to the NY way of doing things...just like it is taking me forever to learn the Austin way of doing things. 7 years and I am still learning!

I was always the same way with my kids...suck it up and get to school...I always felt guilty when they were really sick. They got over it and so will Ana.
I think you just need a short course on how we Northerners communicate. How about you tell me exactly what she said, and I'll translate it for you?
DK said…
Uh, SC - I think she got it. Speaking as a displaced Northerner...y'all aren't that complicated. And I firmly believe Barb can hold her own against any explitive-slinging New Yorker. But it's just rude to be mean to someone - jokingly or not - in the middle of them telling you about their bad day.

Go read a homeschool catalog for a while and then try that comment again.
Anonymous said…
If you "knew she was about to bounce in front of your car" why were you moving your car at all?

No wonder the mother yelled at you.
Unknown said…
yeah it takes a thick skin to live in downstate NY! I'm married to an upstater (watertown) and even he thinks people downstate suck.

And dear anonymous...shut it or I'll shut it for you.
deb said…
anonymous: You are an ignorant fool. If you don't have anything nice to say...say nothing.
I just happened by and read DK's comment. I think she misunderstood me. I wasn't being mean. I was going to jokingly translate the northern insult into southern-speak. Y'all insult each other, too; only much more politely. And I love it.

I was just trying to make Barb laugh - I would never leave a mean comment!
Barb Matijevich said…
SC, I think y'all were both being funny. you know--the Chicago vs. New York thing again. Love you both.

Now, can we get back to bashing the anonymous MoFo? Because that was REALLY mean!
Memarie Lane said…
Anonymous has Jackie Collins on her bookshelf, James Blunt on her ipod, and really bad hair!

How was that?