My day didn't turn out as I expected at all. We were to go to Jacob's T-ball game but had no car--Jamie, Colin and Lisa had taken Jamie's car to swim and run, and Mel was leery of driving Colin's car, so we didn't see the rising baseball star. But his coach has recommended that he sign up for Little League next year because he's that good! Then I had visions of a lovely deli lunch--Colin always wants to eat at Carshon's. To my dismay he said he didn't care, and Jamie quickly jumped in with his favorite pizza place. It's a hangout from their high school days. Two things wrong here: I don't like pizza and dont need the calories, and I always think this place is dingy and dirty. Yet I wanted to go to lunch with my family, so I took a tuna salad sandwich. As Jamie said, "When you're old, you can get away with anything."
In addition to a houseful of people--four adults and five children, plus me--we've been juggling three large dogs in the heat. If we could just turn all three out in the yard, they'd be no problem. But 102 or more is too hot for that. The chocolate lab is outside now, while Scooby, unsettled by all the commotion, paces in my office. The island dog--probably part Belgian Bouvier or German shepherd--is in the apartment. He and Scooby are the old men, and their pecking order is funny. When Scooby and Mosby, the lab, are here together, Scooby is the alpha dog. But when Kaibo, the island dog, appears, he is the alpha dog. Much discussion tonight of my getting a new dog (I will, in July) with some negative opinions and support at least from Jamie, who says I can bring it to his house if it's housebroken!
Jacob's birthday was was what I expected--lovely but crowded and on the hottest day of the year so far, early in the summer. My car said 107 when I went out there about 4:30. House and yard were full of excited youngsters and their parents and other friends of Jordan and Christian. These young people are always so welcoming to me. I get lots of hugs and really feel at home. Wonder of wonders! Darth Vader appeared in person--or elaborate costume. Even my neighbor Susan thought he and his companion (I don't know who that was supposed to be) were scary. I visited with people and often sat with my family around the kitchen table Good times. Jordan is a party organizer, which she says she learned from her mom.
Jamie and crew left tonight, so it seems an incredibly short visit, but Colin and his family will stay over tonight and, I hope, linger for a good Father's Day breakfast.
If somehow the weekend hasn't been quite what I expected, I think it's my own fault. I set my expectations high and get an idea of just how things should work and then I'm edgy when they don't go that way. Worked hard at overcoming--or at least hiding that--this weekend. And really enjoyed my kids and grandkids. They're a wonderful bunch.
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The day was brightened by another guest blog, this an interview on Writers of the West by Jean Henry Mead. http://www.writersofthewest.blogspot.com/ I'm doing pretty well at this guest blog things--another one, about Scottish food, coming Monday. Jamie says I'm really milking that Scotland trip for all its worth. Guess he's right.
In addition to a houseful of people--four adults and five children, plus me--we've been juggling three large dogs in the heat. If we could just turn all three out in the yard, they'd be no problem. But 102 or more is too hot for that. The chocolate lab is outside now, while Scooby, unsettled by all the commotion, paces in my office. The island dog--probably part Belgian Bouvier or German shepherd--is in the apartment. He and Scooby are the old men, and their pecking order is funny. When Scooby and Mosby, the lab, are here together, Scooby is the alpha dog. But when Kaibo, the island dog, appears, he is the alpha dog. Much discussion tonight of my getting a new dog (I will, in July) with some negative opinions and support at least from Jamie, who says I can bring it to his house if it's housebroken!
Jacob's birthday was was what I expected--lovely but crowded and on the hottest day of the year so far, early in the summer. My car said 107 when I went out there about 4:30. House and yard were full of excited youngsters and their parents and other friends of Jordan and Christian. These young people are always so welcoming to me. I get lots of hugs and really feel at home. Wonder of wonders! Darth Vader appeared in person--or elaborate costume. Even my neighbor Susan thought he and his companion (I don't know who that was supposed to be) were scary. I visited with people and often sat with my family around the kitchen table Good times. Jordan is a party organizer, which she says she learned from her mom.
Jamie and crew left tonight, so it seems an incredibly short visit, but Colin and his family will stay over tonight and, I hope, linger for a good Father's Day breakfast.
If somehow the weekend hasn't been quite what I expected, I think it's my own fault. I set my expectations high and get an idea of just how things should work and then I'm edgy when they don't go that way. Worked hard at overcoming--or at least hiding that--this weekend. And really enjoyed my kids and grandkids. They're a wonderful bunch.
3 comments:
Judy, I'm the same way with that high expectations and disappointment thing. Wonder if younger women deal with these same issues, or is it just something that happens as you get older. I struggle with it and I know my mother struggled with it as well.
Cindy, I've been mulling that over tonight, waiting for the overnight contingent to come home--why are they keeping my babies out so late?--and I think part of the problem is that I don't "hang out" well. My kids do--they can sit and gab for hours, whereas I'm always trying to get back to my computer or the book I'm reading or something. My youngest daughter has recognized this for a long time and made me aware of it. So even while I'm enjoying their company, I'm itchy. Make sense? Maybe not!
One of your kids took me to a movie many years ago. I did not want to go; I was feeling rather gloomy for whatever reason. My expectations for the night of course were low (gloomy about everything). What a great night it turned out to be, the movie has become one of my all time favorites and the beer that of course followed along with the conversation made me feel whole again. High expectations sometimes (most of the time) are a bummer, most of time they never materialize.
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