Possumblog

Okay, let's go to the tape and see how we did!

Going back to the first post of yesterday regarding my proposed schedule for yesterday afternoon, let us look and see how close I got.

1. Pick up Ashley at Cooper Green at noon.

Close--it wound up being about 12:10, but the big problem was that I seem to have walked out yesterday morning without the checkbook, necessitating a jaunt in the opposite direction to go get it from Reba at her office.

2. Drive to Grandmom's house, drop off Ashley, pick up Rebecca and Jonathan at around 12:30.

Actually a bit more like 12:45. Oh, and they hadn't had lunch.

3. Drive to middle school to register Rebecca and Jonathan--starts at 1:00, and I have no idea when it's over. Could be quick, could be slow.

Got there at 12:55, sat in the car until the door was opened and we could go in, because it was about 786 degrees outside. The whole thing, even with two kids, only took an hour.

First stop was the table where you show them the raft of documentation required now to enroll: Alabama Power bill, another utility bill, parent's drivers license, residence verification form, stool specimen, copy of deed, immunization form, birth certificate, travel permission, acknowledgement of school rules, and general information sheet. This whole list is accurate, except for one item.

And it might not be the one you think.

Having been cleared for both the 7th and the 8th grader in the family, the next stop was the schedule table, where we picked up their schedules and I got to look at Rebecca and Jonathan's math teacher. One of the primary reasons I never really complain about registration. Unfortunately, there was no one else in front of us in line, and so there was no real reason to stand there and gawk at her beyond the time necessary to exchange the usual pleasantries.

Of all times for something to be run efficiently! Sheesh!

Next stop, paying fees. Out the door, across the courtyard, back inside, and pay for two agenda books, two sets of gym clothes, two hall lockers, two gym lockers, two art fees, a band fee, and a partridge in a pair fee. $169.00. Tears ensue.

Next, an attempt to change the schedule of the Middle Girl, who had really REALLY wanted to take a foreign language as an elective--something fruity and disdainful. I.e., French. However, the only language class is Latin. And she didn't get it anyway--she got her third choice of Art. (First was Yearbook, which she DID get.) "Do you want to take Latin?!" Shoulder shrug. "It's hard." Shoulder shrug, slight nod of the head indicating a lack of concern. "Well, okay--Latin it is. Maybe. If they'll change it." We'll see.

Final stop, gym clothes, where we also turned in one (two) MORE piece(s) of paper, the scoliosis testing form(s). And then...

4. Drop Rebecca and Jonathan back over at Grandmom's and pick up Catherine.

NO! Change in plans! Decided to stop by the vet's office to see if they could change our appointment from 6:00 to 2:ish. YES! Ran up the hill (figuratively), scooped up the kitten, put him in his carrier, and proceeded to skip ahead to Step #6, AND I decided there was going to be NO WAY I could do Step #8. Called the lady at City Hall and said I wouldn't be able to make it.

6. Go home, get Lightning, The World's Most Expensive Free Kitten, stuffed in his carrier, and take him back down the hill for his 6:00 2:20 booster shot appointment.

Things went about like the first time. Sat in the exam room for a minute or two, let him out of his carrier so he could plunder a bit. He jumped on the walls, found the floor-mounted door stop again and began pouncing and arching and swatting at it. Doc stuck his head in, said he'd be with us in a minute. Several minutes passed, Lightning growing more "playful" as the time wore on. Finally, the assistant came in (it would be not be integral to the story to remark that she was young, cute, and blonde, but I will mention it anyway, because she was) and it was as if the kitten had seen a LION. Riding on an ELEPHANT. Holding a SHARK in his mouth!

The cat just went nuts--he bowed up, fuzzed his tail up to the size of a baseball bat when she bent down to get him, hissed like a broken gas main, and grew a fur ridge on his back that looked like a Mohawk, and proceeded to whirl around and latch onto her hand with all his might. He let go for an instant and she tried again to grab him, and he once again repeated all the attacking and this time hit home. The vet came in and got him onto the table, and tried to explain that Lightning might have smelled something like another dog or cat and it set him off. An explanation, however, that did nothing to make up for the damage he'd done--the assistant excused herself to go fix her hand, and as she left, I saw four bright red gouts of blood across the back of her hand as well as one long lurid dripping red gash. Looked like she'd been attacked by a MUCH larger cat. The next assistant--who for some reason was equally young, cute, and blonde came in to take over.

Shot time--rabies and the FeLV booster. And once again, the kitten reacted differently than he did the first time he got a shot, when he sat there quietly and purred. This time he howled like a banshee for both shots, and very nearly broke free from the replacement young cute blonde assistant and clawed her.

We're going to have to have a talk with him, I think.

Paid my $69.60, took kit and kinder back up the hill to the house, unloaded, left instructions not to allow murderers into the house (lest they sue us when they get ripped to pieces by our kitten), and returned to a revised Step #5.

5 (revised). Drive back to Grandmom's, pick up Catherine, and head over to dentist for 4:00 checkup.

3:20 arrival, and we STILL didn't manage to get through until 5:00. No cavities for either of us, although now it seems that CATHERINE needs to consult with the orthodontist. Not enough room for some incisors to come in, it seems. I'm telling you, straight teeth are vastly overrated.

And overpriced. ::sigh::

7. Take him back home, then take Catherine back to Grandmom's house.

Superseded by Step #6 and Step #5 (revised).

8. Drive over to City Hall for my 7:00 zoning board meeting.

Deleted in Step 3.

9. (revised) Drive back to Grandmom's and pick up all four Oldest children and go home to KFC for some supper, seeing as how I was very hungry and had not found time in all of my steps to eat lunch and sure didn't want to go home and try to fix something.

Done.

10. Hope against hope that Reba has managed to get away from work and get home.

Nope. Ate, and then waited. And waited. She didn't get home until 9:00.

And today? More of the same on her part. And then when she gets home tonight, it's over to her mom's house to help with preparations for the church get-together her parents have at their house every year. For some reason, I don't think Reba's going to feel much like helping out, but she will anyway.

Finally, 11. Sleep.

Done.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at July 21, 2006 07:52 AM