Surprise: the Man is still away

I wasted a couple of good hours on a movie last night. When I could have been doing something more productive... like sleeping.

It was "The Last Kiss". Don't ask me why I picked it out; perhaps it's because I usually like Zach Braff. I don't watch Scrubs, but I did like his quirky movie "Garden State". Unfortunately I was drawn in by some of the cast of this movie, which included Blythe Danner, Tom Wilkinson, Casey Affleck and the luminous Jacinda Barrett (don't know what it is about this girl, I think she's just so refreshingly pretty and likeable). Not a big fan of Rachel Bilson, but she did all right in this flick.

What was this supposed to be? A coming of age story? Well, the characters are turning 30 so it's friggin' about time that these boys grow up. And I think a couple of them do. A comedy? I could not STAND Zach's character. For such a seemingly "upstanding guy", he screwed up so royally, messing around with both his pregnant girlfriend's and a young college girl's emotions all while trying to prove that he really was just a mixed up but super nice guy.

My time was so much better spent watching "Away from Her" the night before. Very sad, but the portrayal of a love story that seemed so touchingly real.

Wow, that's a lot of movies in a couple of days, I know. Amazing what a difference an extra couple of hours makes once you get the kids to bed at a decent hour. Seems that the kids take full advantage of their Dad when he's home and puts them to bed. No messing around with Mom.

So, thirteen things I have either done or SHOULD have done in the last 24 hours:

1/ Did negotiate and bring the son to his swimming lesson whereupon he did swim.

2/ Did NOT sleep the extra two hours.

3/ Did NOT do any work.

4/ Tried again but again, did NOT do any work.

5/ Did make banana bread*.

6/ Did vacuum before 9 AM this morning.* Nothing like having a friend/colleague come over for coffee to make you notice all sorts of crap on the floor that you've been ignoring all week.

* Let's make note, shall we, that these items are NOT the natural order. Remember folks, the Anti-Martha here. This will come into play a little later down the list...


7/ Did bring the girl to preschool where she had tantrum number one.

8/ Did negotiate and bring the daughter to her swimming lesson after lunch, whereupon she threw a huge tear-soaked tantrum (#2) and only put her toes in the water. What a negative difference a week makes (grrrr!!!).

9/ Did take the girlie to the library to get more DVD's and for fun puzzle time before picking up her brother from school.

10/**Did sit in my van with my 7th coffee of the day, while my daughter slept. Watched as my son laughed with his friends on the playground, got on the swings, fell off onto his back, not get up, the crowd of kids and some parents gathered around him as his best friend ran to get me.

11/After making sure the friend's mom could watch the sleeping girl in the van, did tear up the path, heart in my throat, to see my screaming boy.

12/Did bring the boy to his doctor, got an Xray. Nothing broken, muscles bruised ... keep observing the next few days in case more bruising may indicate injury to the collarbone.

13/ Did get the kids to bed early again tonight.

I'm ready for bed too, but guess what? It's an Eli Stone night, so I'll let him take me away for the hour.

** This is what happens when I mess with the natural order. Note to self: DO NOT do the Martha while the man's away.