Friday, September 25, 2009

Friday Fragments - One week down

Friday Fragments?


Welcome to another edition of Friday Fragments - please visit my friend, the lovely lady Mrs.4444.

And freewriting Sara at Ordinary & Awesome:

The chronicles of my Ordinary and Awesome life, family, and thoughts at www.ordinaryandawesome.com. Ordinary and Awesome is also the Mostly Wordless Wednesday headquarters as well as the home to several original awards and memes.

*****

I fear, my friends, that for the next little while most of my posts will be more fragment than anything else. I'll be honest.

I am tired. And I haven't even done any real work at work yet.

My week has really been a mess of fragments.

The stress of worrying about the kids adjusting ... the different driving routes to try to optimize the morning time with the kids and shave minutes from my commute at the same time ...the meeting of new people, new faces all smiling for now, friendly faces all for sure, even my new department, who don't yet know what to make of me ... the energy of keeping a brave face and trying to impress my boss ... the guilt that eats at me while I let the kids munch on little snacks as I rush with the dinner prep ... the bitchiness that my husband has had to endure while I adjust to my new fatigue and launch my Superior Wifeness at him. He's probably happy that he's travelling again today (oh yes, we're quite the exhausted couple these days).

But all is good. I shared with my group that I almost passed out at an Iggy Pop concert, that I snowmobiled in Iceland and that I don't drink alcohol. Most of them figured out the alcohol was the lie. Party on, people.

*****

I bought the newest book, The Family Dinner Fix, from Sandi Richards' Cooking for the Rushed series - I don't know if you've heard of her, but I used to watch her TV show sometimes as she helped families deal with meal planning to cope with busy week schedules. She's actually great on TV, and she's got loads of experience (I think she's got something like eight kids). I love how she gets everyone involved in the meal planning and actual cooking. However, I've never used any of her recipes.

I'm returning the book though. I guess I'm just anal, but I can't keep a book that has recipes in it that tell you to prepare your meat, pop it in the oven and leave the oven on ALL DAY to cook until you get home. A slow cooker is one thing, but to leave the oven ON, unattended while the house is empty, for even a few minutes? That freaks me out enough. But for 9 hours? Sorry, I can't go with that, even if it is on low heat. The oven still on. I don't know why that turns me off so much. Maybe I'm just misinterpreting it, but I don't think so. It's got potential safety hazard written all over it.

*****
The man was awake extra early this morning to catch a flight, and because the kids are off school today, EVERYONE was out of bed before 7 AM. Normally you wouldn't catch them out of bed until 7:30 AM because they are getting into bed at freakin' 10 PM the night before!!! I've got to adjust this schedule for obvious reasons. Last night the girl asked why they had to go to bed early (and it was already 9:30 PM) because they were going to friends today - I was too tired to get into explanations. I just said, "Because Mommy wants some time with the TV." And they bought it, because they know that Mommy gets "zero" TV time because of them. I guess I'm talking their language.

So I'm awake and blogging, but I'm tired already.

*****

I'm taking my Mom out for dinner tonight with the kids, to Swiss Chalet. Mom could eat at Swiss Chalet everyday (well, I suppose most seniors can and do!). The kids love it too. I thought we should see her before she goes on her second trip to China this year.

It's really a bit bizarre (in a good way) that she's appears to be blossoming into her own person again since Dad's been gone. When I went shopping with her last week, she was so hip in her cool pink T with the leopard print, sequins and fringes accompanying her jeans, and a beautiful scarf draped across her shoulders. In actual fact, a lot of the fashions we were looking at were similar to what she was wearing. Did I tell you that Mom turned 72 this year? I guess after over 40 years of putting my Dad and us and everyone else ahead of her own needs, it's about time. And I'm so very glad. Now she's thinking about day trading...wow. She did also buy me a half a dozen frozen dinners that were on sale, you know, for my lunch at work. After all, I'm still her baby :).

*****

I've been thinking about Dad quite a bit lately. He was in management for 30 years. I miss his quiet confidence, his sage advice, his words of praise, his wise encouragement. But at least I do still have those fragments of our conversations, at every turn of my career, to look back on.

And they do echo softly in the back of my mind. In a very good way.

Have a great weekend.

23 comments:

Sara Elizabeth said...

That is strange that a cook book would suggest to leave the oven on all day. I would never do that. Ever. Have you thought about contacting the publisher to voice your concerns about that? I bet they'd like to hear that.

I smiled really big when I read about your Mom in her pink shirt. :)

4 Lettre Words said...

Love your mom! Here's hoping your weeks get easier.

Cheryl said...

Yay for slow cookers..nay for all day oven on..what the heck???

Your dad sounds exactly like mine...quiet and confident, glad you are holding that close to you

Your mom sounds like one hip mamma! My mother in law (MIL) is 70 and she is an old 70...very granny like....needy, whiney...but good natured...maybe she need some leopard print to spice her up!!
Have a great weekend!

annies home said...

hope the time out with your mom goes well

Caution/Lisa said...

Sometimes I even get nervous leaving the slow cooker on!

What a neat mom you have. I want to be like that, too, at 72

jmt said...

I loved these fragments. I feel as if you were writing for me today. The exhaustion that comes with the juggling and time constraints never seem to go away, no matter what kind of groove you get into. Maybe when they're older it will feel less hectic. I won't have to do so much for the two smaller ones. But then I'll start to feel guilty for neglecting them because they become self-sufficient. Yeah, this is a lose-lose situation.

I wouldn't do the oven all day long either. Call us crazy or paranoid. I don't care.

2 truths and a lie game at the office? Nice. Maybe I should start that game here....if only the ladies in the office weren't so anti-fun.

Happy Friday.

Tenakim said...

right there with you on the oven- who knows what could happen!

Good for your mom!

Lovely words about your dad.

Happy Friday!

Tara R. said...

Thank you! Now I know what to call my crankiness... Superior Wifeness... I love that!

Hope the new job keeps being awesome and you can relax into it. The kids and hubs will get the routine down too, all will be good in the hood.

(yeah, I'm with ya too on the whole leaving the oven on. That would seriously creep me out all day.)

Kim said...

Leaving the oven on all day?? crazy.. never even heard of that..

Love the term Superior Wifeness.. :)

Leeuna said...

I enjoyed your post very much. Your mom sounds like a sweetheart and I love your comments about your dad.

Kori said...

Um, here in Idaho (can you say hick?) we cook things in the oven all day. And I have neither burned a house down nor died of some horrible food poisoning, so there you go. :)

I know that you are tired and cranky, and all I can say is that it will get easier; hang in there, okay? Besides, a snack before dinner is, in some places, called an "appetizer." So there. :)

Hugs.

Cid said...

Just think in another few weeks you will have the morning routine down pat, a month's worth of meals in the freezer and everyone at the office wrapped around your finger. Here's hoping.

mub said...

I've left the oven all night before to cook something and that was fine. I'd imagine it would be similar. That said, I'm not even sure if my current oven would stay ON that long. I think it has some sort of auto-shutoff.

Mrs4444 said...

My mom blossomed after Dad passed away, but my dad was overbearing, controlling and cranky. I'm glad you have good memories to hold onto.

I'm SO with you on the exhaustion. (Case in point, my only just now getting to fragmenter #15 of 38.) Today, I drove 3 + 3 hours taking Kyle to visit a college. I am lying almost completely horizontal on the couch, trying to stay awake.

I love 2 truths and a lie :)

bec said...

Thanks for all the fragments and tidbits of what must have been a whirlwind of a week. It must have been exhausting, physically and emotionally. You did it--and there was never any doubt that you would! It's an adjustment for everyone and it will all be fine.

I tried a recipe on Friday that was one of those leave-the-oven all day things. It was a pork loin roast. I was home so it was safe to try. It turned out that I had to crank the temperature up anyways at the end and it took the same amount per pound at the high temperature as it probably would have had I not left it all day on low temp.

Unknown said...

Hi Karen. Wow I have owed you a visit to your blog in like forever and have felt like crap about it until I read your Friday Fragments and after hearing about your busy life, I thought you'd most likely understand. :-)

I don't pretend to be on top of it in anything especially my blogging life so.....

I need to visit here more often because it seems you always keep it real and tell it like it is which is always what I need to read when I cruise around blogtown....

Hope you had a great weekend!

Lee

April said...

Do you have DreamDinners or a similar meal-prep place around you? It's been a life-saver for me to get dinner on the table quickly!

Hang in there, you will get the hang of this, and before you know it, you'll have a routine down.

Just don't be afraid to ask and use help whenever and wherever you can!

Gina said...

I'm glad to hear you are surviving. It will get easier before long.

You know, it's beautiful that you are happily watching your Mom's transformation. You are a good daughter. I bet your Dad is happy to see her doing well too.

J said...

I'm so glad that seeing your mom think of herself for a change is a good thing. If this were a movie vs. real life, you'd be bitter and wonder if she ever cared for him. Real life is better sometimes, huh?

Your dad is watching her, happy that she is still the woman he fell in love with. And watching you, proud while you figure out how to navigate this working mother and wife thing.

LadyHAHA said...

The oven on? All day? Oh no. I don't even like leaving the coffee pot on without anyone home!

It is good to hear that your mom is doing well and finding more about who she is. A personal reinvention is always a good thing. Ask Madonna. :)

imbeingheldhostage said...

Hang in there! Just think, in a few months you'll be gliding smoothly through this new schedule and wondering what you used to do with all of that extra time.
Your Mom sounds cool and gives me much hope for my future (imagine dressing in things that won't have handprints or chocolate mouth smears on it) :-)

Knatolee said...

Glad the transition back to the working world is going well, and I'm also glad your Mom is blossoming!

My Dad used to LOVE Swiss Chalet. :)

Momisodes said...

I can only imagine how hectic things are right now with everyone adjusting to the new schedule. I hope that things will smooth out for you all soon and work starts to feel more second nature.
I'm glad to hear you mom is taking some time for herself!
Hang in there. I'm thinking of you.

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin