Sitting and Stewing

My mother drives me crazy.

This morning the dog woke me up unusually early.  I tossed and turned in bed as long as I could before finally dragging myself out of bed.  I released the hound, and then made my way to the front of the house to see if her car was still parked outside or not.  It wasn't.

Late last week my mother called, saying that she was going to be coming through Smalltown on Tues & Weds.  She ended up spending Tuesday with my sister, and all day yesterday with us.  The day was busy and there was some juggling that we had to do in the afternoon, but the day was extremely enjoyable and it was great to spend time with my mother.

As we got closer to dinner lastnight, my mother decided that staying an extra day and trying to catch up with my brother would be a good idea.  So she called him - left messages - and finally was able to catch up with him and make plans to see him today for lunch.  Since Fred and Barnes already had golf plans for today, Mother invited the younger two and I to go along with her to see my brother.  It was A PLAN.

My brother lives near the water, so even though they LOVE to see him anyway, it's doubly exciting when we get to go to his house because they get to splash around and go a little nuts.  They were SO excited that they got their bathing suits ready (even though I told them that it's too cold to play in the water), picked out their clothes, and were abuzz with excitement about our detour from the uneventfulness that otherwise awaited them.  I think that I may have even been a scoatch more excited than they were, because now we were going to fill the day with something outside of our immediate geographical location that would be fun.

BUT...

After we sent the kids to bed, my mother started to second guess and rethink the plans for today.  Her rental car is due back tonight at 7:00pm, but she hadn't confirmed (or considered) what the fees would be if she decided to hang on to the car for an additional day.  Here's a list...because I like lists.

• Brother is a contractor and has limited flexibility - getting together for lunch is a big deal for him.
• Her paperwork said $47 for an additional day, but the hotline told her that it would be $100.  So she was getting cold feet by the minute..."what if the paperwork doesn't include all of the fees and it really will be an additional $100"
• MY KIDS ARE IN BED, DREAMING OF WATER!!...and seeing their uncle.
• I had tickets to see a concert with my husband tonight, and I don't know if that's ON or OFF now.
• What will I pull out of my hat (to do with the kids) if Mother changes everything and we DON'T go to see my bro?
• If she cancels on my brother after making these plans I am going to be PISSED.
• Being spontaneous and making day plans actually sounded pretty exciting and adventurous.  There's not a whole lot of adventure in my life, okay?!
• My kids will be disappointed.

My mother left EARLY this morning. 

She's apparently thrown caution (and our plans) to the wind, and is probably on her way to try and have breakfast with my brother.

And I am just sitting here stewing.

~Ethel~

I'm NOT Your Bitch....Or Am I?

This morning I was catching up on current events via Facebook when I got a message.  The messages back and forth when like this:

Friend:  Betty's 40th birthday is right around the corner.  We need to do something!
Me:  What ideas do you have in mind?
Friend:  I don't know.  Maybe dinner, Girls Night Out, or mani/pedis & lunch.  But with everyone's schedules I just don't know what would work.
Me:  Well, what do you suggest.
***long pause with no response***  (I guess if you wait long enough that's also considered an answer?)
Me:  I'll send out an email and see what everyone else thinks.
Friend:  K.  Her family probably has dinner plans, but she didn't say anything for sure.  Let me know!

Here is where my complaint lies...  If "Friend" has the epiphany that we should do something fabulous for "Betty's" birthday, and the date is quickly approaching..."Friend" should put on her big girl panties and ORGANIZE the fucking thing!!!  Further, if she's going to send ME a message and throw it out there, it seems prudent that she should also have some thought or a few ideas in mind for what we could do.  I;m just thinking out loud though.

The fly in the ointment....  Ever since we moved into our current neighborhood, I have spearheaded parties, holiday gatherings, baby showers, meals for neighbors when there was a death in the family, and even formed a book club.  This is all great and good, but there are some shit heads that take this social happiness to mean that I might want to do it ALL.  But, alas, I do not.  I do not want you to email me and drop comments like, "Do you think we should do a Christmas party for the street again this year?" or "Is there anything in the works for a baby shower?  You know Darla's baby is due in two months."

NO. No.  NONONONONONONO!!  I reserve the right to punk out if I want to.

In this particular case, I will end up biting the bullet and put something together for "Betty".  She is one of my besties, and she deserves to be celebrated and adored on her birthday.  I don't like feeling like someone's trick pony, but I DO want Betty to have a nice birthday.....a fact that "Friend" is apparently keenly aware of.  Thus the message.

As for "Friend"...she's on my shit list.

Indefinitely.

~Ethel~