However. Every once in a while, I'm asked to work in someone else's office. Which is awesome--I get to be around other real, live human beings! When I speak aloud, someone answers back! Sometimes there's food! We might order lunch! Or hear a funny story about someone's weekend! (OK, there's work involved, too--it's not all fun and games).
But. Getting to that office? Every time I have to commute to work, I have a new appreciation for those that do it every day. Even more so for those that do it WITH KIDS.
Yesterday, for example: we had to be out of the house at 7:30 because there was a breakfast thing at the 8 year old's school. Great! We don't have to do breakfast at home! That'll shave SO MUCH TIME off of our morning. This day is already shaping up to be SO EASY!
8:15: Get back home with the intern. We have a half hour before we have to leave to drop her off at school.
Did I mention that last night, I made lunches--even mine?? I'm SO ORGANIZED.
8:20: Jump in the shower. No time to wash my hair, so it looks like today's a baseball hat day (fortunately I can get away with that at this particular office). Shower, brush teeth, throw on minimal makeup so I look well rested... and make my first mistake of the day: check email.
8:35: Read email on phone and boot up computer to make client-requested changes to a document. Changes can't wait until the afternoon.
8:40: Still waiting for the Photoshop document to open.
8:45: Still waiting.
8:50: Finally! Make changes and send them off. Whew! Looks like we're not going to be late to school after all!
8:59: Get intern buckled into her car seat. Realize that it takes 10 minutes for the intern to get her coat and shoes on, so yeah; we're going to be late.
9:03: Run back into house to grab both the intern's snack and lunch (already packed!).
9:17: Get the intern to school, 17 minutes late.
9:30: No traffic? SCORE!! Get to Westport in record time! Think of something funny to tweet on the way there, fish around in my purse for my phone, only to realize... IT'S AT HOME.
9:31: Turn around to go back home.
9:40: Get back into Fairfield. Drive past Starbucks when I realize that this day isn't SO EASY, it sucks. And the only thing--THE ONLY THING--that is going to get me through it is a Venti skim Chai. Hit the brakes and run into Starbucks.
9:50: Get home and retrieve phone. Tweet my funny thing. FINALLY.
10:05: Arrive at work. I am completely proud of the fact that the only thing I have managed to do right today, was to pack food for myself (LAST NIGHT).
1:00: Leave work (that's right, I worked for a whole 3 hours) to pick up the intern at school.
1:30: Pick the intern up, and immediately drop her off at the sitter's--last night I volunteered (WITHOUT A GUN TO MY HEAD, I might add) to switch "Mystery Reader" spots with a friend. They don't allow siblings to come with the Mystery Reader, so it's off to the sitter's for the intern.
2:00: Get to school. The smile that spreads across the 8 year old's face when she sees me as the Mystery Reader (hence the mystery part) makes my day worth it. Almost.
Read for half an hour, go home for 5 minutes, just to pick her back up from school. Get home, do snack and homework supervision, and work in the peace and quiet for a few more hours.
5:00: pick up the intern. Wow, those few hours went by fast.
5:15, get home, get the 8 year old changed for basketball (SCORE! I don't have to drive to or pick up from! Carpooling might be my favorite), and fed.
5:40: Tell the 8 year old that if she DOESN'T HURRY UP, THERE WILL BE NO BASKETBALL PRACTICE. NOW OR FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
5:45: Get the 8 year old off, get the intern dressed to go back out (remember from this morning, it takes her 10 minutes to do this), and pick up the teenager from work.
6:15: Drop the teenager off at the library for study group. Head home to make dinner. Collapse.
People who leave the house every day, I salute you. Seriously, you guys are my heroes. Now, if you need me, I'll be in bed, under the covers; hoping to never have to leave the house again.
2 comments:
That was a full day - even for a parent who commutes to work every day. Every day is one loud adventure trying to get out of the house alive, clean and clothed.
Yeah, there was a lot more to that day than getting to work. The getting to work was the easy part. It is the kid wrangling and taxi-ing that makes you want to take to your bed!
Post a Comment