Work in progress

School’s back?! "Wah...." Not fair. I just finished summer school last week and without taking another breath, I cleaned out Walmart’s school supplies early Tuesday, because the kids start school next week. Reality bites. Without sounding like too much of a whiner, I feel a little overwhelmed. In a last ditch effort to say I participated in summer fun, I am packing the kids, heading north and doing the roughing it kind of camping for 2.5 days…no running water, no electricity. If it wasn’t for good friends, coconut rum and Phase 10, I’d say I was crazy. I should consider medication but who needs a shower for 3 days. Not me. I’ve been overzealous in the sterile arena for the last eight weeks in my microbiology class. Now it’s time to go meet these little creatures, up close and personal in nature. I praise God for the person who invented handi-wipes. You rock.

I just want to say how much I admire all you people that appear to be in master control of your lives, that I desperately try to be you. I see you out there. You have your Franklin Planners, your kids play on traveling teams. You make all your meetings and are home for dinner. Your kids are on honor roll because I see your bumper stickers. You look like you work out and you sure look good. You obviously are carefully tuned up at the hair and nail salons regularly. You amaze me. Yep. I’m pretty jealous. I’ll get over it. You wouldn’t know a flat tire, an IEP or a bad hair day if it smacked you upside the head. You probably see me out there and say “that woman’s messed up”. I’m not really. I am just a work in progress.

I know Bob Billingsley has got the patent on bullets, but I have a few declarations to make, so that I don’t lose my mind this semester, so bear with me as I make a few Fall resolutions.

· JD & I will have a couple date nights this semester. I will talk about something other than the kids and school. I will go to some of his work parties.

· I shall not fall behind. I will carry a planner. I will look at it once or twice instead of pretending.

· I will stay within my budgeted cell phone plan and not go over my minutes. I can stop talking. Really, it’s as simple as “I gotta go, talk to you later...bah bye”

· The kids will not fall behind. They will not grow accustom to loud sighs and repetitive “Did you….?” Fill in the blank. I will try to keep my cool. This requires a straight jacket and a muzzle, but I hear they are on sale right now.

· I will not require medication…yet

· I will go to the gym. I will. I promise.

· I will try to make it to church more than once/week (this is to help with the fifth one above)

· I will make every column deadline. Pat, stop laughing.

· I will attempt to cook more this semester and not from a box. Ha. Funny.

· laundry will be folded occasionally and put away- maybe- well, we’ll see.

That last one makes me dizzy.

After reading this over, it doesn’t seem too hectic. I haven’t put in all the homework I’m going to have for statistics, physiology and human growth & development. I also haven’t included the carpools I’ve signed up for, but hey…if my planner knows about it, it’ll get done by that other woman named Tammy Maher. She always manages to help out in a pinch.

In the meantime, I continue to be a work in progress. So bear with me.

Tammy Maher is a resident of El Dorado Hills and biweekly columnist for the Mountain Democrat. You can reach her by email at familyfare@sbcglobal.net or on the web at www.familyfare.blogspot.com