Bad hostess?

Last night we had two houseguests. I'd never met either of them before, but I was happy to let them stay. In town for a bike race, as most of my houseguests are. Velo-dude knows the guy, I think they ride for the same team. All I knew about them was it was a guy from his team, and his girlfriend. College age. I didn't analyze the situation. They arrived a little before dinner time and I had made a lasagna. They were sweet, rather shy and quiet at first as we did intros and some chitchat. I showed them the guest room, they cleaned up etc. Then while the lasagna was still baking I decided I needed a quick shower (still had the smell of the pancake breakfast lingering on me from early in the day, yuk). While in the shower, I suddenly panicked. I hadn't questioned whether they would want to share a room, I simply assumed they would. I didn't even know how long they had been together. Yikes, what if I had thrown them into an awkward situation? Once done I called velo-dude to the kitchen to quietly ask what he thought. His response? Well, you could either ask them point blank if they sleep together, or you could just throw them into a den of iniquity and hope they don't mind, or ... but basically he was saying "YOU could", as in, HE wanted nothing to do with any conversation I might have with them about it.

Well, once we sat to dinner I gave them the twenty questions about where they were from, what they were studying, when they would graduate, HOW LONG HAVE YOU TWO BEEN TOGETHER, etc. (slipped it in all subtle-like, of course), and they said about a year. Good enough for me, so I dropped it. I was too squeamish to ask if they preferred one room or two (two would have been fine, Pinky's sheets were clean and he slept in the top bunk in Curly's room anyway, like he often does on weekends). Squeamish as in, I hate awkward moments. So better that they have an awkward moment (or night) between the two of them, than I have an awkward moment asking, right? Bad hostess? Yep.

Well, hopefully it was all okay for them. It could have worked both ways I guess. They could have been wondering whether we would LET them sleep in the same room together, since we are (gulp) old enough to be their parents. OMG, that just made me feel a little queasy. Should I have not LET them? Holy crap, this is way too complicated.

I still remember a little trip Velo-dude and I took long ago (bike race, of course). We met up with a friend of ours whose parents lived in that town, and being on a college budget, decided to stay with his family to save on hotel. The mom showed us the guestroom and I was thinking to myself "wow, she is really going to let us sleep in the same room!". I pulled our friend aside afterward and asked if this was really okay, or if it was uncomfortable for his parents. He looked at me like I was crazy, then said "Um, mathgeek, I'm pretty sure I was at your wedding two weeks ago. I think they're okay with it". Yep, I had forgotten we were actually married.

Finally, thank goodness for the college students being here. Because velo-dude and I pulled one of our stupidest moves ever. Set the clocks back, one by one, before going to bed (everyone else had already gone upstairs). This morning we all get up, eat breakfast, chat, drink coffee, etc. Eventually they say they need to get going to the races, and comment that it's already 9:40. Well, I try to correct them that it is really 7:40, since time changed last night. I get the "are you crazy?" look (I get that a lot), although a little more polite since they barely know me, and they are my guests, and I'm old enough to be their parents, etc. I pause to think, recite "spring forward fall behind" out loud, think again, and realize that yes indeedy, it is 9:40. My, how time flies when you're clueless.

Bits

No big news in my life right now, just some bits and pieces...

1) Wii Fit and I are still bff's. I am doing it pretty regularly (I've skipped 4 days in a row a couple of times and got scolded). I know it is not the key to truly getting fit, but it is motivating me to do more than sit on the couch right now, so it's good. Two lbs. down, a gazillion to go.

2) Scoutsuck continues. Must find a way to step down from one of my responsibilities with the Pack.

3) Still liking my new job. I have come home pretty grouchy on several occasions, but I know why and I think it will continue to get better. While I was miserable with my old job, I knew what I knew, knew what I didn't know, and just plodded along getting the job done as best I could*. I felt like I was doing a good job, for the situation I was in, with virtually no guidance or mentorship. With the new job, I frequently run into things I just don't get, and it makes me feel stupid. I'm not used to that feeling, at least not at work. Frustrating, but I am catching on and in a few months I am sure I will feel much more comfortable with it. I have a strong need to believe I am adding value, and I'm not there yet.

* Is it my imagination, or has this phrase changed recently, from "as best I could" to "as best as I could"? I seem to be hearing the latter frequently, and I really could swear that it did not used to be that way. Should that second "as" really be there? I don't think so, but I could be wrong. Really, help me out folks, cuz it's one of the little things that drive me crazy (and I know my readers, all 3 of you, are wordsmiths).

4) Pinky and Curly are winding down a month of indoor swim lessons. Pinky? No worries, he likes to swim and is learning flip turns, although there is some other term for them that I was not familiar with and which escapes me at the moment. Curly? Ahh, Curly. Have you ever had a kid get kicked out of swim class? We almost did. Even got a call from the pool manager one day. However, we took him swimming the weekend after "the incident" (Curly being pulled screaming and kicking from the pool by Velo-dude, during class), and after lots of coaxing, cajoling, whining, balking, etc on all of our parts, I simply said, "okay, I'm going to the whirlpool. If you try the float you can come with me". He did it, no problem. Then he grabbed a kickboard and started using it properly, head in blow bubbles, head out breathe, kicking all the while. WTF? The kid knows how to do it all, he just refuses to do it unless he's darn good and ready. He does have a pretty hefty fear, but he knows what to do. So, last week went better. Took him today and he was having an off day again. We'll see if he makes it through his last 2 classes this week. Not passes the class, mind you. We already know that won't happen. But makes it through without another incident? THAT will be a success.

5) To my 2-3 readers...some bumpy times going on there. I hope things get better for all of you, soon. Rowan? Please tell me things are better than last week. If they are not, might have to jump in my car and come see what I can do to help. Really. I will. Laggin? We need to do lunch, or an evening with adult refreshments. Dibs/Moving Mom? I'm checking daily for updates on your site. Yikeys, I know my turn will come with the heavy stuff, but for now all I can do is let you all know I'm here if you need me!

6) I still have no time for Facebook.

belated birthday present

Last night, out of the blue, Pinky walked downstairs and presented me with a Wii Fit, the one and only thing I requested for my birthday (yes, that was over a month ago). Velo-dude has been stopping by a Target near his place of employment on and on for over a month, and finally scored one. I got myself set up last night, a little mortifying but I'm okay I guess, gives me motivation to make some progress. My Fit Age (or whatever it was my new bff called it) was 46, 2 years older than my real age. Okay, not great but not terrible. Pinky is apparenty 15 years old (he's 9, folks) and Curly, who had some major trouble with the balance test, came in at the ripe old age of 23 (he's 6). Here's the kicker though. Velo-dude, who happens to be 5 years older than me, came in at 11 years younger than me. He sucks. My new bff sucks. Being old and out of shape sucks. Motivation, motivation.

I have apparently gotten over my anger, because one night after getting it, I am hooked. Let's hope this love affair lasts.

scoutsuck

Scouting also appears to be sucking the good taste out of me. I am sorry to laggin and anyone else who may have viewed my purple and green nightmare of the past two days. This isn't flashy but I had to get that color scheme off in a hurry.

This is what I do for fun?

Last night was a cub scout banquet. The older boys "cross over" to boy scouts; it's a pretty big deal for some of them. My boys are not there yet, but most of the boys go to the banquet regardless of age.




There is usually some part of the ceremony involving fire, but apparently one year that we did NOT go, they almost caught the stage curtains at the middle school on fire. I would have to miss the most exciting one! So this year, we left it to the "professionals". Yep folks, that's a fire eater. See that little light in his mouth? He just ate fire, and is about to light one of his other wands with the fire that is in his mouth. Yikes. He also fancied himself a comedian. Very cheeseball, but the scouts loved it, and yes, I do realize that's what matters. Here are a couple more. Pinky is on the far left with the tan shirts; Curly is second from right, back row, with the blue shirts. (Yeah, I'll never be mistaken for a photographer)





Sometimes I feel like Cub Scouts is slowly sucking the life out of me.

Great day for the nation, so-so for me

I wasn't able to enjoy any of this historical day. I am in full stress/panic at work as the month winds down and I wonder how I am going to get everything done. My friend L went to her daughter's elementary school as she does every Tuesday to eat lunch with her, and got to see the tail end of some coverage on tv in the classroom. She said the kids were really excited and into it (3rd grade), belting out the National Anthem and all. How cool would that have been. Pinky and Curly seemed pretty excited that they got to watch too. I hope that just a little bit, they "got it", rather than viewing it as merely an opportunity to watch tv at school. I didn't get an opportunity to have a good talk with them about it though. I got home from work and it was time to take off. We dropped Curly off at my friend's house, and Pinky and I, my friend and her 4th grade boy went to the memorial service for the boy who killed himself last week. I think I actually had some unrealistic notion that because they called it a "celebration of life", somehow it was not going to be as sad as it was. But of course it was horribly sad. I have written, erased, rewritten, and re-erased more thoughts on this, but I think I just need to stop. Think I'll go look for some coverage on the day's events, and try to bring some optimism back into my little world.

heartbreak

When I expressed my dismay at having been talked into both blogging and Facebook with no time for either, Rowan gave me the sound advice of using the blog only when I have a story to tell, and using Facebook for more frequent and quick communication. I am doing a little bit of neither, but tonight I find myself in need of a quick unload.

Tuesday night was 4th grade Strings concert. Pinky and his classmates did a delightful job, I was quite emotional at seeing him up there, dressed in his first tie, plucking and bowing his way through his songs. I quite love the sound of the viola, and wish I had taken the time to learn an instrument other than the piano when I was younger.

That was the highlight of my week. Yesterday the boys came home with sealed manila envelopes from the school to give to their parents. Inside was a letter informing us that an 8th grader that was at our elementary school two years ago had passed away; counselors would be available at the school the following day to help students process this information, but the school wanted to let the parents know beforehand so that they could decide how to break the news. There were no details, which made breaking the news to young ones even a bit more difficult with the unanswered questions. The sibling attends our elementary school. I do not know the family personally, but my heart ached for them all that night. Driving home from work tonight, I started thinking about it again, realizing that there was probably more information now. And when I got home, my fears were confirmed; this child took his own life. This is too real and too close to home. I am heartbroken, for this child and the angst suffered, for the family, for the friends. I must go hug my babes tight, and try to make sure they always know they can talk to me.