Welcome Home

I have a great memory, so good that it drives my husband crazy. The first meal we ate together, a lunch before seeing clients (we worked together, this was not a date), he ordered some scary BBQ meat sandwich thing and made a huge mess of himself. He is fussy, over the top fussy, and so I now know he must have been going mad at this debacle. I know what I wore my first day of class freshman year in college, I remember meeting, for the first time, every one of my very good friends, I can tell you what was in any cabinet in my grandmother's kitchen, but I never remember, never ever, just how bad is the first day back from vacation. Tired and cranky children, piles of laundry and mess (although we came home to a Balbina done spotless apartment), a really rotten day of adjustment that always makes me wonder if the getaway was worth the price we pay.

We started with screaming Kate, unable to decide what to wear as most of her favorite clothes were in the scary laundry pile. We then moved onto bran muffins and blueberries, a most unsuitable breakfast for hungry little girls (bran muffins, what was I thinking?). Then I thought it best to subject others to this torment and so off we went to Target. Have you tried Target's version of a double shopping cart? I call it the boxing ring. Two children, facing one another in very close proximity, with limited viewing outside the ring, a recipe for disaster. The match started soon after we found the laundry soap, I believe Mary took the first swing. Kate was down but not out, she came back with a sharp jab (wouldn't this be better if I knew one thing about boxing?) and the screaming began. I foolishly let them out of the cart. They ran, in opposite directions, covering most of the cleaning supplies area with wild abandon. Target is a busy place, my children were the ones running into everyone and everything, being chased by me and my larger than need be cart/boxing ring. I corralled them in maternity (poetic) and we all sat down for a Target time out. Not the least bit long term effective but it does seem to calm everyone, myself included, down for a minute. Mary decided to "be good"; she climbed back into the cart and fastened her seat belt, the right choice given that I continued to chase Kate, assuring Mary a wild ride.

For lunch they had leftover pad se eu with tofu from Penny's, their favorite delivery option. Clearly only their favorite when Penny cooks because warmed up, too spicy! too cold! too yucky! We had apples. After lunch Eleanor pooped in their bedroom. My guess is she was tired of the screaming. While we were reading, Eleanor got on the table and pulled down a spring roll to destroy in the dining room. Clearly she is adjusting also, leaving that backyard with ample wandering opportunities has really taken a toll on Ms. Roosevelt.

We did have a wonderful time, last week.