Warning: Venting of a Crazy Woman

So I have been tired and cranky and feeling over-whelmed. I started work less well prepared than usual. I was just far enough along that if I worked like a crazy woman I could get everything done.

I did, and I turned into a crazy woman, but it was a gradual process.

Last evening, Brian said that he could not do his math homework because he wrote down the problems but not the page number. Hubby lectured him about how this was just like last year and Brian needed to be more responsible. I got his math book and asked him to show me the last assignment he was sure he did. With a voice that exuded patience and positive parenting skills I said, "Do you need to do these problems?" "No. We did all those!" "Okay...the next two assignments don't have problems 31-50, they stop around 30.... Now this is a new chapter on Real Numbers." "I remember that! We talked about real numbers today!" "Okay...this assignment goes to 54 is this..." "Yeah! That's the one we started in class!"

He did his homework and then told me that he had to have a coat for tomorrow morning (today) and that none of his coats fit him. I went to the mud room and found the freaking coat I bought him last spring.

Last night I wanted to talk to Hubby about something. I forget what, but I know it was very important. Frankie came in with these new cards he has (I think they have something to do with WoW. Everything has something to do with WoW) and wanted Hubby to read the interesting factoids on them. Frankie knows I'm not into that sort of thing. They read one set together. There were things like, "To kill a person is bad; to kill an idea is a travesty." Frankie asked Hubby to confirm that they were profound and Hubby agreed the were.

Throughout he gave me kind glances that basically said, "I know you have no patience with this, but see, I'm doing it."

Then Frankie left and I started talking to Hubby again. Did I remember to tell you that it was very important, and that I don't remember what it was? Anyway, Frankie came right back with more cards and Hubby said, "Just read me your favorite one." So Frankie did, and then said very quickly "This one will be YOUR favorite it says...." Then he stood up took two steps and said, "This might be my favorite, it says...." And then he got as far as the door and said, "OH! This one is good! It says..."

I was quiet and did a lot of deep breathing.

Later, I went into the kitchen and saw what a terrible job Brian and Frankie had done cleaning up (Andrew had cooked us a gourmet meal of grilled cheese and canned soup) and muttered something angry. Frankie, who is not yet used to me being angry, jumped up and came running in and asked how he could help. I have him a job and then called in Brian to finish it. "Just me? Why aren't you making Frankie help?" I said something irritated, but not mean.

They worked on it. It was still a mess and I finished it and went to be early.

I woke up still angry. Do you ever do that? Wake up wanting to fight with someone?

I didn't wake Brian up gently after he slept through his alarm. He always sleeps through his alarm. I filled up on the light and said "Get up!"

Hubby asked me what times the boys appointments are this evening, and I stared daggers at him while I told him again, for the like the 10th time. Hubby left to shower and I asked Andrew if he had packed a lunch for his band thing.

"It was cancelled?"
"WHAT???"
"I told Dad like four days ago."
"Do you know that we hired someone to watch Frankie?"
"I did tell Dad four days ago."
"When, in your entire life, has telling Dad something like that kept you out of trouble with me??"
Andrew watched me silently, knowing there is NO right answer to that inappropriate question.
"Well, I want you to know that when you get home there will be a highly qualified, highly paid babysitter in the house and you have to do whatever she says."

If I had known that Andrew was going to be there I might have hired the sitter anyway, although I would have told her both that Andrew was going to be home and that she did not have to worry about him.

THEN I got to work. Now I have told my students since last week to make sure they can get onto the course web page. I have told them to talk to IT if they are having trouble. I told them that if they talk to me in advance about issues, I will be accommodating.

I had an email sent last night at 8:00pm. I read it this morning and it said, "I just realized that I cannot get onto the web page and so I cannot do the assignment due today. What are my options at this point?"

I fortunately deleted the email that said, "None. You're screwed" and wrote another, more professional email that basically said the same thing.

I dare any of my students to whine to me today. I JUST DARE them.

On the up side, Hubby is taking Andrew and Frankie to their appointments this evening in The City and it will be just me and Brian home for at least four hours.