NOTE: As (the?) one reader of my blog noted yesterday, “Okay, I think it’s time for you to get back to work! You obviously have too much time on your hands!” (I wasn’t offended, though, as the next line read, “Will you post daily? Please?”) The following post exists because I thought it might be helpful to show that I’m not bored or sitting around listlessly…
We’re such troopers, here.
My alarm went off at 6:02; by 6:10 I was frantically trying to keep up with the McDonald’s virtual personal trainer whose half hour of verbal cues and background music barely leaked through my own choice of high-energy tunes. After breakfast–granola I made yesterday–and a bit of time with M & N, I was off for the remainder of my day’s athletic event: I watered our houseplants (with N in the Snugli), washed a load of laundry, perfunctorily cleaned both bathrooms, dusted in (almost) every room, swept/vacuumed all of our floors, emptied the dust cannister on the vacuum, emptied all the trash cans, and washed dishes. That was all before 9:30.
But I am not the star of the day, really. N had her first-ever excursion, so that makes her the star. We bundled her up into her car seat and took off for the doctor’s office, where she met every possible expectation without noteworthy fuss. Number one comment heard today: “Oh, what a wonderful Christmas gift!”
From the doctor’s office we drove, armed with the gift card from our little friend Jedrek and a page of coupons we got in the mail, straight to McDonald’s (Is a theme developing? Eat that, Barbara Kingsolver–more on this in a later post). I ate two Big Macs and a large chocolate shake (I couldn’t finish the coupon-trophy sweet tea), M had a fillet o’ fish (Do they really always come with cheese on?) and a large chocolate shake. She didn’t even try the tea. N sat quietly in her car seat; I couldn’t see her, but she probably bore the smug expression of an effortlessly accomplished health nut. Maria’s comment during the meal: “Five years ago I never imagined we’d be doing this–and with another person in the car.” Yes, that’s right–our McDonald’s meal appears to have been our fifth wedding anniversary outing.
Then to the hospital for tons of red tape just for N’s PKU (meanie nurse pricked her heal and squeezed out her blood), then to the county health department where I had to tell the receptionist what to do with our birth registration form, then to the post office to buy stamps, and then, oh my blessed, at last off to home.
M & N are both tuckered out–N’s here, asleep in the Snugli; M’s in bed (this was her first excursion since Christmas Eve)–and so am I. A quiet Friday night with supper provided by a church friend will be just what we need.
