Compassionate laundry

It's old home week, here at Bookwormom Central. Sunday night Husband helps me with the laundry by sorting two weeks worth of linens, our laundry & daughter's laundry- all over the kitchen floor. I'm grateful, I think. Except that the kitchen is a galley type with very little room. Yesterday I think I washed & folded eight loads of linens alone. Yes, yes, I realize it's partly my fault for skipping the linens last week.

On top of the laundry, yesterday noonish, the school nurse calls. Son #2 is in her office. Drive over & pick him up. He comes home, gets into his pjs & climbs into Daughter's bed (her room is cooler) & falls asleep. This child is 10 years old & never stops talking. I decided that he really must be sick after all. Why Daughter's bed? He sleeps in a loft & I reminded him that if he needs help I can't get up there. Thus- Daughter's bed.

After Son #1 comes home, I run out for errands & the Daughter. Who was reasonably gracious about sharing her bed. To ease the pain I buy her a new clay masque & face wash. Stopping by her room I pop the thermometer in & go get him an insulated cup of water. Return & discover his temperature is 103 & climbing. Wow. He's really sick after all.

Then I feel a little guilty. Why? Well- I'm not overly sympathetic or compassionate. Husband teases me that I've the bedside manner of a dr. That is to say- no bedside manner to speak of. I tell him it's a good thing the kids have HIM to make up for my shortcomings.

After all that- it's time to cook dinner. Where in the hell is the maid? Who fired her before she could finish the laundry & cook dinner?! Darnitall! Good help is so hard to find. Once dinner & laundry were done I realized I'd not taken my daily constitutional. Husband was home by then so I dragged him with me. We ended up walking about 2.3 miles (1/2 up a long steep hill), being attacked by a teacup poodle.

Today I'm tired. Son #2 is home, fever still raging. Possible strep throat caught from Son #1 who had it last week. I made beans in the crockpot & bought Son#2 some juice. He's watching ancient movies on tv (the original Poseidon Adventure & Curse of the Pink Panther).
Parenting, Family Life