Can Something Maybe Go My Way? Maybe? Something? Anything, Really?!

O! M! F! G!!


What a week it was been. Yes, AGAIN.


My step-children - who were placed in temporary custody of my ex-MIL - ended up staying at my house three nights last week because "Etta" took a tumble in her bathroom and did a face plant on the hardwood floor. She ended up with a 6 inch gash on her forehead, two black eyes, and some very severely bruised ribs. This required a trip to the ER and 17 stitches.


And I have been feeling extremely guilty because she called me when it happened and I didn't answer the phone. On purpose. I remember thinking "God GOD woman! What the hell do you want NOW?" Etta's "emergency" and my "emergency" are generally two vastly different things. Of course, the one day I make that assumption and ignore her, turns out it really WAS a REAL emergency. Ah well. Someone got her to the ER and I went and picked her up and took her home.


"Colton" and "Branda" came to my house for dinner that night and stayed overnight for two more nights, and "Colton" stayed for a third night. Jesus Mary and Joseph I don't know how people with more than two children do it day in and day out. The increase in the noise and the dishes and the laundry and the hot water usage and the grocery bill and the garbage generated....... I very nearly lost my mind.


Which brings up another trial - household appliances that have decided they no longer wish to be employed full time, but would much rather be "sittin' on their ass eatin' bon bons and watchin' Dr. Phil." 


The hot water heater will work for a day or two and then the pilot will go out and the water gradually cools (or gets used up) and not get reheated, requiring someone (ME) to trudge down to the laundry room and manually re-light it. There are few things more aggravating than getting the motivation to actually do the dishes or take a shower (both of which happen sometimes infrequently because of my chronic-ness) only to discover that the water is nowhere near hot enough to accomplish either task.


Another thing hot water is required for? Cleaning out the damn refrigerator that has decided it no longer wishes to circulate cold air through the refrigerator compartment. The freezer section is still working - everything is still frozen quite solid. However, many things had to be disposed of from the fridge because it is no longer cold enough to keep things "safe." I discovered this Saturday. I had to wait until Monday to call a repair person. Who couldn't come until Thursday. So, we have been living out of coolers for a week, buying ice at two different places because no ONE place sells both ice CUBES and ice BLOCKS. And, my kitchen is tiny so no matter where the coolers are, they are in the way. I'm hoping that it is a simple fix and does not require replacement of the entire thing. If that happens, the land lord will probably have an aneurysm because he just bought THIS one four years ago. My BFF had the condenser go out in hers. $600 for a new condenser...........$725 for a brand new fridge WITH an ice maker. Since the freezer is still frozen, I'm thinking hoping it's just the fan.


My Administrative Hearing for my SSDI benefits was in January and I STILL have not heard whether or  not I have been approved. Mind you, this process has been going on since January 2009.


*SIGH* and lots of tears and slamming of doors and cussing and throwing things.


The Universe is conspiring against my Pity Party, however.  Even though things aren't going so great right now, I still have much to be thankful for.


Because "Branda and Colton" are staying with "Etta," I have no problem letting my kids go over and play with them. That makes The Monkey a very happy boy! And The Bug gets to go too, and so that gives me a break. Someone else gets to take a turn listening to them argue about EVERYTHING. A little time to just be and not be bothered. With anything.


The Monkey was selected as Student of The Week at his school. This makes me SO EFFING PROUD of him, I can't even tell you.  I was up well past my bedtime on Monday putting together a "portfolio" of his life. Poster board, construction paper, glue stick, the works. We used up all my picture paper and a most of an ink cartridge, but we knocked that booklet out of the park. Most families I think could probably fit their family pictures on a single page. Not us! We have FOUR pages. (Blended families are fun!) Some of mine, some of his, some of ours and a set of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins for each! I feel so blessed that so many people love and care for my son. We are our OWN village!


Even though I have a couple of appliances that are shitting the bed, at least I have a roof over my head. A mostly comfortable bed to sleep in. A roommate to help with the bills (and carry my trash out to the dumpster and pack the laundry baskets up and down the stairs).


And, perhaps most importantly, I so thankful that I have a sense of humor about it all because at a certain point, it all becomes so FUCKING RIDICULOUS that ALL you can do is laugh. Because if you don't, you might find yourself holding up the C-Store with a softened stick of butter in your coat pocket saying "Gimme all your ice or the popcorn gets it!"