Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Back to School Blues

As if getting the kids back to school on time on the first day wasn't already fraught with snags like Younger Daughter's not being able to find a single belt belonging to the red and white gingham dress my Princess of a granddaughter wears. She had taken her uniforms (Princesses not YD's!) to be shortened and forgotton to remove the belts. So it was with trepidation that we watched P getting dressed in the morning of BACK TO SCHOOL. As it dawned on her that there was no belt YD tried to reason with her that said belt was missing but we would find a replacement in the Lost and Found at school. After a bit of horror that she was expected to wear someone else's pox-riddled belt and being assured she wouldn't catch anything from it because it would, after all, be worn OVER the dress NOT next to the skin, Princess finally aquiesced and we breathed a sigh of relief. Off we went to the school where my hand was clutched in trepidation and believe me it was not an act - her hand was cold and clammy and trembling - until I was ejected from the classroom because my behind was too large for the miniature chairs!! That made her laugh so I could leave with the knowledge that the situation was not too desperate. Downstairs, two grades lower, I bumped into YD's ex partner in floods of tears rushing from the scene of her twin sons classrooms. Thinking she had a bad case of Partition Blues going I shrieked "Oh come on Bear, it's not THAT bad" only to be informed that she had reversed out of the driveway over the family dog and killed him!!! IN FRONT OF HER SONS who were now in class weeping their little eyes out. What a way to start the year! Younger Daughter when informed of all the snot and trana callously remarked that she should lie the other two ancient maltese poodles in the driveway and reverse over them too and then she wouldn't be looking for place to live that took pets! Apparently she has to move out of her present home at the end of January and as yet has nowhere to go (as her sons happily tell anyone willing to listen!).

Meanwhile I have spent thousands getting my annual mammogram and (first time ever) bone density scan done, complete medical check-up as I needed a new prescription and had my neck twisted by the chiropractor! Actually he was the cheapest of the whole lot and I am totally in love with him since he cured a two month headache in one treatment! He says the stiff neck and tense upper back are probably from getting my last assignment into Unisa (in all honesty it was probably from the hours of Patience I play while listening to podcasts!! but I didn't tell him that). The mammo and bone density (as I knew it would be) were perfect and I don't need to do the bone thing for another 5 years (read 10). These go towards our Medical Aid's Vitality program where we get awarded poiints for all the tests we have done that go towards a healthy body! Hopefully this will push us up from Bronze category to Silver!! It costs a bomb but we love working towards this goal and every time we use the Vitality card at the local supermarket we get a percentage back depending which category we are in.

We are now spending the night at Golden Boy's charming home and as I type this their cat is sitting on the dining room table watching my every move.