Forget Alexander

You know...that kid who had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

He's got nothing on me.

It started out this weekend when I was starting to put together the plan for this week. I actually had to make a word document of this week's schedule, hour by hour in order to sort it out. I have/had training as well as teaching classes at gymboree and regular evening piano lessons. In addition, it is symphony week, meaning extra rehearsals every night this week and performances Friday and Saturday night. Add to that playing piano for state solo and ensemble Saturday morning and having to fit in rehearsals with each of those four kids both at their school and in the evening. And then finding out that the event is going to be held in Holland rather than locally. As if that's not enough, my car pool mom left this morning fr Israel for ten days so I'm driving both directions for the next week and a half.

So this week was going to be a busy one. And it really needed everything to run like clockwork.

Isn't that always when things fall apart?

I was nursing a sore throat of varying degrees all last week but since I couldn't bear the thought of ANOTHER $40 co-pay, I blew it off, knowing that it was most likely strep. Then, Saturday afternoon on the way to my in-laws for the day, Noah started complaining about a headache, followed by fever, followed by chills and then Sunday morning he added a stiff neck. So this morning, amidst many protests that he didn't want to miss pajama day at school, I canceled the three classes in my brand new job that I was supposed to teach today, canceled solo ensemble rehearsal that I needed to see the music again, and took him to the doctor. The poor kid actually has such a swollen lymph node on his left side that it's protruding out and painful to touch. They ran a culture and came back with a positive strep result. No big surprise there but since I knew I had symphony this week, I had them run a culture on me too. Again, positive for strep.

So now I had to email my section leader to say I couldn't come to the final piano rehearsal tonight before orchestra on Wednesday, risking not being allowed to perform this weekend.

If that were the only bad for the day, then it would just be an annoying day.

But wait...it gets better.

I decided to take Noah out for lunch for pasta since I had a coupon and we both wanted something warm and soft for our throats. On the way home, I see lights. The blue and red kind that strike fear in any law abiding citizen.

I got stopped for going 40 in a 35, destroying a 21 year perfect driving record. Even worse, a $100 ticket. My house in foreclosure, my car is being repossessed and I'm supposed to come up with a fricking $100 out of my butt for a speeding ticket for FIVE MILES OVER THE LIMIT?!

So I headed off to work, still incredibly angry about the days' events. Coming in the door after teaching I hear Aaron whining. Now, Aaron whining is an all day every day occurrence, so I didn't think much of it. Until I come in and see Steve holding a frozen bag of peas and a HUGE goose egg on Aaron's forehead. Seriously? Apparently he was spinning on the hardwood floor and slipped, banging his head on the floor. Way to go Kristi for pulling up the carpeting in here, huh?

Looking toward tomorrow, I can only pray that Aaron doesn't wake up with spots on his face, which is how he gets strep. I can't cancel another day of obligations, considering I don't even know the full consequences of today's yet.

So I am thinking about the children's book Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. We don't know if Alexander had a better the next day.

I really hope that I do.