Monday Morning Wake-Up

Today is supposed to be "Cheese Day", aka my last supper, but that is not going to happen today. It's only 9:00 am, but a lot has happened already, and buying cheese and ice cream will have to wait until tomorrow.

I prepped lunches this morning and sent the boys off to school and work. Then Gracie and I snuggled a bit before she got herself dressed and ate breakfast. After helping her choose a snack, we got in the van as usual to make it to the bus, which was due to arrive within the next five minutes. Except we got about 50 yards past our driveway and saw the mess that was blocking our way to the bus stop. The driver of a horse tractor-trailer was attempting to back up and turn around. It's probably really tough to imagine what trouble that would cause, but we live on a single lane road that looks more like a driveway than a road. I really wish I had thought to take pictures, but I was riveted by the scene. Once the vehicle was done trashing my neighbor's yard and my other neighbor's driveway and mailbox, I had backed up around the bend to my driveway. When I pulled back into the road and attempted to get Gracie to the bus, I encountered the reason that horse-lady was doing a 180.


PECO trucks had closed our road, and were trimming trees. I realized these poor workers already had a tough morning, dealing with the other lady, so I put my best smile on and asked to be let through. Unfortunately, he did not understand my English, so I had to ask the next guy, who smiled and said "sure". So I sat, and I sat, and I sat some more. Gracie finally spoke up and said, "I know I act like I don't like school on Monday, but I really want to go today. I wore my new shirt."

Gracie wearing her pretty new shirt
Finally, a PECO truck moved over, and I proceeded up the road and had to wait for two more trucks. They each had a bucket loaded with a tree trimmer dangling 80 feet off the ground. We waited for them to come down to safety, remove the blocks on the wheels, and then inch over into the ditch on the side of the road.

I finally got Gracie to school and an hour later, walked in my back door - the longest 6 mile round trip I've taken in a while. It's days like these that I realize why I'm struggling to be good to me. An entire hour, which I already did not have to give, was taken from me this morning. So to stay true to my mission, the "be good to me" goal can be accomplished by listing those things for which I'm thankful.
  • I have a flexible job allowing me to sit and wait.
  • I speak English. 
  • My daughter likes fashion enough to make that a reason to get to school.
  • I have a minivan and did not have to put Gracie on that bus.
  • I do not have to dangle 80 feet from the ground in a bucket with sharp blades in my hands.
  • I got some extra listening time with "NeedToBreathe".
  • I am not a horse owner.

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