Current Mood : Bitter. You don't *want* pictures of my day !
I still can't get over today. The field trip was more boring that a tour of a box factory, I got sunburned, picked up a misery maven carpool partner, and I went to TRU and didn't find a single doll I even remotely wanted. Kind of a weird day for me.
The field trip was to an historical farm in the midst of Capitol City, complete with costumed recreationists guiding tours. I'd agreed to drive a carless mom to the farm in Molly, and she complained about her boyfriends and her four kids the whole way. Nice enough woman, just made some bad decisions that probably seemed like good ideas at the time. I already knew her son as Dearest Son's classmate, a nice kid who also really wanted attention.
Anyway, we arrive, and are briefly told the safety directives, which include not chasing after the farm cat, Shockers. Of course, Shockers developed an instant attachment to me, and he looked so much like DC, I couldn't resist giving him a quick nose-to-tail stroke. This earned me a chew-out from our costumed host, good and loud in front of everyone, which I bore stoically as Shockers continued to head-butt my ankles and purr a bit for more petting. He was within his rights, of course, but I think things could have been handled without screaming at another adult.
Dearest had one of his increasingly rare meltdowns, so I wasn't able to complete watching over one of the corn demos with the kids - another mother volunteered to replace me, so I could attend to Son - but He Who Is Now Known as Jerk decided to chew me out again. He didn't know I'd already taken care of business, and if the equipment is that rare and valuable, why was I put in charge of it in the first place ? Every last piece of the shucker was cast-iron, so it's not like it could get broken, and another Mom was watching, so no one could get hurt. Which I would have told him if he hadn't immediately assumed and started up again. Jerk. I was already dealing with one meltdown, I didn't need his !
Luckily, Dearest composed himself and we went to the second part of the tour - going through a small house set up with more indestructible antiques. The tour guide on this part admittedly did have to refocus attention numerous times, since her spiel was pretty dry, but Dearest and I were paying attention - some of his classmates were bored and hungry by now. And I have to wonder why she spent ten minutes describing an item immediately replaced on a high shelf where no one could touch it. I'm not sure if she witnessed my earlier ‘corrections', but she watched Dearest and me like a hungry hawk studies a broken-winged set of sparrows, and even the other mothers commented on it. Of course, we were no trouble there, but the scrutiny was unnerving.
By now, I was ready to pick up Son, pack him in the car, and go. Misery Mom could find another way home... but I stayed. For some reason, the third part of the tour never materialized, and after lunch we ended up playing Simon Says and Duck, Duck, Goose on the lawn while waiting for the bus to pick the kids up. I hope I didn't wreck it for everyone, but if acknowledging a cat and letting someone else take over when I can't complete a task because my son is over-stressed is such an egregious sin, they really need to limit visitors to junior-high students or even adults. The two other schools visiting at the same time were also packed with their allotment of rambunctious kids - some of whom actively chased the cat, but I don't know if they got yelled at or not. I was just ready to go.
(sigh) Sad part is, the games on the lawn were the only parts most of the kids enjoyed. But I still worried that my actions got on the employees' nerves and we got tossed. But if their nerves are that fragile, maybe they shouldn't schedule three schools' worth of elementary kids within a half hour of each other. And maybe I should act on my instincts and drive.
I asked his teacher if what I did cost us the rest of the tour, but she said the guides just left everyone after lunch for the next school's tour, so she didn't think so. For all she knew, the third tour guide was waiting on us, but the kids were too bored by the whole thing to concentrate, no one was enjoying it, so we just played instead. That was a relief, but I still wonder. It really was boring, when it shouldn't have been. But maybe I'm biased because I could mostly just hear getting chewed out instead of lectures on stereoscopes.
Feel free to tell me if you agree with the tour guides - I'm half convinced I was the jerk anyway.
So. We finish up early and I drive Misery Mom home, who complained about the whole trip the whole way back. Hey, at least it wasn't her quarter-tank of gas ! Dropped her off with enough time for a quick run to TRU. The only item of interest was the Thunder Driller set from Lego's Power Miners line, which Dearest has been yearning for since he got the first set. Seriously, I went through every doll TRU had and found nothing I wanted. Maybe it was due to the fact that they didn't have much new besides the TnT repro, but normally I'd have found something just to make m'self feel better.
I guess most of the ennui was due to the fact that I already have a major doll surplus, and sooner or later, I'll have to buckle down and thin the herds. The Cinderella doll shuffle was just an easy, early part of that. I'm not looking forward to it, but it's gotta get done. I can barely walk in the Lab again, and with the new embroidery stuff, it's just beyond. So this week, I hope to get that over and done with. Or at least begun well.
I guess this year, I really need to knock off the yard sales. About all we really need are Fall clothes for Dearest, and it's been hard to find those for the last two years. Giving consideration to simply picking up a few thermals for him this year, and letting him wear his T-shirts over them, instead of hunting for sweatshirts. I've given up finding good-shape pants for him on the second-hand circuit. They're either worn out or like-new priced.
Picked up Dearest from school and we soothed our tempers with slushies at 7-11. Beloved came home and they put together the new Lego set, and it was about that time I noticed my left arm hurt. Sunburn ! Both arms, my neck, and my face. First clear day in about three weeks, bright sunny day with no rain at all, and I get burnt. Sunscreen did not even blip on my radar. I feel so stupid. But a quick vinegar rinse has relieved most of the tightness, and some aloe vera should ease me to sleep tonight.
If I don't stay up worrying that I screwed up everyone's field trip, that is.
