Join Me in Snarkville

Oh what a seriously wild ride of a day, the residents of Snarkville had yesterday.  If you saw it in a teen drama, you would TOTALLY think this thing “NEVER” happens.  But oh, it so did.

The backstory:  Last week, as the “$9/hr” sitter left, she casually mentions, “I can’t sit next week because of a school thing.”  Ok, what I didn’t realize is this “school thing” was BACK TO SCHOOL night.  Taking up the entire population of teenage sitters in the whole community!

On Sunday, I ran into my neighbor’s teen and asked if she’d be interested.  She said, “Yes, but I have to check my schedule. I’ll call you.”  I waited.  I waited.  I called her on Tuesday.  She called back AFTER 9pm — to say NO!  Urgh.

Ok, I had three back-up plans at that point.

1. Take Duke to the alley with us.  Entertain him with Finding Nemo and dinner.  Pray alot!
2. Stay home with Duke, send Prince to bowl.
3. Take Duke to a fellow teammate’s house where her 16 year old French exchange student MIGHT be able to sit.

After 9 billion calls, I desperate plea to the mother’s clubbers, at the 11th hour, #3 was promising.  Ok, packed a bag of stuff.  Got dinner for Duke.  Headed out.

Got to the house, hung out with my teammate for a bit waiting for the sitter to arrive (she was 20 minutes late).  Settled everyone.  Drove to the alley.

Walked into the alley, 10 minutes after bowling began.  I was taking my shoes off as I walked in.  Prince walks up and says, “Did you get the message?”  “Um, no.” “You aren’t bowling tonight.”  WHAT????

Seems despite what we thought, we have no offical subs, we have 6 people on a 5 person 5. So the decision was made that we’d rotate.  Well, get this — seems *I’m* the most available of the bunch and hadn’t sat out.  Furious is a strong enough word.

I had stressed the WHOLE.DAY. to get a sitter, when I could have just stayed home!!!!

Think.Think. I told myself.  I could go pick Duke back up and take him home.  But then we’d have to drive all the way back to the alley to pick up Prince.  I had NOTHING with me to do.  I didn’t bring my knitting, because I’ve not had time while bowling; my iPod needed charging; and my cell happened to be on the kitchen counter at home.  URGH.

I ate my dinner that Prince had ordered for me.  YUM, food good.  Ok, sugar low hate avoided.  I thought. I thought.  (And it should be noted that at NO time did, “sit and watch” become an option.)  I told Prince, I’m going home to get my knitting.  I’ll come back; but I’m not sitting here with nothing to do.

Drove 20 minutes home. Drove 20 minutes back.  I got two more rows on my Icarus shawl done at the alley.  I got tons of attention for bringing it in. (My knitting friends can breathe please — this alley is SMOKE FREE —- I did not expose my precious handknit to anything horrible.)  Prince rolled his eyes at me, but I think deep down he understood that the only way I wasn’t going to make him walk home (and it wasn’t HIS fault) was to be able to knit.

Lesson learned: I’m putting a special “car/emergency” project in my car — this way I can save 40 minutes.

Oh, and the hair?  I FINALLY got a haircut.  It has been seriously too long, but I kinda got over my old stylist with all her talking and taking an hour plus to cut my hair.  I heard this guy was back in town (and there was a twitter everywhere about it).  So, I called.  I said, “I’ll take your earliest available.”  The guy on the phone said, “3pm today?”  I said, “Done.”  yippie!  And the best part — I like him!  Seems to be worth the hype and I’m thrilled.

And finally, finally, in closing the random update of the Queen’s life, Duke was dry this morning.  This is noteable, because on a whim last night, I didn’t put his “back-up pull-up” on him!  I wanted to give him his promised “red car sticker” — but alas, all he wants are the tools.  Big, HUGE hugs to the Bad Mommy who was kind enough to share her sticker stash with me.