11 jan 2006
A Day in the Life
by Andrea Adelung
My mother recently sent me an email I'd sent to her over a year ago after a particularly harrowing day. At the time I'd written it, I was probably certain it would remain an indelible burn in that part of my brain that occasionally wonders, "Why didn't we just get goldfish?" The funny thing is, though, that upon reading it through a second time, I realized I'd completely forgotten about that day! I guess it just goes to show: Moms are more resilient than they think!.... Either that or: Parenting really does zap brain cells! Whichever the case, I survived the day and the whole family was well and sane enough to make the four-hour drive to a beautiful Italian lake, where we spent the truly unforgettable part of the weekend!
Dear Mom and Sis,
I just wanted to tell you guys about the ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE DAY I've just had. Keep in mind I am busy this week trying
to get a big translation done and trying to organize this kindergarten festival on Saturday and getting ready to go
to Italy on Friday. Okay. My plan for today was: bring Sven to kindergarten, bring Julia to Regensburg to get her
external retainer at the orthodontist, pick up Sven, make lunch, have a tutee come over, return books to library and
go to a tennis board meeting in the evening, come home and work on my translation after the kids go to bed.
That was my plan. Here is what actually happened. Julia could not get to sleep last night, which was to be expected, but she finally nodded off. I got to bed shortly after 12. Sven was calling at 2 a.m. and I dreamed I'd gone to him. Unfortunately, when I realized I was only dreaming and actually went to him, it was too late: he was lying in a pool of vomit. I stripped the bed, stripped Sven, showered and shampooed Sven, washed the sheets, tried to reassure the now wide-awake Julia that she should go back to sleep. I discovered that the clothes dryer is on the blink.
Okay, at 3 a.m., Sven came to bed with me and we slept until 6:20. We got ready, got Julia up at 7 (she wasn't going to school due to the orthodontal appointment), let Sven sleep a bit longer (since he wan't going to kindergarten), phoned my neighbor to ask if she could take Sven.... Sven woke up with a problem: diarrhea. Unfortunately while still in my bed. Okay, I washed Sven again, washed more sheets, brought him to our neighbor's, and drove to Regensburg with Julia. She got her retainer/headgear and we were shown how to carefully put it in her mouth and attach it to the rings cemented to her rear upper molars.... we came home, I picked up Sven, and made lunch....
One of the cemented rings in Julia's mouth came off while we were practicing how to take off and put on the retainer. A panicked call to the ortho followed, who told us to come back. Sven now had a fever. My tutee didn't show up, and upon talking to his mom, I discovered he was coming an hour later—I'd misunderstood the time. I told her to contact him and tell him NOT to come until tomorrow.
I called my friend Niki to ask if she could take Sven. I brought Sven and a basket of clean, wet laundry to Niki. I brought Jules to Regensburg, had the ring re-attached, came home, picked up Sven, renewed library books by phone, ran around getting food on the table and laundry off the outdoor stand, got my papers together for my meeting, went to my meeting, came home, loaded the dishwasher and tried to get the kids to bed. I finally sat down to work at 10 p.m.I am TIRED tonight!! I am going to go to bed now. I have so much work to do at my computer. Luckily I cancelled some appointments for Wednesday and Thursday mornings to get some work done. Too bad Sven is ill! Rats! Maybe he'll be better in the morning and can go to kindergarten... I know, I know.... wishful thinking. Oh, I have to prepare for my classes on Thursday. Rats. What a horribly over busy week. I don't even have time to THINK about the trip, much less prepare for it.
Oh well.... I'm looking forward to Friday afternoon when we'll be driving away from all of this. I just hope I'm not too tired and cranky by that time to enjoy it!!
Andrea Adelung is a native of New England and has a Ph.D. in German language and literature. During her studies and related years abroad, she fell in love in and with Germany and now lives in sunny, funny Bavaria with her husband, son and daughter. She works as a freelance translator and language instructor. |
