A Pretty Pot and a bit of a Rant

It hit home this morning that we are really only visitors here in the North Country. Not that I mind, but it was really clear to me yesterday that we are not natives. My parents were not natives when we moved into our house when I was a kid, but now after years and years of calling that place home they are clearly of Lee Center. So perhaps we will be at some point? But who really knows with jobs and life. Regardless this place is a soft place to land after the worries of the day.

In the evenings, our furry cat Pumpkin likes to find me on the couch and lay as close as possible. Usually on my chest. He is much larger than he was down south. In part because he is aging and also in part due to the move. There is not much cover for nice tasty fat cat in our meadow and the coyotes howling at night even scare me.

I almost feel like calling him Worry instead of Pumpkin because his weight can only be stood for a brief time on your chest although the purring is nice. So, as a compromise, he gets on the back of the couch and reads blog posts with me.

The other night I was reading and spotted an awesome scrapbook page about a bird and asked him nice if he'd like to take a quick peek at it with me.

Of course, THE MAN who was watching that reality show where they hunt alligators thought I was talking to him.

No, I'm talking to the cat, I said with scorn. I felt surprised he couldn't tell the difference.

But anyhow, back to my non-native status.

So, yesterday, a computer guy was remoted into my computer trying to fix my soft phone. Which brings the amount of things that can possible ring, ding or buzz in my life up to six. House phone, cell phone, skype call, soft phone and two different e-mails.

My cell phone rang in the middle so I left the skype call and my pc with it's mouse moving by itself and went to talk to a coworker. MB is like a ghost so when he calls you make the most of it and excavate as much as you can out of the conversation. At the same point in time, the house phone rang and I could see it was the school.

Much longer than I liked I finally got off my cell and back onto the skype call. NOW, for the record, I really don't want my softphone to work so fixing it was not making me happy. The poor computer guy was at his wits end with my pc. His pain may have sounded like joy in my ears....

A half hour later found me jumping in the car to grab something quick we could eat for dinner since Luke had a play at the school shortly after THE MAN got home.

Stopped to visit the Clay Goddess to get Lexi's little dish she made.

Returned home and continued working.

COMPLETELY FORGOT about the darn house phone.

Then the moment of panic ensued when the oldest didn't get off the bus.

I imagine aliens or a catastrophic bus accident and due to my non-local status I have been left out of the loop.

And then recall that perhaps I should listen to the message on the house phone.

It was Lexi nearly in tears telling me she had to stay for detention for not writing in complete sentences in Science on a homework assignment.

Steam boils in my ears. I ignore all the buzzing and beeping of various phones and e-mails. I try the school. Of course everyone is gone for the day as they have the schedule I would like.

I fire off a well written and polite note to Jamie, the school principal. We are on a first name basis from the last detention earlier this year.

I ask him nicely to have her science teacher call her father. I am too mad to see clearly.

But here is the non-native status kicking me in the face.

I foolishly believed my child was attending public school and not a military academy.

I have no support group that says, this is all normal for this school and 5th grade, Mitra.

Instead, I just have anger.

My two precious amazing kids are getting off the bus so I greet them at the door with a smile.

The youngest is clearly pissed.

He looks at me with tears in his eyes and says, you didn't come to the afternoon play!

YUP, take away my license to be a Mom. Revoke my Super Mom status. Clearly I have failed here!

But today I am laughing although it still stings a little.

Lexi said the best part of her day after the detention was seeing her little pot.

My little frog did a great job in the evening performance. A chocolate milk shake after fixed a bit more.

Early this am, Coconut coffee and a barrista neighbor who listens cured the rest of it. I will enjoy this soft place to land as long as I have it.