Mom & Me Four Archive

    I can tell I'm working myself, with unusual gusto, up to a bad day. Not quite sure why, but it seems like a good enough day for a bad day.
    It started promisingly enough. I made up for lost sleep, arose fairly early (never early enough for my tastes, anymore, I observed, which should have been my first clue), noticed, with pleasure, that it was cloudy and raining, revved myself up in the shower for a water-soaked day...did my usual first-thing chores, considered Costco but decided to put that one off until tomorrow since I also had a grocery run on the schedule which is a bit more urgent, blah, blah, blah...checked the weather for confirmation that today would be mostly rainy (it will, with adjustments), salivated over making my coffee, which I particularly enjoy on what I consider "Seattle Days", and continued, without self-restraint, setting myself up for an annoying day. I remembered that last year, much to my delight, eggnog hit the groceries at least a week before my birthday. This is what I love about the holiday season: For two plus months I drink my coffee with the substitution of eggnog for half-and-half, sprinkled with freshly ground nutmeg. This is how I decorate the holidays according to my preference; this not only renders them endurable for me, but allows me to look forward to them and savor every day, despite all the other stuff about holidays which I absolutely hate.
    "Hmmm..." I thought. "Last year the groceries began stocking eggnog a week or two before my birthday...Hey! Cool! Maybe [our usual grocery, which stocks the brand of eggnog I prefer] will have it on the shelves today! I'll bet they will! I can just feel it! I'll make this one a short cup so I can really enjoy my second eggnog laced cup later!"
    Whoops. Not today. This is, actually, a normal pre-birthday scenario for me...I always try to mentally "push" the grocery to stock eggnog before my birthday. Usually, they manage to get it out a day or two before my birthday. Sometimes, it's the day after. Last year was exceptional. Normally, this is a minor consideration for me. I mean, big deal, what's a day or two. The gods forgive me, today I had so anticipated (and, apparently, so needed) eggnog in my coffee that when I realized I was way ahead of their schedule, I astonished myself by having to fight back tears! I felt personally maligned and patently ridiculous.
    At home, I settled at my computer to perform my daily of deleting spam off some of my "other" email addresses. Today, as the clouds, much to my dismay, dissipated, the sun's rays through our living room windows had finally reached the winter position where I had to push myself and my computer back a ways in order to read the screen. I think I heard myself growl. There is much to appreciate about the startling amount of sun this house affords in the winter, not the least of which that my mother, who is the sun's most dedicated disciple, bathes in it all winter long. It also keeps our winter heat bill down and sun warmth is much preferable to me over artificially created heat, except for that of a fireplace. But, during the winter it is a daily reminder of how annoying I find the sun. At its peak, I find myself having to wear sun shades in the living room in order to tolerate it.
    This also meant that I was going to have to wait until late afternoon or evening, if that, for more rain. I noticed my level of agitation rising. I realized how unreasonable I was being, but, screw it, today seems made, I decided, for unreasonable behavior.
    Then, I received a call from my computer challenged friend, letting me know that everything we'd done yesterday worked and she was, again, in command of her system. "You sound a little peeved," she said.
    "Yeah," I groused, knowing I was being petty but insisting on it, anyway, "I don't know why, but I worked myself up for the beginning of eggnog season today before going to the grocery and they haven't started stocking."
    "Just as well," she said, "that stuff'll kill you."
    "Well, fuck death," I screeched, "has a law been passed that I no longer own the devices to cause my own death!?!"
    She laughed nervously. "Oh my," she said, "did someone forget her Black Cohosh today?"
    Luckily, I grabbed myself by the scruff of the neck just in time and laughed, too. It wasn't the most delectable laugh, but it worked.
    So, you know, I'll be awakening my mother in five minutes. It'll be interesting to see how I affect her day and, especially, how she affects mine, since I seem bound to allow my worst judgment to lead me around by the nose, today. I'm sure she'll be in a good mood, which helps. She is fairly immune to my emotional flamboyance, anyway, and I noticed when I checked on her a half hour ago that her right leg is already dangling off the bed...which is an excellent sign for an excellent day, for her.
    Here I go, ready or not; or, maybe, ready regardless.
    Later.