M.I.A.: My Sense of Humour

Spoiler Alert:  Some weeks back,  I promised that this blog would discuss some everyday moments in our life and not just the fun stuff.  So here is a first world issues, whinging, whining, and moaning post:

I am in a seriously bad mood!   It started a couple of days ago and only seems to be escalating.  Everyone is is tip-toeing around me, careful not to poke the bear in case she attacks.  I couldn't even tell you what set it off.  I usually have a sense of humour over the minor challenges of day-to-day life but this time, my sense of humour has up and fled the building grabbing its great mates 'good sense', 'calm', 'peace', and 'perspective' on its way out the door.

J's on-going forgetfulness has resulted in a seriously poked bear.  Can someone please advise if it is an XY chromosome thing, a 9-year old thing or a J thing?  The boy has the memory of an elephant and can remember the tiniest detail of an event 6 years ago, but ask him to remember his school hat?  Not a chance.

Yesterday, J had tennis before school.  When I picked him up after school, his backpack was missing and tennis racket gone (racket for the 3rd time BTW!).  The backpack had library books, money, a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, and his homework.  J shrugged, clueless as to their whereabouts.  Poke, poke!   His French teacher then collared me to discuss his 'comportement".  That's French for "when in school you sit still, listen, learn, and do your work without giggling, discussion or tipped water bottles".  "But mum, it's almost the end of the year," he protested.  Great! Five more weeks of tipped water bottles.  This morning, he left the fork for his pasta lunch on the kitchen counter; hope he enjoys eating penne with his fingers!  This near-perfect day was topped by a rousing difference of opinion between us during homework, that 9 to the power of 2 was 81 not 18!!!  

C2 had the temerity to inquire mildly why there was no yogurt which, of course, sent me off into a rage over this personal attack.  Being an expat trailing spouse and falling into our respective roles of responsibility does not take away from the fact that I am a 21st century woman who was successful enough professionally to make choices to live the life I live now.  C2 and I are the modern ideal of true equality, which therefore does not make me responsible for the f***ing yogurt.  Don't think he'll make that mistake again anytime soon.

I ventured into my garden after the school run this morning to water my plants and found my wildly stubborn "I-refuse-to-hang-in-any-kind-of-orderly-manner" hose, which C2 had recently wrangled into submission lying about in all manner of disorder, and in a clear act of rebellion, the hose had flung its hose hanger onto the ground but on its way to the ground, it had knocked our gas lever into the OFF position.  Because our gas pilot is in the attic, only a gas plumber can reignite it.  Super!

This was followed by what can only be described as a personal conspiracy against me by the aphids on my roses.

Finally, despite seeing a spinal specialist physiotherapist, I am not seeing much improvement in my debilitating lower back problem.  The current theory is wasted muscles caused by a disc injury between the L4 and L5 vetebrae, a year ago.  Very common injury and one difficult and requiring many months to resolve.  Good to know that in spite of working out like a fiend, I manage to have wasted muscles.   Super duper!

I want my mom.


ADDENDUM TO MY MOANING

Good news:

Backpack was located late today behind the junior school building.  Someone had clearly snatched and stashed it.  It was minus the tennis racket but everything else was there.  OK, I guess I can't really blame this one on forgetfullness.

Special Mention:

Without any encouragement, J made a $5.00 donation from his own pocket money to the poppy fund in memory of his Grandparents, Great-Uncle, and Great-Granddad.

Remarkable Mention:

This morning, the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard announced the launching of a Royal Commission to investigate the responses of religious, state and community groups to acts and allegations of child sexual abuse.  As I work in an organisation dedicated to child protection, and the reduction and prevention of child sexual abuse, we are beyond delighted. Well done Australia!