Losing My …

Keys, mind, patience.

Today was a typically busy day in the Testosterone Zone. I took Wild Thing and Moose to school and actually walked Moose into class. The mother of one of his classmates was having surgery today, and she asked me to look in on her daughter. Bell and Calvin convened The Breakfast Club this morning, so we all met at Panera. Afterwards, I went downtown to the salon and had a pedicure before heading back to mid-town to volunteer at the Snooty School. Today was Teacher Treats, a quarterly luncheon which the parents provide to all the faculty and staff. I made a spinach and artichoke casserole last night and served it at school today.

Somewhere in the midst of all that I lost my house-keys.

Sad Moose

Today, Moose was so excited for his after-school playdate with his friend, Ryan. Moose has been bugging me for weeks to set this up, and the day was finally here. Moose planned the whole afternoon: first a snack, then homework, play and then dinner here in The Zone.

Ah, but the best laid plans go astray. In the middle of my 3-mile walk his morning, Ryan’s dad, a teacher at the Snooty School, called me to say Ryan flipped out at the prospect of going home with someone other than his parent or grandparent. Ryan’s dad was trying to convince the boy to change his mind, but he wasn’t optimistic. Meanwhile, we arranged to meet at carline after school, on the off-chance that Ryan saw reason.

I knew it was bad news as soon as I saw Moose’s face after school. No smile. Only a dejected “Hi, Mom.” Oh no. Then Ryan’s dad ran over and apologized profusely for his son, asking if we could possibly reschedule on a weekend soon. I said “of course.”

I drove home, but Moose wouldn’t talk to me, wouldn’t look at me. He dragged himself into the house and up to his room. Wild Thing reported he heard crying. I climbed the stairs and knocked twice on Moose’s door. When he didn’t answer, I let myself in. I found the most pitiful sight. There was Moose curled up in his bed and tightly wrapped in his blankets. He was weeping. Moose’s whole body wracked with deep sobs. He was inconsolable; he wouldn’t even let me lie there with him. Moose couldn’t even tell me to leave. He just pointed to the door for me to go. My poor baby.

We didn’t see Moose for nearly two hours. I called him down for dinner, and he trudged down slowly. WineGuy turned things around promising Moose that we would either take him over to Ryan’s house or have Ryan’s parents bring him to The Zone very soon.

Someone broke my baby’s heart today. It was the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. But it hurts my very soul all the same.

Carpe Diem

A New Badge of Honor

In a separate forum, Doc Thelma bestowed upon me the title of “Moms Who Rock,” in response to my post about Wizard’s truancy.

I was so inspired that I designed my own badge at Cool Text: Logo and Graphics Generator. It’s over there on my sidebar.

Believing in the freedom of the marketplace, I invite any of my readers to bestow a Rock on any mom who meant what she said and who said what she meant* e.g. a mom who warned her kid of the consequences of an action and who faithfully and firmly followed through. HOWEVER, if you give a Rock please acknowledge Tales From The Testosterone Zone as the source of the award and provide a link to this page. Any takers?

Thank you very much!

*With apologies and thanks to the late, great Theodore Geisel.

Truant

No one moved quickly in The Zone this Monday morning. Wild Thing and Moose were a few minutes late for school today because Moose couldn’t get out of bed. Apparently, the lethargy was contagious: when I returned home, I found Wizard downstairs in his bathrobe.

Me: Why aren’t you dressed? You have school today.

Wiz: I’m not going to school today.

Me: Why not?

Wiz; I don’t feel like it. You didn’t let me have a weekend so I’m taking today off. Besides, I don’t feel well. [coughs weakly]

Me: You didn’t ask my permission to stay home, and I don’t approve. I’m calling school and telling them you’re not excused.

Wiz: Fine. [flops back down in front of the TV]

I called Wizard’s bluff: I phoned the middle school and told them that Wizard was home, not really sick, and without my consent or permission. The receptionist said she’d take care of it. An hour later an unmarked police car pulled up in the driveway.

Me: Wizard, there is a car I the driveway. Someone is here to see you.

The doorbell rang, and Wizard sauntered up as I answered it.

Cop: Good morning, Mrs Alto2. I’m Corporal Cox from the middle school. I understand we have someone who doesn’t want to go to school today.

Me: Yes, sir. Here he is.

Corp. Cox chatted with Wizard for a minute and determined the kid was well enough to go to school. The cop sent Wizard upstairs to get dressed. Wizard took his sweet time, of course; so the officer told Wiz to hurry up or he would go up and help Wiz get dressed. Wiz came downstairs, dressed and with books, shortly thereafter.

While Wiz was upstairs, Corp. Cox recommended he take Wizard to school and sign him in. I imagine Corp. Cox used his drive time to “light a fire under my son”, as he phrased it.

I have no regrets narc-ing on my son. He thought he could get away with truancy, and he can’t. However, I am sure Wizard will be furious after school today. Frankly, I hope he gets detention, too. He’ll have to walk the 4.5 miles home from school because I won’t go get him.

Alien Life Form

I walked in my neighborhood this glorious morning. As I returned home up my driveway, I found this thing blocking my way:

Here’s what he looked like from the front:

My question: what the hell is it? The thing was 4 inches long and approximately 1-1.25 inches in diameter, and it was scary-looking!

Family Dynamics

Just some quick observations about my family. My brothers are not currently speaking with me over the snafu of Wizard’s Bar Mitzvah and my refusal to attend the 80th birthday party they planned for my mother … without my knowledge or participation. My maternal first cousins genuinely love my mother and were happy to attend that party in DC last month.

These same cousins, for as much as they fought with their mother (my aunt) over the years, banded together a year ago to plan a 50th wedding anniversary party for their parents. All five kids have a part in the planning. I thought that was wonderful, and it made me jealous. I like that aunt and uncle very much; they’ve been good to me over the years. In fact, there were times I got along better with my aunt (mother’s sister) than my own mother. My cousins feel the same way about my mom. I guess that’s OK.

What got me thinking about all this was a phone call from one such first cousin, Cousin T, this evening. He notified me 6 weeks ago that he was coming down here for a business meeting. I had offered to pick him up at the airport, but he declined. I had hoped WineGuy and I could take the kids up to the resort one evening to met Cousin T for dinner. Cousin T never called, and he left town today. I was feeling like I had pissed off yet another family member by not attending that DC party. Fortunately, that was not the case. Cousin T said he was in meetings from morning until night and hardly had any free time. He did call me tonight from his cell phone on his way home from the airport. He apologized profusely, and I told him not to worry. We had a nice conversation for a few minutes. I hope to see him at a family Bar Mitzvah in March 2010. Maybe I’ll plan to see him and the rest of my cousins at that anniversary party next May.