Tuesday, November 15, 2011

My quiet afternoon

Do you watch Grey's Anatomy? I do. Religiously. Since season one.

In one episode, Izzy walks into an empty ER and says to Bailey, "Its so quiet in here". Bailey jumped and explained how you never say "quiet" in the ER because it jinxes it. (and then, true to form, they get rushed with lots of bloody people, limbs missing- all because Izzy said it was "quiet".)

This is what happened to me yesterday. I had one meeting scheduled, at 7pm, and all morning I thought to myself, "wow, its so quiet today". Ahhhh, key word, quiet. I started doing work on my class schedule for the Spring semester (did I mention I'm now an adjunct instructor for a local college? Pretty sweet, right?) and my cell phone rings.

The voice was all broken up, so I only caught, "Hi...got your name...need help...Saturday". I explain that I can't understand anything she's saying, and then all of a sudden, she comes in crystal clear!

She's having a party on Saturday, received my name and number from her drapery designer I've done work with, and wanted my assistance in helping make her house festive for her party. I setup a meeting with her for that evening...remember, it was "supposed" to be a quiet afternoon.

Keeping in mind, I'm 35.5 weeks pregnant (for those of you who don't do "weeks" that's almost 9 months pregnant.) Daily naps at this point are built-into my afternoon schedule. Because if they aren't, mama ain't happy. And if mama ain't happy...well, you know how the saying goes.

So I finish up my school work, realize its lunch time...then, of course, nap time- see, as I'm writing this, it doesn't seem like a lot went down. But from my point of view, yesterday was the most rushed afternoon of my life. And I'm not exaggerating. My LIIIIIFE.

Because I wake up, and realize I need to feed Jack, then take him for a walk so he can do his bid-ness, then get myself ready (because although I took a shower in the morning, I don't put on makeup these days, unless deemed necessary. Meeting a new client? Totally necessary.) Oh, and I left this part out...my evening appointment was with my husband and a photographer for our maternity photos. So the pressure was on to LOOK good for my initial meeting, but also look good for the photos that would come soon after.

Here's the part where you just have to sit back and laugh a little. Because, for the first time in, approximately a thousand years, a TYPHOON came to our town. (I might be exaggerating, but whatever, it rained A LOT!)

So after I make myself look all pretty, all my hairs in the right place, mascara perfect...I go to my meeting. It went awesome! After, I get into my car, no rain. But it was sooooo dark outside. And then when I realize its too quiet (ah! again, that word!) it starts to pour.

Like buckets from the heavens were getting tossed onto my windshield. It. Was. Horrible. (Thankfully just a few weeks ago I replaced my windshield wipers, just for occasions like this...but still.) And here's the other kicker. I was picking up dinner to take to our friends house (who is a photographer)...the plan was for me to bring Boston Market with me, to thank her for taking our pictures in her studio...and so everyone would eat a good dinner. (And, I'm totally addicted to chicken these days- and you cannot go wrong with Boston Markets mashed potatoes and mac and cheese- can I get an Amen?!)

Well, here's the problem with me picking up Boston Market. There is no drive thru. Yeah. Rain drops the size of grapefruits are falling from the sky and I'm sitting in the parking lot, looking into the restaurant, watching those perfect rotisserie chickens rotate in front of me, and I'm pleading with my hair. It went something like this:

"I know if I get out, and one drip of water gets on you, my cow licks will curl up and I'll look like Carrot Top in our preggo pictures. But if I don't get out, then I can't eat that chicken. And look at that chicken! But I didn't bring my flat iron to fix the cow licks...but if I don't get out now and brave the water, then I can't eat a piece of warm, toasty corn bread." Ohhh screw it- I opened the door and did what my Grandpa used to tell us when we were little, "walk in between the rain drops".

Well, I'm pretty sure that even Grandpa never saw rain drops THAT big before. Because try as I did to avoid them, I was soaked when I walked in. But the smell of that chicken made up for it. I enjoyed my five minutes of chicken scented bliss, until I realized, "crap- now I have to go back out there!"

I am such a tough chick. I grabbed my yummy, delicious smelling bag of chicken, took a deep breath, and waddled as fast as I could to my car. When I got back inside, I did a check of the hair damage. Yup, just as I expected. Carrot Top- just not so red (actually, its called "Sweet Cola"). Fail.

By the time I got to our friends house, the hubs was there waiting for me and although I was soaked, and soggy and water logged...we took great photos together :)

In the end, I was thankful for the new client, the tasty chicken, warm corn bread and great friends we spent the evening with...but I tell you here and now. I will never say I'm having a "quiet" afternoon ever again!