Because most philosophies that frown on reproduction don't survive.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Livin' la vida loca

It's been one of those weeks -- you know what I mean.

Sunday -- Babs spends more time out of Mass than in it, following a whining fit. To unwind, Darwin and MrsDarwin watch the second half of Patton in the evening. Highly recommended, by the way. That evening, everyone ends up in Mom and Dad's bed.

Monday -- Dentist. 'Nuff said. MrsDarwin wrestles with strapping in three children in the back of the Camry and swears that we need that minivan soon. That evening, everyone ends up in Mom and Dad's bed.

Tuesday -- MrsDarwin gets up early to go for the first of her three weekly runs leading up to Saturday's group run in training for the half-marathon in Feb. The girls work on their growing mud pit in the back yard. (Anyone know anything about ways to lock an outdoor faucet?) Mom and Dad lock the bedroom door, which leads to pounding and rattling of doorknobs at 3 am.

That evening, the Darwin family ventures out to the new outlet mall, so MrsDarwin can get something new to wear to Wednesday's business dinner. As the girls play on some rides, Babs announces, "Stinky!" A frantic call is placed to MrsDarwin, at the other end of the mall. While MrsDarwin and Babs rush to the bathroom, Darwin takes Noogs and Baby to a children's store to buy a new dress (which comes, handily enough, with a plastic bag for wrapping the soiled dress). Noogs feels it keenly that her younger sister gets a new dress as a reward for pooping on the old one, and wails all the way home. The weary parents yield to vile temptation on the way home and stop at Sonic for milkshakes and hamburgers. Baby is delighted with everything. That evening, everyone ends up in Mom and Dad's bed.

Wednesday -- MrsDarwin intends to get up for the second of her three weekly runs, but the alarm doesn't go off. Darwin comes home early from work with a nasty allergy attack. While he drains in the recliner, MrsDarwin takes the kids to playgroup. MrsDarwin wrestles with strapping in three children in the back of the Camry and swears we need that minivan soon. While the kids play and the tv blares, MrsDarwin suddenly feels keenly her lack of intellectual companionship. She wrestles with strapping in three children in the back of the Camry and returns home. Darwin and MrsDarwin drop off the kids with the sitter and head for the business dinner. Baby screams all the way to the restaurant but makes up for it by devouring bread and apples during the appetizer and sleeping through the rest of the dinner. Good girl. That evening, Mom and Dad lock the door, but Mom forgets to relock it when throwing the whining cat out of the room, so everyone ends up in Mom and Dad's bed in the morning.

Thursday -- Five minutes before the alarm is set to go off, there is a knock at the door. MrsDarwin groggily splashes through the kitchen (?) and finds the neighbor there, who apologizes for waking us up, but did we know that there's water pouring out of our garage? MrsDarwin rushes to investigate and finds that a hose has slipped off the water softener and is flooding the garage and part of the kitchen. Darwin and MrsDarwin sop up water and wring out towels and are VERY grateful that most of the furniture has been moved from the garage to the living room after painting. MrsDarwin misses her morning run again. The girls are inspired by all the water and head out to the back yard to work on their mud pit. Darwin pulls the big crib out of the garage and vows that it's being set up tonight.

Tentatively for tomorrow -- MrsDarwin goes running. Darwin goes to check out, and possibly buy, a minivan.

How's your week so far?


Anonymous said...

Dang, that's harsh... Not nearly that bad here..

Oh, outdoor water faucet? is there a screw holding on the handle? if so remove and take off handle... just don't loose the handle... =P

-- John

mrsdarwin said...

But I want the faucet to be easily accessible for watering plants and stuff -- I just want some sort of child-proof (ha!) mechanism to keep them from expanding the mud pit.

Anonymous said...

the screw only keeps the handle from coming off... if you keep it handy then all you have to do is put it on and twist... done? twist and pull off.. =)

Anonymous said...

Too funny! Good luck with the minivan search! I love mine, it's wonderful!!

Pro Ecclesia said...

I'm printing this out for Sarah. She's somehow under the misperception that we are alone in our agony.

mrsdarwin said...

Oh, not at all, Jay. Not at all. And the beauty of it is that this isn't an unusual week (except for the flooded garage and kitchen part). This sort of zaniness goes on all the time around here.

Anonymous said...

Saturday - water heater died. Bought a new one and had it installed.

Sunday to Wednesday - in NY for the funeral of my Uncle. Upon returning home Wed. night, discovered that our refrigerator no longer stays cool and falsely accused husband of leaving door open. Fridge is at 77 degrees. We've only had it for about 16 months.

Still trying to sell our home so that we can all live where my husband works (5 hours away).

Keeping fingers crossed for the rest of the week!!

Anonymous said...

Tree roots in my 1915 vintage sewer line. Roots impede the flow of most things that are not of the liquid state. Living in constant fear of sewer backing up again.

Estimates for trenchless replacement: ~$8,600
Estimates for digging and installing new PVC pipe: ~$10k - $20k
Sewer depth at connection point to the city line: 9ft.

Raw materials for replacement: ~$200
One day rental for backhoe: ~$300

Still holding out for estimates for others to replace the sewer line.

I'd do it myself, but I've never played with a backhoe before. AND, in order to be safe at in the 9 ft. trench, it's gonna have to be a wide one, seeing as I don't have anything to stabilize the walls. It's a sandy soil that could cave in much more easily than that clay down in central TX.

That's the house. My daughter is a night owl. My son is very cooperative and falls asleep before 8:30. The little princess insists and staying awake to 10:30. Bubba likes screaming lately... I'm talking ear-piercing screams when he doesn't get his way.

On top of it all, I have a craving for a Freebirds burrito.

But as they say, "This, too, will pass."

mrsdarwin said...

I hear, I sympathize. Tex has my vote for the most expensive week, but Bridget gets the "My week sucks" award. Don't be shy, y'all -- feel free to tell everyone about your lousy week!

Fidei Defensor said...

haha, well enjoy it, all the little struggles are really the greatest joys of life. (I know I know, what does a 20 year old college student with practically no responsibilites know about this!) I come from a somewhat big family though and the most beautiful moments are the hectic ones.

"the water softener and is flooding the garage"


Anonymous said...

Nope, no basements in Tex. (Unfortunantly...)

Woah... Back up. Marathon? Mrs. Darwin, I had no idea...

Yeah, that Minivan would be terribly useful. Good luck with your serching!

Anonymous said...

Fidei... digging a basement in clay is expensive and impractical. Plus with the weather, don't really need it.

Now, lotsa folks got storm cellars.

Dorian Speed said...

My kinship with you (hey, *we* have a Camry!) is outweighed by my estrangement from you (hey, you're running a *marathon?*)

Anonymous said...

I had a child who would turn on the outside water faucets whenever, wherever we were. I second Slick's recommendation to take the handle off. Brings back memories.

If it helps. . . know that said child is still alive and now a college freshman :)

Tim said...

How did my week go? Well, it started out with me getting fired at my job of over six years.
THEN, my landlady got mad at me cuz my son came over and smoked in the backyard with the sliding glass door open and she came by later and thought we were smoking in the house so the next day she gave me 30 days notice.
Not my best week.... But God has been very good to me through my friends and fellow bloggers.
Thank God for prayer....

mrsdarwin said...

Tim, you have my prayers and sympathy.

Dorian, never say it! Believe me, I have my serious doubts about whether the half-marathon is actually in the cards for me -- especially when the alarm goes off and I'm so comfortable in bed. And the question of whether I can run thirteen miles even with six months of training is still a very open one.

I have a wacky friend who entered the L.A. marathon on a whim the morning of, after staying up late the night before. Now that's madness.

Fr Martin Fox said...

Patton is a great movie, but I think the best part is the opening scene. What makes it even better is reading the actual speech Patton gave, which is even more vulgar and even funnier!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you know those L.A.ers... I could NEVER do that. Then again, that does sound like something I would do.

Well, this week I forgot to write a homework assignment down and ended staying up most of the night to finish it. Then I bombed a history test because the teacher "convienantly" forgot to tell us about it. Then I didn't get the research topic I wanted in English class because the teacher kept ignoring me. On top of all that place play practice and walking to and from school in 40 degree weather and you have my week.

Do I get the award for most tiring school week?

mrsdarwin said...

Oh cry me a river, Miss Ferret! Wait until you get to college -- then the stresses of high school will seem like a gentle dream.

And I only WISH it were 40 degrees here...

Anonymous said...

"Oh the Pathos!"

Then again, a catholic university where weekend FOPs are a natural event is far from the atmosphere created here. You should be thankful. You never went to high school... :P *rolls eyes*

Anonymous said...

Dear Miss DrunkenFerret,

As one who had been victimized by institutional education for 13 years, I can attest that the stresses of college do indeed make high school seem like a "gentle dream."

However, as a high school student, we don't expect you to be up for the stresses of college level education. You will be prepared for that.

Look at it from this perspective: weight lifting. You don't just walk into the weight room at age 13 and leg press 1000 lbs. It takes time, dedication and conditioning. You start with say, 150 - 200 lbs.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I wasn't insinuating that high school is worse than college; I absolutly know that I wouldn't be able to handle that at the point I am now in my education. I was just stating that the peer pressure and attitudes are more difficult with teenagers in HS than adults in a catholic university. Not saying that it's a utopia in stubenville, but that they are def. more mature than most the people in HS.

Mrs. Darwin, did y'all get that minivan yet?