Spoiled whine.

[averygoodun42]

As I was driving home from dropping Babe off at school this morning, I was confronted with a big column of smoke in the vicinity of Geoff's work place. As I drove closer (still on my way home), I was pretty sure it wasn't Geoff's work, but I was starting to be very afraid it was the nearby junior high school. I had the very ungenerous sigh of relief to pull into Geoff's work lot to find it was the building 100 meters away... 100 meters from Geoff's work and 100 meters from the school. I feel horrible for those who lost their homes (and businesses), though I hear no one was injured, and for that I am thankful, but oh my goodness, thank god it wasn't the school!

Fires like that sure make the cramped building conditions around here scary, though. The firefighters basically gave up on the burning building and focused on preventing the spread to the neighboring houses.


Today is one of those days where I feel like I fail. I fail at motherhood (Babe's teacher told me he was a brat at school, had to be sent to the office, and then went and beat on a kid while waiting in the carpool line. Then this afternoon he had another 'accident'. He has fabulous bodily control, btw. The other day he forced himself to shit in his pants just because he was mad at me. And speaking of which, how do you get through to a four-year-old that no energy means no energy but doesn't mean no love? Hmph. I do so love this job), I fail at responsibility, I fail at ironing and I fail at life in general.

The only thing I can pride myself on is figuring out why we're so broke. Too bad it's not something that we can cut from our budget. (We're now one of those families you hear about where it's a choice between food and health insurance. Unfortunately, we're locked into the current insurance contract till November. Ironic thing is that because of the cost of co-pays, we're not going to be taking the preventative measures we should be... And what the hell are we paying over $7,000 a year in insurance for if we can't afford to go to the freaking doctor?!? Bah.)

I know I've got it good. I'm alive, I have a roof over my head (for the moment), I'm quite well fed, and relatively healthy. But I must say I had hoped to put off getting a job, even a part-time job, until Babe was in school proper. But... needs must.

Comments

[cck-brit.livejournal.com]

Food vs. health care. Always a great debate. We're extremely lucky to have health care through hubby's part time school board gig. For us lately it's been only food. Hubby can't understand why I haven't been sending b-day cards, anniversary cards, etc. to family. I had to explain that the only place I've been spending money is the grocery store. Everything else is considered a luxury to me.

Believe it or not, Babe will outgrow everything you've mentioned. Ironing, what's that? Good luck and take care.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is fortunate! Yay! And yeah, cards and such are definitely luxuries. Heck, when there's no reliable income (I don't count unemployment as reliable), even kids clothes are luxuries!

Will he? I must confess to losing hope of it ever happening. I don't know how you manage your two. I think you might be a saint, actually, when you add Hubby into the mix.

I should have said laundry rather than ironing. Although I have done more ironing in the last two days than I have in... oh, six months? My power outfit for Sunday included a skirt that had to be ironed after its long internment... and then I had to iron a slip so the skirt wouldn't stick to my tights (which I ended up ditching)... and then today I ironed the church directory. *shakes head*

Thanks!

[benevolntgoddes.livejournal.com]

Babe WILL grow up and it will sink into his beloved little skull.

Ironing? There's no ironing in this house. There might be, if I think about it, take-it-out-of-the-dryer-slightly-damp-and-hang-it-up to prevent wrinkles. If I don't get paid for ironing, it doesn't happen. Oddly enough, all I ever get for laundry is what comes out of Dane's pockets for tip money. I can now buy two jawbreakers and a jolly rancher with it.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I hope so. I'm doubtful at this point, but I hope so.

I only iron when I absolutely need to for my own vanity's sake. Or when I've mutilated someone else's property. *hangs head*

Lol! Geoff empties out all his pockets pretty faithfully, so I don't even get tips unless it's from my own pockets. Laundry does not pay worth shit. Certainly not enough to deal with shit.

[benevolntgoddes.livejournal.com]

Put Babe back in diapers full time if he can't be a big boy. Take away big boy privaleges, etc. Hell, put him in a high chair and playpen. Show him that if he wants to be a baby, you won't screw around.

Demand laundry tips. It's the only thing that makes it worthwhile.

[kribu.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I'm so glad that's not the sort of choice people would have to make here, at least as long as they're employed.

I don't know how people ever manage to raise kids; I don't think I could do it. It takes the patience of a saint. But as others have said, he will grow out of it. Not that it's probably much of a consolation right now!

Ironing? What's that? ;-)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yeah, most of the developed world is actually sane where health care is concerned. At least mostly.

I'm wondering if I'm up for the task. That was the part that scared me the most when I was pregnant. I wasn't afraid of labor, I was afraid of the eighteen years after labor! Still am.

Ah well. Ironing? I think it has something to do with smiting. Or is that smelting?

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

Motherhood sucks, sometimes. It seems we get all the bad stuff and none of the rewards. But this phase will pass, and you'll have some sunshine before he thinks of the next way to make your life hell.

$7000 a year on health insurance? WTF?! And I bet it doesn't pay for anything you actually need doing. Ye gods - I'm glad I live in a civilised land.

*hugs* It WILL improve. It will.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

At least he's been fairly consistent about giving me five hugs and two or three kisses every night. Sometimes that's the only bit of sunshine around here.

It's actually a little over $7500 a year, and that's only our half. So the insurance company gets $15,000 for our coverage. But, of course, we can't limit the insurance companies because that would be socialism. /sarcasm

Fortunately, it does pay for most things... just not massage, nutritionists and other trivialities. /sarcasm, for real this time.

Thank you. *hugs back* It better. ;P