A useful sign

I was expecting a visit from my sister today around 6:30. When the door bell rang around 6:45 I opened the door right away, without checking first who was behind it.

Right behind the door stood a presentable middle aged lady with a suitcase. She smiled, greeted me, and said that her name was Yvonne. I smiled back waiting for an explanation for the suitcase. Yvonne just kept smiling. I asked her if she was looking for someone. And she said, still smiling, "I'm the baby nurse."

Yippy. Though SiM still insists on calling himself 'baby' ( except for the times when he uses the potty and proudly calls himself a 'big boy'), I didn't recall hiring anyone to watch him in the evenings. And since the date was still March 31, I didn't think hubby played an early April fool's joke on me.

"For the new born baby," added Yvonne. And as she said that my eyes caught a big blue balloon-like sign across the street. Whew! I directed Yvonne to the signed door while she apologized profusely for writing down a wrong address. She even asked me if the new mom is back home. " Not sure, just saw the sign, " I said. And as she crossed the street, I tried to explain to the kids who our unexpected visitor was.

Birthday Party - a personal ramble

Whenever I have conflicts with self and the stubborn voice inside tells something opposite of the polite/proper/necessary/civilized/etc voice, I know I should always listen to the stubborn voice. That voice usually takes good care of me when the civilized voice takes care of everybody else.

Tonight I attended a kid's bday party hosted by a one-time great friend. I didn't listen to the little egotistical voice. So instead I had 45 minutes to mull in my head how disappointing our meeting was as I drove home.

I tried to sort out what exactly ticked me off. I know it wasn't the fact that I didn't get the memo re: >3.5 heeled shoes - self and some senior citizen were the only 2 grown up women with flats on. When this was pointed out to the friend, I was told ' you know how my parties are.' 'Now I know' was all I can say.

Maybe that was it. I didn't know what I got myself into. Having an inkling is not quite the same thing as stepping right into something. And it's rather hard to find someone who wants to exchange small talk with you when you don't have the uniform on. I did succeed to have a quite pleasant conversation with the senior citizen (not once mentioning the only thing we had in common). As for my friend - we barely exchanged a few words. I know the hosts are usually busy, but that busy?

I didn't know how her parties were, and I no longer knew her either. Even if I put on my 4" Stewart Weitzmans (the skinniest and highest heels I've got), she and I wouldn't have much to say besides our mutual admiration for each other's kids and our assurances how much we missed each other/hope to see each other soon.

Another one of life's disappointments to note and get over with. And a lesson to listen to the little voice, politely excuse self from attending bday parties, and send gifts by mail.

Addendum (March 30th): I just got an email from Banana Republic with their 'most wanted' list. Apparently, 4" heels are in. Back to the cave I go.

Cleaning up and the cleaning lady

I try to clean up the house a bit before the cleaning lady arrives. Not that I'm embarrassed of my mess as such. I just want to be able to find some essentials which may be lost of months after the cleaning lady leaves.

Today I decided to forgo the usual clean up, and do some pesach and spring cleaning instead. The results were as follows:
-I collected 2 contractor's (big garbage) bags worth of clothing for donations. This did not include kids' clothes which I try to give away to friends and family. It included some (but not yet all) clothes in sizes I don't even remember myself wearing hidden in the depths of my linen closet. It also included some sweaters which I missed in the beginning of winter and also discovered in the bowels of my very spacious linen closet.

-Discovery of 2 shopping bags of fleishig storage containers, old unopened mail (TG no bills), and some professional publications. My cleaning lady who likes neatness as well as cleanliness apparently didn't mind all that being in before mentioned linen closet.

-4 empty kids' shoe boxes neatly stacked in the coat closet. She used to ask me if I need certain seemingly unnecessary items before discarding them, now my cleaning lady just neatly piles them away.

-2 smallish bags of clothing I purchased for my nieces. Thankfully, they are still the right size, but if I don't mail them within a week, they'll be for a wrong season (mailing things efficiently is a bit of an issue).

-2 Elmo costumes carelessly thrown in a pile on top of some shoes. Not sure if I should credit the cleaning lady or the babysitter. Either way, they were more efficient than me (even if not neat).

-A pair of new light corduroy pants in SiM's size. Just what I've been looking for! and perfect for Pesach.

-A huge Toys R Us shopping bag with miscellaneous stuff from my car, some old mail, and a fleishig container in the back of the coat closet (cleaning lady?).

-A throw pillow and 3 kids' blankets in the coat closet. Suspect the cleaning lady but can't say for sure.

Got to love spring cleaning!

Doctor's visit

Usually, Eh and SiM start making unhappy noises 50 feet away from the pediatricians office. However, last week Eh was uncharacteristically quiet (read she didn't cry) and SiM followed suit throughout MD visit. They both let the doctor listen to their lungs, check their ears, eyes, nose, and throat without as much as a peep (They didn't get weighed but I'm sure they wouldn't handled that, too).

On Tuesday, because I couldn't take my congestion anymore (read-parched lips, no voice, and nose used purely for decorative purpose) I decided to go to a doctor to finally get some antibiotics (an unfortunate necessity since I'm no longer in close contact with all my former MD/PA/NP friends). SiM asked to go with me.

He did ok in the waiting room. He asked to go to the car once we entered the exam room. But after my MD walked into the room, SiM started observing everything with fascination (while I hoped my blood pressure didn't go up just from being in the doctor's office as a patient). And the kicker- SiM accepted MD's hand and they walked out of the exam room ahead of me.

And today, my nose is functioning almost as new. Thanks Gd!

Shabbat guests aka the tales from CNN

Last week we had to guests on shabbat lunch - a wholesale distributor (wh) and a financial analyst (fa).

B'H, no one was allergic to the first course, the salads also went with moderate success, and even cholent didn't disappoint.

Naturally, the conversation drifted to the economy. And all the money flushed down the toilet (the process euphemistically called 'the bailout'). I think I mentioned that some of these companies should file for bankruptcy. FA agreed, WH started to protest saying that it would be unfair to millions of people who'd become unemployed if a company like GM would go bankrupt.
FA politely tried to explain the process of how a corporation files for bankruptcy. WH again expressed his concern for the working class. FA politely pointed out that a big corporation like GM should not be confused with a local bakery. Local bakery goes out of business - people lose jobs; GM files for bankruptcy - restructuring happens, most people keep their jobs.

WH: But CNN says that if GM would go bankrupt millions of people would lose their jobs.

Here even I couldn't take it and politely pointed out to WH that just because CNN reports something, that something does not become absolute or even vague truth.

The conversation became a bit heated ( and unshabosdik) after that. Neither FA, a subject matter expert, nor I, an observer who pointed out that just because a story is reported doesn't make the story true, can stand in a way of a CNN chasid's economics.

In the end we agreed to disagree. And five days later I still wonder why anyone still perceives CNN as a source of useful information.

I'll be wearing my work clothes, part 2

The other day, a nurse supervisor who typically wears street clothes (and lab coats on special occasions like visits from Dep't of Health reps) came in dressed in all-white uniform.

The natural question begged itself. So I didn't hesitate to ask if this supervisor, like most of us, neglected to do his laundry on time.

The man was much more pragmatic than that. Apparently, he had to go to court later that day. And he learned the hard way that if he showed up in court wearing his uniform, there was a possibility he'd get a chance to mention that he is a nurse. A nice nurse serving the local community. It seemed to work in his favor before and he was counting on it to work again. He just looked very funny but apparently it was worth it.

And there I thought that showing up in uniform outside of workplace was in bad taste...

Results to follow.

Meanalls

Today, when reporting to his aunt what he was doing SiM said "me eating meat balls".

I didn't make him meat balls for dinner! I made 'meanalls' and that's what I served everyone.

Before I know it, he'll start saying 'I'...

I miss my neighbors

Soon after we moved to the block we discovered that the middle aged couple who lived in a house not far from ours wasn't that friendly ( not the only ones, but the post is dedicated to them). They didn't really answer our greetings, and I remember hubby practicing assertiveness ( or just amusing himself) but saying "good morning" a few times until he's get an answer back.

Well, this couple moved. And into their house moved a family with a whole bunch of little kids. Those kids stare. And blatantly refuse all our attempts (mine and my kids) at friendship. The parental greetings are also scarce...

Well, yesterday I passed by a house that's rumored to be that to which the middle-aged-formerly-my-neighborly couple moved to. And to my surprise and disgust (or maybe just guilt?) I realized that I miss them.

With a regrettable delay I realized that I prefer middle aged snobs to younger (snobbish?) starers...

By the way, is starer a word?

A Perfect smile

Apparently SiM's bottom left canine sneaked up while I wasn't paying attention. And now SiM has a perfect smile (the canines are in different stages of arrival but the smile is perfect non the less).

He also uses his new teeth for more practical purposes. On Monday, the first work day after daylight savings time, my alarm (SiM) and thus everybody else overslept. When the alarm did wake up, it wasn't with a customary "Mommy, awnt out!". I just heard him quietly singing Twinkle Twinkle and playing in his bed. I looked at the time. 8AM- my ETA at work but I couldn't drag myself out of bed. SiM wasn't demanding attention -why get up?

However, a few semi-awake minutes later I heard 'Me eat Potty Power...' No alarm could've worked better. I jumped out of bed in time to see SiM nibbling on the plastic cover of Potty Power DVD that I left on the dresser (now accessible to SiM) the night before.

I couldn't stop laughing for a few minutes. And every time I remember ' me eat Potty Power' I can't help but giggle. Who knows, maybe 'me' will help me get organized again...

Purim Sameach!

Today a colleague told (reminded me) that this year she told her kids to give a shalach manot to someone who doesn't expect it ( from you, or possibly from anyone else) - a nursing home resident, someone who's Jewish but isn't religious, a less popular neighbor... And not just give loads and loads to popular friends and family.

Just a thought. Happy Purim!

On a happy note

Number 15 arrived ( about a week ago a little white dot appeared). I really should've blogged about that instead of 'proportions and observations' but better late than never...

Also, SiM insists on calling himself a baby. He knows his full name ( including last name) but apparently thinks that we use it in jest and that his real name is baby...

I: What's your name?
SiM: Me baby.

I: Thanks for listening to mommy, you are such a mitzva boy!
SiM: No, me Baby!
I: You are my mitzva baby?
SiM: Yea (wea).

I: SiM, thanks for cleaning up the toys. You are such a big boy! And Eh helped me also-my mitzva girl!
SiM: Eh-girl, me-baby...

Square root day

So geek squad is saying that today is a square root day- the month and the date are square roots of the year...
The previous one was 2/2/04 and the next one is...

Proportions and observations

The longer I work, the more burnt out I get.
The higher I move in the work place 'hierarchy', the more incompetence I encounter.
The more I earn, the more excrement I have to ignore (and/or tolerate). [And I'm not going to talk about taxes here...]
The more burnt out I get, the less diplomacy is found in my conversations and in-services.
The more Department of Health representatives I encounter, the less I want to deal with them.
The cumulative effect of stupid people and things they do makes me less and less tolerant of them.
I realize (with some remorse) that I don't really want to keep attempting to save drowning people, if they don't want to be saved. Let them exercise their right to die.
I can sometimes succeed in teaching people to do their paperwork properly. I don't think I'm very successful in teaching them to care for their patients. And the gap between good documentation and good patient care is plain scary.

My mood at work is almost directly proportionate to the quality of coffee/snack availability that day.

To each his own

Hubby works with a non Jewish guy whose name is Jonathan. Hubby calls him Yonatan and apparently the man doesn't mind.

Today I overheard one of hubby's BP customers mention that Yoinoson did a good job, etc. I almost cried from stifled laughter. When hubby finished his conversation with the customer I asked if Yoinoson knows to respond to his name. 'Of course,' said hubby, 'he worked there for a long time. She even used to feed him sandwiches...'

Is food really the answer to most dilemmas?