Every morning Jon takes Isobel to the school bus. He loves to take her and she loves the time with Daddy. The Wednesday after the blackout school was delayed for 2 hours, so taking Isobel to the school bus became my responsibility. Two hours after her normal scheduled pick up time I walk out to the bus stop with all the kids in tow. About 10 minutes after the bus should have been there I start to worry. Do buses run when there's a delay? Can I successfully add 2 and 8? With all of these thoughts filling my mind and panic setting in, the bus comes around the corner... the wrong corner.
Although it was coming from the wrong way and there were no other children on the bus, I dutifully have Isobel cross the street and board the bus. As she climbs the stairs the driver waves at me and I realize that it is not her normal driver. The bus pulls away and I realize it is not her normal bus number. I rationalize all of these oddities with the fact that there is much upheaval due to the blackout. Downed power lines make it difficult to maneuver the area, so a different route is not unbelievable. The gas shortage (due to the power outage) may cause a shuffle of busses depending on gas levels. It is likely that some of the drivers are still without power, leading to sub drivers. All of these things make perfect sense to me... until I walk in the house.
All of a sudden my paranoid, panicky mind starts to go into overdrive. Maybe I should just call and confirm all of my thoughts with the transportation department. I would feel much better knowing that Isobel got on the right bus and I would be able to enjoy the rest of the morning. Unfortunately, they did not have power at the district office, so after two attempts I realize I will not be getting through to the transportation folks.
I wait a bit and decide to call Jon. He will set my panicky mind at ease. Not so, in fact after relaying my story, Jon's reply is "So, you followed the bus to make sure she got to school?” OMG!!! Now, my panic is in full motion. I mean if even-tempered, rational Jon thinks it is suspicious, it must be.
I immediately call the school. Afraid I will sound a little like a psycho parent I rationally tell the school secretary the story. She says she will forward me to the transportation people. I kindly say that I have already tried, but there is no answer. I then suggest that I am really only afraid that she got on the wrong bus and will end up at the wrong school. The secretary replies that she will check with Isobel's teacher and make sure she is at school...
"I'm sorry, but she is not in class."
PANIC!!!
Some psycho child killer must have bought a school bus from the district and picked up my daughter. She is being tortured right now as I sit here talking to the school secretary. Who do I call and say that my daughter is being tortured by a psycho with a school bus.
The calm secretary is talking to me, but I have no clue what she is saying... I start to babble about how I am sure she is fine and perhaps the bus is just taking longer. She asks for my number and says she will call the Transportation cell and emergency line and call me right back. Wait... did she say EMERGENCY! I am really starting to freak out, my peripheral vision has blurred and my cheeks are starting to burn.
"Oh wait, just a second." She says politely... just a second is she crazy. My baby is in the clutches of some school bus psycho. After a three hour wait (okay three second), she comes back on the line.
"She just walked into class, so she is here now. Can I help you with anything else?"
"No thank you." I manage to squeak out before hanging up the phone and collapsing into tears.
Easily the worst 4 minutes of my entire life!
After drying my eyes and teaching myself to breathe again I call Jon to tell him the story. He gasped in all the right places and played the daddy role very well. He was insanely mad that I put Isobel on the bus with no regard for her safety.
All ended well, but now I have a new picture in my mind. It never, ever occurred to me that school districts selling old busses could be used for mayhem.
I will never look at a school bus the same way again.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Blackout 2008...
Who knew that Ike would hit the Ohio River Valley with such ferocity? Sunday we sat in the family room and watched the wind rip through our back yard. Although, it didn't seem particularly destructive (I have seen much worse in both Kansas and Nebraska), it wreaked an immense amount of havoc on the area. Reports indicate that wind gusts reached 85 miles per hour. Knocking down power lines, trees, and ripping sections of roofs off houses.
In some ways we were lucky, there was no damage to the house and we did not lose any enormous branches. Most of the clean up was fairly easy (of course I did very little, so it may have only seemed easy to me).
However, around 3:00 we lost power. This seemed to only be a slight inconvenience. I had chicken in the crock pot which was only half way done, sheets in the washing machine which were mid cycle and we had not run the dishwasher.
Oh well, I mean how long could the power possibly be out?!?
Apparently three days.
Again, we were pretty lucky. There are still 250,000 people in the Cincinnati area without power. They expect to have every customer up by tomorrow. That means there are a hundreds of thousands of people who have been without power for a week... a week!
As Jon and I listened to the radio and played Sudoku by flashlight Monday night, we listened to people call in and complain. Not about the lack of power, but about all the people without power who are complaining. These stoic callers were telling all the folks without power to "suck it up" and "get over it".
One of my favorite calls was from a man who remembered being in a hurricane as a child. He and his family spent the aftermath at his grandmothers who was able to cook on a wood stove in her kitchen. He remembered spending the days outside with his cousins riding bikes and playing. He made the suggestion that perhaps this power outage will get kids outside playing and perhaps cure the childhood obesity problem. What a fantastic idea... I know I plan to let my kids run around outside with tree branches hanging dangerously off the trees just waiting for a nice strong wind to knock it to the ground, oh and let's not forget the downed power lines.
Another call I really enjoyed was from a gentleman who was without power but didn't mind one bit. According to him it gave him more time to be with his five kids and he was thankful for this time. I remember thinking that it seemed sad that this man needed a power outage to spend time with his kids. Do we really need the remnants of a hurricane to force us to play a board game with our kids? Granted Jon and I did spend more time playing with the kids, but it never once made me think "finally, some time with the kids."
I was thankful when the power came back on Tuesday night. I was happy to get some groceries in my fridge and some normalcy back into my (and the kids) life.
However, I will forever remember Ike and all his glory.
In some ways we were lucky, there was no damage to the house and we did not lose any enormous branches. Most of the clean up was fairly easy (of course I did very little, so it may have only seemed easy to me).
However, around 3:00 we lost power. This seemed to only be a slight inconvenience. I had chicken in the crock pot which was only half way done, sheets in the washing machine which were mid cycle and we had not run the dishwasher.
Oh well, I mean how long could the power possibly be out?!?
Apparently three days.
Again, we were pretty lucky. There are still 250,000 people in the Cincinnati area without power. They expect to have every customer up by tomorrow. That means there are a hundreds of thousands of people who have been without power for a week... a week!
As Jon and I listened to the radio and played Sudoku by flashlight Monday night, we listened to people call in and complain. Not about the lack of power, but about all the people without power who are complaining. These stoic callers were telling all the folks without power to "suck it up" and "get over it".
One of my favorite calls was from a man who remembered being in a hurricane as a child. He and his family spent the aftermath at his grandmothers who was able to cook on a wood stove in her kitchen. He remembered spending the days outside with his cousins riding bikes and playing. He made the suggestion that perhaps this power outage will get kids outside playing and perhaps cure the childhood obesity problem. What a fantastic idea... I know I plan to let my kids run around outside with tree branches hanging dangerously off the trees just waiting for a nice strong wind to knock it to the ground, oh and let's not forget the downed power lines.
Another call I really enjoyed was from a gentleman who was without power but didn't mind one bit. According to him it gave him more time to be with his five kids and he was thankful for this time. I remember thinking that it seemed sad that this man needed a power outage to spend time with his kids. Do we really need the remnants of a hurricane to force us to play a board game with our kids? Granted Jon and I did spend more time playing with the kids, but it never once made me think "finally, some time with the kids."
I was thankful when the power came back on Tuesday night. I was happy to get some groceries in my fridge and some normalcy back into my (and the kids) life.
However, I will forever remember Ike and all his glory.
Now it is Eli's turn...
Eli started pre-school last week. It has not been an easy transition for him. He is excited at the idea of going to school, but the reality kicks his separation anxiety into high gear. It is heart breaking to see him cry and kick and scream... which is amplified by my own separation anxiety issues.
Last Thursday was his first full (half) day and he was so excited to go. He actually ran over to the preschool and was ready to go into class. I dropped him off easily, he just said "bye, mom" and ran to play. However, when I came to pick him up his teacher told me that he had a little difficulty when he realized I was gone. They ended up taking him to see Isobel's old teacher and he perked up. Kudos to Eli's teachers for such a great idea... I am not sure anyone else would have thought to incorporate something familiar in that manner. Just the fact that they realized Isobel was there last year and Eli would know her teachers solidified the caliber of this establishment in my mind.
Unfortunately, the blackout caused school closures last week, so he didn't go on Tuesday... I think that break had a greater impact than I could have imagined.
Thursday, he ran out the door super excited about his preschool adventure, upset that it had been so long since he had been at school.
He kept yelling "Come on, Mom. We are going to be late!"
When we arrived at the school he was ready. Then he turned to me and said...
"Okay, mom. You wait right here. I will be back in a little bit."
"Eli, I can't wait here. I have to go home. I will be back to pick you up when school is over."
"No. You wait right here."
"No, bug... you are a big boy now, and big boys go to school without their mom's."
"I don't want to go to school. I want to go home with you. I hate school."
I somehow managed to get him to go into class by asking him to give something to his teachers. He caught on to my trick and gave it to one of the other mom's and ran out of the room. I chased him out of the room trying to console him, but it didn't work... he was in a full blown separation anxiety attack. A few minutes later one of the teachers came out and asked him to help her pick out the snack, he said no, he wanted to go home! She picked him up and I said "Bye, bug... I love you." and ran out the door.
When I picked him up he was fine, but as we walked out the door he said...
"I hate school and I am never going back!"
I can't wait until Tuesday!
Any advice as to how to get through it is welcomed...
Last Thursday was his first full (half) day and he was so excited to go. He actually ran over to the preschool and was ready to go into class. I dropped him off easily, he just said "bye, mom" and ran to play. However, when I came to pick him up his teacher told me that he had a little difficulty when he realized I was gone. They ended up taking him to see Isobel's old teacher and he perked up. Kudos to Eli's teachers for such a great idea... I am not sure anyone else would have thought to incorporate something familiar in that manner. Just the fact that they realized Isobel was there last year and Eli would know her teachers solidified the caliber of this establishment in my mind.
Unfortunately, the blackout caused school closures last week, so he didn't go on Tuesday... I think that break had a greater impact than I could have imagined.
Thursday, he ran out the door super excited about his preschool adventure, upset that it had been so long since he had been at school.
He kept yelling "Come on, Mom. We are going to be late!"
When we arrived at the school he was ready. Then he turned to me and said...
"Okay, mom. You wait right here. I will be back in a little bit."
"Eli, I can't wait here. I have to go home. I will be back to pick you up when school is over."
"No. You wait right here."
"No, bug... you are a big boy now, and big boys go to school without their mom's."
"I don't want to go to school. I want to go home with you. I hate school."
I somehow managed to get him to go into class by asking him to give something to his teachers. He caught on to my trick and gave it to one of the other mom's and ran out of the room. I chased him out of the room trying to console him, but it didn't work... he was in a full blown separation anxiety attack. A few minutes later one of the teachers came out and asked him to help her pick out the snack, he said no, he wanted to go home! She picked him up and I said "Bye, bug... I love you." and ran out the door.
When I picked him up he was fine, but as we walked out the door he said...
"I hate school and I am never going back!"
I can't wait until Tuesday!
Any advice as to how to get through it is welcomed...
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