Thursday, December 16, 2010

For People Who Complain that She Complains

Every once in awhile, the Matron gets a comment or private email noting that the Matron is

A) Celebratory about her own skills
B) Celebratory about her children's successes

or

C) Crabby

May she just announce that tonight's post is C? And note, in a non-crabby sort of stance, that these laments from readers are few and far between. The blog is mostly love and support: thank you!!

But, as recent posts have indicated, this has been an unusual week. First, there was the blizzard. A BIG blizzard that felled the local sports stadium. The blizzard meant the Matron and her husband hosted Scarlett's stranded theater cast for a large portion of Saturday and devoted themselves to a weekend of snow removal and neighbor care.

Then there was conveniently no school for two days, due to the weather. Tuesday, the second day without school, the Matron both offered and agreed to requests to take in seven other children.

Other parent: "Our two just got over the flu and my husband is at home with it. I'm desperate but you're gambling."

Matron: "We'll be fine!"

Not.

Merrick has spent the past 10 hours throwing up. He's languishing in bed with a fever of 101. The Matron has done nothing today but tend to the ailing and had to cancel all meetings. This has not meshed well with end of the semester grading and other obligations, like pretending Santa exists and he brings stuff. Which adults have to purchase. Ahead of time. And then Santa grades 300 student assignments.

So the Twelve Days of Christmas in a whole new order : one major blizzard, 50 people in the house, seven hours of shoveling, two days without school for children, 300 assignments to grade, one puking child, one teen preparing for three days at a debate tournament, one pre-teen with seven hours of driving requirements (guess who), one now 70 lb puppy who ate all the leftovers, three enormous work projects that nobody else is helping with, two birthday presents overdue, seven thank you notes also overdue, ten holiday parties looming (but that's good) and a partridge in a pear tree.

Go ahead and send her that email. She's just going to clarify that the category is C. She knows you've all been there.

14 comments:

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

What I don't understand is why those people just don't read you. Seems simple, no?

Good luck plodding through it all--I've been there before and while it sucks while you're in it, it does end.

MJ said...

(Hug)

unmitigated me said...

I admire your energy. With a list like that, I would likely dig myself a grave and cover myself up with self-pity. Brava to you for managing. Hopefully, YOU won't get hit with that virus.

Anonymous said...

But what will you do in the afternoons?

Re: the 300 student assignments to be graded. I am imagining the wonderful email you could send to all your students, detailing all the reasons why their assignments are not ready to be returned. All their excuses -- my grandmother died/I had the flu/the dog ate my homework -- would pale by comparison

Suburban Correspondent said...

Christmas shopping doesn't start until next Monday. Amazon's 2-day shipping really works - I tested it last year.

Just don't get sick next week.

Deb said...

Got my 200 assignments to be graded done, but I'm not bragging because I didn't face ANYTHING near what you've dealt with in the last week.

No emails from students less than thrilled with their grade...YET. Have to keep reminding them, it is the grade they "earned", not the grade I "gave" them.

Daisy said...

Blogs are made for celebrations. I hope you'll continue to celebrate your own accomplishments and your children's -- I want to keep reading about them!!

Take care and stay healthy.

Anonymous said...

That sounds exactly like my Thanksgiving. Which I didn't blog about because I didn't want to sound too crabby (but you don't sound as crabby as I felt). Snow days and sickness (me, which didn't stop me from having to host TG to too many people). In my last post, I decided just to put "Whine" in the title to be as up front as possible.

Anonymous said...

I hope that partridge in the pear tree sings soothing, calming melodic tunes. Because the last thing you need is screeching and bird shit all over your house.

Anonymous said...

My only suggestion is to buy a snowblower. No, they are not good for the environment, but when it is dark and frigid and you have hours of shoveling to do, a snowblower is WONDERFUL.

kjax said...

Okay. Now how stupid am I? I looked all over this place the other day for a way to send you an e-mail and never found it. I still don't.

It was going to be a nice e-mail, I promise. Possibly slightly stupid, but meant to be nice.

If people have time to write and complain about you complaining....they need more to do.

Minnesota Matron said...

The best way to email me is

petri017@umn.edu

I love nice emails. I hardly ever check the account associated with the blog because I read the comments on the blog.

And thanks everyone. I do fully appreciate that we all have these weeks --and that mostly, people want to send nice emails and good energy. It's why I keep blogging : -).

And Suburban, I'm banking on the Monday thing. That's when the power shopping starts.

Finally, I have the flu, too. It does indeed pour sometimes.

Anonymous said...

It's *YOUR* blog! Frankly, I read you for all the ABCs and your descriptions of them.
I recommend Monday. I'm counting on it being a good day for shopping and shipping.

And as kmkat wrote, your reasons for not having their assignments graded is too impressive to not use!

Xtreme English said...

Holy Toledo!! I'd say you've had your hands (head and heart) full! And I am mightily impressed by your kindness. I'm sorry even a few people complain about anything in your blog, which is wonderful. But I forget--you live in Minnesota, and attention must be paid to what others say or do, lest it not be something one considers nice.