Miscellaneous Mutterings

Doppelganger. This is one of my favorite words because it’s one of those words bound to elicit a raised eyebrow – or a slap in the face – if your listener doesn’t know what it means. (Or, try fecund – sounds gross, eh?)

A doppelganger or, even better, a clone is exactly what I needed this past week. The boys and I spent Monday thru Thursday at Diabetes day-camp at Camp Bluebonnet near Killeen, TX. It was hot…hot and full of kids. My boys aren’t used to large crowds of really, really loud kids – neither am I. I’m so glad it’s over.
In my vision of the perfect camp-week, I accompanied the boys to camp, deposited them with their respective group leaders, issued a peck on their plump little cheeks waved a “See you later, have a great time,” then scampered off for a day of R&R and visiting with other moms.

Unfortunately, each of my boys had a different vision. A vision in which mom would be by his side the entire day, providing security and serving his every need. Chris would not stay with his group without mommy. Alex would not stay with his group without mommy. There’s only one mommy, so the three of us spent 2 days with K-1 group and 2 days with the 2-3 grade group and on day 5 I sent Daddy to camp so I could enjoy a spa- day of bookkeeping.

Here’s the truth. Despite what anybody says, working in an office all day is like a vacation compared to spending the day among the ankle-biters. If I could have trusted my ability to balance the accounts after a couple of stiff drinks served in coconut shells with little umbrellas, the day would have been on par with any I’ve spent on the beach in the Caribbean.

Oh, sure. If I sent my kids to school, they probably would not have had so much trouble separating from me at camp.

And, yes, I might be a nicer person in the evenings. I might have a clean, organized home or beautiful scrapbooks. Heck, I might even wear lipstick. But being a stay-at-home-home schooling-parent is not for the vain or faint of heart. It means 24-hour parenting and it damn well better be worth it.

Now pardon me while I fry some fish to go with my whine and martyr sauce.