Running On Empty

Yesterday was a day when I should have been snapping pics all day but at the end of the day, the only picture I have is a pathetic one of me.

First photo op, Sammy's adorable preschool concert. It was low key but cute nonetheless. We were instructed to come inside to pick them up instead of waiting in our cue of minivans outside. Once inside, we were ushered into the church's worship area which was a floor above the classrooms. The kids came in last and immediately I noticed twenty other parents whip out the camcorders and cameras. I had brought Christmas presents for Sam's two teachers, Henry and his bottle and had left the camera at home. As soon as Sammy got to his place at the front, he gave me the biggest, closed mouth smile that produced two big dimples. He just kept looking at me with a shy, proud look until the singing started. His experience around primary programs, last week's ward party etc. prepared him for singing for a crowd. The other three-year olds looked distracted and frightened, but Sammy belted out his words strong and proud. They sang Jingle Bells, Away In A Manger, Up on the Housetop and We Wish You A Merry Christmas complete with actions. Then they brought us presents.

Later, I went to practice with Seth's class at his school for their class play to be performed that evening. I brought Sam and Henry with me and told Sam before going in that he needed to act "like a first grader" and be calm. He took that literally and wanted to be on stage with the rest of the class. Instead, I told him to sit and watch the play which he did until the end when they were practicing their songs for the sing-a-long. Then he went onto the stage and Seth put his arm around him like a protective mother hen. While I was collecting my songbooks and Henry (who was crawling around getting into everything), Sam got into line with Seth and went back to the classroom with him. Sneaky fella.

I had felt fluish all day and all I really wanted to do was crawl into bed. After practice, I went to a grocery store to get some decorations for snowman cookies and some cold medicine. I wanted some TheraFlu but it's behind a locked closet now (like cigarettes). I think it's actually harder to buy a gun than cold medicine with pseudo ephedrine now. No joke, it took about 10 minutes of paperwork to get me checked out. I don't know if they do that nationwide but here in Spocompton, meth abuse is pretty rampant so they are keeping a close watch on the sale of ingredients of crystal meth. I guess I could have been in disguise: two young kids, chocolate chips, frosting, and gum drops. Not to mention an actual hacking cough and squeaky voice. I finally got out of there and home to greet Seth off the bus.

Next photo op....the cute snowman cookies we made. We decorated frosty the snowman cookies for about an hour after school. It was delightful. Both boys said numerous times how much fun they were having. And they did a great job. I bought the white chocolate covered oreo cookies and then put white frosting on the front and sides. Then I cut up a bunch of gumdrops for earmuffs, mini-chocolate chips for eyes and mouth and those candy orange slices for the carrot nose. They were very excited to be involved and showed their cookies off proudly at the play. I really should do stuff like this with them more often.

Dinner was a sad affair with ramen noodles and a side dish of canned peaches. But the boys were oblivious and Jay didn't even seem to mind. Then off to the play. Seth put on his snowman costume and I went to the piano. Jay had his hands full with Sammy and Henry. He recorded with the camcorder but we didn't get any still shots. Oh well. Regardless, the play went great. Seth had a dance solo during Frosty the Snowman and all I can say is have you seen Riverdance? There was much frolicking and hopping. Sammy made his way up to the stage for the sing-a-long and them some mingling afterwards.

Jay took the boys home and put them to bed and I went with Andrea to the end of our Relief Society's Progressive Dinner enrichment activity. They were still at the second house so we went there even though that was the dinner and we had both eaten. We visited for about twenty minutes and then got back into my van to head to the last house for dessert and a program. To my great embarrassment, I ran out of gas on the way there!

Hitchhiking to relief society. We are needing some relief!

True, I had been driving around on empty for a day but it wasn't even that much past E! We hitchhiked with some other ladies onto the last house where I performed once again. (I'm sure to many people's chagrin). I did the spiritual that I had so much fun with a couple of weeks prior but with my cold, I sounded squeaky and powerless. But I'm not a perfectionist so I wasn't too distressed.

Then Andrea and I went to my house to pick up the gas can so I could go rescuemy abandoned van (once again, Andrea's great friendship came in handy). Jay tried to convince me to let him go do it but we convinced him it was all in girl fun. We went to a conoco station and started to fill up the two-gallon container. I didn't ever notice the trigger lock but it must have because when the level of gas was close to the top and I tried to let up on the trigger, the gas continued to pour out of the nozzle full force for several seconds. Andrea limberly leaped away and I frantically tried to turn off the blasted thing. Even seconds of gas flowing from a nozzle produces a large amount of gas and there was a large puddle of gas on the cement by Andrea's car. Not to mention all over the gas can and my shoes! I tried to clean it off with the window washer thing but we both reeked of gasoline. I haven't heard of any explosions at gas stations today so I'm also assuming I'm safe on that front as well. But I had my nightmares...let me tell you.

My hope is that all of the gas evaporated quickly due to gusts of wind we are experiencing. It is so windy that our power was out most of the morning. I've realized without gas and electricity, my life is quite limited. Thankfully, our water is heated by gas so we at least had hot water. It's still windy and dreary outside which has kept me indoors most of the day. I do need to go run a few errands but I'm dreading it. Of all of the elements, wind is my least favorite. I'm sure it serves a purpose in the great grand scheme but none to me personally.

Hope everyone else is enjoying their alternating current!