Anyhow, this is another lost day, which puts me in a foul state of mind. I only worked two days this week because I had extra doctors’ appointments, and I needed this day for errands…and it is now sleeting on top of the new snow that fell just before sunrise. I can’t go out in this – at least not until this afternoon, if then – and I am mentally reshuffling all the things I have to do, not to mention trying to figure out some kind of exercise I can do within the confines of the Cheesebox. Up and down from the cellar a few times may help. I want to scream. I am so tempted to sit at the computer and play games all day – not that it solves any problems, but at least it makes me feel good.

Well, my reliable snow removers have been here, and the drive and the walks have been cleared. But the street hasn’t been plowed yet and, meanwhile, I’ve already messed things up by eating because I was going to have blood drawn this morning and now I can’t. Which throws off my once-a-week pill because I can’t take it on the proper morning and will have to readjust the schedule. Sometimes the little things annoy you more than the big ones.

At the risk of another bunch of mothers taking it personally (as happened last year around this time), I am going to make another comment about the task of a parent.

• Feeding himself. Maybe he won’t ever learn to cook, but he should be able to open a can of soup or heat up a frozen meal. Unless he is going to eat out all the time, and in that case, his knowledge must include
• Being able to handle money. He’s not going to learn this in school, incidentally, it has to begin at home. A penny is one and a nickel is five and a dollar is one hundred. He may learn to add and subtract them and do even fancier stuff – especially if he is computer-oriented, but he has to know what it is and what it’s for.
• Getting along with other people. That should begin at home, although sometimes it’s impossible. A child must realize that (1) all the world is not like him, and (2) no one is going to cater to him like his mother. If I see a kid holding his breath, I’ll let him pass out before I’ll negotiate. If he thinks screaming is going to work, he’s got another think coming; he is not my responsibility. (And yes, I know there are people whose job is dealing with that kind of child. But I am the general public, with whom you will behave appropriately or you can be locked up!)