Get Up, Dress Up, Show Up

I feel like crap today.

I've been fighting some kind of cold thing for about a week and it feels like I'm now losing the battle.

Yesterday was a busy one. Second flu shot for Sontoo at 8 a.m. And I don't mean to complain (or maybe I do) but if you advertise a flu shot clinic beginning at 8 a.m., I think all of your people should be there by 7:30 setting up. That way, when your clients arrive at 8 a.m., you're ready. You're not trying to figure out the damn computer program or how to fill out the paperwork. Those giving the shots are seated and ready to go, not sitting there, filling syringes while the line of crusty toddlers gets longer and longer.

This clinic was for the second dose of the H1N1 vaccine. And that means all of the clients were between the ages of six months and three years. These are not patient patients. And odds are they brought along a parent and at least one sibling who was not old enough for school. That's a lot of impatient children and frustrated parents in a very small room, all anxious to get this over and done with.

I'm not saying anyone had to come in early, or that the Health System had to pay any overtime. I'm just saying, be ready. If that means starting at 8:30 instead of 8, so be it.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much, as we were out of there within an hour and 10 minutes. I know elsewhere in the country, people were waiting hours and hours for their shots. But I'm just saying that, with a little better organization and pre-planning, it could have gone a lot smoother.

Oh, and a quick note to some of the parents. Remember that little card they gave you at the first dose clinic? The one they told you to bring to the second clinic? The one with the date of the first dose, the child's birthdate and Manitoba Health number? BRING IT TO THE SECOND CLINIC YOU MORONS. That way I don't have to stand there for 10 minutes while you figure out when, exactly, your kids got their first shot and if that is at least 21 days ago. And I won't have to stand there for another 10 while you dig through your frickin' purse for the Manitoba Health cards.

There, that one's for the clinic workers who, I'm sure, had to put up with more than their share of impatient parents and screaming children. Must have been a rough day. But if you'd prepared a little better . . . just saying.

Anyway, after a quick stop at Tim Horton's for Daddy's cup of joy, we were off to playgroup. That went well. I'm getting to know more of the moms and am actually getting in on some of the non-breast-related conversations. Picked up a few Christmas shopping tips from those that have lived on this isolated iceberg for a few years. It was nice.

So, with my head clogged to capacity, we headed home for lunch and nap time. That's when I found the email from Neomom. She'd been called north to a crime scene and would not be home for lunch, and probably supper, possibly bed time. Ugh.

Oh well, got the boys fed and off to bed for their naps. I needed to sleep, but was afraid to. Sonwun's swimming lessons were at 4 and I had to be sure I wouldn't sleep through. So I stayed up.

Swimming lessons went well and, after phoning home and finding no one there yet, the boys and I stopped at McDonalds to pick up a couple of Happy Meals, as Daddy did not feel like cooking a damn thing. I did, this time, opt for the apples over the french fries and milk over coke. I know, it ain't Father of the Year material, but it's slightly better than the alternatives.

I managed to get them fed and to bed before taking my Tylenol night time sinus medication and passing out on the couch. Neomom woke me up and some point, there was some conversation and then I went to bed. I don't remember much of it as I was half asleep and in a well-medicated daze.

As I mentioned earlier, I still feel like crap today. But the refrigerator is empty and that means I must go shopping with the boys this morning. My challenge is to find a way to make it appealing, somehow, for Sonwun. He hates grocery shopping and the feeling, if left unattended, can be contagious.

Yesterday I received an email from my mother-in-law listing 44 life lessons, compiled by an 80-something-year-old woman. Some smarmy, but most really good stuff. Today, I must remember #36: "Your children get only one childhood," and #42: "No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up."

Have a great day!

This morning, a self-portait. Getting the blog done is step one

in the get up, dress up and show up plan.