Enter the Vortex

I wrote a bit about last week's string of events that made up one big cluster-fuck sundae for Someone...but the fun didn't end there.

Friday, Mum came down to stay so she could hang with Bird while I worked. She got all the way to Casa de Crazy before she realized she forgot her medication and had to drive back home to get it. Ouch.

I had a doctor's appointment in Friday afternoon. They have a clearly posted "no children under 12" policy. It says children are not permitted in the office - not the waiting room, but in the office. I have often had the Evil Genius with me in the waiting room - he's always hung out with Someone while I went in to see the doc. This time, I didn't have Someone, but I brought books and a bottle of water, and it wouldn't take more than a few minutes with the doc, so I figured I could settle Bird in and it'd be fine.

When I approached the counter to sign in, the nurse/tech/office lackey beckoned to me. "We have a no children policy" she hissed. This is an OB's office, by the way. No children, huh? I said I knew, that he would wait there on the couch when I went back to see the doctor. She frowned. "No, he can't even be in the waiting room."

I said "You're kidding! I've had him in here lots of times!"

"Well, we must not have seen him." Was her rather snotty reply.

WTF? We've been seated right in front of the counter before! Not caring to argue, I said I'd have to change my appointment, then. For several minutes she asked me for information...then told me I'd have to go over to the appointments desk. Double WTF? Why'd she just waste all that time??

I sighed and headed to the appointments counter. All this time, Bird was sitting quietly, reading his book. You would never have known he was there!

The sweet young woman working the appointments desk asked how I was. In a sugary voice I said "I'm having a craptastic day and it's just getting worse. Thanks for asking, though!" She smiled uncertainly and asked how she could help me.

"I need to change my appointment."

Another recitation of my information followed. She gave me a puzzled look. "Your appointment is at 2:15...you can't wait?" It was a few minutes past two by this time.

"No, ma'am, I can't - I have my son with me, and apparently he can't even be in the waiting room, so I need to change my appointment, please."

"Can you come back later in the afternoon?"

Umm...as he'll still be my son later in the afternoon, no I can't come back. Urgh.

"No - I'm a single, home schooling mother and I don't have child care, so he has to be with me, but since I can't even have him in the waiting room, I'll have to reschedule, please."

She made me a new appointment.

I plan to take this up with the doctor. I understand not wanting young, fidgety kids in the office. I understand not wanting disease riddled youngsters spreading their plagues around an office full of pregnant women, infants (who ARE allowed if they're contained in carriers), cancer patients, and assorted other folks.

But a healthy, quiet child? There have been alleged adults in that waiting room who were rowdier.

I have asked them before what a home schooling parent is supposed to do, and they've shrugged and chuckled. I'm not accepting that response this time. I really want to know...what the hell am I supposed to do, leave him in the van with a box of Cheerios and a bottle of water and hope no one calls the cops? Considering that I've had to wait for over an hour past my appointment time to see the doctor, in the past, I don't think that's a feasible option.

Yesterday was ok - a few follies on the track, but considering the number of Porsches we had out there (this was a Porsche Club driver's ed weekend), it wasn't too bad...just enough to keep us slightly behind schedule all day.

Then this morning, I was trying to make my breakfast and somehow managed to kill the microwave. All I wanted to do was nuke some biscuits. The microwave had other ideas, and wouldn't open. The door was stuck shut! I tried asking nicely, pushing the latch again, all sorts of things...no dice. I had to get to the track, so I forwent my hot breakfast and snagged a banana. This evening when I got home, I tried again to fix the trouble...to no avail.

I resigned myself to being nukerless, but Mum had other ideas...so off to The Evil Empire we went. Casa de Crazy is now the proud home of a new microwave, about the same capacity as the old one but taking up a bit less space.

We don't get a tree through the roof, or a car through the living room wall. We don't have floods or fires (knock wood). No...we have tiny, niggling little things constantly piling up on our plates.

Mum has decided that it's not Someone and it's not me...it's the house that's a vortex of doom. Enter at your own risk!

So...how was your weekend?