Frustrating evening

Have you ever had one of those days that just didn't go well? (Don't answer that. It's a stupid question. Of course you have.)


I returned to work today after a long weekend, and it started. The person who had covered my position while I was away left me a mess. So the first hour of my day. Sucked.


The rest of the day was okay. Nothing special. The end of the month is a busy time for me, and since we lost a manager last month, those responsibilities also fall on me until we find a replacement. Even without those additional duties, the end of the month is a busy time. So I was in motion, pretty much perpetually, all day.


And then I slammed my thumb in a door. Ouch.

I come home, looking forward to taking the kids to the gym (there's a kids' gym activity at 5:15 and 6:15). The kids were excited, too. I changed into the workout clothes, walked the dogs, told the kids to change clothes, and we went out to the car. Turned the key in the ignition. Click. The battery, which is a frequent source of irritation, has died again.


We were planning to hit the grocery store after the gym, since things are pretty bare after vacation. And I had promised TV dinners to the kids (that's a treat for them). Well, without a car, that wasn't happening. Fortunately I found enough stuff in the fridge to make a reasonable dinner.


But my son hadn't remembered that we were going to buy the TV dinners at the store. He thought they were in the freezer. And when he saw the dinner I made, the weight of the evening's disappointments hit him, hard. He turned his face away from me so I wouldn't see him. But I saw. And then he went into the pantry, still refusing to look at me. But I saw.And thank goodness there were some vegetarian chicken patties in the freezer. Because frozen food was the only thing that was going to work. He did, reluctantly, eat his vegetables while the patty cooked. And I made fruit smoothies. And that veggie chicken patty was what saved his evening.


My evening, however, was saved when Craig called and I told him my tale of woe. He was planning to go to the gym after work, but he went to the car parts store, bought a battery charger, and then called me again from the grocery store parking lot.


So I'll get to the gym tomorrow morning, then work a double shift, then sleep. Craig's taking the kids to one of my favorite movies, shown outdoors at a local museum, so I'll be home alone.


I sure hope tomorrow is a better day.