(Time Delayed) Reflection

Sometimes weekend events are so thrilling it is worth stopping everything to put it in black and white…sometimes it takes a while to digest all the excitement--and gain some much needed reflection energy.

THINGS TO FORGET:
1. As I prepared to head out the door so M could take her drivers permit test D informed me the dehumidifier exploded, blowing black stuff all over the floor. I needed to check this out for myself. It was more than a dehumidifier explosion it was a sewer back up. A back up on a weeks plus worth of laundry, for a family of four, just dropped in the center of the laundry room—now covered in poo. No permit attained on this day instead, I mopped and scrapped and moved at a record pace. You see I had to be at the high school in an hour and a half.
2. The lack of sleep all weekend
3. Using the Johnny-on-the-Spot...I can't even reflect it was so horrifying!

THINGS THAT FOREVER CHANGED MY LIFE:
1. Being on a coach bus with about 60 marching band girls for 4 hours; two days in a row.
2. Watching the movie Disturbia (it was agreed that this movie should have won every Oscar statue that is offered)
3. Watching the movie Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift (the band director determined the moral of this movie is that there is underground racing in every country. I determined the moral was there is bootylicious in every underground racing ring in every country)
4. Watching the movie Tremors (because nothing will scare you to death than a giant man eating earth worm)
5. Making Roaring 20’s hair-do’s for 14 on a bus while inhaling hairspray and hair gel
6. Having my own chaperon hotel room complete with a king size bed. I used all five pillows, because I could, not because I needed to. I fell asleep with the TV on. I also used every bath towel because I didn’t have to share and because I just wanted too.
7. Seeing a gas station in the KC area that read $2.99 a gallon.
8. Watching Ray the bus driver puff cigars like a smoking chimney. Then driving the bus hacking up his left lung (also driving a little fast and furious from listening to the movie while driving, screeching halts at red lights while those in row one on the bus got a better view of the windshield)
9. Taking a restroom break at the truck stop and doing a little window shopping with a band director (truck stop hats are the fashion statement of the day).

10. Dive jumping on the hotel room beds and capturing it on film (does this compromise good chaperon behavior or just make me a cool, no an insane chaperon?)

11. Leaving Jillian’s cross (she got from Granny for her first communion in my hotel room)


HAPPY ENDINGS:
1. Watching The Bucket List (a movie the adults picked for the bus ride home, thank God)
2. Not being able to finish watching Tremors (since we got back to school before the movie was half way in)
3. Winning second place in the Bluesprings Marching Competition 6A prelims, getting best effect and best solo-Jazz ensemble
4. Winning third and getting best music in the finals (it was a tough competition and the kids should be proud)

5. Coming home to cleared sewer pipes and King Ralph and D doing all the laundry (and he said for the last 21 years he did not know how to do laundry)
6. Jillian finding a replacement necklace that all I have to do is give her money to make me feel less guilty for leaving her sentimental jewelry in room 411.
7. Going to bed at 9pm on Sunday.
8. M finally getting her drivers permit on Monday