Join Together. One of my favorite songs by The Who. I am listening to it as I sit by the pool. I am back under my umbrella today, poolside, with my laptop. Today, I decided to switch over to Classic Rewind on Sirius XM because they are counting down the top 1000 rock songs of all time for the long holiday weekend. I get my Led Zeppelin fix and then some. Norwegian Wood, Tangled up in Blues, What is and What Should Never Be, Funeral for a Friend, Sunshine of Your Love, Under my Thumb, Point of No Return, Nights in White Satin, Roundabout, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, It's All I Can do. Amy, Come Together....just a few of the masterful and unforgettable songs that have played while I have been writing.
No doubt, as you read this, you are conjuring up a rather idyllic picture. Pool, perfect weather, and great music. How can you beat that, especially under lockdown orders? Oh, I forgot to mention the kids in the pool, ten feet away who have been whining and fighting for the better part of the afternoon. The music is to calm my nerves and drown out the bouts of screaming. There you go, I bet you suddenly just felt a lot better about your day.
I have another rather large writing project that I have recently committed to. I thought today would be a good day to get started on that since the kids are "occupied" in the pool. Think again, Jana.
This morning, we got online and ordered six more pool Intertubes from Target. I figured splurging on some $4.99 pool toys would be a good investment given that we'll be living in the pool this summer with COVID-19 and the impending lifelong quarantine. In that vein, I also subjected myself to the Dollar Tree this morning, intending to purchase six pool noodles, to tide kids over until the Target order arrives next week.
The noodles didn't do the trick. What in heavens was I thinking? All afternoon, they have been fighting over the two Intertubes we have, despite the brand new colorful noodles they were so excited about this morning. Then Graham found one water gun in the garage and all hell broke loose. One water gun and four kids? Are you kidding me? It was like watching a pack of hungry hyenas attack a wildebeest in the Serengeti. I am surprised they all made it out alive.
What is about sharing that is so hard, for children - for people in general? I see something so primal in my children when it comes to sharing and it can be disturbing. Although I am not an anthropologist, I assume it goes back to caveman days, for lack a more intelligible explanation. We all urge our kids to be kind and to share and yet they don't want to. It's the bane of my existence (or at least one of them), as it is for many parents, I assume.
No matter how many duplicates I buy of anything, it doesn't seem to matter. Someone wants the blue one instead of the pink one or the small one instead of the big one. And don't get me started on dessert time. Each night, the desserts are carefully scrutinized by each of the kids to make sure the portions are equal, down to the hundredth of an ounce. It is as if their lives depend on who is going to get the biggest piece of cake or bowl of pudding. Arguing or tears often ensue until someone agrees to take the "runt" dessert.
I have been locked in my house, for the most part, with four young children, for close to 75 days. I guess no one would blame me for being short on patience at this point. I want to escape and just do one of my favorite things like go to a movie or meet a friend for lunch or dinner. I want to be alone in my house for one day. I would settle for half a day at this point. I can't do any of these things, so I blast music that I love sometimes to try to escape to another world in my head. It works for a little while until the loud bickering brings me back to the reality of COVID-19.
I may very well be deaf by the end of this pandemic, but at least I'll still be sane, God willing.
The dreaded water gun.
The kids took a little break from swimming to have a noddle dance party to the rock blasting in the backyard.
Graham really got in to the rocker thing with his blow-up pool toy guitar.
The pool noodles were used her for a fencing-style fight between Garin and Miles and above for a dance party, but not much in the pool. I am glad I rushed out to the Dollar Tree in the midst of COVID - 19 to purchase them today.
Mommy attempting to write amidst all the chaos.
Michael Phelps in the making.
Somehow I managed to get dinner ready, even though I threatened Cerael Night a few times when all he bickering was going on.
Miles savoring his taco. He is always an appreciative customer.
Graham, chilling out in my room tonight reading Harry Potter.
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