Mothering, Mattresses, Mice, Molly, and Me

MM: 2 mi ( I can’t claim that they are forced now)

Good morning, Saturday Slackers,

I’ve missed you. Despite my best efforts, the real world has sucked me back in. Nonetheless, I have not forgotten my duties, and I hope you haven’t forgotten yours. You know what today is, and you know what you need to do. Now go do it! It doesn’t matter if they are the super sticky kind (unless torturing small animals bothers you) or just the old-fashioned metal kind; get those mousetraps set! All done? Okay, let’s begin. …Do you remember what you were doing on July 4, 1976? I do. Bob and I arrived in Arlington, MA to begin our married life. Bob was most upset that a great deal of noise and revelry was occurring in our new apartment complex. He was afraid that we had unwittingly moved into a “party place.” In the timid wifely way that I have continued to this day, I mentioned that it WAS the bicentennial (that’s the 200th anniversary of the USA, for you young readers) and that we WERE in Boston, MA, where it all began. Well, on that very night we got our first new mattress. Our second new mattress - aka “the queen” – arrived last Saturday. We spent days preparing for her arrival. We even did something we usually only do once per decade: we cleaned underneath the bed and discovered all kinds of interesting artifacts including clothes in plastic storage boxes that probably haven’t fit us since 1976. Most of you are in the 20th if not the 21st century in your decorating schemes so you are used to this, but I was most unprepared for the height of my new mattress set. My books and eyeglasses now crash to the floor as I drop them off the cliff. I am considering a pulley system to remedy this. (John, are you doing anything today? ) I also can’t sit on the bed and put on my shoes anymore, so I find myself hopping down the hall. I am open to suggestions. ..I am readjusting to motherhood. I had a couple “Oh, yeah, I remember this” mother moments yesterday. I was cleaning the kitchen and noticed the small cooler I had lent Nancy to go to the lake last weekend. When I opened it, lo and behold, there was a wet towel and a bathing suit. Nancy also seized my prized Vera Bradley overnight bag last night so that I will get to carry an old beat up "Mombag" suitcase to Molly's trendy apartment. Of course, I don't mind. Really. Evidently, I’m not a very good mother to my computers. Tim and Megan (our personal Geek Squad) determined that the computer in the basement - aka “Sony” --no longer works properly because she has not been turned on in nearly a year. Sony , my best friend until Toshiba came along, is dying from benign neglect. My advice: go turn on your old computer! You never know when you’ll need her. While you’re at it, comment on my blog or send me an e-mail!... I have returned to work at the University Bookstore. Without asking me first, they have installed a new inventory system. So far, it doesn’t seem too complicated, which must mean that I am missing something. Nonetheless, it is great to be back among familiar friends and faces. The bookstore is under construction, and guess what problem has been plaguing our office? Are you ready for this?? Mice! I’m not lying. One woman had a mouse perched on her desk while another co-worker was spied sneaking a University Bookstore bag to the dumpster with a gray tail hanging suspiciously out of it. So, you know that my advice must be followed. Set your mousetraps at work, too.!! …We are off to Kansas City today to visit Molly and see her new apartment. Bob will be watching the World Cup while Molly and I wander…
Taking my own advice,
I remain
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth