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Monday, December 15, 2003: Day in the life
Blake has instructed me to work on this entry during the day and forget housework, so here I sit with Delphine next to me in her high chair, hitting herself on the head with a rattle. The dishwasher is full of clean dishes, the laundry basket is full of clean clothes, the kitchen counter is laden with dirty handwashing, and the floors are covered in a fine layer of dust and cat hair. And still I sit and type. Ah, see, now here's the problem. Delphine just started crying. She's no longer having fun sitting in the high chair, or else she just wants my attention. So I interrupt my writing to get up and find her something new to play with; a Fisher-Price mirror. On the other side of the mirror lives a cunningly beautiful baby who (whom?) Delphine likes give great, sloppy open-mouthed kisses. Last night was Hannukah dinner at my in-laws. I know Hannukah isn't for another week, but they're off to Florida on Friday so we jumped the gun. The spoils of Hannukah were great this year; I got a Christmassy glass platter (I know, getting a Christmas decoration as a Hannukah gift is eight thousand kinds of wrong; we're a mixed up family), some Christmas decorations (again!) that are also picture frames, and two round cake tins. Blake got one of those Alton Brown plunger measuring cups, except not Alton Brown-branded, and an acrylic cookbook holder. Delphine got a set of toy Tupperware, with mugs and plates and a little tiny pitcher, and the Fisher-Price Noah's Ark, except it isn't called "Noah's" ark. I love the Fisher-Price Peek-a-Blocks.
It's now 4:30 pm, and I've had a whole day since I wrote the above. Delphine was getting a little antsy while I was writing, so I got up and picked her up. Just then the phone rang to indicate that someone was downstairs wanting to be buzzed in; I ran to get it because I'm expecting a couple of packages, and I thought it might be Canada Post. I was right, and the package was my new Maya Sling. As you know if you've been reading, I think this is going to be the solution to all my problems, so clearly I was pleased to receive it. I opened the package and started to watch the instructional DVD (now starring Guatemalan women with bad teeth!) which had strangely out-of-sync audio and video. I got the hang of the sling pretty quickly and got Del all tucked in. She wasn't so thrilled but was willing to give it the old college try. After I farted around with the sling for a bit I decided to change Delphine so we could go out. I tried to run water to wet a facecloth for her butt (I guess that would make it a buttcloth) but the water didn't run. Suddenly my next activity became wandering the building looking for the superintendent to let her know we didn't have water. Having successfully done that, I changed Delphine and washed my hands with the last trickles of water left in the taps, ate a couple of leftover latkes (latkes: really good with salsa!), and then we both got all suited up to go out. I put Delphine in the stroller, not being brave enough with the sling to go out with it just yet. First we walked up to Future Shop to pick up some pictures I had printed (they have a great digital picture printing service, I highly recommend it if you're in Canada). Then I went to Toys R Us and bought a baby toy and a $20 gift certificate to give to a local toys-for-kids charity. While I was there I also got an eight-pack of batteries since everything seems to be running short, and a basket which is designed to hold your nipples (ouch!) and bottles and things in the dishwasher. I'm hoping I can use it to contain tupperware and other light things which tend to fly around. Will report back. Then I walked up to the Royal Bank to drop off the charity gifts, and proceeded home. On the way home I got some veggies (fennel, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet potato, sweet pepper) and dropped off pictures of our cats at the pet store -- they have a wall of fame which I feel should feature our lovely pussycats. The clerk there seemed nonplussed. Hmph. Once home, I unpacked the veggies and stuff, and then Delphine and I sat on the floor in the living room. She played with her new ark, and I folded diapers and then started reading my new Real Simple. When we got tired of that, I got Del all plugged into the sling again, and tried folding some laundry. I didn't get very far before she got pissed off, so I walked around some, and tried some new positions. I figured while I was walking around I might as well get something done, so I walked around the kitchen and started a batch of bread dough in the machine, then emptied the dishwasher and loaded it up again. The whole while Delphine was in the sling, quite content and cozy. Then I came over here to work on this entry; I wanted to see if Del would be okay in the sling even when I wasn't moving. After I sat down she started to grizzle and rub her eyes, which means she's tired, so I shifted her around and nursed her a bit, still in the sling but with my arm under her head for support. She soon fell asleep, and I adjusted the sling to hold her head, and there she is now, asleep in the sling in front of me, while I type, secure in the knowledge that she is safely supported, warm and comfortable. So of my big list of things to do from yesterday, how'm I doing? Hm, not great; I got two things done, and a third of a third (I folded one of three loads of laundry). On the other hand, I made bread (well, started, so far) and bought and delivered charity gifts, which weren't on my list but none-the-less needed to be done.
I had a brainwave for a party next year. I love Christmas carols, but because I'm in a big snobby choir which doesn't (usually) do carols, and because I don't go to church, I never get to sing them. I always wish someone would do some kind of carol singalong event, and it just occurred to me that I should do it. I could invite some friends, get some nice hors d'oeuvres and Christmas treats, egg nog and rum and cider, and hire a pianist to accompany us as we sing all our favourite carols (or maybe get a karaoke CD, but I think a live pianist would be more fun). I'd have to invite the right people, but I'm pretty sure I could find five or six friends who would be into it. It's too late to do it this year, but I'll try and remember it for next year. It would be nice way to expose Del to carols, too, since they don't do them at school any more. (Pfft.) In the same vein, my friend Kathryn and I are going to Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah on Sunday. Apparently they get two thousand people; singing in a two thousand voice choir will be fucking cool. Does that make me a choir nerd? |