11:33 a.m. - 2007-08-17
Betty and an Early Morning Phone Call
So much happened last week, I hardly know where to begin. Ed and I bicycled 97 miles. I had a lot of fun but got a terrible sunburn on Sunday. I thought I had my back covered with sun block but apparently missed two large spots on my shoulder blades. Ed fussed and told me I should have covered up but really, I looked pretty hot in my pink spandex top and that's the important thing. If I have to suffer through the dorkiness of the silver dinosaur helmet I must have the exposed shoulder and muscley arm hotness.
On Friday morning at about 1:00am I had the phone call that every parent dreads. "Mrs. BigHead? This is St. Mary's emergency room. Your daughter was brought in by ambulance after a car accident. She is OK but would like for you to come in." Dear God. I had been dead asleep when the phone rang and had registered the part where I had to get dressed and to the hospital because Polliwog 1 was asking for me. It wasn't until I was in the car that I woke up completely and thought to myself that this had been a complete lie. My child was dead and they didn't want to tell me until I got to the hospital. That way when I fell over with a heart attack there would be emergency help. We got there and she was indeed fine. I repeat: Polliwog #1 was bruised and sore but alive. Someone had turned left in front of her and she t-boned them. Her little restored convertible VW is a goner but she is alive and has gone back to work and that's all I can ask for. She had a black eye and a rather large goose egg on her head along with many cuts and bruises along her left side. (No seatbelt, GAH!) Her face was swollen and we told her she looked like she had been beaten by her pimp at which she began a long, loud tirade calling out to "Lucky" telling him she always paid her money; she didn't know why he had hit her. Very funny Ms. Comedienne. They did full body x-rays and a CAT scan of her head to make sure there were no fractures or brain damage. We got the all clear around 4:30 and took her back to her apartment. We stayed with her until her friend came over to keep the possible concussion watch and we went home and finally to bed around 9:00am. I got up around 3, made some very tasty buttermilk bread and put pork and beef chunks on to cook carnitas for gorditas. Ole! Betty is cooking and all is right with the world.
On Monday we got the other phone call you hate to hear. Polliwog #3 was on her way to spend the night with some friends and was having a car problem. Long story short, an oil line had come loose and all the engine oil had dribbled out and she continued on to her Grandpa's house. Now, giving her some credit, it was only about a mile or a little more from the time the oil light came on to his driveway and she understands that she should have stopped immediately and walked to a phone. She has also accepted the fact that the freedom of having a car is gone until Ed can get the thing fixed and there haven't been too many complaints so far. I just feel so badly for her because she has worked hard all summer and this was her first night going out in ages. I hear that Ed is going to have her help in the repair and rebuilding of the engine. That'll be interesting. #3 is very smart, hopefully they'll both keep their tempers in check and they'll both learn something.
High school started yesterday and my days of a peaceful ride to and from home are gone. The school that #3 and #4 attend are on the campus where I work so that means where ever I go they shall follow. The problem is that #3 is annoyingly early for everything and #4 is annoyingly late for everything and I am in the middle completely annoyed at the two of them for being annoyed at each other. I am not going to even talk about #2 who still does not have a job and has been mooching off of #3 and #4 except to say that I will soon be packing her suitcase and driving her to the bridge where she will be living in a cardboard box. I won't do that really and she is registered to begin 18 hours of classes this fall, so we'll see. Hopefully she'll charm her way into a nice state scholarship and will only spend this year back at home. I love her beyond anything but living with her is another thing entirely.
Have a great weekend everyone and as always here is the link to my American Lung Association fund raising page. I have $520 left to go and I sure we be glad when I get there.
