The One Where She Really Stayed on Top of It

Well, compar- atively speaking. Sometimes it is okay to compare yourself to others. It is a little shot in the arm to realize that if this was a race, you would not be in dead last. It is why I watch “The Real Housewives of Orange County.” It makes me feel like a really good parent, because at least I don’t serve my kids alcohol or any of the other over-the-top bad-parent things those women do.

This has been a typical week. Yesterday I went on an adventure. I picked up my friend and her five-month-old baby, and we set out, armed with a diaper bag, pacifier, high heels and a couple of Yoplait Lights…traversing fifty miles, four different freeways, and several miles of surface streets without a single sign written in English, to arrive before 8:00 a.m. at a courthouse in Los Angeles County. My friend is having custody issues, which was the reason for our visit. I will only say that the hearing went miraculously and quite entirely in her favor, which can only be the result of the fasting and prayers of many people on her behalf. My little five-month-old friend and I stayed outside the courtroom during the hearing, and the two of us learned a lot during our pacing the hallway outside the chambers, especially that a courthouse is a pretty bad way to have to divvy up child care, and should be avoided when at all possible.

Besides the courthouse run, I have spent time working on music this week, and have made some really good progress. I have fed dinner to people other than my own family three times, and I have swept my backyard. I threw a going-away party for Glass, I pulled a couple of weeds (cut me some slack here…I’m no Farmer McGregor) and did a few loads of laundry (well…two loads…and DK did one of those).

And okay, no… my house is not really any tidier than usual. And no, I haven’t suddenly started cleaning out my junk drawers or keeping a calendar…and no, I’m still not wearing a watch. But as home organization goes, I am not in dead last place here… check out what my neighbor left out on Tuesday for the trash man. Ho ho ho…Merry Christmas!