I was checking out Helena’s blog just past noon today and saw that she was off work. Then I read, “Today Debbie and I …” and thought, semi-indignantly, What, she has the day off and she’s getting together with Debbie instead of coming to see me?!. Then I finished reading the sentence, which concluded, “are going out to Beverly’s.” I laughed at myself for a second then realized, “uh-oh, I need to take a shower!”

I had just enough time to get myself and the house looking mostly presentable (okay, I did pay Lydia five dollars to vacuum the upstairs and sent Olof on a quick mission to secure cookies, but otherwise I’ll take the credit) before they arrived. (Of course, if my email were working then I would have had more notice, but that’s another matter for another time.) It had been quite a while since I’d seen then, so I was glad they decided to come out (and I would have been just as happy to see them even if I hadn’t had a chance to shower — though I’m not sure they’d have been so happy to see me!). I really have to get my driver’s license soon so that getting together with everyone is easier … relying on the bus is no fun, and there’s no way I’m going to try schlepping around all the kids on public transportation. I know plenty of moms do it, but they’re better women than I.