Slackers

From 2002. Going tobogganing.


Kianna was ready in plenty of time to walk to school this morning. But she tried to stall so that I would give her a ride. First, she dropped her backpack on her foot...had to take off her sock to see if all her toes were still there. Then, she couldn't find a comfortable pair of mittens. Then, all of a sudden, a mysterious illness came into her body and took up residence in her ankle. It hurt so bad that she cried big tears. Myself, cold and heartless, didn't give in. I sent her on her way out into the great big world. I gave her a kiss...she didn't kiss me back. I told her that I loved her...She didn't say it back. In fact, she called me lazy and limped down the driveway. Turning around to see me still standing in the doorway watching her, the limp got bigger and much more dramatic. I closed the door and moved to the window. When she turned to look the second time, she didn't see me in the doorway. And I watched from the window as she skipped merrily down the street. Completely healed. It was a miracle.

We bought Randy a huge, expensive, rockin' stereo system for Christmas this year. It was placed in the living room because at the time, Randy was still in his tiny little bedroom upstairs and there was no room for it. I've been enjoying the use of it while I make dinner each night. When he moved downstairs, his new room was not completely cleared of junk and he's really only using about 2/3 of his new room right now. We told him that when we are able to clean up his room and set it up properly, he can bring the stereo system downstairs.

Returning home from his visit with his father, Randy told me that his dad had taken him to Value Village and bought him a $12 stereo. The CD and tape players don't work, but the radio does, and he can plug his MP3 player into it for use without headphones. Hubby and I were not impressed. Every other weekend, Randy brings home such "gifts" from his dad. He has several old crappy speakers, receivers from 1970, lights that are custom wired and tend to cause the breakers to switch off in the house. I don't want any more junk. We're trying to CLEAN UP and get the junk out. We told this to our son, but I think we just came across as snobs. I think that all he heard was that we buy him better stuff than his dad does and that his dad's a loser. The truth hurts, even when unspoken. The $12 could have been much better spent. And this piece of crap stereo...There's no way I'd get anywhere close to $12 for it if we sold it at a garage sale. The boy's room is getting more and more cluttered and looking like the garbage dump where his dad got all of this stuff. Maybe I am a snob, But this has got to stop! How do I get through to my son without him thinking that I'm putting down his father?


Emily's birthday is tomorrow and we still haven't bought her a present.