Friday, December 7, 2007

a very full day

Yesterday was an unusual day. It was hectic and full and required me to wear heels. I drove to our old hometown, leaving our house at 6:00am, for an appearance in court. I arrived in good time for the 8:30am appearance and promptly signed in, just to sit and wait until almost 11:00am. Much back and forth, negotiating, and red tape. I actually appeared before the judge at around 1:00pm, with no break for lunch. I was famished and the room was cold as an ice box. The judge, however, was lovely. I was sworn in and answered two questions in about four minutes. Hardly worth the drive.

The really harrowing part was sitting in the crowded and too warm waiting room for so long. Court rooms and their waiting areas, especially in larger cities, are not very pleasant places. No one who works there seems to know anything at all except for the judge. Some of the people I dealt with looked like they were half asleep. I do try never to generalize, but I think government workers get a bad rap for reasons based in reality. No food, no drink and I really think they would prefer that you don't talk or breathe as it's inconvenient for them. There was one bit of excitement. A woman of about thirty stormed into the room through one door, practially ran across the room to the exterior door and left in an obvious huff, cursing all the while. Some joker in the room made the comment that if she came back it would probably be with a gun. Those in the waiting room laughed. One of the ladies that worked in the office gave him a dirty look and got up to see if the woman drove away.

Afterward I drove to my favorite convenient store in the free world to fill the car with gas, buy a sandwich for lunch, and just breathe in the atmosphere. It's a silly thing to miss, but I do miss them, so much. They are clean, spacious, and well stocked. The gas pumps are covered generously, car port style, so that you can stay dry in the rain. The whole parking lot is lit up like day time at the first hint of darkness. The convenience stores here are mostly 7-11s and I just hate them. They are small and dirty and everything is crowded into a space that's far too small. I write the company back home and tell them how wonderful they are each time I visit, then beg them to build one here. In between visits, I get used to the stores here and forget just how great the ones I left really are.

By the time I arrived home, the boys were home from school. The dogs nearly knocked me down when I walked in the door, they were so happy that I actually came back to them. I love that about dogs. The cats casually glanced my way and several hours later, came to sit on my lap and demand attention. My elder son was somberly practicing skateboard tricks on the driveway, running in and asking me to watch about every ten seconds. The little one did his homework and went next door to play.

The rest of the day was a blur of chores, homework, and dinner. It is a rare evening that we are all home together. My family chatted and laughed while I fed them quiche for dinner because the chicken was still frozen solid. I went to bed tired, but happy. And wondered how I ever managed to work and maintain a home at the same time.

14 comments:

Fire Byrd said...

The love is just shinning through here. A happy home with all those you love around you how perfect is that!With or without good shops!

like the tag about a favourite post might do it myself.
pxx

laurie said...

ugh, you've captured the feeling of every courtroom i've ever been in.

kwiktrip, huh? i had you pegged as a SpeedyMart girl.

Swearing Mother said...

Courtrooms and vets waiting rooms both give me the heeby jeebies, you can smell the fear in both!

What a gruelling day, bet you were so glad to get back to your lovely warm home.

Kim said...

Thanks, Pixie. That favorite post was from Fun Monday. You should check it out.

Laurie, I've never even heard of SpeedyMart. I'm a QuikTrip girl all the way!

Yes, swearingmother, it was very nice to be home.

Manic Mother Of Five said...

Oh how nosy am I - my first reaction was WHY did you have to go to court??????????

As for then going home to a happy family, well you know I'm with you there.

xx

Kim said...

Oh, it was nothing, really. I appeared as a witness in an old case related to my job back when I used to work. You nosy thing, you.

laurie said...

we were all wondering!

hey, drive carefully in that ice, you hear?

Kim said...

No work for Kaycie plus no school for kids equals no driving on ice for Kaycie. Yay!

the rotten correspondent said...

That is so funny. My kids grew up around 7-11s, which we don't have here. However, there are QuikTrips all over the place. If I had a dollar for every argument I've broken up about which one makes better Icees, I'd be rich.

Kim said...

RC, I am so jealous. I absolutely love QTs and miss them so much.

I can't believe your kids argue about that. QT rules!

laurie said...

kaycie, the speedy mart near our house has the best meat counter around. no kidding. we buy our steaks there. everybody laughs when i say so, but it's great.

meanwhile, glad school was canceled. my brother in Weatherford emailed me a NOAA map showing the huge ice-storm band. best to stay home and have some hot chocolate and pray that the powerlines don't fall down like they did in 2002.

Kim said...

Steaks from a convenient store? No kidding? That is pretty funny. All of mine come direct from a slaughterhouse, courtesy of Daddy.

At last count there were 137,000 customers without electricity in the region this morning. But it's certainly not as bad as 2002. I remember watching that from the relative safety and warmth of Tulsa.

My daughter had an appointment at 9am this morning. We're not going. I left my car outside on Saturday night and didn't touch it yesterday. I can't get the doors open, even with de-icer.

laurie said...

...and more ice to come, my brother says.

Kim said...

I do hope your brother is wrong. The city is in pretty bad shape as it is.