Little did I know that my last post was to be so prophetic. Silence, indeed, has reigned supreme.
Did you ever get one of those days, weeks or even months where everything you touch turns to dust? Well, I've just spent the last 3 weeks trundling through what resembles a life, enveloped in a cloud of mishaps, misadventures and mini maelstroms. The halcyon days of early spring, the lightness of being on discovering bunches of bluebells where no bluebells bloomed before, the levity of spirit on seeing a newborn foal tottering shakily on spindly legs ... all disappearing into the vast blue yonder when placed in the reality of the dust bowl of Arizona which is my existence.
Beloved No. 2 son is due to sit his Leaving Cert. exam in June. This is his final exam, the results of which determine his further educational/life choices. His choices of college courses, his decision whether or not to attend college, all depend on this one exam. An unfair system, I know, but the only one we have. We refer to it affectionately as "The Great Big Summer Quiz". Unfortunately No. 2 son seems to be oblivious to the gravity of failing to pass this questionable test of his education and intelligence. His main concerns at the moment are his stomach and the amount and variety of foodstuffs that can be reasonably consumed by a supposedly, civilized member of society, his appearance ... mainly his hair, his mobile phone and sleeping 18 out of 24 hours of every day. He has brains, lots of them, but at the moment they seem to be located in his nether regions. His come-day-go-day, God send Sunday attitude is causing some splenic concern to the Master of the House. Who is going to throttle him in the not too distant future, I fear.
Dust rising.
Beloved No. 2 daughter - who has so kindly allowed me to use her laptop to pen this screed - is IN LOVE. Oh God Almighty. She is also up to her oxters in end of year projects, socialising events, hair disasters and "does my bum look big in these?" problems. She also tells us, most reassuringly, that "Of course, he's going to fail ... he hasn't opened a book yet!"
More dust rising.
Beloved No.1 son has recently moved back home. I love the bones of this boy but I fully understand why some birds throw the baby birds unceremoniously out of the nest.
Can't see for the dust.
Dust, dust and more dust. GB has recently gone and committed himself and myself to an expedition in July. The expedition I will warm to but the fact that he did this without asking my opinion is tantamount to a declaration of war. Hair and feathers flying.
And yet more dust.
My computer died. Suddenly. Taking ALL of my photos to the great IT vault in the sky. Yes, I know I should have stored them externally. I did intend to. Weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Lots and lots of dust.
And I haven't even mentioned the Palace.
Right now I have a chest infection and a sinus infection. Gross, green, hawking, coughing, headache, faceache, miserable.
Dust does that to you.
7 comments:
Ah yes. I can so relate. The whole test system has caused many more than a few dust storms in our little world. And the return to the nest. Why is it we get all weepy when they venture forth, and when they return we're a different shade of weepy??? Just like babyhood, toddlerhood, high school, etc., we WILL make it past this phase! ;-)
You seem to be getting a big fat dose of Life. It's no wonder that you have infections galore; stress (and life dust) will do that to you!
As far as Son #2 goes, perhaps I can offer at least a little reassurance. There are undoubtedly times when kids' maturity levels collide head on with society's structures, and the result may not be what's best for the kid. However, it may also be that his relaxed approach may be beneficial as opposed to, say, getting so worked up over taking the test that he flubs it.
In my high school years, I dated a shaggy-haired young man whose attitudes never failed to bewilder and frustrate me. School seemed to bore him, he didn't even bother to do homework, and he came in with a hangover on the day of his SAT exams. How he could he be like that? Didn't he know he was going to be ruined, ruined, ruined if he didn't straighten up?
As it turned out, he was far from ruined. He scored quite a bit better on the SAT than I did, and I was a National Merit Scholar. He went on to an interesting career, climbed his particular corporate ladder to a point of great responsibility, and even supported a nephew through college. So much for my fears and the effects of youthful testosterone poisoning! (Of course, he still pretty much does what he wants to.)
The system is quite a bit different here from where you are, of course, but I have high hopes that your bright young man will likewise come through this in good shape. He may turn your hair grey in the process, of course, and domestic harmony may be a ways off.
Wishing you the best -
I wish I could send you a dustbuster. You should keep hinting to your oldest son that his living at home again has moved him to first on the list for future care of you and GB when you are frail and bewildered oldies.. see if that motivates him any...
I wondered why you were so silent - had I known I'd have come over and dusted ;)
Hope things are improving but from the sound of the post before this one, your troubles aren't done and dusted yet.
Life sounds dusty in your world!
You do a great job of describing it.
My son recently came to me and "confessed" that he was not sure that his test taking skills were all that he thought they should be. "I just don't get all anxious", he admitted. "I figure I know it or I don't, so I look over my notes and stuff, but I don't really "study" before a test."
Hmm. I thought. There is something very healthy about that.
Except...a test that affects entrance into college might warrant at least a little anxiety?!
Hard to step back. Important to step back.
Computers really suck sometimes.
I have a teen who slept until noon, then announced two hours later, after eating a bunch of pizza, that he thought he'd go sleep some more.
ahh the Lessons of Life Rise. Dare I say bin there dun that. But I did have my name down as NOT A MOTHER next time around. :) But as we and they grow older I look at things slightly differently. Hang in there.
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