A typical evening

For most people, night time is when you start to unwind, curl up on a couch and maybe watch some TV. I've realized, that is when my second shift begins.
After dinner, I begin my second job as Chelsea's chauffeur. I know many of you are saying, "let her get her license", but she's my baby, the last of three and really is not ready to be out on the open road. Not to mention, she would probably be driving a riding lawn mower as that's about all we can afford.... Chelsea has been rehearsing for just under 3 months, 6 nights a week, on her latest play "Enemy of the People". Her play opens this Friday....she also takes jazz, ballet and vocal lessons in addition to any rehearsals for plays. So tonight as I wait in the parking lot for dress rehearsal to be over, I've answered all emails and caught up on Facebook, I decide to rummage thru the car for something to read. Hmmm, slim pickens, but look, it's my 2007 Ford Escape owners manual. Now don't laugh, I learned a lot reading this manual. Truth be told, it's only the second time I've cracked it open. Once before when an idiot light appeared on the dash and I couldn't figure out what it meant. I learned about lots of options on my car stereo, various storage spaces I hadn't yet discovered in the car and that you can direct your speakers to driver's side only instead of the entire car. I know this is riveting info.



Upon Chelsea joining me in the car at 10:00 PM, we head to McDonalds. We had one starving actress on our hands, literally. She wolfed down a Big Mac like someone just coming off the "SURVIVOR" island, slammed a sprite and finished off a bag of fries. Now arriving home, she begins homework. This is when I learn she needs something printed. No problem I 'll just pop in a new ink cartridge and off we go. WRONG - i did everything but rebuild the stupid printer, still wouldn't print. It then informs me that the "blue" ink cartridge is out, who cares, I only want black...............print you stupid thing.......OK, plan B, grab my lap top and hook it up to the laptop printer. Crap, one of the cables is missing, ok, now rip thru every drawer, cupboard, garage, in this house. Alas, looks like the kODAK camera charger cable is interchangeable with laptop printer. Put it all together and guess what.....it is related to the first printer.....it won't print, won't even suck that damn paper thru...that's it, I am grabbing my hammer and bashing the living daylights out of both of them. It will be scene from one of my all time fav movies....OFFICE SPACE..... i go upstairs to tell Chel the great news and she is fast asleep in bed, homework on the floor. I have to wake her to tell her about the printer problem to see what plan C should be. OK I will email her essays to myself and print them at work tomorrow and then run them to the high school. It is now 11:45 PM and Chel informs me that she has to sign up for 2 AP tests, and needs $180 dollars tomorrow. Also, mom, sign me up for the SAT's and oh, could you run to Rite Aid and buy me a hair piece for the play? Oh and my Bio for the program was due a week ago, can you write that too? Can you call Aunt Teri and see if she can do my hair for the Play? And mom, I'm too tired to do my homework, can you set the clock for 5:00 AM and no matter how much I protest, will you force me out of bed so I can finish my homework?
It is now 12:20 AM. There's a knock on my bedroom door...."thanks mommy, i love you, good nite".

I wouldn't change my life for anything.