The Short List

• Weds:  relax, drink coffee, readreadreadread, go quick-shopping with my girls to buy chicken feed and a button, some ribbon, some craft paper and some material for my bathroom curtain and my bulletin boards at school

• Thurs:  TAKE MY MOTHERINLAW FOR HER HAIR APPOINTMENT AT 8 AM  (let it be stated, clearly, that this one thing COULD ruin my day, my week, my life, if I let it...there is a LOT that COULD be said, such as, my MIL is NOT my favorite person on earth, nor am I hers, she has gotten VERY forgetful which drives me insane in people I love dearly and is even harder to take when you don't necessarily share the love..., the hair place she goes is an hour away from ME, and SHE needs to be there by 9, and it will take her two hours... while I wait.  BUT, I WON"T say any of this. I'll just let it all go, and be a good person, and take a book, and smile smile smile... and know that I am OWED, BIG TIME, after this "favor,")

• Fri:  hair cut, am; daughter's hair cut, pm, rush around frantically attempting to finish all unfinished cleaning jobs, such as the driveway, the chicken coop, my bedroom, the bathroom. Tie up all lose cleaning ends. Hopefully, my vacuum cleaner bags I had to order will be here by then and I can actually suck up two weeks worth of dog hair, as well?

• Sat:  hmmmm, open - "PLAN SOMETHING FUN, HERE, DIMWIT!"  Kayaking?? Yes! Oh, and attend an obligatory wedding at 5 pm, son of a friend. Ugh. Hate attending weddings. (Nothing personal - just don't like ANY social event, or having to get dressed up for said social event. DO refuse, on general principal, to attend receptions. That's WAAAAY too much socializing for me. ) Will finish any left over cleaning.

• Sun: Hmm, ALSO Open. PLAN ANOTHER FUN THING HERE. What to do, what to do. Oooh, I know - maybe this really cool, huge outdoor market I've always wanted to go to, about two hours away, deep in the Finger Lakes?  That would be a realtly fun way to spend a day before the ultimate end of summer...

• Mon: the dreaded "School shopping" - have I mentioned I HATEHATEHATE shopping?  REALLY hate shopping with my girls who LOOOOOOOVE shopping? REALLY can't think of anything worse to have to do for myself on the LAST day before school begins again? I had completely envisioned a day of coffee, reading, ice cream, corn on the cob for dinner, early bedtime... total relaxation for me, selfishly.  Shopping WAS planned for Saturday, but due to the need to attend the wedding, and the lack of open-late store hours on Sunday, Monday it is. DOUBLE UGH.  BUT, here's where I sigh and say, I make FAR too much of summer vacation, and school beginning again, and my total and complete suffering, AND... it's NOT all about me, and the girls DO need to school shop, sooo...

I'll suck it up, and go, and spend the day, and have a good time with my girls, and go to work tired the next day. So what. Life is short. I'll get over it. Oh, and I was just reminded that hey, at least I can get a Starbucks when I'm out. OK, I'll go!

Oh wait, I forgot:

• Tuesday - crying, whining, and much carrying on to ensue, followed by an early bedtime