Thursday, October 11, 2012

A Different Kind of Post (Mother Rage)

Okay, I just had to vent!  You don't have to read this if you don't want to.  But, the older I get the more crazed I become at the irresponsibility of businesses and doctors.  But, just so you can see something creative, I'll show you my second Cotton Club row almost put together.  I've been working on it today to calm myself down from all the stress of yesterday.  But see the block second from the bottom - well, it's set going the wrong way.  Am I changing it?  NOPE!  And just pretend I didn't say anything, okay?



So here goes the rant.  See this dress - beautiful dress right (it's really beautiful on)?  Well, getting this dress was an exhausting exercise.  This is DD's Homecoming dress.  Homecoming is two days away.  Why are we getting a Homecoming Dress three days before the event?  Well, this dress wasn't her first choice.  And here's the story.



About a month or so ago DD borrowed another dress from a friend.  She didn't want a new dress, she wanted to wear her friend's dress.  It looked darling on her and I'm thinking I don't have to buy a dress - score!!.  So I took it to the cleaners.  It was due back Friday.  I go in Friday and dress is not ready - hasn't been touched in all the time it's been sitting there.  They say that it has to be spot cleaned.  Please pick up Tuesday.  Okay, but why wasn't I called about this?  And why haven't you started on the dress???  No answers.  Just some mumbling.  I tell them that I have to have the dress on Tuesday.  If there is a problem please call me.

So yesterday I pull my body out of bed (I've been fighting some kind of stomach virus thing and just wanted to sleep in yesterday) and I run to do a couple errands - produce market for reinforcements for the troops and lunchmeat for DD because she hates school lunches.  I'm on a tight schedule that morning and my foot is tapping because I swear they could have sliced up a cow in the time it took to give me three packets of lunchmeat.  I run and collect other things, but I think that the senior citizen bus had their weekly drop off and I'm dodging people all over the place - it takes me forever .  Okay, I do the yoga calming breaths and just keep going!  The scanner acts up in the check-out line - more deep breaths!  I leave there - stop and fill up my gas tank (where I have to wait in line some more and take more breaths), and then drive to the dry cleaners only to be told that the dress can't be cleaned or even spot cleaned.  Okay, now I'm having trouble doing those cleansing breaths.  I'm starting to hyperventilate!!  WE'RE FOUR DAYS BEFORE HOMECOMING PEOPLE!!!  AND MAY I ASK WHY YOU DIDN'T CALL ME ABOUT THIS???  WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT LAST WEEK???  IS YOUR PHONE BROKEN??? (yes, I actually said that).  I feel some kind of rage within me.  Mr. Dry Cleaner says he'll try washing it if I sign off on it.  I sign off, telling him I MUST have the dress like yesterday!!  He tells me to call at 4:00 and I'm back in the car (with thoughts of driving through his storefront), fly into the house and am tossing lunchmeat and produce in all directions in the refrigerator because I have to pick up DD for her foot doctor appointment like five minutes ago.

DD and I drive to the doctors and I tell her about the dress.  She starts freaking out.  And I'm freaking out watching her freak out!  This is her first real date - I want it to be perfect.  We get to the doctors where we promptly wait ONE AND ONE HALF HOURS!!!  We're both sitting there freaking out about the dress, mad at the doctor for taking so long and she's starving.  We decide she won't go back to school (for which she was happy) and we would get something to eat and try to calm ourselves down.  After waiting for ONE AND A HALF HOURS, I walk to the door, fling it open, take a step out and am ready to confront the first person that walks by the door with my teeth bared and an arthritic joint model in my hand (not really) only to just about knock the doctor to the floor.  Neither one of are pleased at this event.  There are no apologies on his part and I'm about ready to pick up one of those joint models and sock him with it (I must mention that I did pick it up a couple times and swung it around just to test the heft and weight while waiting for him in case I snapped and used it on someone).

Dr. Slower-than-Molasses shows us the MRI and it definitely indicates that DD has broken her foot.  Prognosis - 4 more weeks in the boot and crutches.  Her face falls because now she has to sport a boot for Homecoming.  Her assistant at school who carried her books had thrown her a "BOOT the BOOT" party for heaven's sake.  Tears form in her eyes.  We leave there both upset and are still freaking out about the dress.  And she's starving and I have a flipping headache.

We drive to a fast food place (no endorsements here because I HATE fast food) and the food calms her down.  The Mountain Dew she drinks sparks her back up and she's freaking about the dress again.  So, we drive to the nearest mall because, you know, if we don't find something, that darned friend's dress is going to disintegrate at the dry cleaners (law of averages, right?).  Now the closest mall - well, it's about a mile long if you go the whole circuit - which we do - because we can't find anything.  She's worn out - a mile on crutches is not a good thing, and my headache is about at maximum velocity.  Did I mention that this dress had to be either black, white or a combination of the two?  Because the other dress was black and white?  We found a lot of wonderful things in other colors, but her date had already ordered her corsage - they were going to be color coordinated - they had ideas as to how they wanted to look - so only black and white would do.  OY!

DD is disappointed and hesitantly asked if we can go to another store.  I basically want to lay in the parking lot and let someone run over me before I drive to another store - preferably one of the shuttle buses -  but I tell her okay as we really have no other choice, so we get in the car and start driving across town.  While on the way her friend that owns the original dress calls and while talking to Catie tells us that the store that we're driving to is closed.  OMG, OMG!!!  But there is one down Hall Road.  Well, Hall Road is like taking your life in your hands during rush hour.  But what are you going to do?

So we brave the traffic, get to the store, look all over and can't find anything.  But wait - mom is digging into this ridicuously stuffed rack of dresses and I find one.  DD screws up her nose.  I say PLEASE, TRY IT ON, PLEASE. (please try this dress on before I start overturning racks in here and completely embarrass you and get myself arrested for going on some kind of crazed rage).  She does, and she opens the dressing room door and there is a big smile on her face - brighter than the beads on the dress.  She loves it.  And I'm almost on my knees thanking the Gods above.  She looks so pretty.  We actually get 20% off the dress because I'm cranky, really cranky at this point because 1) no, they won't hold the dress and 2) no, the dress is not returnable!  I'm about ready to go for the poor clerk's throat.  Do we leave and hope Dress #1 made it through the cleaning process and if not, Dress #2 will be there tomorrow?  No, I'm not taking that chance, so I point out two beads that are loose - one hanging by a thread (which I can easily fix but you don't tell them that), they give me the discount and then we're out the door.

I'm both breathing a sigh of relief and girding my loins for the harrowing trip back home.  For the past six hours we've been on the go - we're tired and worn out.  But wait - then DD reminds me that it's Spirit Week all week at school and tomorrow is Yellow day and we have to go to Joanne's for yellow things and we need Bedazzle stuff  to spiff up her boot and......well, you get the picture.  Joanne's was basically in the same parking lot so I said yes.  She gets her things and while standing in the check out line I think that the whole ordeal caught up with us because she spotted a pair of those wax fangs in the checkout line at Joanne's and started laughing - laughing so hard that tears were coming to her eyes.  I asked her what was so funny, and when she could finally calm down she said that she wished that I had a pair of those at the doctors office.  She said that she had a vision of me baring those things when I opened the door and almost knocked the doctor over.  Well, we ended up laughing so much over that people were looking at us quite strangely, but it certainly relieved the stress and made the whole day kind of laughable.

I collapse in a chair later and wondered why I ever signed up for this mom thing.  While DD and DH are eating leftovers (I cooked way too much food the day before, thank goodness) and I'm eating a plain omelet and dry toast to make up for the bazillion calories I ingested with that fast food lunch, my headache finally eases, but I'm still kind of crazed over the doctor visit and the stupid dry cleaners not making a simple phone call.  But then after dinner DD puts the dress on to model it and everything is okay.  She looks beautiful, she's happy, and the boot doesn't look bad after all - kind of a cute fashion statement.  And I realize then why I signed up for the mom gig!  Seeing her smiling face in that black dress was worth every exhausting minute.  So I'm calm now.

But we see the doctor in a few weeks - I don't forget easily!  LOL  And of course, as luck would have it, we picked up Dress #1 the dress from the dry cleaners a short time ago and it came out perfect:


Now she doesn't know which one to wear.  I vote for the black and white, but both are cute on her.

So rant over.  We'll return to our regularly scheduled programming in a couple days.  I know that this isn't my normal post, but I thought that it would be fun to record this on my blog and look back on this time at some point- a big time in my daughter's life - and smile again about the whole thing.  A big thank you if you made it this far!  I'll post pictures of her all dressed up and made up next week.  I'll also have some more stitching and quilting things too.  But I just had to rant!!!




56 comments:

Nicola said...

Oh to be young again to wear such pretty dresses.

In either dress no one is going to be looking at her foot.

I hope you post some pictures of them both dressed up on the night.

Annie said...

You really did a great job of writing that up. I actually enjoyed reading it, which I think is not what I'm supposed to say. Hope it was cathartic for you.

Upshot is 2 gorgeous dresses. Maybe she can take both and change outfits midway through the evening like the stars do on TV.

You are a wonderful Mom!

Lanie said...

Oh.my.goodness Deb, an experience that only a mom of a daughter can have! I was giggling and feeling your (and your daughter's) pain at the same time!

Your daughter will look beautiful and I'm sure will have a lovely time! (Have to say I'm a little partial to the black & white one too.) Please post pictures!

woolwoman said...

oh my no dance for a while I presume! Sad she had to wear the boot to the dance and nice that she actually has a choice of 2 dresses instead of one. WOW - I felt like I was going into overload just reading your harrowing experience. That is exactly why motherhood was never in my plan - cheers ! mel

Loraine said...

Oh my goodness I just held my breath for 5 minutes reading that! I can imagine how exhausted you were after that ordeal!
You are an amazing mom, and I'm so glad that you got the dress back from the cleaners, and found a really cute back up, just in case. I'm so sorry DD will not be out of her boot by the dance, but she will look great no matter what, and she will never forget it!
You are a terrific writer. Don't forget to include that story in the scrapbook with the pictures!

Your cotton club quilt is looking fabulous!
I hope you have a very calm weekend :) Hugs to you dear friend.

Margaret said...

Oh my gosh, I sooooo relate!!! I've definitely had experiences like that too. But this whole experience sounds to me like the experience to top all. Geez!!! What is it with that dry cleaner? And doctors running late -- don't get me started on that one! ARGH!! Thank goodness it all came out in the end. And I love both dresses -- looking forward to seeing which one DD chooses to wear. Poor thing -- she must be so disappointed about her foot. And in pain for that matter. :( Oh, and your cotton club looks great. The turned block looks fine to me. :D

Tina said...

What a day you had! I'm glad everything turned out ok in the end. But sorry for all that you had to go through to get there. Hoping for good news next time you guys are at the Dr.'s...and that they don't keep you waiting too long for it! Hope your daughter has a good time at the dance too!

Gabi said...

Oh my, what a terrible bad luck all around.
So sorry that your daughter still has to wear the plaster.
I can SO relate as well. Sometimes everything goes wrong for a while. Both dresses are very cute. And you can be sure, if you wouldn't have bought the black dress, the other one would have been ruined by the dry cleaner.
Your quilt looks great and I hope that your daughter will have a fabulous time. After all, she had already more then her fair share of bad luck. Can only go up from here :)

Mouse said...

ooooo been there seen and done that ... we ended up with three dresses !!! looking forward to seeing her in which ever beautiful dress she decides on ... can I borrow the other hahahaha.
and its nice to hear other mum's busy lives too ;0
love mouse xxxxx

marly said...

Through all the trials and tribulations, you both ended up ahead of the game. Ending it all with the giggle fest will be a priceless memory. I can clearly relate because I tend to think vicious and destructive thoughts when people are holding me back from my racing pace! So glad it all worked out.

Giovanna said...

Sounds like one of my recurring anxiety nightmares... glad you got it all sorted out, and I hope your daughter has a great time.

Rugs and Pugs said...

Deb ~
So happy your DD has two dresses to choose from instead of none. Please share how beautiful she looks in whichever one she chooses.
Hugs :)
Lauren

Catherine said...

I think anyone who is a daughter or the mother of a daughter can so relate!! Still giggling about the fangs! I might have to pick up some of those to keep handy for just such occasions!
Love the black and white dress!!

Joanie said...

Wowser!!! You had such a day! I'm glad it all worked out. You have to share pictures now. I have to see how sweet she looked with her date, Deb, boot and all!

Alison said...

All I can say Deb is...ermagerdddd!

The dresses are both gorgeous & I'm sure she will look (did look?) beautiful!

Shelly said...

How pretty the black and white dress is! I ask myself the same question about signing up too when out on a wild goose chase with my daughter or for her. We do that a lot for shoes, not so much dresses. Can't wait to see which dress she chooses!

Patty C. said...

Omg - im exhausted just reading it!

Christine said...

Eeek, what an exhausting experience!
Glad it worked out in the end, she can always save dress #2 for the next dance

Lois said...

No wonder you'd a headache after all that stress! What a day! DD has ended up with two lovely dresses though. Sorry to hear that she has to spend more time in the boot. Hope she has a wonderful time!

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

WOW What a day!!!! I would have a headache of major portion. I think carrying the "fangs" is a great idea.

Happy the both of you could find some humor in the day. Sometimes a good laugh is the best solution.

Both dresses are beautiful! Am sure either will be an excellent choice.

Nicola said...

What a day you had! I'm exhausted just reading about it! LOL Glad it all ended well with the dresses though, your daughter will look lovely whichever dress she decides to wear - although I favour the black and white one. I hope she has a really wonderful time!

Cari said...

Ranting is a good thing...a very good thing. The dresses are darling! I like the black and white one too! It's so unusual and really stands out. I've been altering a dress for my granddaughter for her Homecoming dress. Thank goodness my Mom taught me how to sew.

Hugs dear friend and enjoy the weekend !!!

Denise said...

Rant away! Those dresses are beautiful and DD will have a wonderful time. You survived. Someday you will laugh at the day...someday!

Diane (di) said...

Rant on, my dear! You most definitely have earned the right. Yikes, Deb. One word... margarita!! ;) She is going to look spectacular in either dress (but like you, I lean toward the black and white). Both are gorgeous.

I'm lovin' the Cotton Club row, too!. :)

Glenna said...

LOL! I vote for the black & white, but either will look gorgeous (it's been a long time since I would look good in a dress like that--sigh).

Nancee said...

Oh, what I've missed by having boys instead of girls. The most I could hope was cleanliness, and a rented tux that fit.
nancee

Browndirtcottage said...

.....oh my.......I'm just simply EX-HAU-STED!!!

Good post, brings back some of my own ordeals getting DD through school!

Me and My Stitches said...

I'm sorry that you had such a stressful day, but honestly, all I can do is laugh! Glad you didn't hurt anyone!!

Berit said...

Deb, I read the whole thing and can only say, "Hey, First World Problems are problems, too!"

I'll look forward to seeing pics of one of the dresses being worn. :)

The Fang part of the story really is truly funny, however. :D

valerie said...

Oh my gosh, what an ordeal! It sounds so stressful but good thing is that now she has a choice and can always use the other dress for another party. They are both beautiful! Hope you got to relax with some stitching or sewing after that! :)

Mary said...

Ah yes, life with children is never dull! Glad you survived another round.
Mary

Mary said...

Ah yes, life with children is never dull! Glad you survived another round.
Mary

Nancy said...

Love the story and what a memory for both you and you and your daughter! Glad you both had such a good laugh over it all at Joanns!

Both dresses are gorgeous but I vote for the black and white also!

Susan said...

OMG what a day! I would probably have done bodily harm to someone! Both dresses are beautiful but I am soooo glad I had a boy and didn't have to go through all that - it was so simple suit, tux or just shirt and tie

Susan said...

I have sooo been there, and believe me, it's funnier if you're not the one experiencing those moments with your daughter. And where was her father in all this? Just getting to enjoy seeing his little girl in whichever beautiful dress she chose (I also vote for the white one) without doing any of the work? Like labor, I'm sure you will "forget" how painful the experience was.

Siobhán said...

Life with kids is never dull, that's for sure! I love both of the dresses--can't wait to see which one yur DD chooses.

Love your Cotton Club blocks!

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

Very beautiful my friend

bisouxxxx de FRANCE

Cathy Lloyd said...

Exhausting Deb! You're a great mom! Both dresses are just darling! Enjoy DD while you can...she'll be on her own before you know it! ♥

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

Reading that brought back memories with Meghan waiting until the last minute! Gosh, I know you are beyond tired. I'm so glad for empty nest now. LOL

Jennifer

Jannie said...

Oh my gosh! What a great post! I related to those days when our Daughter was a teenager and we'd do anything to keep them happy (-: Thx for the laughs!

Mylene said...

What a day you both had...but both are lovely dresses!!

Carin said...

Well ..
I have read the whole story and you've told it so funny that I couldn't stop laughing (SORRY !!!)
Did you realy want to swing at the doctor LOL

I find both dresses beautiful and can't wait to see which one she is going to wear.

BTW. I love your quiltblocks !!

Nancy M said...

Great story! I was with you at every moment! Wow, dresses have gotten LOTS shorter! LOL What happened to the long dresses at dances?? I'm sure she looked adorable in whatever one she picked.

Carol said...

Oh, my! I certainly missed out on a lot of drama by having only three sons to raise :) What a story, Deb!! I'm sure your already beautiful daughter looked even more beautiful in whatever dress won out in the end :)

Katherine said...

I was getting all worked up too and then you wrote about how you thought about laying down in the parking lot and hoping someone would run you over . . . I lost it; that was very funny. You could post an online complaint about the doctor; or just show up an hour and a half late to her next appointment. I like both dresses and can't wait to see which one she chooses to wear this year. She can always save the other for next year or sell the one you bought on Ebay! Lastly - this too shall pass.

Gillie said...

Loved your post but sure it was NOT funny at the time, hope your blood pressure is back in the safe range!

I think the white dress too.

Please write two letters, one to the cleaners telling them they fluffed TWO chances of contacting you and point out again how easy it would have been to pick up the phone and let you know. The other to the doctor, we all appreciate that sometimes patients take longer than expected but an apology would have been great!

Maureen said...

Love the white and black dress - I hope that she enjoyed her dance and forgot about all the stress involved in getting there!

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see a pic of your daughter in either one of the dresses, both look very pretty, and Oh, how I wish I still could wear such dream garments... You are right to record your frustration - as you say, you will laugh about it later. In your shoes, I would have screamed blue murder too !

Karoline said...

Sounds like an absolute nightmare! Both dresses are gorgeous, I hope you'll be able to share some photo's from the dance.

Anne said...

Oh Deb!!!! Isn't that always the way when time is pressing that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, goes slower than molasses!! I'm glad that in the end the dresses worked out and I would have to say the black and white dress, the #2 one, is the best one. If your daughter knows Twilight, tell her she looks like Bella in the first film with her cast on and her dress :D Sorry to hear her foot is broken though. That must be excruciatingly painful!!

I hope she has a wonderful time at her dance! So exciting to be young!!

Sinta Renee said...

I enjoyed reading your little rant:) I am so glad that everything turned out well and it's just down to what dress she looks cuter in!

Sinta Renee said...

... and sorry about her foot! Hope she mends quickly!

Dawn said...

By the time shes in college shell be happy to have a wardrobe of little black dresses. I do like the fang idea :-)
Good to be able to look back and laugh.

Marie said...

As a Mom of two grown boys I must say, "Phew...boys are so much easier" :D

Wow, I feel your frustration and appreciate the wonderful humor in your post...although I know you probably did not mean to be humorous.

Breath and remember... This too shall pass.

Both dresses are beautiful...

As a Mom of two grown boys I must say, " I missed out on daughters in beautiful dresses" :-(

Will you be posting a picture of her in one of these gorgeous dresses???

Kimmie said...

Does it help for me to say I'm glad I'm not the only one who has those kinds of days?

*tee-hee*

Susie said...

I can say its funny now cause it had a happy ending!