BACK IN THE SADDLE

We had a short and slow run this morning and it was OK. Legs seem to be recovered, but since we were only running 3 miles and at a slow pace they should be. THE NORTH WIND WAS COLD! Another week of recovery next week and then truly back at it!

If you do not read Camille's blog, you need to read her blog about "Go Team". Just click on "The Jennings Secede" in my blogging buddies and then read my response below.

The Parent’s Story-Unwanted but needed!

#1 Daughter has a major attitude problem every Monday. It seems once the “thrill” of the weekend is over and school mounts its ugly head, she turns sullen and pouty. I have my strict instructions about picking her up from school. What time to be there, not to talk to the teacher on duty, do not wave at her friends, in short-eyes straight forward and no talking. Now if she decides to offer a ride to a friend, well no questions asked and do not act like you are put out-no matter where they live-JUST DRIVE AND DO NOT TALK!

We get home from school and the telephone begins immediately ringing off the hook. Somewhere in the middle of all of the telephone conversations and laughing and squealing with her friends, she finds time to eat with her parents. I am not sure when she does any homework or if she is doing her homework. All I know is that when I dare to ask, I get a, “MOM!” When I insist that the telephone conversations end and the lights go off, I am met with the usual protests, ‘”NO ONE ELSE has these rules! I have to talk with so and so about my homework. YADA YADA YADA” Finally lights out and a quiet house. After finishing preparations for another day, I fall into bed and sleep the sleep of the dead!

Tuesday brings more of the same. Daughter is still in less that a good humor. Well truth be told, she is in a great humor with her friends, but not very happy with her parents. It seems it is such a burden to be saddled with the “OLDEST” parents among all of your friends. We have rules and we have expectations! It is such a burden to be saddled with a couple of old fashioned parents.

Wednesday brings a miraculous change in disposition. Daughter can not be sweeter and she even offers a little help with putting up her clothes after I washed, dried and folded them. She has a sweet smile for her mother and daddy. She even turns on the charm and has a real conversation with us at supper. THEN THE SHOE DROPS! It seems there is a ballgame in town on Friday night. Would we possibly consider taking her and a couple of friends to the ballgame? SMILE-SWEET TALK-SMILE! Ever the sucker, we agree. This could be a wonderful family outing. We could have such fun all being together and rooting on our local team. What fun! We are pumped up with the anticipation of Friday night and a fun outing. We agree to go and she immediately runs upstairs and back on the telephone. We hear the laughter and squealing all the way down the stairs. She is so excited and this thrills us! We are so delighted to see the fun loving and sweet girl we had know show up again.

Thursday swiftly rolls into Friday and the big game is on the horizon. Friday after school when I pick her up from school I get the following, “Mom, are YOU and DAD going to the game tonight???” When I inform her that we had planned on it, she says she has a few more friends that need a ride and she is not sure if there will be room for both of us. WELL! Who owns this car and what happened to the family outing. I am so insulted and ready to call the whole thing off! When her Dad gets home, I tell him that there is a problem. He quickly settles the matter and says, “We are all going, period.”

The house quickly fills up with a bevy of teenage girls. The giggling and chatter are deafening as they get ready for “The Big Night”. They are frantic curling, straightening, and blowing hair and putting on so much make up you think it is a clown show we are going to. Finally she prances down the stairs and her Dad & I sit in astonishment. “Were you planning on going LIKE THAT!” “What’s wrong with what I have on?” “Just go back and put more clothes on, because you are not going like that!” She stomps back up the stairs and tries again.

When she finally reappears and give us our instructions, before her friends come down. We are not to talk with them, we are not to act like we know them, and we are to let them off and then go park the car, and ABOVE ALL Look Straight Ahead and NO TALKING!

We arrive at the ballgame after 3 miles of giggling, whispering, and loud music and they pile out of the car. Once we get the car parked and we are in the ballgame, we spot “The Crowd” flitting around the stands. They never sit in one spot more than 10 minutes and it is an all night parade going back and forth from spot to spot. We find our seat and try to concentrate on the ballgame, but all of the action is going on in the stands in front of us. We watch as they spend the night trying to be in the right place at the right time while they maneuver to get in the right crowd. It is really something to behold. I am sure none of them saw one thing that happened in the ballgame. They had their own game, of a sort, going on in the stands.

The game is over and we are back in the car, but the same rules apply. They all are in the same seats in the car and the second verse of giggling and whispering is being sung. We once again don’t have a clue what is being said and do not dare ask. Usually there is an all night with all of the girls at someone’s house after the ballgames, but tonight everyone goes there separate ways. We take all of the girls to their own homes and say good night.

At last, we are alone with our precious! Having been restrained all night, I cannot wait to launch into an entire laundry list of questions about the night’s activities. I am met by monosyllable answers, sighs, and shrugs for answers. Another FUN night of being a junior high parent! The night is over and we have survived. I am certain she is upstairs on that phone again, plotting and planning her next outing, while the unexpecting parents are safely tucked into bed, exhausted from another night of “family fun.”