Back-to-School Blues

Yes, yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year and all but holy HELL is it stressful. The Oz man starts Grade 2 this year and Lola will be rockin' the Pre-K so you think I'd be chompin' at the bit to get rid of the little monsters.

Well I am and I'm not.

For anyone who knows me personally, they know how disorganized I am. I forget to fill out forms, I was suppose to register Lola for dance classes, I haven't even thought about what to pack for lunch yet, there's a mountain of laundry that just WON'T go away even though I ask my fairy godmother every night to make it disappear, my house is a mess, I'm SO behind on this issue because I've been so damn sick PLUS I just don't give a damn.

I feel about as overwhelmed as I have ever felt. So trying to organize 2 kids for back-to-school is not something I am enjoying.

Am I the only mom who actually has to schedule a shower for the day??

If I don't do this, I don't shower. If I don't schedule coffee breaks, I don't take one. If I don't block off an hour for housework, I don't do it.

Sunuvabitchballs I need to be ORGANIZED!!

So many hokey "New Years Resolutions" are pumped up in January but I say Back-to-School is the start of my new year.

I'm goin' to Staples and buying a family planner so that I can structure our days. I did this last year and it worked out really well... I don't know why I stopped??

Anyhoo, this chaos sucks. If I feel this stressed I can't imagine how the Oz man must feel about starting Grade 2. It's like getting a promotion every year - you may know some of the people, most will be new and you have to adjust into a routine.

Bah. When did parenting get so hard????

If you need me I'll be pushing that "Easy" button till my laundry goes away.

t.

Releasing the Lockerbie Bomber

About six years ago, Big Daddy and I took Oz on his first big trip. We went to visit our friends in Scotland for two weeks, and it was such a beautiful country that I tried persuading the Big guy to relocate. It didn't happen.

Our friends, Jane and Gary, lived in Dumfries, 20 minutes away from Lockerbie, the town over which Pan American Flight 103 exploded killing 259 people on board and 11 people in town. Jane, a RN, remembered the event, telling me they rushed to the scene to help. She described the chaos, the panic, the terror, the blood, the sadness and the horror.

I hadn't heard of this tragedy - it happened in 1988 when I was in Grade 8 and was too wrapped up in my own personal drama to care about what was happening in the world - but when Jane told me about the memorial dedicated to the people who were killed, I knew I had to pay my respects at the site.

It wasn't something we expected to see on our vacation to Scotland and I'm sure Big Daddy only went because I insisted but this was the most memorable part of my trip to Scotland.

The gravestones were imposing and impressive. The view was breathtaking and serene. The air was thick with energy and spirituality, and I was drawn to the memorial knowing I had to pay my respects.

I read the names of each person who was killed on board that flight and on the ground in the small town of Lockerbie. It truly was a place I was meant to see and now, six years later, I know why.

The only person who was convicted of blowing up Pan American Flight 103 was released yesterday on "compassionate grounds" because he has cancer.

Boo fucking hoo.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi recieved a hero's welcome when he returned to Libya and was hugged by Moammar Gadhafi, who released this statement:

"To my friends in Scotland; the Scottish National Party, and Scottish Prime Minister, and the Foreign Secretary, I praise their courage for having proved their independence in decision making, despite the unacceptable and unreasonable pressures they faced. Nevertheless, they took this courageously right and humanitarian decision," he said.

Right and Humanitarian decision? I'm sure it was the right and humanitarian decision that was made when that bomb was placed in the cargo area of Pan Am Flight 103.

I'm sure it was compassion that fueled the decision to murder those people.

My blood boils at the thought of this dirty fucker being hailed a hero by people in Libya. There were young men who threw flower petals at his feet and praised him.

This was a bullshit decision by the Scottish government. Yes, bullshit. There have been rumblings that it is an oil-based decision to release the cancer-ridden al-Megrahi. The government denies it and I could care less what the motivation is behind his release.

WTF is wrong with people? Did the Scottish governement not see this coming? Anyone with any common sense knew what would happen. So what? The guy has prostate cancer? Hmmm... who the fuck cares? It's a slow painful death he deserves after what he did, not a comfy bed and hugs from a vicious Libyan leader.

I'm sitting here listening to my 3-year-old princess Lola play with her dolls and sing, "You have to believe you can fly!" She is so innocent and sweet that if someone ever hurt her - in any way, shape or form - I wouldn't be as forgiving as the Scottish government.

I can only imagine how the parents of the victims of Pan Am 103 feel.