Random thoughts on Seattle drivers

I saw a woman driving her car today with not one, but two, poodles in her lap. Okay, maybe they were some other fluffy white dog, but still, she was driving while distracted. At least she wasn't on the highway.

I was behind a man in a Buick on the highway yesterday. I assumed he was a grandpa driver who was looking through the steering wheel to drive since his head was barely visible from behind. He was going slowly for the interstate. I passed him and realized that he was someone chilling to the rap music with his seat all the way back and extremely reclined. And yes, I could hear the music as I passed.

As someone who usually has one or the other child in my microvan, I am paranoid about folks who take driving so casually. I don't want you to be texting, talking, grooming or bonding with your pet when you are driving near me.

Having said that, I have built in Bluetooth and it has gotten a work-out in the last few months. I have had multiple phone conversations with our real estate agent whilst driving my children to various activities. I know research shows that hands-free does not equal distraction-free. The ironic thing is that I often make my kids observe radio silence while I am trying to park or navigate some weird lane confluence that the Seattle DOT has come up with. Hypocritical much?

And completely unrelated to all this: it was a beautiful winter day in Seattle today.

I don't even want to write...

I keep thinking that if I write, I will make progress on something. I need a victory in my life. I need something to pull me out of the slump I am in.

I had a birthday earlier this week. It was a non-event. Really. The 8 year-old gave me an eraser. My sister took me out to lunch the next day. I scheduled a raincheck lunch with a friend.

Our house purchase was supposed to close the day after. It was an event that did not occur.

I am supposed to be organized for a move that should happen any day. I am not.

Our interest rate lock for our mortgage expires on Monday. We will owe more money after we close. I am numb to this, but the spouse is angry.

I am reading too many parenting books again. I have more on reserve at the library. My husband who does not read parenting books undoes all the parenting I do with his lack of patience.

The five year old still needs to be evaluated for speech therapy. I finally got a call about it. I have yet to receive the paperwork to fill out before he can be evaluated.

I am still behind in my duties as the treasurer for our co-op preschool. We are in the black, so I am not putting the school at risk.

My husband got a bonus and a "good job" gift certificate from work this week. He offered the gift certificate to me. It is not the same. I want someone to appreciate me. Screw enlightenment, I don't want inner peace and fulfillment, I want a Target gift card for doing all the mundane tasks that no one ever thanks me for.

I make coffee every morning. I pour myself and DH a cup every morning. Today, DH poured his own cup knowing it was the first cup of the carafe and didn't even bother to think I might want one too. Really? He had the grace to apologize when I asked him if he needed another cup of coffee as I poured my first. I think this incident just served to underline the fact that no one in my family notices me or my needs.

I don't even know what my needs are anymore. I've gotten really good at suppressing them. I think I will now drown my petty problems in chocolate.