September 07, 2005 - 10:15 p.m.
One of the things about being the single sibling of four is, I'm usually more "flexible" with my time. When a sister or brother needs something picked up, or looked after or waited for, I'm usually beckoned because, after all, I don't have a family waiting for me at home.
I usually accept this with a shrug, because it gives me a chance to practice being responsible for a few days. And this week is one of those opportunities for practice.
My sister and brother-in-law have jetted off yet again on another of their vacations and have left their two boys in my care. Now it's not like the days when one was in diapers and one was in pre-school. I would be constantly changing poopie-pants and making beanie weenies, and always worrying if I had remembered to wash my hands between the former and the latter.
Now these boys are 14 and 10, so they can change their own diapers. And make their own mac-and-cheese and cornflake casserole. The new worries are car-pooling, forcing them do homework during the commercials, and teaching them to make me a good, stiff drink with enough ice in the glass.
But what a pain in the butt! This one is on "safety patrol" this week, so he needs to get to school at 7:30, but the other one doesn't need to get to HIS school until 8:30, so I'll have to take two trips. But this one gets out of school at noon, so I have to call his friend's mom and ask her if he can ride home with her and stay for a few hours. But the other has football practice and needs to be picked up from a different location than he was last seen. And then I hit my head with a board and everything goes nice and quiet for a few hours.
But, luckily we can have a simple Sonic dinner. Oh, but THIS one wants a burger with ketchup only and cheese, only I forgot the cheese. And THAT one wanted fries instead of tots and wants an ice cream shake instead of a Sprite.
And I have another whiskey and a board against the head and everything goes quiet again.
It's been almost 36 hours...and I only have four more days to go. I'm thinking of giving them a "refugee" sign and sending them to Houston for the week.
Theoretically, they're in bed now. I'm going to have to get my belt and start some disciplinin' if they're not.
Or have whoever's up make me a drink...
