Sounds tawdry and dirty..but it's not (unless I get marker on myself).

And so ends the work week that started with Ching and me weaving an intricate web that would make any spider jealous.  Sounds tawdry and dirty..but it's not (unless I get marker on myself).  This event involves a dry erase marker and a dry erase calendar.  At the start of every week, Ching and I have to coordinate schedules to figure out who is dropping or picking up which child from what location.  It is the exact opposite of tawdry and dirty..dirty..dirrrrty.  (I have to stop drinking wine when I blog.)

This is a tedious chore that I never even thought of while coming to the realization that I wanted to be a mother. With just Laurel (and only one pick-up/drop off location), the board wasn't necessary.  With Rachel, there was still one location but time became tighter, and likely one Wang parent would frequent pissyland.  But the dry erase board with two different pick-ups (kids) and two different locations in Newton became an absolute must.  I am assuming other parents have to do this too.  Just by the swarming from one location to another with that panicked look of "holy crap, I have ten minutes to get to another location," I can tell other families have a dry erase board too.  The caution that you have while getting your kids to school isn't present when you are trying to stick to the board schedule and get home.  There is no serenity and if I have to play chicken with some loon in West Newton (entry 12/21)..game on!  I am going home to make dinner, try to convince Laurel to eat some meat and dodge Rachel's empty food containers..how freakin' exciting is that?

One little change could potentially throw off the whole schedule..a meeting that popped up, the sitter that is sick, or bad traffic.  All like a strong ass wind that just blows the web right over.  And there is very little room for spontaneity.  I very rarely go out after work because I need at least a week to plan.  (Jesus, I sound fun.)

The board is good back up..in the past Ching will sometimes say that "you never said that" or he claims he didn't hear me.  But the board is there as my friend because we are both there to fill it therefore it's my back-up when Ching tries to pull that shit.  (With some entries on my blog, there are times when I believe I have convinced a childless, unmarried person to stay that way.  Right now is one of those moments.)

I don't know what will be more strange--the day that we started with the schedule board or the day when it will become second nature.