Saved by the Soup, Otherwise Known as the Monday from Hell

It felt like a Monday this morning. The kids were resistant to switch gears and go willingly to school. The apartment was slightly chilly this morning when I woke up earlier than usual because my extreme stress level has left me unable to sleep more than 5 or 6 hours at a time. I got a lot done, starting with the dishes, and laundry and a grocery delivery at 7:30 a.m. I got a slightly late start to my kickboxing class and questioned my ability to do the class, because I felt slightly clumsy and definitely tired. I bumped into things as I carried my bike down and up the steps of the studio.

I did the class reasonably well and set off to the post office by bike. The clerk actually yelled at me to take my bike out of the lobby. When I went back inside, they looked for the package that I was to pick up, but couldn't find it. I know it's the special Halloween candy I ordered from a new nut-free candy company in Massachusetts. I need it for my son by Wednesday. I have some back-up chocolate. Surely there will be no shortage of treats for him on Halloween, even if I don't get it in time.

During the late morning and early afternoon, I spend some time studying and then quickly put together a batch of chili, and put it in the crock pot.

I dashed off to pick up my son from school to take him to his regular Monday appointment. He complained bitterly because I refused to buy him candy after school but we ended up getting hot chocolate and delicious French fries at a local diner. While we were there, the school nurse called and said that my daughter wasn't feeling well and we needed to go and pick her up from after school. We dashed back to school and then back home to drop her off and pick up our bikes, but my son's bike was still suffering of an off-kilter chain, so we grabbed scooters and my bike for the quick ride down our street to the doctor's office. A short while later, we went back home to pick up my daughter, who was still not done with homework or dressed for her karate class. Somehow we managed to get there, while Harry stopped frequently and begged for more store-items. When we got to the class, we discovered that we were just on time because the class was running a little late. Four hours after I picked up my son from school, we returned from the long afternoon, only to find that I had forgotten to put the milk away and I had forgotten to turn the crock-pot on. I had seen a plug near the crock-pot in the socket, but it turned out to be the coffee grinder. I was so angry!

But then I remembered our favorite butternut squash soup in the fridge that was supposed to be for Sunday, and had not been eaten. We all enjoyed some delicious soup! I'll post the recipe later this week.