Sometimes you feel like a nut

I hope everyone has had a great week and a wonderful 4th of July.

Well, I did it again. I gritted my teeth, turned off the monitor and took a little more R&R with my family; believe me, I needed it. With trying to meet deadlines, submit manuscripts, and tend to my family, I've jumpier than a maggot on a hot coal.

On Monday, I ventured out of my stale office to go to the pool with John and the boys. I assumed it was safe; I'd gone a whole week without an accident. I'm usually very organized, but when it comes to getting two children dressed, gathering things for a spur-of-the moment picnic, something it bound to get left behind, and it was, my sunscreen.

Finally, our truck was packed fuller than the Beverly Hillbillies, and we were off to the city pool. "Did you get everything?" John asked, his eyes never leaving the road. I checked the mental checklist I had stored in the dark, cobweb infested recesses of my mind.

"Uh. . ." I began, shifting like a scolded child, in my seat. "I forgot the spatula for the meat patties, and my sunscreen; but I did remember the boy's sunscreen," I added quickly.

John glanced at me briefly, rolling his eyes in exasperation before returnng his gaze to the road. Hmph. I don't know why he's so irritated; at least I didn't forget the children, I thought huffily.

"I guess we'd better stop at the store and get what we forgot," John grumbled.

"I didn't mean to--"

"I know you didn't mean to forgot, but it's a stop I didn't plan to make, time wasted, " he explained kindly.

Everything went fine until we arrived at the store. The boys and I, pushing the cart, strolled casually behind John as we walked up and down the endless grocery aisles. Inevitably, John saw someone he knew, and that's when everything fell to pieces. Like a mule stopping in it's tracks, John stopped abruptly causing a chain reaction.

Robert plowed into the back of his daddy, dropping his sippy cup. "My sippy!" he screeched, bending over to get it. His outburst caught John off-guard, and John stepped backward, almost stepping on the delicate toddler hand.

Watching toddler and hubby, and not looking where I was going, I ran over the back of Seth's sandeled heel with the shopping cart. Seth howled like a tortured wolf, and every person in the aisle. With a tense smile plastered on his face, Joh scooped Robert up and deposited him in the cart. "Do you always have this kind of drama at the store?"

"No. Just since you're here." I repled sweetly.

Before we left the store, hubby asked if I needed to buy sunscreen. "No. I never burn, just tan." Yeah right. We stayed out in the sun for eight hours. The next morning I felt like a walking shelled Spanish peanut with eyeballs.

Just got back from the beach, so I'll share that adventure tomorrow.