You know how you put your whole life on hold when people are staying at your house and visiting and it is fun while they are there but then they leave and the rest of your life crashes down and smothers you in the vacuum that they left? That happened today when my in-laws left. Things currently crushing me:
1) homework
2) housework
3) planning and purchasing for my Moms party (Sat)
4) planning and packing for my trip to Canada (Fri)
5) planning gifts, cards and baked goods for Simone's last day at her current daycare (Thurs.)
6) planning and baking for co-workers last day (Thurs.)

I got all bitter and resentful tonight because AH volunteered to go do some IT work for this volunteer place - this, the first night after his parents left and we can finally take care of some of these pressing issues. Stuff like being thoughtful about our daycare inevitably and always fall on my shoulders and I can't tell you how much mental headspace it takes up for me. A card for everyone? What kind of card? Should I bake something or buy it? Gift cards too? For some or all? What is the perfect book to donate in her name? Why can't I find it any independent bookstore, of which I have tried 3? Flowers - yes or no?
On another channel is this decision loop: Cake -what kind? Cupcakes or whole cake? Where can I find mini-pint cups for the cakes? Burgandy tablecloths? Round or square? What color napkins? How long will Kinkos take to print the posters? Where will I get foamcoare? Will my suitcsase make it? Do I have time to put a playlist on my iPod? How will I pack this all? What should I get my new niece? My older niece? My Mom?
acccccccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
It's like constant channels of noise and fretting and decision making, all while I am trying to deal with the surface stuff like eating, sleeping, dressing, caring for child and her reading needs (Oh my lord, she needs a book read to her 45 times a day, at least) Anyway.

In other news, the cranky is making itself felt in the news in a big way as my opinions seem to be contrary to everyone else's. I don't find the Ft. Hood thing to be oh so tragic or unusual or worthy of hours of analysis when down the street from where I live, a well-to do church going Dad called a family meeting, shot his teenage son, chased his wife through the house, shot and killed her as his teenage daughter cowered in the attic until he found her and killed her too - then himself. I find that much more puzzling yet somehow it doesn't matter in the nations media one bit. It's too common, disgruntled husband goes broke and decides to kill whole family - ho hum. I'm also not unduly and crazily upset about the healthcare abortion amendment despite being very very much pro-choice because there is so so so much to fix in this country that the ideas we could fix any or all of it is impossible - but that makes me a bad woman and feminist and pro-choice person to others - but not to myself. I am contrary and avoiding the news. And reality by writing this entry.