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November 27, 2019

two kinds of people

As Thanksgiving approaches there are two kinds of people:  

1.  those preparing food and getting excited to spend the holiday relaxing with family, and 

2.  mother's of Irish dancers

(after spending more time than I care to admit trying to upload a video of Curly dancing, I give up.  It looks like it should work but it doesn't not play when I try to play it.  Maybe once the post is up it will work?  If you would like to see it, you can go to my you tube channel:  Ernie Shenanigan.  Clip is called 'Curly dancing').  That sound you here is me thumping my head against the wall.

Unfortunately, as you know, I fall into category number 2.  Curly dances in Midwest championships on December 1st in Louisville.  Therefore, instead of fussing over food and shopping lists, I walk around armed with hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes and constantly repeat to my kids:  'WASH YOUR HANDS!'

Curly CANNOT get sick right now.  No sirree.  I live in fear of this scenario:  Curly gets sick right before she dances and is unable to perform well at the competition and ALL THAT HARD WORK ends in disappointment.  At all major dance competitions, a few dancers will puke on stage - either nerves or illness.  All the moms cringe and wonder, 'Did she get any on the dress?'  Remember last year when Mini got sick?   She wasn't dancing, but was planning to come to cheer on Curly.  

In Vancouver, (remember - we went there?  You will recall the excessive posts about that trip, unless you are new here or were in a coma.  Too many to share links:  but if you go back to late July or August you will undoubtedly bump into a couple dozen) Curly missed qualifying for World Championships by one place.  Again.  No worries, she can qualify on Dec. 1st.  She has qualified every year at the Midwest Championships or Oireachtas (if you want to trip over the official title and try to pronounce it - go ahead with your wanna-be-Irish bad-self).  Still, stress.

We are in basketball season.  Suffice it to say:  busy.  I am extra busy because I plan/hope to make food for the boys (none of which are attending Louisville) staying at home, meals for the college kids to drag back to school with them, and vitals for the Louisville contingent.  Note:  we are staying at the same hotel that does't have microwaves in the rooms and caused me GREAT STRESS last year

Saturday:  Mini played half of the varsity game and then played half of the sophomore game a few hours later.  Tank was supposed to babysit for Geraldine (whose kids I used to sit for:  think chia seeds and no naps and the suggestion that I lock kids in the car in the preschool parking lot to walk her kid into school.  We parted ways - just not on the same page, but remain friendly).  Curly was going to go to her house to help Tank. Ger was taking two boys to the movies - only leaving a newborn at home.  Really:  Tank was just there as an older kid and Curly was handling all things baby.  

Tank started a new job on Wednesday, and texted me Friday to say he was desperately needed for that job on Saturday morning so he now COULD NOT babysit.  I asked Geraldine if she could drop babykins with me and Curly.  Would she be OK with babykins attending Mini's game with me?  Yes.  

Tank dodged a bullet there because as per usual I was ready to strangle him.  

As punishment for shirking the sitting commitment and being sort of 'who cares' about it, he had to wash the kitchen floor.  Between Mini's two games I baked cookies while Coach drove off to watch Reg play travel ball 25 minutes from home.  I saw Tank return from his job.  After Mini's second game where she made the winning shot in OT, I got busy and kept asking everyone if they had seen Tank.  Nope.  

As often is the case, there is more.  Any guesses on how this ends?  


12 comments:

Kari Wagner Hoban said...

The video worked for me but you can't make it full screen.
That was fun to watch although I am sure it is less fun for you.

Happy Thanksgiving...passing the antibac in your honor. :)

Ernie said...

Oh so glad the video worked. That was crazy labor intensive - only because I kept redoing it as I was uncertain if it was functioning. I find the watching of the dancing fun (stressful on THE day) - it is the constant driving loop and the empty pocket feeling I am left with that bites me in the ass.

We need all the 'no germ' wishes available. Thanks and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Nicole said...

The video worked! She looks great. I love watching Irish dancing, those girls are so strong and lovely! My bff has three daughters in Irish dancing and honestly, I do not know how she survives. It's so crazy busy! The older two are particularly competitive and have been to world's - the oldest is going again, in Dublin, in March (I think?) so it's just all dancing all the time. NO ONE CAN GET SICK! Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Gigi said...

Video worked for me too! She's so good!

Happy Thanksgiving and good luck at the championship!

Bibliomama said...

One of my best friends also has an Irish dancing daughter (my daughter did it for a year or so) so I CAN, in fact, pronounce Oireachtas, although it makes me giggle every time because it kind of sounds like erection and I am immature. I can't believe you keep all your kids alive and fed and manage dancing and sports and blog, like, an insane amount. Mad props.

Ernie said...

You said it: just all dancing all the time.

For years I had 5 dancers. Lad was my only kid who did not dance. It was nuts. No one competed at the level Curly competes at. She loves it and I am ready to retire from it! So far we have kept the germs at bay.

Ernie said...

Thank you, Gigi! I will be so happy when it is over. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

Ernie said...

If you saw the state of our house, you might not be giving me as many props. Yes, it is insane. Coach's nutty work schedule does not help. He is a physical therapist- so he works till 9 pm a few nights a week. Not gonna lie- I hate flying solo so much of the time.

Arjun said...

Nice article and nice script

www.myreddeal.com said...

Nice

Busy Bee Suz said...

I can't imagine how it ends!!
The busyness of your family makes my head spin!
The video was excellent....the Irish dancing is mesmerizing.

Ernie said...

At times it makes my head spin too. And yes- irish dancing is unbelievable athletic. So much more so when I was a kid and I butchered it. Big time.