An Extra Day Doesn't Suit Me

Events in the day of an ordinary day of my life...

The car wouldn't start this morning. I tried several times over a half hour period but the engine just wouldn't catch. Okay, I grudgingly accept that the car won't start. The four of us (myself and three kids) get all bundled up so we can walk the two blocks to my son's bus stop. My foster daughter keeps walking into the cross-roads instead of stopping to look for traffic and she cannot understand why I am so upset. Duh. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait very long... just 10 very cold minutes in the snow. My son gets on the bus and the rest of us walk back home. My foster daughter was in slow motion today and barely had done all of her hygiene (major issue) so her reading for this morning wasn't completed but we didn't have time to get it done because we had to get bundled back up -- hats, scarfs, gloves, boots, coats -- again and walked the 8 blocks to school. Then, I walked back home. The walk home is mostly uphill. Ugh! I get home and called the mechanic that I usually deal with. He was nice enough to come to the house and get the car started. I get into the car to go do my errands for today. I got to the bank and Rent-A-Center. I came home to use the bathroom. While home I got several phone calls about various matters. One phone call was from Housing Authority. My annual contract is due at Midnight tonight, March 1st. They have not done the paperwork to get my contract in order for this year. What?! They call to inform me they need more papers from several different agencies/offices TODAY. I re-arrange my schedule and head to these various offices. On my way again, I'm trying to remember what all I need to do today. I see lights flashing a few cars behind me while at a stop light. I moved over to let the emergency vehicle pass. Instead, they pull behind me. Oh, no. My car's registration and inspection is out-of-date. Double, oh, no!! I get a huge fine and am told my car is illegal so they are going to impound it. Triple, oh, no!!! While waiting for the tow company, the police officer calls to see if my insurance is current. He tells me its not. Quadruple, oh, no!!!! BTW, I called this evening and my policy is current. Thankfully -- trying to find the silver lining, -- they will two the car to my mechanic's garage. At least, I know where the car is but it is many, many miles away and now I am stuck without a car. Now I have to walk a couple of miles home... all I can think about while trying not to fall in the falling snow and on the icy sidewalks is how will I come up with the money to pay for the car repairs to get the car inspected. I don't have the money for this expense right now. I get home and make several more phone calls. One phone call comes in from my dear friend, Sandy. She informs she is on the way to the hospital. I burst into tears. She is having heart problems and they are admitting her to the hospital. She calls me for a ride and I don't have a car to get her to the hospital. Now I feel like a failure. She is depending on me and I let her down. I am blubbering on the phone when she calls me for support. We talk a few minutes more and I put on a brave face for her. We hang up and I lay down on the couch and cry and pray and cry and question my beliefs. After this emotional ride, I walk the few miles to the Housing Authority office to drop off the papers that need to be turned in today. I get home in time to sweep (I am not able to shovel due to the weight) the four inches of snow we got today... today while I have been out walking. Then it's time to go get my son so I walk to his bus stop. My son is overloaded with books and has a hard time getting off the bus. He is in the process of switching schools due to behavioral, emotional, and learning problems. Now we have a good 20 pounds of books, notebooks, etc., to carry home. Whew! Glad we only have to go two blocks. We drop the school paraphernalia off at home and start the walk to the elementary school where the girls attend. By the time we get there, kids are already being dismissed. They let the children out ten minutes early but didn't notify any parents/guardians of this. The four us walk back to the house. We get homework done and I go back outside to sweep another couple of inches of snow off the sidewalk. It won't stop snowing today. We get dinner ready. The kids eat but I go back out to sweep more snow. However, I cannot sweep the snow because now it's raining and sweeping just won't work. I'm wet... I'm sore.... I'm tired!

When do I get a break? When do I get to breathe and relax? Who needs an extra day to deal with all this chaos?