Manny Diaries are the "logs/blogs" of my experiences, conversations and life stepping into a role that I know little about - Parenting! Yup, it's that time of year again where I get to be "Manny Ken" to my now 12 yr old 'nephew' - for lack of a better term. He's the closest I will ever have to "nephew" and that's all that matters to us.
Wyatt is the son of my very best/dearest friend Julie. I've known Wyatt since he started cell dividing in Julie's womb and now he's 12 going on 15! Tweens! Who invented them?! And WHY???
In either early February or early March I am asked to stay with Wyatt, the dogs (3 are now 2) and watch over the house when Julie and Greg go on their winter vacation. Greg has learned that it has to be at least two weeks BEFORE my birthday or a week AFTER my birthday. I do one thing, ok two, in February - EVERY February. I plan, create, throw and host my own birthday party. It's been that way for YEARS! That way, "I" know I can't disappoint myself.
But we're here to talk about Wyatt and our time/experiences with each other - what we both learn this week!
Oiy! I can hardly wait......
So, here I am. Year two. 11 is now 12 and by that definition... I have my very own "Tween" on my hands...
Friday, Feb 5
An early start!
I know I have a hard time with time, time management, telling time, judging time... you get the point.
Mostly, my biggest beef with time is being anywhere ON TIME!
So Julie and Greg decide to get the very FIRST flight out this :am....5:AM! WHO flies that early - WHY?
That means that they had to leave the house by 3:AM. In any case that meant SOMEONE had to be here with Wyatt. That someone was ME! I couldn't stay Thursday eve as I had plans. So, I promised I would get up and be to the house for Wyatt when he got up. Agreed time was 6:am.....I don't get up at 6:am, especially lately - I'm lucky if I've just fallen asleep by then. But for Julie and more so Wyatt - I said I would....FOR SURE!
Ok, so I didn't go to sleep until 1:30. If I were as smart as Julie - I would've stayed up all night like she did. Why not, we were emailing at 1:am. But NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I just HAD to lean back, put my head down and "rest my eyes"....utnil 5:50 AM!!!! Where'd my alarms go?! Why is it 5:50 and NOT 5:30??? What the H!??
Thank god I'm a creature of habit and had laid my "tomorrow's" outfit out, along with shoes, belt and scarf! I'd be screwed! Shower? Didn't even cross my mind. I flew out of bed, jumped into that outfit, sprayed some cologne and was out of there in RECORD time - until I got down to the garage and realized that I had left my work "murse" (man purse) up in the condo AND Oliver - can't forget him.... so I run back up, grab those two most important items and back to the garage to my car. Which is FULL of anything and everything. My first thought was "Oliver, you'll just have sit on my lap" and once we were in the car my next thought was...."where the hell am I going to put Wyatt????" Oh well, we'll figure that out when we get there. Throw the car into gear, pull up to the garage door, the garage door opens and WTF?! When did it SNOW???! It's NOW 6:AM! Panic and adrenaline start kickin in and that's not a good combo for ME when it's snowing with "my" car - I forget that my "Peppy VonPassat" is not an SUV as I fishtail onto 1st street trying to step on the gas and Peppy just shows me this little blinking symbol of squiggly lines and the back of a car....like now is the time for "symbols" telling me that I'm spinning, or it's slippery or whatever that symbols means - JUST GO!!!!
I know my in's & outs and multiple ways to and from Julie's. We have to, but that's another story....
So I'm thinking River Road?? Nope too many hills and stop signs, campus cops that THINK they're actual cops but somehow THEIR tickets are for real! and Minnesota Early Morning Runners - god they bug me! It's winter IN MN AND it's SNOWING!! Take a friggin break will ya! Talk about addicted - or committed or whatever - I call it sick!
So I opt for Washington to Hiawatha to Julie's. You know what REALLY bugs me about going to or from Julie's when I have Wyatt? The flippin LIGHT RAIL! Sure it's convenient if you have FOUR hours in a morning to take it ONE WAY!
Light rail? ABsolutely nothing related to "LIGHT SPEED" that's for sure! Nothing like waiting at a light on Hiawatha - THEY NEVER TURN because there is constantly a "light rail" train coming or going in either direction! Just not the direction I need because I have to CROSS the rail!!! ARGHHHHHH!
Anyway - I come whippin down 42nd, roll through the stop at Minnehaha - no one is really out that early - except ALL THE SLOW PEOPLE!!!!! finally turn into Julie's alley - why doesn't the city HAVE to plow the alleys in Mpls?!!
Spittin and spinning through the alley, turn into their driveway - barely missing the neighbor's "This STAKE means THIS patch is MY property so I'm putting this here so you know it's MY PROPERTY AND you can't drive over, on or barely around it!" It's up all year round. If it weren't for Greg, the stake probably wouldn't exist...
Oh yeah - back to Wyatt....
It's NOW 6:30. That's what time I was supposed to WAKE him at.... I slam my car into park, jump out, look up at his room - lights are on! Dang it! Wait - Wyatt's already up? What's that? He's looking out his window down to me? He's doing something.... what?! WYATT!!!! I got the big ol "L" (finger/thumb) to the forehead! I deserved that one.
The first thing I hear when I walk in...."You're late!" ........... "But it's snowing" doesn't cut it when you're supposed to be the "responsible" one :-)
No denying that one! I'm a late loser! half an hour late!
Wyatt on the other hand is up, showered, dressed and wondering what "I'M" going to make for breakfast! ME? Cook?
I think I need to rent "Mermaids" w/ Cher. A little "culture" and understanding...."I" don't cook. I open. I microwave. I eat.
I look at him, impressed that he's everything this morning that I'm not - READY!
"The only thing I know how to make this early...ok, at all, is cereal. Here's some Apple Jacks. Eat fast, we gotta fly."
"It's snowing!"
And that was just the beginning of the morning......
more tomorrow....... "What kids are wearing to school today" (kill me now!)
Manny Ken :-)
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