Friday

 Friday, TGIF. I remember when Friday was the end of the work week, a sigh of relief. I like Fridays now because I go to Newburyport. But I'm torn. Even though I only work 6 hours, I spend two more hours driving to and from. And Fridays, especially Friday afternoons, tend to have worse traffic. Friday is a good day because it is when I see my family. Every week at 7:15, my sisters and daughters and I meet on Zoom. It is good to look forward to and marks that end-of-the-week-celebration feeling. As my life is getting busier, though, it is one more thing on the calendar...There is a Market Basket grocery store on my way home from Newburyport. It seems efficient to stop there, even though it means I get home even later on Fridays. Last Friday, I missed that window because I wanted to be with Molli as she looked over a venue for her wedding reception in August (which we will pay for). If I don't get going early enough, the traffic in the morning heading up to Newburyport makes me late, so then I need to stay later...a vicious circle? Now I have been without brown sugar for a whole week and other things are joining the list. I am out of yogurt, plain and sweetened! And last night, I used up the last of the whipped cream in a can and Ray and Tamara finished the ice cream. I must stop at the store today! 

On the other hand, I am in this play. I like this play, I am proud of the people involved for staying with it during the pandemic year. We have been rehearsing on Zoom Wednesday nights. Last week I had a budget meeting for the Church on Wednesday that I couldn't miss. I made my excuses in advance. Apparently, they decided to have a live outdoor rehearsal on Sunday and no one told me. Rats! I am so torn. I really need the non-virtual practice and review of the music and blocking. On the other hand, my Sundays are pretty full. They would rehearse again this Sunday, but it's Mothers' Day. So we are rehearsing at 5:30 on Friday. Yup, tonight. After my day of work and driving, after going to the grocery store, before my special Zoom date...AND today is an important day for Tamara. It marks 6 years since she first came here. 14 years old, with her mother gone a year and a half, after being neglected by her brother who was supposedly caring for her. She didn't really know what was going on, but he left her with Molli and went back to Mexico. She started school (it was the end of the year obviously) and began learning more English--the hard way or the easy way, depending on how you look at it. She is a tough cookie and a survivor and has grown so much--obviously the hard way. I wanted to have a special dinner/celebration for her, but we will settle for ordering pizza, which is kind of a big deal for us now. 

So, Friday is not as much of a treat for me, because I have several obligations hanging over me. I need to go to the church office for several hours tomorrow morning and clear up some bookkeeping issues and prepare for the annual meeting. There are things I need to do for Amelia's business as well. I have a Zoom meeting at 5 (?) with my friends from Georgia. Tamara needs to go to Rhode Island to get the rest of her possessions--a mini-fridge, some boxes of linens...

I routinely get stressed about the state of my house. There are boxes that need to be dealt with, there are books and clutter to put somewhere. This time of year, there is yard work to do. I managed to spend about an hour yesterday afternoon, pulling grass from the beds in front of my house. It is a hopeless task. I haven't gotten all the roots yet in the years I have worked on it. It was sunny with a cool breeze yesterday, but I think Saturday will be colder again. I am tired of not having weather warm enough to be outside. I have not even walked to the beach in months. Although I very much like having Tamara here (she is good company, usually cheery, and sometimes helpful: she washed the dog yesterday!), there is always someone around--her, my Dad, my husband...perhaps I am more introverted than I used to be. I look forward to Sunday, when Ray drives to the Cape to be with his family. His mother sleeps most of the time now, but he hopes to catch her awake at some point. It may be the last time. I want to make a photo book for her, but haven't done it yet. It will be an exhausting day for him, but maybe rejuvenating for me.