Anders left for Italy yesterday and while in transit on the Munich airport runway, one of the wheels of his plane starting SHOOTING FLAMES out that actually began LICKING UP THE SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
*commence minor it-was-over-before-i-heard-about-it freakout*
Coming as this did so soon after the airline tragedy in Madrid, I was more than a little concerned when he called to tell me he wasn’t yet at his destination and was, in fact, waiting in Munich airport for more news on what to do next, considering he had left the plane without any of his possessions except his mobile phone, and that the only thing he did know was that they might be able to fix the problem and put him BACK ON THE SAME PLANE.
Um.
Would YOU get on a plane that had, only a short time before, been ON FIRE? Me neither. Nosirree bob, not me. Anyway, when he called me this morning (from Italy!) to tell me he had arrived (at 1:30 a.m.!) and was fine, they had, in the end, put the passengers on a DIFFERENT plane. Which, hello, why would there even be a debate about this? Why was it even in question? Plane on fire = Time for new plane.
It figures that every time Anders has a business trip, we have a crazy busy week that I have to deal with singlehandedly. I do this with efficiency but very poor mental grace, bitching and moaning up a storm inside my head because I am so very put-upon and have to do everything my own damn self. Then I get a reality check and a chill pill, respectively and manage, because hello, my children are not infants and they actually dress themselves and eat their own breakfast and come home by themselves and even, sometimes, do their homework without being reminded more than twice.
Anyway, because it’s the start of the school year and the start of every extracurricular activity known to man, we have the following on the schedule for this week:
Monday: First meeting of Chess Club (Martin), return recyclables, post office stop & grocery-shopping (me & Karin)
Tuesday: First AWC meeting (me, plus I’m dragging the kids along only they get sushi first, to minimize the impatient demands of “when are we leaving, mooooommmm?)
Wednesday: First choir practice (me…might skip this one, though)
Thursday: Bookworms (me, plus I’m dragging the kids along since it’s at my friend Debbie’s house and the kids can hang out with hers)
Friday: Wonders dinner here at my house because even though it was not my turn to host, Emily was having trouble with the logistics so she’s hosting it at MY place. BONUS: not having to drag the kids anywhere) Plus, pre-packing for the overnight camping trip Anders and the kids are taking on Saturday night after Anders gets home on Saturday morning.
Saturday: Collapse, muddy & exhausted (me)
Tonight, when Karin and I arrived back at the community house to pick up Martin after running our errands, we had a few minutes to kill and were sitting in the foyer waiting for him. I was flipping through a magazine and found an article on Face Yoga which caught my eye, so I called Karin over and read the directions to her and we tried it out.
Liz: First exercise is for your eyes. Look to the left, then to the right, then diagonally up to the left, then diagonally down to the right. Repeat diagonals 4 times, then repeat, flipping the directions.
Karin & Liz: *Do the eye exercise, ending up with a few crossed-eyes*
Liz: Okay, second exercise is for your lips. Put two fingers to your mouth and then blow a kiss. Repeat 6 times.
Karin & Liz: *blow kisses at each other*
Liz: Next one is for your cheeks. It’s called The Satchmo after Louis Armstrong; he was a famous trumpet player. Fill your cheeks with air and then move the air from one side to the other until you run out of air.
Karin & Liz: *Blow up our cheeks with air and then make poofy faces at each other until we crack up*
Liz: Next one is for your mental attitude. Close your eyes and visualize a spot between your eyebrows. Hold this pose for 30 to 60 minutes.
Karin: *Shuts her eyes and pokes herself in the forehead*
Liz: No, no, you’re supposed to just THINK about a spot.
Karin: That’s boring, what’s next?
Liz: The Lion. This one is for your whole body. You tense up tightly and then throw everything out: your tongue, your arms and hands and fingers. So tense up your face muscles and your fists and scrunch everything up as tight as you can, even your butt, it says! And then…
Karin: *Squeezes everything up tight and then lets loose a tremendously loud and obviously unexpected fart*
Liz: *Gapes at her and then explodes into laughter* You were supposed to CLENCH first, THEN release!!
Karin: I DID!
Liz & Karin: *giggle madly*