Oh What a Night, and a Day

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There's just something wrong about being up with a croupy child half the night and then heading off to college orientation with another at 7 a.m.

Peach has had croup since Saturday night. We have a family of croupy kids -- they all have a history. She wasn't too bad Saturday night, but last night I was up a lot, and finally, at 2 a.m., I took her out on the front porch for 20 minutes. Luckily it was cool, and damp. She fell asleep almost as soon as I put her back to bed, but then I lay awake worrying. You know, it was the witching hour when worry often gets the best of us. Peach woke up again at 6 a.m. coughing and by the time she was settled down again, I had to wake the student orientee (I know -- not a real word).

We headed out the door just after 7 a.m., stopped for coffee and nourishment, then drove in rush hour traffic to The Ohio State University. All-in-all it wasn't a bad day. I went down memory lane a few times, having several sessions in lecture halls I once frequented in my younger and skinnier days. Most of the other parents seemed very nice, and only a few of the kids seemed a little scary.

Anthony had decided when he filled out his registration several months ago, that he didn't want to stay overnight in the dorms. Since we live commuter distance away, he wanted to come home between days. Of course (I should have seen it coming), by 1 p.m. I received a text message (we were in separate sessions) asking if we (I) could arrange for him to stay. That required someone fetching him a change of clothes, a toothbrush, pillow and blanket. I could have purchased it all in a university bookstore for around $200, I'm sure. But, frankly, I thought it was a slightly outrageous request.

Seeing as how I am known to overreact (not me!), I deferred to the dad. He said he didn't think it was too much to ask and he would deliver the needed supplies later. O.k. then. So, we finished out the day, I paid for his night's stay, and we checked out the dorm room (ugh!). I handed over my very last $20 and gave him directions to keep his cell phone on so his dad could hook up with him later.

When I arrived home, after an hour long trip home in rush hour traffic, I discovered that since I had spoken to the dad in the afternoon, he had promised the littles they could go to the pool and he wanted to swim during adult swim. So, the evening was all planned out and I was going back down to the university to deliver the overnight supplies. Do you think I was a little p***ed?

Fortunately, I calmed down during the ride and calmly delivered the supplies. Next time, however, I will not defer to the dad. And for his punishment, tomorrow he gets to be the parent orientee. Ha!

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