Today I was supposed to spend all morning getting serious about organizing my novel notes and setting some goals. It was penciled in my calendar. My notes were waiting in a discombobulated pile on my desk. I had read more “how to get started” chapters in three of my writing manuals. Then it struck again…

…The Washing Machine From Hell.

I was staying home to write, so I could sneak a quick load or two in between segments, right? Wrong. Very, very wrong. The damn thing is broken, again. So all my creative strength was then channeled into keeping myself from taking a golf club to that possessed piece of crap. Then I had to call the company and manage to keep the swearing in check and the tears of frustration from streaming.

Do not by a Maytag. Ever. The cute little commercial about the bored Maytag repair man is a colicky crock of horse manure.

I spent a lovely–no livid–morning at a laundromat. If I had been a bit less angry and unfocused I could have used the place as a character study. I finally found a vacant chair, popped in my ear buds in an attempt to have Jack Johnson soothe my seething temper, and opened my book to pass the time. But I couldn’t help looking around–between the screaming kids and worries that someone would steal my clothes I couldn’t concentrate. I noticed that no one else was even attempting to entertain themselves. They sat quietly watching their clothes turn round in their driers, paced the narrow corridor between the noisy washers, or just stared vacantly out the window. What were they all thinking about? Jobs? Lovers? Kids? Dust bunnies? Quantum physics?

More drama was still to follow… Wednesday afternoons are usually spent at the playground around here. School gets out early and the Kiddo has an extra hour of energy to expend. Since it was a bit chilly today (even here in the Sun Belt) the pickings for playmates was pretty slim. There was only one other boy there and Kiddo waltzed right up to this little giant (even thought he was a foot taller and twice his weight) and asked him to play. Great, lovely, I can once again try to read and decompress while I keep an eye on him. Then this big kid starts hurling rocks at the squirrels. Big rocks. And he had quite an accurate arm. I yelled for Kiddo to get over here and stood up staring in disbelief as the little giant’s mother just watched while she yakked at an obnoxious level on her cell. Kiddo went back and told him to stop, he was being mean. He laughed and grabbed a bigger stick. The mother just watched. I HATE confrontations, and truly had my fill this morning. Not in the mood to go head to head with this oblivious mother. Kiddo and I left after we told the little giant to cut it out. First squirrels, then dogs, then people… I expect to see that kids mug shot in the paper in a few years…

I need to get rid of all this negativity swirling around me…think of some GOOD things from the last few days….hmmm…I found not one but 2 new bathing suits before spring break, an awe-inspiring accomplishment…I found fun little V-day gifts the Hubby and Kiddo will love when they open them Sunday…my taxes are done and the refund is one the way through cyberspace…and oh, I hear my amazing Hubby pouring me a glass of wine as I type…how did I get so lucky…