And every once and a while, it all works out (almost)

I had a last minute meeting this afternoon for a project I am working on that the children just could not attend. So I threw myself on the mercy of Lovely Friend who agreed to take my kids in exchange for my picking up her vegetable share from the CSA. Since I was scheduled to set up for the CSA today it worked out great for me, right up until the point that the CSA delivery was late and all of a sudden I found myself dressed in meeting appropriate clothing chucking potatoes fresh out of the ground into plastic bags while frantically asking the other workers for the time as my watch kicked the bucket last night.

I bolted out of the CSA garage with sixteen minutes to spare, dragging two very disgruntled children behind me. As I buckled then into the car seats, I plotted my path to Lovely Friend's house and then to the meeting.

"OK, it is 2:59. The elementary school on the corner gets out at 3:05. If I can make it to the stop sign by 3:04, I can then cut through past the school safely. Once I get to Lovely Friend's, I need to head to the park crossing because I know the crossing guard there and he will let me through if I beg so I can make it past the junior high school dismissal. Then if I cut through the park and make the traffic light on the corner, I should make the meeting with two minutes to spare.

I made the stop sign right on schedule. I careened into Lovely Friend's driveway and pushed the children out of the car screaming "A needs a bandaid, and C has to use the bathroom! THANK YOU!" I made it to the park crossing and rolled down my window. "GENE! I have to get across! I'm late for a meeting!" Gene brought the traffic to a halt. "Go Chichimama! Go!" I made the light. I pulled into the parking lot with not two but THREE minutes to spare.

Too bad I left the meeting notes sitting atop the tomatoes...