Anna Skamarakas

Because we got in so late last night (early this morning), we didn’t get up and out too early. We were given coupons for complimentary breakfast when we checked in, so we took advantage of a nice room service menu and ordered breakfast. Eilis got a fruit plate, and we split scrambled eggs, sausage, and potato casserole. We also ordered a side of hash, which was spicy but tasty. We then checked the weather and our plan to head to the beach was discarded, since rain was predicted. We checked the newspaper and decided to go to Sea World for the Halloween Spooktacular. I’ll review that separately, but we have never done this before and it was really nice, a lot of fun, and Eilis enjoyed going to Sea World. She’s been asking to go back since summer camp.

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I picked Eilis up at school, and then Brighid, same as every other day. We headed down to my mom’s, and while they entertained the kids, I brought in Brighid and Granuaile’s bags for the weekend. Eilis didn’t seem like she noticed I was bringing in anything more than a diaper bag and some toys, so that was great. I told Eilis, who really wanted to stay with Dram and Pop-pop that we were going to pick Daddy up at the airport and I had a surprise for her. We headed over to Philly, and all the way there, I debated where to park. I had made a reservation at a place called Pre-Flight. Ann had given me a coupon for the parking there, and the big advantage to their service is that they had indoor parking. It was raining, and waiting inside for a shuttle to come seemed preferable to waiting in the pouring rain. I thought about using the airport lot in case we were running late - it would be right there next to the terminal. But, again, the rain thing was a factor, and the lot there is HUGE. The shuttle there runs every 15 minutes, so we potentially could be waiting a long time in the rain. Lastly, I brought directions for Pacifico. My qualms there is that you just show up, no reservations, and they bring you in your own car to the airport. But what if there is a long wait? There’s not a lot of time between my flight and my airport arrival, so I don’t want to add too much extra with waiting for a ride over. I settled on Pre-Flight and I’m so glad I did! The coupon Ann gave me makes parking here the same price - actually about .50 less - than the airport lot - and it’s inside with shuttles every 5 minutes!

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I am leaving in about 15 minutes to pick the kids up from school. After dropping Brighid and Granuaile off at my mom’s, I am taking Eilis to meet Jim in Orlando for a long weekend. Just for her.

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Dear Parents the letter begins. You’re never sure when you’re a parent if it’s going to end up good or bad, and you’re already nervous just by seeing your kids’ school’s return address on the envelope.

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My father wore his high school class ring just about every day of his life. It wasn’t until he was much, much older that his ring was replaced with a ring from the Knights of Columbus, and I don’t think that happened until after he married Ann. I just always remember the Bishop Neumann class ring as a permanent fixture on my dad’s hand.

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Last year, inspired by the many gruesome and grotesque pumpkin pictures being emailed over and over on the web, Jim decided that we needed to adorn the front of our house with the sickest, most gory pumpkin display the world has ever known.  Small children were afraid to trick or treat at our house last year.  Limited to only two pumpkins due to the late approval he got from yours truly, Jim created a scene on our front steps that has scarred scores of kids in this neighborhood.  One of the gory gourds had his eyes crossed in x’s, mouth wide open, spewing pumpkin seed vomit all over himself and our front steps.  The other equally gruesome gourd held with invisible hands a small handgun to his head on one side, and the other side showed the effect of the pumpkin suicide, with pumpkin brain spilling out of the side of the pumpkin head.  Forget the trauma to the neighborhood kids - I may need therapy for life after seeing that one.

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So, I got a phone call yesterday afternoon from an agent in our real estate agent’s office.  Someone wants to come see our house today at 11 AM.  Plenty of time to spic and span everything, make sure the world inside our house is shiny, sparkly, and smells like love.  Then he calls an hour later and says that someone will be out that afternoon at 4 o’clock.  Well, crap.  I’ve been keeping the house clean, but that leave no time for the extra touches - like freshly baked cookies, fragrant flowers (the ones we got at Wegmans a couple of weeks ago were AMAZING), or even a quick mop of the kitchen.  I run through each room, make sure the beds are made, the clothes are all in the hampers, the trash cans are all empty, etc., and then I leave to get Eilis from school.  There is only time to get her home, change her for the birthday party she was going to, and get out the door before the prospective buyers show up.

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The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital busily occupied with the living and the dying.

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Someone in this family (Jim) who shall remain nameless (Jim) has blogged on his blog (Jim) about my affection for the scent of Axe shower gel and body spray products for men.

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I’m having a crappy day today.  I have a terrible headcold, which woke me up this morning with a pounding headache, a stuffed nose, and a sore throat.  I had gone to bed early last night - about 9:15 - after taking some Nyquil, hoping I woule wake up cured.  I didn’t.

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