Meltdown at Target
Perhaps I should have stayed in my pajamas all day. Instead, by 3:30 or so, I was dressed and riding around in the car with two of my girls, running errands, stopping here, stopping there. Since some of the stopping was at stores, I thought I'd try to find something more comfortable to wear to yoga. Perhaps I was extra tired from the previous week's lingering sniffles & sneezes, the yoga workshop on Saturday, the dismantling of the Christmas tree* on Sunday morning, the fact that I already tried on 40,000 different yoga tops & pants without much success (why pockets, people, in the least flattering place of all?), so when the clerk at Target told me that I couldn't take eight articles into the dressing room, I kind of lost it. I just couldn't think about which pieces to leave behind, where to leave them, how to get them when I needed them. I suggested that it wasn't that busy and would it really be so hard to keep track -- couldn't I have a "six" and a "two"? She said that she couldn't do it and offered no other suggestion. I just dropped all eight pieces on the desk and left. I didn't melt down completely (as in start to cry), as I had to go find Kate & Ali on the other side of the store and we had to check out.
Perhaps I should wear a warning sign this week.
Please bear with me as it's the final countdown to Katie's departure on Friday for The London Adventure. She will not return 'til nearly the end of April. She will spend her 21st birthday in Munich, Germany. I am riding the mother of all motherhood emotional rollercoasters this week -- well, I've been riding it for a while, but now you're along -- elated, excited, happy, sad, depressed, worried, broke, protective, selfish, anxious, and many, many more. Mostly, I can't wait 'til I hear from her over there, hopefully next weekend, "London calling..."
I ought to have my second Jaywalker finished today but, alas, will not yet have a pair!
*I think I won the pictured ornament in a first grade spelling bee; Mom always insists that I made it in school. Looks complicated to make, doesn't it?
I'm sorry! I bet if you had started to cry the stupid sales lady would've let you take all of the clothes into the dressing room. ;-) Crying's good that way.
Poor you! So many emotions. I'm the queen of emotions these days - sitting here feeling anxious myself and I don't have half the good reason you do! Be extra nice to yourself. How's Rusty handling it all? Can you lean on him a little? Or a lot? CALL ME if you want - I'm an excellent listener! You've got the 800# right? I'll call you back.
It goes without saying that Katie will be fine, great even, and you will be fine and yoga will help and jaywalkers and blogland and April will be here before you know it! Hell, January's practically OVER!
Love you! C
Posted by: Cara | 09 January 2006 at 10:05 AM
Vicki, I'm riding the emotional rollercoaster with you, but for very different reasons. Just know your not alone, k?
As for twitty-target-girl, yeah I've never quite understood the "limits". Its just completely impractical to get dressed again, and go out and look for more items, why not just let you take what you want to try on? *hugs*!
Posted by: Carla | 09 January 2006 at 10:17 AM
Been there, Vicki. Been there in more than once. It's hardest on the mom. Roller coaster rides can be fun, though. And the telephone is a remarkable way to keep in touch. It's much less expensive for you to call her, but don't use your regular long-distance provider. Find a good dial-around in your area (I use 10-10-345) and talk frequently. It will make the distance seem much shorter, the only difference is she can't come home on weekends. She is going to have a great time!!!
Posted by: Celia | 09 January 2006 at 10:48 AM
You poor thing. Down with mean sales people at Target. The emotional rollercoaster is to be expected, I suppose. Hopefully just having us here to listen will help. Wish I could give you a big ole hug.
Posted by: Carole | 09 January 2006 at 11:25 AM
Hugs to you Vicki!!! Sorry the Target clerk was not more accommodating. They probably don't get much training in real customer service.
And hugs for Katie leaving. I know what you're feeling and it's tough. But our kids have to fly to coop. If they didn't, we'd be really sad, right?
Calling cards work great too. That's what I used when Beth was in Greece, and I'll be looking for Thailand ones in about a month. You have a set amount of time built into the card, so you don't have to worry that you're going "over." The connection was very good too. I could hear most of what Beth was trying to tell me. Heh.
Hope your Monday is a much better day!
Posted by: Mary in Boston | 09 January 2006 at 11:39 AM
As one mother to another, hugs and good luck. It's ok to be a little crazed when you're about to send your kid across an ocean, even though you are well aware that they are perfectly capable and will be just fine. It's a mom thing.
I found a pair of yoga pants that I like pretty well at Old navy. They are capri length (which helps me with tree pose).
Posted by: Holly | 09 January 2006 at 11:46 AM
girlfriend!! good luck - it will all be fine, more than fine actually. Call me if you need to - we can commiserate together. Damn these kids growing up on us - put your energies into hatching a plan to keep Mac small
Posted by: ann | 09 January 2006 at 12:21 PM
People who can't figure out a way to be flexible just suck. Hugs to you...you'll get through it!
Posted by: margene | 09 January 2006 at 01:15 PM
I had one of those moments in a hairdresser's chair recently when I put on my glasses. (At least it grows back...)
As a mom who's put each of her kids on a plane (at 19 and 20) to spend a year on the other sides of the world (France & Japan) to study and live with strange families, I can empathize. I know it's hard to believe, but she'll be back before you know it!
Posted by: Jan | 09 January 2006 at 04:07 PM
I remember last summer, I went to buy a bathing suit and that happened, in Macy's, I think. And I was trying on separates, so given that I needed a 3 size range in tops and bottoms it made NO SENSE TO LIMIT ME TO @#$% PIECES AT A TIME! But I'm over that now. Really. It wasn't traumatic at all.
Posted by: Mary Beth | 09 January 2006 at 04:51 PM
Aww...sweetie...hang in there. This is such a fabulous experience for her. Do you get to visit???
Posted by: Kathleen | 09 January 2006 at 07:41 PM
Hang in there! It'll get better! And I'm sure you probably know this, there was a great show in the '80s called Kate and Ali with Jane Curtain. Loved that show!
Posted by: Robyn | 10 January 2006 at 07:54 AM
Awwww...hugs to you sweetie!
Posted by: Kim/Curlie Girl | 10 January 2006 at 09:06 AM
Ha. Katie and I will be in London at the same time! We leave today. And, heck, Munich is only two hours from our doorstep. I could do a little recon for you and make sure she's okay! lol. Hang in there. You'll have her back before you know it and she'll have a great life experience!!
Posted by: The Scottish Lamb | 13 January 2006 at 07:53 PM