accomplished
lain_mac's to babysit with Asha (?) while Laina and Lawrence grabbed a romantic moment at Home Depot. The kids were eating when I arrived, strugging valiently through their double-fat, sandwiches. After the two older ones had finished eating, we started playing with the plastique (play-dough). I was thinking how much the kids would love model magic. I must remember to pick them up some sometime. D and I took turns translating whatever we were making from English to Polish and they're doing quiet well. They made an honest effort to speak as much English to me as they could and we played identifying colors, shapes, and animals. M was whining because he didn't really want to want to finish his dinner. Somewhere in the midst of this, Lawrence and Laina slipped out, and I explained to M that he was going to very much wish he'd finished his dinner while they were there because I don't speak any Polish and can't understand him when he makes up excuses why he can't eat. After a half hour or so, "I" got bored and started to head downstairs to play with R. D, who had been quietly working on the placemat, decides that the placemat should be cleaned so she dumps everything from the placemat to the table. Um, honey, you sorta missed the point of putting something over the table. Anyway, cleaned that up, played some more than started to clean up the plastique.
Then, finally, M finished lunch and we all went downstairs. M wanted to watch a DVD, but I couldn't figure out how to eject the DVD and put in another one. I did figure out how to play the one that was in there, which sent R into hysterics because apparently it was inaproprivate for the younger ones? Or maybe it's just his. I didn't really get it. There was a lot I didn't really get. I walk through life confused.
Anyway, I posed the whole gang for pictures and then began the 2 hour process of getting the kids into bed. I told a couple of stories with actions (although in retrospect, quieter stories to calm them down might have been better, although Asha says they're pretty much like this every night she's seen them.). And then we put I to bed. As Asha was finishing up reading I a story, R was explaining to me how the little ones were supposed to be in bed by 8, not a moment later. I look at my watch, it's 7:45.
"It's not 8 yet." says I.
He is confused by this and tries to rally to explain to me that It's wrong for I to be up after M and D. I explain that it's hard for Asha and me, not being professional parents like his and we found it easier to do this way. I offer to help him with his math, but then I demands a story from me, so Asha and I switch and she checks his math. Then D and M want drinks, so I give them some water and put them back to bed. Then things quiet down. Having finished his homework, R goes downstairs to watch his movie. Laina and Lawrence come home and look about about a thousand percent better, so it's all worth it.
MLH got me with another premature misinformationing. I should have realized it was trouble when tried to steer me away from talking to the person making the request, instead trying to get me to find out how the person being requested from (the provider, shall we say)was going to handle it. Of course it's not even been mentioned to the provider, or his bosses, or anyone else who could actually authorize the work. At the moment, it's not much more than a briefly articulated desire (a wish, one might call it) on the part of the requestor.
I recognize that MLH is in a no-win situation. If he doesn't tell me something, I complain, and now that he has, I'm really annoyed, but it's like this. Tell me about something real. I don't need to know about vapourware, and if I'd heard from the provider, which I might have eventully, after it went through channels, that might be fine.
As it is, I think there are severe limitations that will result in the provider's team not being able to supply the requested stuff.
It's irritating. Especially since it was presented not as a "off the cuff idea that might interest you" but a "requestor wants this, and this is the documentation I think will be affected." Nothing will affected if it doesn't get written up, that's all I'm saying.
So we got 3 more sets of our wedding china from Kitchen Etc. Nashua last night and a vegetable bowl and large platter. Now we just need to hit the one at Alewife. 8-)
