Excuse me while I puke on the blog

Thanks Laura & Mary!
I apologize now for the puke you are about to read. Big Grrrrrrrr coming...

So one of the requirements for having an Au Pair is to have one annual family gathering with all other au pairs under a counselor/coordinator (a/k/a perpetually late, always have to do things on her time frame, lying, never showing up, never lets Chrissi know when to meet her until an hour before the meeting). I am so ready to get this woman out of my life and thankfully after Chrissi goes home on 9/8/08, I'll never have to put up with her shenanigans anymore. This meeting should be in a public place and last for approximately one hour.

Our coordinator only has one other family besides us. As I already said this family has 4 children and not one of them has an alphabet behind their names. I received an email last Tuesday that all of them would be at my house at 4 PM and to have food ready. Now I suppose I could just not show up but then Chrissi wouldn't get her $500 deposit back when she returns to Germany. Did I mention that this is Chrissi's birthday too? She positively loathes the coordinator and is livid that she has to spend her birthday with the woman that has held her hostage for a year.

My return email told them to bring chairs. The decision is to keep all of them outside my house. Did you see the southern hospitality as it went flying out the window???? It makes me really mad that the coordinator invited herself and others to my house. My backyard is a disaster and I don't have the time or energy to get it into "company" shape so we'll sit in front of the garage. Trying to decide if I will throw the dead plants away that flank each side of the front door and kill all the poke weeds lining the cul-de-sac. I'll throw a table out there and slap some chips & salsa on the table. Make a pitcher of sweet tea and call it a day.

The reason for staying out of my house is that walls make it really hard to see if my child tries to bein mean to another child. Now I would like to think that wouldn't happen but I have to protect my child and others. J will have to stay within line of sight of me or Chrissi at all times. Wonder what they will think every time I put her in a time-in for being a Miss. Bossy Pants?

At 6PM (our usual time) I'll excuse myself to start J on her bath, meds, bed time stories and nightly therapies and rituals. Then I can cuddle her up till she goes to sleep but probably not before the meltdown she'll have to have since we're out of a routine.

Southern hospitality is a distant memory....apologies again....

Linda suggested I wait on them in my car in the driveway and lead them to the city park. It won't hurt everyone to drive 5 more minutes right?????

Patiently waiting on sympathetic comments (or snarky ones).