Can We Turn the Clocks Back - to Friday Night?

Oy. What a terrible weekend!

From the time I left work Friday things started going downhill. As I was leaving my office parking lot, the oil light blinked on for a split second. This was the fourth time this has happened this week. I've been living in fear of the car breaking down ever since I cancelled the last scheduled tune-up at the last minute and keep forgetting to reschedule.

The oil light didn't stay on continuously so I thought I was okay until I got onto the Beltway and the engine started making that terrible ticking noise. You know the one - where it sounds like the oil is empty and the engine is about to seize up. Okay, so I didn't change the oil for 7000 miles despite driving in stop and go traffic every day.

So for an hour I held my breath, driving as close to a shoulder as possible in case the car died. Miraculously, I made it home. All the way into my driveway and the car didn't die.

I was so happy to be home and not stranded on the side of the road (no AAA either, if anyone is wondering). I was looking forward to a peaceful Shabbat. The house smelled terrific and E. even greeted me with, "Mommy, do you smell something delicious cooking?"

Well, that was the last peaceful moment that Friday night. I'm not sure how it happened, but one minute we were waiting for dinner and the next H. and I were knee-deep in diffusing a category 5 temper tantrum. I believe one of us had the audacity to suggest that E. take his bath while we were waiting for dinner. We eventually got him into the bath, but he was so worn out that he asked to go to bed before I could finish my meal.

Saturday was even worse. The pain I started having under my ribcage on Thursday got worse. So instead of going to services and then to the potluck lunch I'd so been looking forward to, I ended up in the Urgent Care. E., however, went to the lunch so he could play with the other kids and H. could take me to the doctor. Apparently, E. is always a welcome houseguest because of his outstanding behavior. Hmm...I wish that kid had been at our house the night before!