The Long, Hard Day of Getting Readiness

I've checked everything off today's list:

--school
--mowing
--laundry
--supper
--baking 8 loaves of chocolate chip banana bread
--extra dishes (see above)
--boiled eggs for one of Ethan's meals
--wrote out recipes/instructions
--packed

The mowing was rather difficult...guess I'm either getting old (that can't be, can it?) or the ground was extra lumpy.

Had an interesting occurrence when one of the Rugosa Rose bushes reached out and yanked the fuel line off. Fortunately, my alert eyes notices gasoline pouring out of the tank. I cleverly turned off the mower, pushed it over to the driveway--leaking fuel, all the time--tipped it up and discovered the problem, sticking the little hose/thingy back on the spoutchamacallit.

(sorry for all the technical language, but this is what happens when one is an expert in the operation of mechanical devices)

Now I'm feeling rather fatigued, and it's not all physical.

The boys and I seem to have been rubbing each other the wrong way of late, and I'm starting to feel like a really bad mother.

They bombard me with questions and sometimes I answer too quickly and then realize a different approach would be better, and brother, if they think you are changing the rules, watch out. They will pounce on you for any perceived inconsistency, real or imagined. It's starting to feel like a planned attack.

Another slight problem is that they mumble, and when I have them repeat it two or three times, they get upset.

So, I do think getting away from each other might be helpful, all around. 8 to 13-year-old boys seem to chafe at the mother role more than girls of the same age.

Mostly though, I missed my nap.
 

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