couples (mis)communication

Dennis called me on my cell phone this morning. So I answered the phone and then asked "Why are you calling me on my cell?" And he replied "Because I thought you were working today." At which point I laughed, then laughed some more, and then couldn't stop.

This was because I was thinking "How do you not know I don't work Thursdays anymore; my work schedule changed when we got back from vacation on the 30th of June." Except I DO know how he doesn't know that. When he gets home at 6:30, the kids jump all over him and tell him of their day, and then it's dinner time, and the kids still monopolize the conversation or ask him about his day, then dishes, baths, sometimes reading, and bed. By the time the kids are in bed, I am either trying to catch up on phone calls I haven't made because the kids URGENTLY need me as soon as I get on the phone, or folding some laundry that I just remembered was in the dryer, or collapsing on the couch exhausted.

And then I was remembering a conversation with a friend when she described being puzzled at how Dennis and I could live in the same house and not have talked about something or other for a few days in a row, but how now she understands because she and her husband are also in that too-busy-to-stay-on-top-of-everything mode.

So as he explained he was calling to tell me he'd be late, and I explained that I now worked Tuesdays and WEDNESDAYS, I giggled all the harder. To which Dennis then inquired "Are you drinking wine??"

I heard "Are you thinking wine?"

So I replied (shocked) "It's 11;45 am and I have 3 kids in the house that aren't even mine. Why would you think I would be thinking about wine??"

And then thought..."I could be thinking wine...for later on...maybe with a couple of friends over since you're going to be late... Is it too short of notice to call friends and invite them over for wine?"

Youngest Learns First

Evie is learning about gender interaction sooner than you'd think she would need to. Her friend Walter was over, and she, Tyler, Gabrielle, and Walter all decided to play pirates. Walter and Tyler went into Tyler's room to "get ready" (read: put on bandanas and capes, practice brandishing plastic swords and saying "arrr").

Walter comes running out of the room just as Evie steps out of Gabrielle's room. Now, mind you, Evie had been wearing her new favorite piece of clothing which is a black leotard with an attached skirt. She added, for her pirate garb, a shiny pink lame cape trimmed in fur, and a necklace.

Walter looked at her and says, disappointed, "I thought we were dressing up as pirates."

And Evie says, dejected, "You don't like what I'm wearing??"

Luckily, Eileen (or Lee) are training Walter right, because his reply was "No, I like it alright."

PHEW! Tears averted!