So, schools these days just keep you longer and you come out learning less, huh?

I read yesterday that the traditional track schools started yesterday.

HUH???

We have a lot of year-round school tracks in our district, so not many started. But I was amazed that my kid could have easily started school yesterday.

Anyway, I wondered if they got out way early or something, so I checked the calendar and summer is only 2 months. (Looks rather year-round to me).

Holy cow.

I think it is the one thing that annoys me about the shift to a 2-income-family society. Most parents love this. I HATE it. Who wants to go to school 10 months out of the year? Blech.

& all day school for the Kinders, etc.

Anyway, our school does not start until next week. Though they largely follow the same schedule (lots of vacations and days off so summer break is rather short).

So we are enjoying the last week of FREEDOM. Since having kids we really just haven't had much of a schedule.

All that changes next week. Ugh!

For one, I don't remember the last time I set an alarm clock. My job is largely flexible. The kids' school is largely flexible. I mean it's not a school; it's daycare. As long as we pay we can bring them whenever we want.

So this whole getting to school at 8:30 sharp thing (& being organized to pack a lunch, etc.) is going to be rather weird.

I pack my lunch for work, but I usually just grab something on my way out the door. I think I will have to be a little more organized too. So all that is ready and we make it out the door in time, every day.

I almost laugh to myself because I am a VERY on the ball person. Growing up I certainly was. I would never be one to worry about running late, etc. But we have really settled into a very relaxed way of life. So yeah, it will take some adjusting. We will have to be organized because no way I want to be a crazed mom running out the door every day.

We've also been discussing who has BM drop off duty. During non-tax-season I will probably drop him off and go into the office a little later. But during tax season I would prefer to get to work earlier. We'll see. The boys will get lots of walking done. He'll mostly walk except when I drop him off on the way to work.

All that being said, I was home alone with BM Sunday and he was bouncing off the walls. He's been out of preschool a few weeks, and I think he has had enough. He is certainly one kid who is VERY ready. So that is the good. I am excited for him and don't expect much trauma and tears. LM has really enjoyed going to preschool without BM so I even expect him to take it rather well. (Though he is a bit jealous and wants to go to K too. We'll see how the first few days go. I hear the little ones take it hard, and he is an emotional one).

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Anyway, in other news, I can finally praise the new cell phone law. July 1 a new law went into effect in Cali - no cell phones as a driver unless using a hands-free device.

We have griped much about it. The comedians have made fun of how much more dangerous it is to hook up a hands-free device while driving or how texting is still quite legal while driving.

I think the whole thing is rather ridiculous really. Because apparently you can drive with one hand unless you are talking on a cell phone. It's just rather narrow and kind of silly. All other distractions just 100% legal.

Though the headset thing I don't mind so much, it's just when you are driving and you get a call and so you set it on speaker on your lap, and it falls under your feet. You know, stuff like that. So I have been grumbling how my driving is maybe 10 times dangerous. (I will give you I try to avoid the phone in the car now - which I guess is the true point of the law).

Anyway, no more grumbling from me.

Yesterday I was driving and talking to my mom yesterday, when I came upon my exit. It is another freeway and sometimes gets really crowded. I just wasn't in the mood to fight my way over - too many cars, so I just went on to the next exit. It's rare I do this, but I do.

I wish more people would do this!

So I was driving along when I looked to my left and saw a bright purple car. My mom has a purple car. I REALLY noticed it because it was purple, otherwise can't say I would take any notice.

At that point, purple car decides they want to take the exit I am passing up and they start swerving into my car. They aren't even really past me AT ALL. I was just stunned. I pretty much swerved and slammed on the breaks all at once and I watched as they zoomed across the white lines onto their exit. I glance in my rearview mirror and no one is behind me at all. Thank God. (Can't say if anyone had swerved around us, I Was too focused on the idiot purple car).

So anyway, I am not a confrontational person at all but I was just FUMING. I laid on the horn and gave the car the evilest eye I could muster. Lady didn't even look like she had a clue I was honking at her. Just toodled along without a glance. If she looked at me I might have giver her the finger.

Anyway, after all that, I gave my mom the run down and she said, "Aren't you glad you had both hands on the wheel?"

I thought about it and said, "Yeah. You're right. If not I think I would have hit her. I mean, she would have hit me. We would have hit each other." Or I was thinking I probably would have swerved anyway but I was on the verge of losing control of the car. VERY scary.

So no more complaints from me.

I feel very lucky the idiot in the purple car did not slam into me yesterday. I had LM and she was plowing right into our side of the car. About the closest call I remember in a long time.

I tell you if the car wasn't purple though, I think there would have been accident. It just really caught my eye so I saw the second she started to come into my lane. I Was thinking, "What on earth is she doing?" & it wasn't until she went off onto the other freeway I realized she had to risk life and limb not to miss her exit. Whereas I had decided a mile back to not even bother with it.

Yeesh!!!!!!!

My mom even asked if I was in the subcompact. I'm like, um, no I am in the MINIVAN. She was totally blind or something.

So yeah, I know my dh is not pleased, but I told him I wasn't going to gripe anymore. He lost his griping partner on that issue.

I do feel really lucky that my car is in one piece still. Phew. & us people too. I think since everything has been falling apart I was kind of thinking, "Thank goodness my car is still in one piece." But we were traveling around 65mph, so who knows what could have happened. I guess I should feel lucky that LM and I are both in one piece too.