Just Write: The Counter is Sticky.

We are merely moving shadows and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. Psalm 39:6

The counter is sticky, I notice, as I am trying to get it all done. There are bills and there is mail and there is homework and schedules and work writing and stuff.

I hit enter and turn in what's due and just about make it to H's bus before it stops and drops him off. E is barefoot and I've got two mismatched shoes on.

He runs across the street and I can tell that today he is happy. Somedays he gets off the bus and he's tired or cranky or maybe his feelings were hurt, but today, he is happy.

I've no clue what's for dinner even though I promised myself the night before I would figure it out before the middle of the afternoon.

H wants to play legos and E wants in on the action. "No!" He says in a rare instance of not wanting her near.

I set her up at the table making trail mix for after school snack. She's dumping raisins and cereal and pretzels and nuts into bags and almost as many are falling to the ground as in the bags.

"We're going to the park," I tell her, "we must." The 80 degree breeze blows in the window, the sun is burning down and I know it won't last. I also know I'm not going to last much longer inside watching my to-do's and chores pile up.

We should walk or bike or something but we don't. We sit parked at T and M's busstop down the street waiting, they are both surprised and nervous as the get in the van. I can tell they think we might have to run errands.

"We're going to the park."

We skip the mandatory homework time and go to the park where we pretty much own it. It's hot and we're sweaty but we're here and I have nearly forgotten the mess on the counter and the list of things I need to do before the next day.

When we get home, dinner just comes to me. Like it pretty much jumps out of the freezer and cupboards at me. The table gets set, the dishwasher emptied. The trail mix on the floor, well, someone must have eaten it, it's gone now.

The counter though, I think it's still sticky.

Linking up to this weeks Just Write. An exercise in free writing, no editing.