Suburbs of Our Discontent

I have thrust myself into this maze,
Haply to wive and thrive as best I may.
(The Taming of the Shrew 1.2.56-7)

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary--otherwise known as the "textile" or "lace" anniversary. Good thing I looked it up, because I would have bet money on it being the "Xanax" anniversary.

My husband and I spent the first 90 minutes of our special day in a mad rush to locate everything on the "items your child must bring to camp" list. Did I mention that today was the first day of camp?

I think that these lists are put together by people who hate parents. Or who at least like to laugh at us. Each child must bring his or her own sunscreen stick for the face and another bottle of spray sunscreen for the body. And bug spray. And a water bottle. And a nut-free lunch that isn't perishable (like what? what else doesn't perish? gum? oh, wait, you can't bring gum.) And a nylon drawstring backpack (don't ask how much I ended up paying for a pair of those puppies this morning at the campus bookstore. Happy 13th anniversary kids--enjoy your overpriced textiles.)

Look, I know these folks are just trying to keep my kids safe. And I appreciate it. I really do. But by the time I got them off to camp so that I could get some work done I was so stressed out that I downed a whole order of lo mein and then had to take a nap in my office.

On a happier note, you can all look forward to Michelle's "reports from the field" starting tomorrow as she begins posting from merry old England!