Manic Monday

This is how my kitchen counter is supposed to look. But it doesn't because:

We fixed a big dinner for the In-Laws last night which was a rousing success but stalled out on the clean-up. I overslept this morning, which meant that not only did I not deal with the dinner mess, I added to it with breakfast. Meanwhile:

I let The Child stay up to watch "Iron Chef" last night but that souffle has fallen. She simply cannot stay up until 10 on a school night. She couldn't be rousted from bed until 7:15 and generally lollygagged in that under-rested way that people have with the result that we were late out the door. So not cool. And halfway to school she realized that she'd left her lunch on the table. But I couldn't deal with that just then because:

I had to turn in the cash from Karaoke Night and then go volunteer because there's another fundraiser coming up (let's face it, it's all about the fundraising in re-election office). I hand-addressed some 30 or so vellum envelopes which took no time at all so after stamping the calligraphically perfect envelopes I headed downtown to replace a bra that had been chewed by our lingerie obsessed puppy. Alas, the purchase must be deferred until later in the week because the shipment wasn't yet unloaded and I didn't want to hang around so instead:

I came home to free the dog from the prison that is the kitchen and take him with me to drop off The Child's lunch. I was chatted with the School Secretary who was miffed that the oil executives didn't have to be sworn in when they testified before the Senate Energy & Commerce committees last week. Which got me thinking:

Sen. Cantwell moved to have the oil execs. sworn in, Sen. Boxer seconded, but they were shouted down by Sen. Stevens of Alaska. Is it just me or does that guy yell a lot? Every time I see him anymore he seems to be going off at quite un-Senate-like volumes. I half expect to tune into C-Span one of these days to see him banging his shoe on the table and screaming, "We will bury you". Still puzzling over the Senator's volume control issues I returned home only to find that:

I don't know where to begin. I told you I can't think if the kitchen is a mess. I wasn't kidding. And besides that I'm preoccupied with the fact that I did something stupid over the weekend which has resulted in hurt feelings on the part of a friend and I haven't yet had the opportunity to make it right. Spending the rest of the afternoon all draggle-tailed and frowsy isn't going to make me feel any better, heal the rift or get my kitchen clean. In times like these there is only one solution: grab the timer, turn on the soundtrack to "Moulin Rouge" and take it one dish at a time. I love Ewan McGregor.