At Least

I am a big believer in turning things around, problem-solving, starting over, seeing the bright side, making the best of it, moving on. But there are days, everyone has them, when it seems impossible to throw that steering wheel around and turn things away from impending pandemonium.

While on a lovely outing with some friends, I was informed that Lea’s friend might have head lice, and that she may have infected us when she stayed at our house earlier in the week.

Everyone who knows me, also knows that I never shed that lice-paranoia after the fall of 2007 when all the kids and I had them. It was hell, because I was by myself with the kids for five weeks, we had just moved from Costa Rica and I was dead-tired. Also, I had pneumonia.

To get rid of them took a lot of time and energy that I didn’t really have to spare. Subsequently, that event has turned me, and by extension the children, into full fledged nit freaks.

We never share hats, scarfs, hair brushes, towels, elastics and the like with anybody, and when we go to the movies, we wear elaborate hairdos and scarfs that cover our heads.

Yet, when my friend informed me last night, I didn’t break down in tears nor histrionic fits of alternating fury and despair. I simply informed her what to do about it. Then, I had cake.

Back home, I got my nit-kit out and went to bed, for Saturday was just around the corner and...as you may know, with me Saturdays are sacrosanct.

But, as it turns out, today was not a good day. Although we managed a surprisingly serene and light-hearted brunch with chocolate croissants, the impending razzia was upon us.

After a routine sweep-up of all the croissants morsels that didn’t make it into our digestive tracks, I got down to the real issue at hand. I stripped beds, bagged toys, vacuumed carpets, washed towels, shampooed kids, bought five nit combs and got to work.

Luckily, it was raining all day. Six hours later, and the tumble-drier still running at high-temperature, our dear neighbor dropped by to inform me, that our car window was down and that with all the rain, that may not be so good. And I thought, I was at least a little lucky with all that rain that day. Stupid me. As I returned to the kitchen a few minutes ago, all the crumbs were back including some yoghurt footprints, and the kids were hungry.

Well, at least, nobody is throwing up yet...