I just wanted to do the damn puzzle

I had to leave early yesterday to get home in time for sean to take maggie to the vet. he didn't want to have to take bella with him, hence me getting home early. of course, that didn't happen - so I called him and told him to just bring trent with him - trent could watch the dog while sean watches the baby. seems logical. so he did it. and then I realized that I was going home to a house with almost no responsibility. no husband, no children, no dog - no one wanting to speak to me, no one wanting to be held, no one wanting me to throw a ball. it was just me...and the cat. no big deal. I had been on the phone in the car (yes, I know) with nicole and I told her about my luck and she asked me what I was planning to DO. had it been a few hours that they'd all be gone, I would have opted to sleep. unhindered, not worrying about smothering anyone, with nothing farting at me (be it human or dog) and no one usurping either covers or bed space. AND WITH THE LIGHT OFF. (nicole totally agreed with me there - neither of us has slept with the light off since our babies were born. and I was one of those people who needed complete darkness to sleep.)

but since they were not going to be gone for hours, I had to pick something else. now, trent and I had been doing puzzles on the kitchen table for a while now. because trent is 12 now, doing anything with him is sometimes hit or miss. if he's in a good mood, it's totally fun. if he's not, and that's like 80% of the time lately, then it's horrible. so we have this puzzle going on the kitchen table - a mystery puzzle, you don't know what it is; plus, this particular one was 2 separate 500 piece puzzles, a before and after scene, so it is pretty challenging - and every time I try to do it, I either have to make someone dinner from the stove or from my boobs, or pet something, or entertain someone, or whatever. so I told nicole that I was going to just sit, quietly, and do the puzzle completely unhindered for whatever amount of time they'd be gone - likely 20 mins. we agreed that it was going to be wonderful.

here's what really happened.

I got off the phone with nicole and found I had a voicemail. I listened to it and it was sean, panicked, saying they couldn't find maggie's collar and could I call them immediately? I don't know where maggie's collar is, and I'm heading into the house, but they aren't there. apparently they found it. a call to sean confirms it. so I put away all the crap I have to schlep to and from work, go up and change out of the hideous outfit I had decided looked good that morning for whatever reason, and come down and start my glorious puzzling. then -- the cat.

a word or two about my cat: she is pretty aloof. in fact, sean is often upset about the fact that no one can just sit and pet her. (namely him.) she comes in and says hello once in a while and then finds somewhere to lay and sleep, usually upstairs or in the basement.

back to our story. the cat, our aloof cat who spends her days burrowed in god knows what god knows where, decides that it's the perfect time for a purr session. she jumps up on the table and sssppprrraaaawwwwllllssss out on top of the puzzle. pieces flying everywhere. stuff that was already put together breaks apart. and then she roooollllllssss over, purr purr purr, don't you just want to pet the shit out of me now??

I tried everything - I put her favorite treats all over the floor to lure her down, I blew on her, I ignored her, I put out a bowl of milk on the counter - she would not leave.

and of course, the moment she jumped down was the moment the door opened and in bounded all the responsibility I was dreaming about shirking. score one for the universe that is against patrice.

and I'd tell you about the rest of the night - because this was just a precursor to what was coming - but I just don't have the energy right now. in a nutshell - trent confesses to having an after-school affair to show off his not-finished project, we realize we cannot make a tape of him singing something and sean has to make a mad dash to walmart, sean buys the wrong thing and it doesn't work, trent has a nervous breakdown when he realizes he has procrastinated (and side note, the kid actually waited until 10pm to be upset about the fact that he waited until the last day to finish his project -- he even procrastinates about being upset!!) and I stay up until almost 11pm finishing his project for him.

tonight's episode: trent's "museum night" featuring his project on the bermuda triangle and the people who have been lost forever inside it. some people have all the luck.