News From the North
We are a fairly well-organized family; knowing where and when we need to be somewhere … most of the time. Now I must admit - we have a reputation of being late to almost everything (just a few minutes or so), but other than that we are pretty reliable. The last few days our organization effectiveness was pushed to overload and the result … well let me tell you.
The busy weekend started on Saturday morning. Jake had two basketball games in St Cloud, which is about 45 minutes from our home. We had to leave the house at 6:30am (we left at 6:45am). Our Garmin got us lost and began to take us in a big circle. We finally found the tournament site and then we watched Jake play two fun basketball games. We then needed to run a couple errands (one to buy Luke some baseball cleats, and another to buy bread at Great Harvest). We then ate a quick lunch, and hurried home. I pulled up to the house, we jumped out and Lisa moved over to the driver’s seat. She left to pick Isabella up from the hair salon.
I ran inside the house, and made sure Luke was ready for his baseball try-outs. He was mostly ready, except he had the wrong socks on. A quick adjustment fixed that. Then Luke says, “Dad, I left my glove over at Daniel’s house.” “Quick, get on your bike and go get it.” I went on-line, down-loaded the necessary registration form, filled it out, wrote the check and was ready to leave just as Luke got back home. Luke says, “They weren’t home and my glove is in their garage.” We scrambled to find another glove. Found an acceptable substitute. “Where’s your helmet?” Can’t find it! Quick and frustrating search – found one – although not Luke’s, but it would do in a pinch. We jumped in the car (me a bit stressed) and drove to the location I thought I saw on the website. No one is there! Ok – there is another likely location. Drove there. No one there either! Now we are late. Stress level is increasing!! I start driving to one other potential try-out site. I call Jake and ask him to check the website to see what I missed. Jake looks and he says it is being held at the original spot. After a few seconds, “Dad – it says 4/10 … that it is tomorrow.” Stress evaporates! Right at that moment I drive by a big sign on the side of the road that says, “Zimmerman Youth Baseball Mandatory Evaluations – 4/10.”
The rest of the weekend includes 2 basketball games for Isabella south of the Twin Cities, 2 basketball games for Jake north of the Twin Cities, Luke’s try-outs – for real this time (but we are better prepared!), pick up Isabella’s friend who was supposed to attend Bella’s games, but Lisa forgot – so a sleep over was the make-good gesture, and finally a basketball banquet for Jake’s high school team; which Lisa had to prepare something for the potluck dinner.
We got through it all relatively unscathed. Then comes Monday after school. Isabella has practice in Minneapolis about 50 minutes from our home. Lisa picks her up from school and takes her to practice. On the way she gets a call from the dentist asking where Jake might be. Oh no! … This is the day he has a two hour appointment that has been scheduled for a long time – both Lisa and I were supposed to be there. Jake is playing basketball with friends – not picking up his cell phone. I’m 30 minutes away. Lisa is 30 minutes away taking Isabella. No good solution exists. We can’t make it.
Ok – then about two hours later … I’m still at work and it’s 6:58pm. I receive a text from Sophia. “I need picked up at 7:00.” I respond, “Where are you.” She tells me she’s been working with her horse at the stables, and “I need picked up now.” I’m 20 minutes away, and I know nothing about this so I assume that someone else must be on their way to pick her up. I call Lisa, and she says she thinks Lydia is picking her up. I call Lydia; she is not picking her up, and is farther away than me. I run from work, jump in my car, and arrive about 30 minutes late. Another scheduling breakdown.
We are now re-thinking our method of keeping track of commitments and appointments. Maybe hiring a family secretary would be best. Or a chauffeur. Or both!
Love,
JR
We are a fairly well-organized family; knowing where and when we need to be somewhere … most of the time. Now I must admit - we have a reputation of being late to almost everything (just a few minutes or so), but other than that we are pretty reliable. The last few days our organization effectiveness was pushed to overload and the result … well let me tell you.
The busy weekend started on Saturday morning. Jake had two basketball games in St Cloud, which is about 45 minutes from our home. We had to leave the house at 6:30am (we left at 6:45am). Our Garmin got us lost and began to take us in a big circle. We finally found the tournament site and then we watched Jake play two fun basketball games. We then needed to run a couple errands (one to buy Luke some baseball cleats, and another to buy bread at Great Harvest). We then ate a quick lunch, and hurried home. I pulled up to the house, we jumped out and Lisa moved over to the driver’s seat. She left to pick Isabella up from the hair salon.
I ran inside the house, and made sure Luke was ready for his baseball try-outs. He was mostly ready, except he had the wrong socks on. A quick adjustment fixed that. Then Luke says, “Dad, I left my glove over at Daniel’s house.” “Quick, get on your bike and go get it.” I went on-line, down-loaded the necessary registration form, filled it out, wrote the check and was ready to leave just as Luke got back home. Luke says, “They weren’t home and my glove is in their garage.” We scrambled to find another glove. Found an acceptable substitute. “Where’s your helmet?” Can’t find it! Quick and frustrating search – found one – although not Luke’s, but it would do in a pinch. We jumped in the car (me a bit stressed) and drove to the location I thought I saw on the website. No one is there! Ok – there is another likely location. Drove there. No one there either! Now we are late. Stress level is increasing!! I start driving to one other potential try-out site. I call Jake and ask him to check the website to see what I missed. Jake looks and he says it is being held at the original spot. After a few seconds, “Dad – it says 4/10 … that it is tomorrow.” Stress evaporates! Right at that moment I drive by a big sign on the side of the road that says, “Zimmerman Youth Baseball Mandatory Evaluations – 4/10.”
The rest of the weekend includes 2 basketball games for Isabella south of the Twin Cities, 2 basketball games for Jake north of the Twin Cities, Luke’s try-outs – for real this time (but we are better prepared!), pick up Isabella’s friend who was supposed to attend Bella’s games, but Lisa forgot – so a sleep over was the make-good gesture, and finally a basketball banquet for Jake’s high school team; which Lisa had to prepare something for the potluck dinner.
We got through it all relatively unscathed. Then comes Monday after school. Isabella has practice in Minneapolis about 50 minutes from our home. Lisa picks her up from school and takes her to practice. On the way she gets a call from the dentist asking where Jake might be. Oh no! … This is the day he has a two hour appointment that has been scheduled for a long time – both Lisa and I were supposed to be there. Jake is playing basketball with friends – not picking up his cell phone. I’m 30 minutes away. Lisa is 30 minutes away taking Isabella. No good solution exists. We can’t make it.
Ok – then about two hours later … I’m still at work and it’s 6:58pm. I receive a text from Sophia. “I need picked up at 7:00.” I respond, “Where are you.” She tells me she’s been working with her horse at the stables, and “I need picked up now.” I’m 20 minutes away, and I know nothing about this so I assume that someone else must be on their way to pick her up. I call Lisa, and she says she thinks Lydia is picking her up. I call Lydia; she is not picking her up, and is farther away than me. I run from work, jump in my car, and arrive about 30 minutes late. Another scheduling breakdown.
We are now re-thinking our method of keeping track of commitments and appointments. Maybe hiring a family secretary would be best. Or a chauffeur. Or both!
Love,
JR