The "W" word

D-Day is approaching.  I am actually going to have to leave my baby and go to w-o-r-k.  This is terrible.  I knew it would be bad but the very thought of if makes me want to start crying, no, sobbing.  I've always been a modern, independent kind of gal.  Never did I dream that someday I'd be longing for the "Leave to Beaver" type of arrangement where Dad goes of to work every day while Mom stays home with the baby and does the cooking and cleaning.  Now, before I make a certain demographic of my friends run for the commode to upchuck or call a psychiatrist for me, let me assure you that I wouldn't be fulfilled darning Kurt's socks all day.  I don't even know what "darning" socks means.  I would definitely need to have a side career, like photography or hmmm...maybe writing, to be satisfied with my life.  But it would be awfully nice to have that flexibility so I could hang out with our dear girl most of the day and teach her all sorts of wonderful things about the world.  But alas, it is not to be.  At least not this year.  Maybe someday. 
I am thankful that Kurt's sister Elaine will be taking care of SB while I'm off to work.  It makes it slightly easier to leave knowing that baby will be with someone who loves her like we do.  Slightly easier.  She has been here nearly every day for the past 2 weeks.  It's harder for me, I think, than for Sarah Beth to adjust to having another caregiver around.  There are times when I want to rip her out of Elaine's arms and scream "give me my baby!" but SB is perfectly happy and Elaine is very patient with both of us, thank goodness.  I'm getting better.  I've left the house a few times without crying or rushing home.  I even managed to catch up with my friend Jenny for a few cocktails the other night.  Which brings up a whole tirade that those not in Charlotte probably won't care about. So out-of-towners, please talk amongst yourselves for a few minutes while I indulge myself...
After driving around aimlessly for a few minutes, Jenny and I decided to head to Elizabeth Avenue to grab a drink at one of the restaurants over there.  Imagine my shock and horror to discover our favorite cheap Mexican restaurant, Mexicafe, (the site of SB's FIRST dinner out) and its sister restaurant NOFO have closed down!  Tragedy!  Where am I going to get delicious cheap fish tacos???  Where will Kurt get a delightfully refreshing but not too overpriced mojito???  It is all the City of Charlotte's fault and I for one think this travesty should not go unnoticed.  The stupid aforementioned City of Charlotte decided to SHUT DOWN Elizabeth Av for the past what, year and a half  in order to put in a TROLLEY LINE.  Really?  A flipping Trolley Line?  Apparently construction wasn't supposed to take that long.  They started digging or whatever and then realized that the soil was unstable and it took like twice as long.  First of all, why a trolley?  Do you really need in-ground trolley tracks running down Elizabeth Av?  Secondly, didn't they test the soil to make sure this whole cockamamie idea would be feasible?  Did they not realize that this fiasco would completely destroy the mom and pop businesses on that street?  Every time you drove anywhere near there you needed a GPS and a navigator sitting in the passenger seat to figure out how to get close enough to park and even then chances were you had to jump over construction cones or a ditch to get to the poor business you were trying to patronize.  The street is now open but evidently too little too late for our favorite mexican place.  If the Elizabeth Creamery goes out of business I'm going to have to stage a protest.  The city should compensate these business owners for the hell they've been put through.  Maybe take some of the money Charlotte has set aside for artsy trash cans (that's right, decorative waste bins- what were they a few grand a pop?) and reallocate them for a Mexicafe grand reopening.  We will be first in line.

Ok I'm done.  I feel better.  Non-Charlotteans, thank you for your patience.

So what was I talking about?  Oh yeah, the "W" word.  I should at this time point out that I am incredibly grateful to my company for the generous Maternity Leave policy that it offers.  I've been off work since July 1 and have not had to skip a paycheck.  That is an amazing benefit.  Not to mention the nice touch of a silver spoon that our company founder sends to every new baby born.  Isn't that thoughtful?  I know I bitch and moan about working, but there are very few companies out there that support employees in such a way so once again in the grand scheme of things, we are very fortunate.  Time to pay it back and start billing some hours again soon.  Although I'd much rather pay it back from my Powerball winnings...only 3 more drawings left, people.  We're really cutting it close here!