I must be dreaming.

I've been having a "pinch me" moment that keeps going on and on and on.  There are some things I experience that even amaze myself it is happening.

It all started when I noticed that a baby born on the soap opera "General Hospital" had the same unique name as my neighbor's newborn who was born shortly before these episodes aired.  I commented on Facebook to my neighbor what a trendsetter she was.  My neighbor replied back and said her husband's aunt was a writer for the show and that is how that happened.  Next thing you know, I'm chatting with the writer herself and telling her what a fan I am of the soap opera.  I had been watching since I was 5.  General Hospital has become a part of me.  It's just something I do.  It's always there.

Then this happened:

SERIOUSLY!!!   The writer I had been emailing with made Ian's name (first and last!!) an off-screen character.  Ian's name was spoken by the great Nurse Bobbie.  OMG!!  I think the kids and I watched this video about 50 times in a row right after it happened.  How insane is this!?!?!    It should be noted that there are already females character named "Sam" and  "Robin" on the show, so that wasn't really an option.

But wait, it gets even better!  I get an email saying the studio has a surprise for me and will be sending it to me shortly.  In the mail, a signed script by the cast of the episode Ian's name appeared in arrived at my door.  HOLY SH*T!  I can't believe it and was shaking as I held the script when I realized what it was I was taking out of the envelope.  THIS IS INSANE!!!!   I've since figured out a great way to protect it and display it. I've put it in a shadow box frame.

After thanking my new bestie, she indicated she'd be open to getting together the next time I am in NY.  OMG!!  This just keeps better and better.  If I am dreaming all of this, please don't wake me up.

Lunch with her on Sunday in New York City was a surreal experience.  The icing on the cake?  When at the end of lunch she said "We should do this again."  Um, yeah...how about every Sunday?  Is every Sunday good for you?  I am pretty sure I'd never get tired chatting with her.  She is fascinating, lovely, and so incredibly sweet.

Coffee Talk

About a month ago during one of our many snow days from school while I was out to lunch with the kids, I ran into a mommy friend that I first met when Ian was a baby.  Once her little boy and mine got old enough for preschool, we naturally went on different paths and didn't really talk as much. We had traded emails sporadically, but that was the extent of our friendship.

We decided it would be nice to get together for coffee once school was back in session and we were sans kids for few hours.  This past Friday was our date to meet at Panera Bread for coffee.  I got there about 10 minutes early, got a cup of hot tea and found a table.  This particular Panera location has their tables really close together and my table for 2 was near the really big table that a Panera Bread always has available.  Seated at the big table were 3 women who had to be in their mid-seventies.  They were chatting a mile a minute.  These women were so full of life and were pretty much finishing each other's sentences.  After listening to their conversation for 5 minutes (really, it couldn't be helped!), I had to chime in.  I HAD to!!  It was killing me to keep my mouth shut. 

Me:  Sorry to eavesdrop, but I've been watching for 37 years, since I was 5 years old.   I totally agree with you, the character of Sonny couldn't be played by anyone else.

THESE WOMEN WERE TALKING ABOUT GENERAL HOSPITAL!!!!!

We started chatting and I instantly fell in love with these women.  They were the coolest!  To hear them talk about this soap opera reminded me that I am not alone in my love of the show.  We are a dying breed!

When my friend arrived, she sat down and told me these women are always there.  Every time she's been there, these women are sitting at the same table and having the same conversation about General Hospital.  How cool is that!?!? 

Once I've retired from all my jobs and have more time on my hands, I aspire to be one of these women.  A regular coffee meet-up to discuss General Hospital or whatever the latest show is my idea of a great reason to hang-out with friends. I wonder if these women will still be around then?

On a side note, it was really great catching up with my friend.  We filled each other in on our kids, what's new, our Summer plans and more.  I told my friend about Sam and my latest challenges with her.  It's been more intense than usual and we are really going through a difficult time.  Once I got done giving her the 5 minute version, she just looked at me and said, "Wow, you don't even look haggard.  You always have a smile on your face."   All I could answer her with was, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.  What else can I do?  I can't give up.  I've got to keep trying."

Changes are brewing.

There were two things I could always count on;  General Hospital coming on at 3:00pm each weekday and eating dinner together as a family. 

Within the same week, both constants in my life took a left turn, when it should've gone right.

I've been watching General Hospital since I was 5 years old.  For the past 36 years that I've been tuning in, you could set your watch to it starting at 3:00pm on ABC.  Over the summer, commercials started announcing that as of September 10th, it was moving to 2:00pm. I guess I should consider myself lucky that they are keeping the show on and not giving it the same fate as "All My Children" and "One Life to Live".  When something like a 3:00pm start time has been happening for as long as this show has, it really throws you off to shift everything up to an earlier start time.  Not that I plan my day around watching General Hospital, but I knew exactly at what point I'd have to leave the house and pick up Ian from school. No more.

Unless Jeff gets caught in a late meeting or I have a girl's night out, our family can be found at the kitchen table having dinner each and every night. It was the rule, not the exception.  I find eating dinner together as a family one of the most important things we do with raising kids.  It gives us a chance to talk, recap our day, go around the table and give the best highlights.  We are able to put down all the electronics and enjoy each other's company.  Take some time and unwind.  Not to mention, this is the best opportunity to get a well-rounded, healthy meal into the kids and have them try new foods.

I plan our meals for the week on Sunday and go grocery shopping accordingly to be ready to make dinner each day.  As each day flew by last week, I realized even if I made the meal, we wouldn't be around to eat it.  I thought for sure, I'd be able to get our act together for Tuesday.  Nope.  Then Wednesday.  Nope.  Three nights of dinner planning that will get moved to this week.

With our new Fall schedule, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays can find us in the car during the dinner hour shuffling back and forth between activities.  As soon as I pick Ian up from school, he goes directly to his next stop.  There is no passing "go", no collecting $200, and no time to gather the family and eat together at the table.  It is a bit of a mess.  The only bright side in all this is that I don't have to cook dinner.  By the time we are all in one place again, at the house, it is too late to begin serving dinner.  In order for Ian's energy level and focus to remain elevated, I've been bringing him a substantial snack to eat in the car, when I come to get him at the end of the school day.  I've been rotating between pizza bagels, chicken & cheese quesadillas, or a burrito filled with bean, rice and cheese.  It's a nice, tasty, hot mini-meal that he can eat on the go and be ready for religious school or gymnastics.  Because Sam likes to do exactly what her brother is, all of a sudden, Sam is hungry too and needs the same exact thing, at the same exact time.

When the activities are over, it is time to wind down with our bedtime routine.  The kids usually need another snack at this point, not a full blown dinner. 

I never thought we'd get to this point where we weren't home for dinner.  But then again, I never thought they'd move General Hospital to 2:00pm either.  Each occurring on its own was a lot for me to wrap my mind around...both in the same week, I feel like we are entering the twilight zone where anything goes.