Ask Freakmom, She'll Know

It would seem I have become the Heloise of my office. Remember Heloise, from the Hints from Heloise newspaper column in the 70s? She was the one you turned to if you spilled red wine on the carpet or needed to get onion stink out of your dish towel. On Saturday I was working in the office and one of the interns suggested one of the other young guys that he ask me something, that I'd know the answer. Was it work related? A complex HIPAA issue maybe? Or some obscure Medicare regulation? No, he needed help getting the tea stains out of his mug. Fill it with Coke (not Pepsi or another cola drink) and leave it overnight.

So which is worse?

1. That I knew the answer.

2. That they thought to ask me and not anyone else.

3. That the 25 year old didn't know to use Coke to get stains out. (Seriously, did he sleep through middle school science class?)

4. That none of them would have a clue who I meant by "Heloise".

I am a good 15 years older (yikes, more actually) than the vast majority of the other cubicle dwellers. Mr. Incredible said I've become the mom of the office. Sigh.

Tonight was Violet's new swim class. You'll never guess who was in it! One of the other homeschool Juliettes! I knew their family took lessons there. But last time we talked about it she had a different instructor, so I never thought she might be in this class. Turns out it was her second week in this level. She must be the one they created the class for, since it was at our old time slot and it didn't exist when Violet was promoted. (I'm a bit miffed that they didn't create the class at that time, but at least they have it now). Her little brother is in Violet's old class!

Violet liked the new instructor. Liked having her friend in the class. Didn't care much when both her instructor and the swim instructor supervisor both trying to correct her somersaults in the middle of the pool during her lesson (they need to learn them for flip turns). She got embarrassed and more than a bit flustered, there were tears involved. But I am proud to say by the end of the lesson she was turning straight and no longer flopping on her side each time!

Hopefully next week class will be smooth all the way through.

And if you need to know some weird housekeeping tip, just ask. I'll be the one trying to look professional while wearing an apron and pearls over in my cube. Snort.