All Aboard!

People often tell me I am a very "relaxed" parent.  I don't stress too easily.. perhaps that is less due to the fact that I don't care, and more closely related to the sad but true realization that I may at times be a smidgen oblivious to my surroundings.  Example: If I'm stuck in a car with a bunch of whining kids, I don't yank my hair out, curl in fetal position, or start screaming obscenities & threats towards the back seat.. I push my internal "mute" button and entertain myself within until the moments of imperfection have passed.  Insane?  Perhaps.  But it sure saves me a lot of frustration!  Then, once things have settled down, I offer up the opportunity for everyone to discuss their frustrations civilly.  While this can be a great thing, it does come with it's down sides too.  I tend to be quite task oriented.  Please don't ask me to do two brain power things at the same time!  I can cook and talk on the phone while nursing a baby and handing toys to an impatient toddler without a problem, but ask me a question while I'm writing an email or reading a book and you'll likely get an exasperated sigh, an impatient glance or the occasional eye roll (yes, at times I am still 16).  Try to talk to me while I'm watching a movie, and I just plain won't hear you until you stand in front of the screen..  When I'm in the zone, I am IN THE ZONE baby!

So yesterday I organized a day trip to the beach with a few friends since the kids were out of school due to parent-teacher conferences.  After a truly PERFECT afternoon, we packed up our load and headed on our way.  It's an hour and a half (approximate) drive from my door to the beach, and I was beaming with pride that we made it there without the slightest hiccup thanks to my trusty navigation system.  So naturally I was more than willing to go wherever the sucker told me to, to get me back home!  My girlfriend and here cutie-patootie daughter drove with us which just made the drive all the more so fun, having a yacking partner.  We yacked and we yacked until we came upon what I assumed to be another toll road.  I paid my R$8 and pulled through the gate slightly annoyed that I paid to enter a toll road that was at a complete stand still.  SLOOOOWLY we inched further along, yacking away to pass the time, when suddenly my girlfriend mentioned, "Ummm, we're getting on a boat!".  WHAT?! 

Apparently I need to add yacking and reading road signs on the list of things I cannot do at the same time... but in my defense, what kind of navigation system tells you to drive across the water?!  I mean really..  Well, it makes for a fun adventure, and a first for me - never driven onto a ferry before!  The kids loved it too.  The rhythm of the car on water mus have relaxed them all because shortly after, everyone fell asleep which was simply lovely since our hour and a half drive turned into a 3 1/2 hour drive between the ferry, a highway accident (not involving us, thank goodness!), and the rush hour traffic due to it all!