Back to Reality

The last-minute extension of summer is over, and it's back to work and school for us. Already the pain of being a parent-who-works-outside-of-the-home is making itself felt. I had planned to be home every night this week. At least for the first week of school I wanted to pretend that we have a normal family life and that we can literally be there for our child. Then a late afternoon meeting 100 miles from here was called for tomorrow. I have to go. I won't be there when my son gets home from his first full day of high school.

Then I got pulled into an all-day meeting on Friday---300 miles from here. I'll leave on Thursday and not get home until late Friday. Damn it all. Really.