Monday, May 17, 2010

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men Oft Go Astray!

And I was living proof of that on Friday.

Jeffrey graduated from college this weekend. Obviously, I knew that in advance. Originally, I'd planned to cruise down there in the 1979 Lincoln, but my daughter wanted to go. So, on Monday, I sent Patrick to the junkyard to buy 2 new wheels for my winterbeater Cadillac, get a tire on one (the other tire looked good) and have the studded snow tires replaced. I should know not to put Patrick in charge.

Friday it was do-or-die time for my new dress. So I started at noon, whined at a friend via email a couple of times, and finished at 5:36PM. Yes, I was counting. The fabric was a s-o-b. I almost quit several times. But I got it done.

40 minutes later, I had packed for my dearly beloved and me, directed the boys in packing, and gotten everything rounded up and into the car. Backing out of the garage, I took up mumbling ferociously. Hubby looked at me strangely. Once out of the garage, I started to make a turn, went about 3 feet and took up bellowing HBO words. They looked at me like I was nuts. I bellowed, "The (expletive deleted) tire is flat!" "Can't be!" More HBO words, and, yes, the one we didn't buy new was flat. Worse yet, the morons had cross-threaded one lug nut, and it broke off as we tried to change the tire.

My son Dan has a Caddy like mine, but a couple of years older, and the driver's seat is pretty beat. So he tossed its keys to his sister, helped the boys transfer all the stuff from one car trunk to another, and we headed off in a different car. I rode in the back, and I have to say that being chauffered isn't bad. I'd still rather drive, but not in a car with a bad seat. So we made it around midnight, spent graduation day with Jeffrey, and my beautiful daughter sweet-talked a traffic cop into letting her park right near a door so her poor mother wouldn't have to walk far with her cane and all (props help).

It was not that big a graduation - just the college of business and econ
omics - about 400 people. I counted the seats; there were 540, and not all were filled.

Jeff was right in the front row. I'm pointing him out for you, although he's pretty obvious.

And here he is, carrying his newly minted Bachelor of Science in Economics. I hope it helps him get a job soon.
Cass promptly took his cap. She also stuffed Ryan under the statue of Jerry West (whoever he may be).
Jeff's roommate really dressed for the occasion. I'm proud that Jeff decided to wear pants.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

16 comments:

gMarie said...

well - I'm glad you got the dress done. it turned out nice - I like the little detail at the bust. Try spray starch next time - but you'll have to have time to wash it before wearing.

I'm guessing the statue was a basketball player?

And when did kids forget how to dress appropriately for the occassion? I'm glad your boy knew better.

SissySees said...

Congrats to all! Love the photo with the Jerry West statue.

Christo Gonzales said...

congrats to the graduate - and kudos to you for making lemonade out of the lemons...

Diane said...

Alls well that ends well. After all the disasters it seems it turned out to be a magical day in the end. How tall is your son?? Diane

The Blonde Duck said...

Congrats on his BS!

And LOVE the dress! You've got a killer bust!

buffalodick said...

It's kinda like a wedding...not that important, but the marriage is!

Pam said...

What a bummer about your car tire...the important thing is that you all made it to the graduation! Your dress turned out lovely.

Paula said...

Congratulations to Jeffrey! I really like how they had that big screen set up during the commencement ceremony, although your son is tall enough that you'd have no trouble seeing him walk across the stage! Glad your dress got done in time. Good thing the tire went flat at home and not while you were on the road. I bet you would have come up with even more colorful vocabulary words had that occurred! Love your daughter's earings ... I'm a dangle earring gal myself! Ryan is looking more and more handsome everyday. You know I have a daughter his age :-)!

pam said...

At least it all worked out in the end! How tall is he??

monica said...

congrats - what great times!!glad you made it!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on Jeffery's graduation!! And as someone who can barely even sew a button on straight, I am SO impressed by your self-made dress!!!!! :-)

Hsin-Yi

Tatersmama said...

Congratulations to the Graduate!
You're dress turned out perfectly, but then again, almost all your sewing projects do!
Pity about the tire and the musical cars, but at least you caught it before, rather than have it go flat on the way!

Linda said...

LOL I can't believe you didn't just take command of the flat and tell it to buck up and inflate. Congrats on the grad and thanks for taking me along for the ride.

Mickle in NZ said...

Well done for persisting with the new dress - it looks so good with the pretty blue shawl.

Jeffrey looks very smart too - if he'd been graduating from University in Wellington he'd have walked through town in a parade too. Such a lovely photo of Jeff with his understandably happy and proud parents.

Super congratulations and well done to Jeff, and super thanks to Cass for the laugh.

Lapdog Creations said...

YAY for getting the dress done!
Congrats to all!

Sue said...

A rocky start, but it all worked out well. Congrats to the graduate and to his proud parents.