Dante Couldn't Have Written It Better Himself....

Tales of Byers Drama and Exploring the Various Levels of Hell....

So last night was the karate dojo's Halloween party. In lieu of any other party at any other time of year, this is the main party that the dojo throws. So if you're working on your fifth year there, you go. No big deal. We buy costumes for all the kids. I even, with the help of another karate girl, come up with a costume for myself. It's a pitch-in, so I give Collin the option of either bringing a queso dip or chili. He opts for chili, so I get all the ingredients and, the morning of the party, get up extra early to get it into the crock-pot so we can just grab it, change into costumes and go. Everything is good to go, right? Wrong.

I get a call yesterday around 4:00. "We're not going to this party tonight!" Aaron says. Apparently, Collin forgot/didn't do all the assignments given to him before Fall Break (last week), so he has a ton of homework. Level 1 of my trip into Hell. OK, I'm frustrated and pissed at my kid, but I'll survive. I'm taking the twins (who have been told they're going to this party) by myself to the party, leaving Aaron at home to deal with the boy. He goes by the store to get bowls and spoons for my chili while I bust a move home to change and grab the twins (oh, by the way, party starts at 6:00). I bust a move home, get in the house and am greeted with the oh-so-wonderful aroma of burnt chili. I go to Target to buy two bags of chips. Level 2 into the depths. We get to the party, and have to stand in line for 45 minutes for food. We get to the food line and the plates that the sensei had bought were the flimsiest, cheapest plates ever. I'm trying to load up for three, here, folks! The girl I was standing with dumped her plates. Level 3. We can't find a good seat, so we wind up on a separate level and Griffin winds up sitting on the floor (because there just aren't enough seats). Someone steps in his food. Level 4. There wasn't enough candy for the games the kids could have played, and they wanted candy. Level 5.

And since the dojo is closed today my gin won't be happening for over a week. *sobs*