Monday, September 27, 2010

Alayna time


What a family-filled weekend! Alayna, sister number three, came to visit me and take in more purple than she has ever seen. I picked her up in Junction City Friday evening, as Melanie (sister number two) and Mason (her fiance) were passing through for a wedding in Topeka. Before I even set eyes on Alayna, I was already reminded that we were on "Alayna time" from Friday 5 to Sunday 1:30 pm.

Allow me to decipher: "Alayna time" is similar to taking a clock and bashing it against a cinder block wall. Then progressing through your day, as planned"ish".

Allow me to reiterate how much I love my family and sisters. They're my reason for living and my inspiration to keep trudging through this rat race. However, that's not to suggest that certain traits are evident with us. As being the oldest, I am the bossy one. I am the one who orders (barks orders) and expects everyone to follow my schedule, because I know what is best in the end. I control the ship. I am the driver. Since I've always had this personality "quality", my sisters probably don't realize how at times they have a tendency, when on their own schedule, to take their time. To do what I call "lolygagging". Alayna is the queen of this; she's number three. So, she has always had someone pushing her around to get this or that done. Mom has had many frustrating moments trying to motivate her to do this or that. Many times, to no avail. It's like a relationships with your significant other. You can bark orders all you damn well want. They, however, have to want to make the change or you're just wasting your precious time and stress and energy.

Same with Alayna. She loves her sleep. She told me Saturday night that she was going to set her alarm early. Ten am. Allow me to say that again. She was going to set her alarm early. Ten am. Early. Ten am. I think my shocked reaction was misinterpreted at first with her, because she quickly told me that she was setting it that early because she had so much to get done before we left for brunch. Brunch? 10:30 am. Allow me to decipher, again, 10:30 is 30 minutes from 10 am. Within those 3o minutes she had planned to

1) get up, because getting out of bed for Alayna is comparable to the North defeating the South. It's epic
2) shower
3) straighten her hair
4) pick up the literal clothing bomb of suitcases that she had exploded in my room
5)put her laundry from the washer into the dryer (the regular dryer cycle? not 30 minutes)

*ahem* Needless to mention, ajl went to Early Edition early for us to reserve our table. Because I knew that she'd be on Alayna time. And no amount of barking and reminding her our time schedule would hurry her ass up. It's Alayna. That's how it has always been. It's how it'll always be.

But you know what? I love Alayna time. In small doses. My sanity and control freak personality can only handle so much. Isn't ajl lucky?