Wednesday, September 13, 2006

TWO CALENDERS

I've been running two calenders,one in my office and one in my briefcase. I've told other people to not do that. Marilyn also runs a calender for her scheduled clients. It is a full sized appointment calender and is usually almost black from the number of names and notes written in it daily.
We've been wanting to go on vacation all summer but farming, irrigating, our son's wedding and any number of other responsibilities have prevented us from lining up more than 2 days in a row to go do something. We finally got it done. We were going to leave Saturday and come back Wednesday night. A short pre-harvest jaunt. Refreshing. The calenders were cleared. My wife has had a little lilt in her limp (knee surgery) since we got this arranged. She was to say the least, excited.
Yesterday was four days from leaving and I'm sitting at our county board meeting. Someone asks the Chairman, (me) what time is the public hearing for the budget on Monday. "9:00 AM" I say, then I think to myself "We're supposed to be golfing in Wisconsin on Monday at 9:00."
My mind has a 'turbo' setting. When in turbo, I am capable of running 3 or 4 different thought patterns all at the same time. So while I was saying something like "Hearing no discussion we will proceed to vote." I was actually thinking the following all at the same time.
1. That can't be right, we won't be here Monday, I promised my wife a vacation, we were going to rent a room with a jacuzzi, go golfing, tour a cheese factory, where's my calender? (the little one I carry in my briefcase to meetings so I can bring home the dates to my big calender) (don't do this...use just one calender)
2. Hmmm, sure enough it says Monday, 9:00 AM, Budget hearing. "All those in favor say Aye."
3. Maybe I could just skip the meeting. I'm chairman. You can't skip the most important public hearing of the year. That's why I'm Chairman. For times like this. "Those opposed say NO."
4. Which one of these gentlemen seated at this conference table would be willing to go into the next office and call my wife and make up a story that made it sound like Cliff is so depressed by what he just learned about an emergency meeting next Monday that he was just too distraught to call her personally. (I know it's been on my calender for 2 weeks but now it's an emergency) They could tell her "Cliff said don't come in to the courthouse, he'll be alright.....he thinks."
5. The kids have borrowed my shotgun. Good.
6. Yep...I'm in trouble.
Sooo all of this is virtually racing through my brain and I do what any man would do, I say, "Okay, it's break time, we have a hearing scheduled at 10:00 this morning so be back in your seats by then." Aside to our County Clerk, "may I use your phone?"
My side of the phone call: "Hi Marilyn." "How's it going?" "Good" "Uh we have a problem." "Well yes, as a matter of fact we can't go on vacation, how'd you know that." "Oh, I guess we have been married a long time." "Uh, we have the annual budget hearing on Monday that I didn't have on the big calender at home and I can't miss it." "Sure we can reschedule the trip." "Yes we can talk about this when I get home."
"Why yes I do have my little calender with me." "You want me to do what with it?"
We deserve each other. We've deserved each other for almost 35 years now.

21 comments:

Raggedy said...

I can only imagine where she told you to stuff that calander.
I am sorry your plans did not work.
I hope another window of opportunity avails itself soon..
Hugs

Ralph said...

Cliff
Sounds to me like someone is in a whole lot of trouble. You had better get that vacation rescheduled - SOON.
Ralph

EV said...

So, where's the calender now? I did notice there was no "picture" with this post. ;0)

PinkCat said...

Oh dear Cliff,

You made me smirk..... poor Marilyn.

Is that calendar residing where the sun doesn't shine now?

LOL.

Take care sweetie xx

Miki said...

Poor Cliff, Poor Marilyn! Only hoping that you two get your "away" time soon. Sorry that your plans were put on hold, but now the two of you have a little more time to plan a longer getaway. And Cliff, a word of advice, IF and that is in CAPS, you are going to use TWO calendars, at least bring them both to the planning table next time. By the by, I gave you a "plug" on my blog, hope you don't mind!

Rachel said...

Cliff, Cliff, Cliff. Didn't follow your own advice of only keeping one calendar?? Tsk, tsk, tsk. (shakes head).

I'm sure there are some good proctologists in your area. Ahem...I hope you did NOT need an appointment.....

Cliff said...

Oh, I'm okay kids and sitting normally. It was an empty threat.
Miki: Thanks for the plug, I'm honored to be mentioned on your blog.

eyes_only4him said...

I bet I know right where Marylin threw that calander....

:)

Jim said...

Cliff, you need a lesson in politics. Just do the budget hearing from your vacation at your summer ranch in Wisconsin.
I've known some of the bigger men in power to do that, even one of our Texans. [Regan ruled from his California ranch, on the beach no less]
Do that and I promise you'll have my vote for pres if you run.
..

1 plus twins said...

so sorry you are gonna miss your much needed and much deserved vacation. don't take too long to reschedule or your wife might not be so understanding!! lol

Anonymous said...

Cliff,
Poor Marilyn. No Vacation. Hey, you two could hop in the car and drive to K.C. and meet us here at the WWII reunion. I'll give you some fake names and pass you off as Friends of the 487th. The booze is free. We'll take you to the Truman Library!

I think you're ready for Microsoft Outlook and a multi-colored calendar.

Paul Nichols said...

So what you gonna do while Marilyn is gone off on vacation?

Unknown said...

That's ONE of the reasons Hubs is no longer Mayor or sitting on City Council. Public service is a PITA.

Anonymous said...

We could say bad luck Cliff, but sadly it seems luck had nothing to do with it.

JunieRose2005 said...

You messed up-BigTime-Cliff! :(

JunieRose

LZ Blogger said...

The calendar that I can use an eraser on is the ONE I use! ~ jb///

TamWill said...

I use two calendars myself...not good. Not good at all!

Hopefully you will carve out some time to get away from it all. :)

Jamie Dawn said...

A GOOD husband would do exactly what his wife told him to do with that little calendar.

So..... did you stick it where the sun don't shine??!!

I hope you kissed her feet when you arrived home and then gave her a nice back and shoulder massage which was NOT followed by ANYthing else.

Sorry about the trip. Very disappointing indeed.
Would it be offensive if I called you a numbskull?

Anonymous said...

Cliff, perhaps you could get some non-specific, but very contagious, disease that would require you to stay very far away from a public hearing.

Or at least you could SAY you got such a disease.

Maybe you should drop some spinach leaves around and claim you have a disorder caused by e. coli... anything to get you to the golf course, right?

Cliff said...

John, I like the way you think.
JD: How can someone I've never met know me so well. You sound EXACTLY like my wife.

Anonymous said...

"mind on turbo setting": TERRIFIC description! (My family thinks I'm hyper....)

As for the calendars, I tried just using one, but not enough room, which means I SHOULD pare down my life...but still need one work one and one for family events. (Have to code each into the other so no conflicts and REMEMBER the coding, haha)
So glad to see by your recent post that you & Marilyn are off on a trip! :)