The Dog Ate...Never Mind

I'm a fairly creative person and I usually run late and I am supposed to be to work at 9:00 PM sharp.  I have an amazingly forgiving manager who gives us seven minutes after our appointed clock in time before we are, "Officially late."

But, 9:00 PM is right in the middle of last minute I have a seven page report on armadillos due tomorrow homework and bedtime and, "I'm huuuunngry, you know I can't eat that disgusting stuff you made for dinner" time.

I look forward to summer because bedtime is later and dinner is later and NO HOMEWORK, que heavenly angel choirs, so of course getting out the door on time for work should be a breeze, right?

Thursday, #3 leaves at 8:30 PM to get his girlfriend home by 9:00 PM.  Yay, way to be responsible, #3!  Wait, one of the 13 zillion neighbor kids who have been in and out all day left his bike parked behind the Suburban, it's squished, #3 is near tears, the neighbor kid is in tears, #4, #5, #6, #7, #1 and the other 12 zillion neighbor kids encircle the squished bike like it's a fallen comrade, Boy Mom in a bathrobe with wet hair is calming down and lecturing about choices and responsibility and...Yep, late to work.

Friday, a cleaning frenzy that lasted until nearly 8:00 PM when I ordered #6 and #7 to pick up their toys then got in the shower, determined that tonight I would be on time.  Out of the shower with wet hair in the trusty, blue bathrobe, I step in to check the picking up process.  Rough housing and Lego's and a knee with a gaping gouge and...Yep, late to work.

Saturday, "Mom, we found this dove with a hurt wing and so we put him in our suitcase."
"Ack, why is it in your suitcase?"
"Because we need to keep it safe from dogs and stuff."
"Your suitcase will be ruined, get it out."
"We're not dumb, we put some cardboard in it and put the bird seed and water on the cardboard."
"Ack!"
A storage crate with holes a stick poked through the holes for a perch, lids for bird seed and water and a shop vac job on the spilled bird seed later and...Yep, late again.  

Did I mention I'm fairly creative and usually late?  Well, even I didn't try to explain the last few late clock-ins  who'd have believed it.