Over Planning

My family has a serious issue with the concept of going with the flow. In fact, they might just be in an all out war over it. When it comes to doing anything, they create this detailed plan as to what they want to do and when it should be done. The problem is this detailed plan never actually makes it to the outer ranks.

Today, for instance, my family went to go see Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs. This, like anything we do, was over complicated. My mom briefly mentioned that we might go see Miramont sometime in the days ahead, but didn't actually tell me when. This morning she and my father took turns yelling at me to get out of bed. (This is not an easy task, unless I was informed of this plan ahead of time.) They were quite pissed at me because I didn't spring out of bed like a woodland pixie. I more or less did it like a troll under a bridge. (I'm not a morning person, okay.) Even the sun takes time to get up in the morning. This started off the day with yelling, screaming, and lectures. (Screaming and lectures tend to be the same thing.) 

Upon getting out of bed, I got breakfast, changed the water in the cow tank, showered, and got dressed. The entire time being yelled at. After all the above tasks, I had to help my sister unload a table my father bought at a garage sale (for the purpose that I'd use it when I got an apartment). My sister asked where we should put the chairs and my dad said to find a place in the garage. When she did find a space in the garage, he told her that that specific location was in the way. My sister even disconnected the hose across the driveway. We were all set to go.

Upon being ready to go, my parents found other random chores for us to do. We were told to take the recycling down to the trash house. (We have a trash house because bears rip into the trash cans. They also ripped half the door off the trash house, but we just ignore that.) The trash guy doesn't come out this far until next friday. I was then told to drag the hose out of the flower bed. There is a reason my family never gets anywhere on time (and it's not because the kids aren't ready).

We actually got down to Miramont and enjoyed our tour of the museum. We didn't even argue while there.
Just on the way there.

Upon finishing our tour, we went to eat dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant, where we go every time we eat out and as a result everyone there knows us. It was all going quite well, until my sister called a friend of ours to meet up with us to go grocery shopping for a backpacking trip we are taking on Tuesday. My sister left a message because they didn't answer. When she said "grocery store" my dad yelled, "Walmart" at her.  Once again a lovely family argument. My friend had to cancel, so we had to buy the groceries and get payed back later.

Upon hearing that my friend had to cancel, we had another argument. To avoid the long drawn out bitch sessions that would ensue, I offered to pay for the groceries with my graduation money. (Actually, I insisted.) My friends will just pay me back when we meet up for backpacking. They didn't even care what was to eat. I personally don't see the point in making a big deal out of it.

Upon grocery shopping, my parents proceeded to treat me like I was going to make some huge mistake in shopping. I kind of get the feeling that they were hoping I would. (That would confirm their beliefs that I am in fact incompetent and am in need of childlike treatment.) I actually got through the store with backpacking supplies and not spending anymore than I expected. It wasn't nearly as hard or as big of a deal as they made it out to be. We then came home.

Upon coming home, I carried up all the groceries that we bought for backpacking. Then went to the restroom. My sister then posted on Facebook the amount people would need to pay me back. This took just enough time for my parents to go ballistic about carrying in the family groceries. I carried up all the groceries that needed to be carried up, but since I didn't carry them in from the car I was in trouble. I even put away the backpacking groceries. I then went down to feed the animals.

Upon feeding  the cows and horse, I listened to a yelling match between my parents and younger sister. It is a good thing our neighbors are never home. While the horse/cow pins aren't terribly far away, they are farther away then our neighbors and I could hear every word that was being yelled. It was a lovely little screaming match about my younger sister not helping carry in the groceries. 

Upon completing the chores, I grabbed an apple and was called into the living room. I said, "just a minute" while I was washing off the apple. This apparently took too long because in the thirty seconds this took, I was told three or four times to come into the living room. (Note: Wait until after arguments to get food.)

Upon entering the living room, received a lecture about my use of time. I go to bed too late and get up too late, and don't get my chores done. The one in particular that was brought up was the cleaning of the bathroom, which I was supposed to do on Friday. On Friday, when I attempted to clean it, my father decided he needed to shave right when I started. I cleaned my room instead. I was basically told that I would have an allotted schedule of chores I need to do and when they need to be done. Apparently, it is a horrible crime if I do one chore during the time frame when I'm supposed to do another. Over scheduling is at it's finest when you want to stab the person in charge with whatever's in reach. (At the particular moment of this lecture, the thing nearest to me a was a tissue box. I have a feeling stabbing a person with that would be quite difficult.)