Mother Jones

New developments in my household: Anna works at a grocery store deli. She also drives. This means that I don't have to take her to and from work, but as her mom it also means that I can't go to bed until she gets home.

The deli officially closes at 9. She has to help clean up and do some prep work and so the actual time that she leaves varies and depends on how busy they were, etc.

I put Mary and Frank to bed at 10 and then wait for Anna. Usually I clean up the kitchen or start a load of laundry.

She comes home tired and smelling of Hy Vee Chinese. We sit and talk for a few minutes about her supervisor that night, or a coworker. She describes the huge pots with baked on food that she scrubbed. She complains about her giant smock, though it is sized "small." I feel a bit like a labor organizer as I question the late hours and work conditions. My little worker shrugs and says "eh." We go to bed.

I love it when new routines create themselves. This new job concerns me a bit, but I have to admit that I love our time together after she gets home from work and needs to unwind a bit. I have a found a window of opportunity to talk to a teen. That's harder than talking to management.