Journal, Day 182

The past week has had its share of ups and downs for the benefactor and the children, primarily with each other. Seemingly wanting to make it their sole mission in life to drive the benefactor to an early grave, the elder children continue to argue with the benefactor over their shared responsibilities in the homestead. They often seem surprised when asked to repeat a chore they were required to do just the week before (hint: they continue to live in the space), and often act indignant in the face of such obligations. Clearly, this drives the benefactor crazy, and oft when she finds herself repeating the same requests over and over, it is with less congeniality in direct proportion to the number of asks, which then infuriates the children, and further incites conflict. Tis a vicious circle for all.
 
This past weekend, the children were directed to assist with tidying to facilitate decorating for the yuletide holiday, including building their faux evergreen for adornment purposes. It took hours of cajoling, and the benefactor shouldering much of the cleaning duty, to finally get them to do some simple tasks to help. When it came time for placing ornaments and other such festive items, the benefactor left it to the progeny, which boiled down to the eldest female doing most of the work while occasionally throwing a snide comment to the younger siblings, lost in the media box. Internally, the benefactor felt a tiny stab of glee watching the elder female, generally her greatest resister, having to live out her every day, always bargaining for aid, existence.
 
Last night, the benefactor had to take all the children to a special event for the elder youth on preparing for the rest of their lives once they have finished their teenage school years, a topic that gives the benefactor great concern, as they seem quite incapable of functioning independently most days. A rather long presentation found the benefactor being distracted by the younger children, reasonably bored, who acted out by writing on the table they were seated at, or deciding at random to sit underneath it. However, she ascertained the elder children’s future goals for attending higher education through their written responses: the elder female wants to use the opportunity to leave the country, potentially join a service organization abroad, learn to live alone, and in general, prepare to enter the workforce. The elder male, on the other hand, wrote about his interest in art and science, particularly medicine and dance, and how he would use his time to explore and party. While slightly concerning, there was nothing she could refute in his goals, considering how she spent her own formative years.
 
Every other week, the benefactor invites an acquaintance to the home in the wee hours of the morning for calisthenics, while the children sleep. This week, however, the younger female woke when the benefactor rose, and insisted she could not return to sleep. Instead, she came downstairs, along with the mutt, and persisted in being as distracting as possible during the exercise routine by capturing herself as a moving picture on the benefactors talking square, primarily creating messages for her favorite pop star. She did this seven times. Seven times. In addition to her disturbance, the canine seemed to harbor a secret death with by walking in front of the benefactor and trainer as they were utilizing heavy metal bells with movement. Finally, the benefactor sent her to wake the younger male and prepare for the day, hoping these tasks would take her enough time to leave them in peace. Of course, she returned five minutes later (with the hound), fully dressed except for her stockings, which the trainer graciously helped her dress in as the benefactor was mid-routine.
 
After finally getting through the morning physical training, the benefactor quickly readied, only to be detracted by a search for the younger female’s new handbag, which went missing overnight. Finally, the bag was located in the laundry room (why?) despite the benefactor clearly remembering placing it in the child’s room. It does not help that the elder female has converted every inch of their room into her own personal closet and make up facility, and nary an inch of the carpet is visible.
 
Once in the moving vehicle, the younger female, irate and sick of the younger male taunting her singing, threw a paper plate (again, how did this find its way there?), hitting him square in the eye en route. They continued a back and forth, hands on experience, until the benefactor threatened, with conviction, that she would pull to the side of the highway and force them to make their own way on foot. At last, they placed their hands in their laps and conceded it was, perhaps, just not worth the potential agony of being abandoned by the side of the road.