When I lived in France (lo these many, many années) I learned about the zero-productivity month of May. Ask anyone when something might happen or get done during this month and they’d just shrug their shoulders and say “Eh. C’est le mois de mai” (which translates to “Who knows? It’s May” and actually means “Sometime in June, or never”).
In France, this is because there are about a dozen school/business holidays during May, and anytime they fall in mid-week everyone will faire le pont (literally, make the bridge) and take the extra days off to make a very long weekend.
Here and now, it’s just the end-of-school year craziness that is driving my productivity to record lows. Just this week I’ve been to a spring concert, a baseball game, and a field trip. Still to come are book club, Memorial Day weekend, the school talent show, the other (extracurricular) talent show, getting the kid to practice for said talent shows, figuring out what the kid should wear for said talent shows (the talent: hula hooping. But she can’t wear one of the umpteen grass skirts we have left over from her birthday party, because it messes up her hooping tricks), a swimming lesson, a Daisy Scout meeting, oh and my car has to go into the shop because someone (who freely admitted this, and in fact sounded rather proud of himself) put coins in the CD player. I need something for an end-of-year teacher gift … and the list goes on.
I am sure you’re all in the same bateau. Paddle, paddle, paddle and I’ll see you on the other side.
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Sounds like a great excuse. Can I use it the rest of the year too?
I thought it was le mois d’aout when absolutely nothing got done en France.
Regardless, May has knocked me for a loop too. Remind me next year not to schedule medical or dental or cut/color appointments in May; this month has enough going on already without me adding to it voluntarily.
At least our nanny is back in town, so all the wonderful houseguests/grandparents who have been staying with us and helping out are back home. It was great to have everyone here, but also nice to have the house (and schedule) back to ourselves.
I’m so over school and the various activities associated with it. I’m just so darn happy I’m not stuck going every day. End the madness. (But ask me in early July if I really mean it.)
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