Who knew that I could ever think of a 10 year old girl as a terror from the third dimension???

Alas, it is true. Though my ponderings of compromise overshadowed everything else yesterday, wanting to post my thoughts about the weekend never left.

On Friday I got my hair cut again. I never knew how quickly it grew until I got it all short like it is now. The beautician cut it shorter this time because of summer. She said hair tends to grow faster in warm weather. Now I have to do even less than I did before. LOL

Saturday was the kicker, though. My cousin in Atlanta has three kids – boy/girl twins and then the eldest son. They were in town weekend before last and we went to visit them at my cousin’s house 45 minutes north of here. It was a crowded party, but over-all enjoyable. By mid-week last week, my cousin and the kids had gone to Texas to visit other family and returned. Upon their return to Louisiana, my cousin Meg decided that she wanted to stay with her aunt a few more days. So the boys went home, leaving Meg behind until the middle of this week.

Saturday was my cousin K’s boyfriend’s birthday. She wanted to do something special for him so she made reservations for a dinner cruise on one of the paddlewheelers here in New Orleans. She also asked if we’d keep Meg overnight. I thought that they’d bring Meg by early on Saturday and we’d have something planned for her to do – like going to the aquarium – and then I’d take her to the cinema. She didn’t arrive til after 4 and now that I look back, it’s a good thing they didn’t come til after 4. I don’t think I could’ve handled much more of her than what I was given.

I realise that the main reason Meg is annoying is because she’s got two brothers to contend with, but I felt as though I am never respected when I, as an adult relative, try to admonish younger cousins or otherwise respond to what they do. Case in point: I’d gone to Walmart to get some personal essentials and was away when they arrived. I sat on the couch beside Meg after I finished unpacking the bags. She proceeded to poke me. At first it was a little poking game, then when I grabbed her hands to get her to stop, she started pinching me and scratching my arm. When I tried to stop her further, she whined to my mother, “Your daughter is hurting me.” I gave up and went into my bedroom. I spent most of my time there until we left for the cinema and then again as soon as we got home. I really wanted no part of her visit.

It’s always seemed like kids in my family are obnoxious shits until they are in their late teens.

Maybe I should’ve been firmer in telling her to stop.
Maybe her parents should teach her that not everyone is her personal punching bag. I know she’d never treat her aunt the way she treats me.

I don’t care that they live so far away. But my mother doted on her and has been lamenting the distance ever since Sunday.