All in a Day's Work

There are days...and there are DAYS.  This one wasn't all that bad, but I did have to deal with a couple of problems that shouldn't happen. 

One of my young ladies came to me in confidence today to say that one of my troubled young men was saying "nasty" things about her that she wasn't present to hear--but others were.  Considering the recent media blitz about "things" happening in the 6th grade last spring, I decided to pass the information on to the administration, lest I be accused of doing nothing if the behavior continued.  Of course, the whole event was hearsay because neither the complaining student nor I heard the comments.  Still, I felt she deserved some defense.  Fortunately for everyone (except the young man), he admitted to making the comments, so no one else has to be dragged into the situation.  His probation officer was to be called.  Who knows what will happen?  In any event, the times are such that I can't just scold the kid and let it go.  I don't particularly want my name in the headlines or on the defendant line of a law suit! 

Meanwhile, a couple of youngsters are proving to be challenging.  So far, I am still in the "teacher intervention" stage of classroom management, which means I will do things like changing a student's seat or sending a student to the hall for time out without involving the administration, but the kids have only just finished their second full week of school!  What's it going to be like later??  I'm considering where to go from here.  Usually, I can win a kid over by appealing to his/her integrity...but this group isn't as emotionally mature as last year's.  Every day is a new experience...

Here at home, I am almost caught up on housework after the grandchildren last weekend, and MIGHT be ready in time to have them here again THIS weekend! 

A dear friend of mine, Pat McPherson of Salvation Army fame, has taken control of his condition after some health scares of this past year.  At last report, he had lost 42 pounds and is walking 2-3 miles a day.  If you are reading this, Patrick, YOU GO, GUY!  I need to get up to Michigan to see you before you waste away to nothing...and hope that some of your motivation rubs off on me!

Another day...another dollar.

 

 

Parent Night

Went back to school this evening for our Parent Night.  This is a beginning-of-the-year event where the parents come to school to meet the teachers.  We met them all in the gym first, then retired to the classrooms where the parents could come and go.  In all, I probably had 50 students represented by parents--which isn't bad.  But the bigger victory, in my opinion, was the fact that a school board member is one of my parents!  It was easily 90 degrees in my classroom, and the board member came back when there weren't as many parents around to inquire what was up with the air conditioning.  I told him what I knew...which was nothing.  Mr. S. said he couldn't promise anything but that he intended to make some phone calls to see what could be done.  Praise the Lord!!!  It's pretty sad when I had to declare to parents that I wouldn't offer to shake their hands because I had been wiping sweat from my face and neck.  Yuck!

Anyway, I am home again and snug in my little air conditioned bungalow.  The place is still messy from the grandchildren, but it's home and it's comfortable! 

Sleepover

Meg and the children arrived last night at almost 7:30.  We had a good supper and the children ate well, then we spread Gwamma's sleeping bag out on the living room floor and watched a video (with popcorn).  The "moozie" was Littlefoot, an animated cartoon flick about a young dinosaur.  The children are really wrapped up in volcanoes and dinosaurs right now...and they loved the show!  They were shouting about a "T-Rex" at one point.  Gosh...I think I was a whole lot older before I knew about dinosaurs and could call them by name!  We were QUITE late getting to bed.  I was up fairly early this morning, but the children slept until almost 11:00 AM!  I don't think we did much to get the kids back on any kind of viable schedule...

Today, we ran errands in search of clothes (to no avail).  Got back fairly late after allowing the children to run amok at the Plainfield McDonald's that has the inside playground.  Meg didn't head back to Muncie until almost 9:00, so I will stay up until I am sure she is back safely...

Another weekend down.  I'm going to make a radio operator out of little Ryan!  He is such a man when it comes to mechanical things.  With a proper "elmer," he'll be a great ham.  You watch!

:)

Change of plans

Meg called on Friday evening to say that the party they were to attend has been changed to next weekend.  Hmmm...  I am willing to babysit next weekend, but wasn't all that crazy about going up two weekends in a row.  So...Meg and the children are coming here.  In fact, they are overdue.  I worry...

I feel kind of crummy.  As the day has progressed, I have become somewhat congested in the chest and sinuses.  I think I am catching a cold--and that is true to school pattern.  Usually within the first two weeks of school, the passage of germs hits.  I think student Annie is the culprit that gave me this one.  I'm not sick (yet)--just feeling that I could be.  I'm a pretty tough bird.  We'll see!

My sister called this morning to tell me that the wife of one of my cousins passed away this morning, from a six-year fight with ovarian cancer.  We have not been close to that side of the family...but I still feel that my father would like his branch to be represented.  Don't exactly know what to do about that.  They live in Rosemont, IL...northwest suburb of Chicago.  Wish I had a helicopter...

Where is my daughter?????

Nothing special today...

Today was just another day in the life of a teacher.  Got up.  Talked on the repeater on the way to school.  Taught six classes.  Left as soon as the busses did at the end of the day because my classroom remains hot.  Took a nap.  Did some laundry and some minor grocery shopping.  Took the garbage out to the curb.  Watched some mindless television.  Talked to my daughter and grandchildren on the phone a time or two.  Whoop-de-doo!

Still, I feel good about having an evening that was somewhat productive.  My main goal these days is not to UNdo the cleaning I accomplish.  Pretty easy when the grandchildren aren't here!

The weekend approacheth.  I like that!

Seeking Supper

After school today, I took a hankerin' (that's Indiana talk) for some Casey's pizza.  For the unitiated, Casey's is a gas station/convenience store...and Mooresville has two of them.  When Meg and Nate lived near Camby, I would often go by their place on my way home from school by way of a Mooresville Casey's, just to buy a couple of pieces of their pizza.  I love it!  I thought about doing that today, but the roads are so messed up with construction that I wasn't sure I could actually get home from Mooresville in a timely fashion.  Okay...scrap the pizza.  What is Plan B?  Hmmm...what am I hungry for?  I have food at home, but that doesn't sound like any fun.  By this time, I was on US 40 in Plainfield.  The usual fast foods were too far down 40 for me, but Long John Silver's caught my eye...

My experience with Long John Silver's isn't all that good.  The few times I have eaten their food, I've been disappointed...but somehow, I seem to forget that between rare visits to the establishment.  Today, I decided to try again.  In the drive-thru, I ordered a platter with 2 pieces of fish and 8 shrimp, with cole slaw, hush puppies, french fries...and a drink.  It came to over $8!  Brought the stuff home to eat, and guess what?  It's just as bad as I remembered!  When I think of what I COULD have had for $8, I shudder!  I ended up giving the french fries to the dog.  The next time I decide to try LJS's again, I will announce it on the repeater and hope that someone talks me out of it!!!

My schedule at school is killing me.  I teach 3 1/2 classes before lunch, then 1 1/2 before break...then one more.  We are down to 4-minute passing periods (from 5), and there simply isn't time to use the restroom!  The only saving grace is that my prep period is 6th, which is just about the time that the morning's food/liquid intake hits.  Ahhhhhhhh!  (I feel sorry for the teachers that have first period prep!)

This is going to sound silly because I spend a great deal of my spare time with my daughter and my adored grandchildren....but I miss the companionship of Megan before the children came...and their move to Muncie really messed me up!  In a sense, I suppose the distance is God's way of helping us both become more independent of each other...but isn't that doing it the hard way?  It could be worse: she couldlive in Colorado...

The Fro-dog left me some presents in the house today.  I THINK I have found them all.  Fun, fun!

 

 

Monday, Monday...

There are so many things to be done at the beginning of each school year that it takes a lot of extra effort to get it all done in a timely manner.  The room has to be arranged, making sure that there are enough desks.  Texts have to be distributed, keeping track of condition and number.  Grade books have to be set up by writing the names of all of the students in them.  (I also have a record-keeping system to keep track of tardies, potty trotting, bonus points, and other "events," that requires writing the names on yet another list.)  Lesson plans, running off papers, making sure everyone understands the routine, etc.  It all takes time.  Most years, I would stay after school to get it all done, but my room is too hot this year for me to want to stay in it any longer than necessary...which would normally mean that I'd have to bring some of the paperwork home.  This year, however, I got lucky.  I managed to get both the record keeping lists and my grade book set up during the day today.  Yay!  The next order of business will be to set up seating charts--an important task in classroom management.  A good seating chart can make the difference between a viable class setting and a disaster.  Will work on those tomorrow, even though I don't know the kids yet.  ANY seating chart is better than letting the kids sit where they want to, at the eighth grade level!

I have made a new rule for myself:  no evening nap, in hopes that I will go to bed earlier in order to make up for the earlier morning alarm clock time.  So far, it's not working!  When I got home at 3:30 today, I was immediately sleepy.  I hit the couch at 4:15 and didn't wake up until 6:45!  What did I accomplish with the rest of the evening?  Well...not much.  I did a load of dishes, got gas for the mower, and picked up some shredded kleenexes that the dog left around.  My young ham friend came (almost at dark!) to mow the lawn.  He didn't get it all done so will have to return tomorrow to finish.  I consider myself lucky if I accomplish one or two things a night during the school week, so I guess tonight was somewhat successful--but somehow I think my evenings should be more productive.  I'm going to work on that!

Meg and Nathan have been invited to an "adults only" party on Saturday in Anderson, so I will go up on Saturday afternoon to babysit the grandchildrenwhile their parents enjoy some non-kid time with their friends from church.  We'll see how that goes!!

 

Up and Down

Having survived the first week back to school, I turned my attention to the weekend--the first one at home with no real plans in a long time.  It was soon decided that I would go to a hamfest in Lafayette on Sunday (today)...and then one of my friends called on Friday to ask if I was up for helping him and his wife move to Plainfield from the west side of Indy on Saturday.  There goes the weekend!

Bill (KG9QJ) and his wife have been good friends of mine for a long time.  I am delighted that they are moving to Plainfield--and under most circumstances, I would have been happy to help them move.  As it is, however, I am having a heel spur flare-up in one foot.  One day of overdoing things, and I could be in pain (more than I have been) for months before it clears up.  I did go over and see their very nice (!) place...and drool...before they headed back to the old place for another load.  Having moved MANY times in my life, I decided that the best thing I could do for them was to provide a sit-down dinner for them when they were hungry and tired...and ready.  I told them that they could come when they were ready and leave when they needed to.  They did--and I honestly think it helped, so I felt a little better about not contributing more to their move.

Today (Sunday) turned out to be a beautiful day.  Adam (WB9AJB) met me at my house, and we drove to Lebanon to meet our other hamfest bud Mike (KB9RDO) for breakfast, then on to Lafayette for the hamfest.  The hamfest was pretty small and the day was yet young, so we decided to stop at an antique mall on the way back to Indy.  Adam bought a book about Walt Disney and his creations--a BIG book--but Mike and I kept our hands in our pockets.  The rest of the way home, Mike veered off to Lebanon to do some grocery shopping; Adam and I returned to my house where we looked at his book a bit before he left for home.

I got in a little snooze and basically loafed the rest of the day.  A call from Meg indicated that she hadn't felt well all day--this on the day after Robin had been sick.  (I can't keep them all healthy!!) 

This evening, I decided to take a trek out to locate a new desk fan, since the one I use in my bedroom was dripping oil onto its base last night--which I took not to be a good sign.  I went to Wal-Mart, thinking I would also look for some outfit to wear to school, since my "professional"wardrobe is basically non-existant.  I aced out on both!  Fans are getting scarce this late in the season, and I was appalled at my appearance in the dressing room mirrors (and the fact that nothing fit right)!  I came home discouraged--more about the clothes than the fan.

Once upon a time, when I was a younger woman, I had hope that I could shape my body by losing weight and toning, etc...but those days are over.  I can lose weight, but the body is never going to be as it once was again.  I guess the sooner I get used to that, the better I will be.  Still, it is time to stop agonizing over it and do SOMETHING to feel better.  I have to get control...somehow...some way...

In any case, tomorrow begins the first full week of school.  Hope I can survive!  There is always so much to do at the beginning of the school year...

 

Class of 2011

Today, I was introduced to my school's contribution to the Class of 2011, and so far, I am unimpressed!  It's not a fair assessment because I didn't have any time to meet with my Honors class due to a class meeting, and another class got short shrift, too, due to the beginning of the year confab in the gym first thing this morning.  Still, they all came in chatty and seemingly fearless.  (I had several of them in summer school, so I have a headstart on them!)

This year's schedule is a bit more challenging than last year's.  We have to be at school a full 30 minutes plus before the day takes up for Success Period--which amounts to tutoring for kids who need extra help and actually manage to show up.  Then, I teach 41/2 classes before lunch, and another 1 1/2 before my "free" period, then one more before dismissal.  (Last year, the day was more broken up than that.)  Makes for a long day and a lot of talking!  Not to mention really sore feet...  At least this year, lunch is at a more reasonable hour:  11:00 instead of 10:15!

One thing that happens when a teacher stays in the same location for a long time is that we start getting the children of kids we once taught.  That hasn't happened to me in Monrovia YET, but I do have the younger sister of a kid that I had when I taught elementary school way back when.  She was just born then...and now she is in 8th grade!  I also have yet another offspring of some folks whose eldest I had 11 or 12 years ago.  Have had four of their boys, so far...and this one tells me that there is yet another behind him.  It always bothers me to see the parents of these kids because I know they are thinking, "Dang!  She looks old!" 

Nothing has been done in my classroom since we left last spring.  With the new administration, we have been encouraged to go through proper channels to get things accomplished, but the administration and the maintenance guys have been so beleaguered with "schtuff" that our needs get put on a list, down low, even though we are the ones dealing with the students.  After months of asking, I chucked the channels yesterday and struck out on my own.  I needed three more desks in my room, so I snagged a custodian who found some for me.  My LCD projector is STILL facing the wrong wall, so I introduced myself to the new IT guy in the hall and explained my problem.  It's not fixed yet, but at least he came into the room to see what needed to be done.  That's progress!  I bought my own hand soap and paper towels to put by the sink because there still is no soap or paper towel dispenser there.  And so it goes...

I have spent quite a bit of my own time developing a challenging curriculum for my classes that will meet the State Standards for 8th grade language arts and will (hopefully) improve ISTEP scores.  I have made myself a list of things I need to improve upon and am working toward that.  Who knows?  By the time I am ready to retire, I might be a half-decent teacher!

I am loafing tonight.  Have some housework to do, but I'm not overdoing that.  New school hours means an earlier bedtime.  Have to get used to that! 

First Day Back

Ugh!  First day to be back at school, and I overslept!  Fortunately, this was a day without kids, and the line for the corporate breakfast's individually-prepared omelets (a first) went on for a long time. 

We had meetings virtually all morning, then got turned loose to work in our classrooms.  I had a lot to do, but my classroom is virtually not air conditioned...so I left for home at 2:40.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.

This evening was the Hendricks County Amateur Radio Society's monthly meeting.  The program was a type of scavenger hunt, provided by a leader in our membership.  It was fun!  We'll soon see what everyone else thought...

Tomorrow is another workday at school without students.  I will be forced to stay until I am ready for the big First Day on Wednesday.  There has to be a better way!  The room is so hot!  <sigh>

Here they come! There they go!

My daughter and my dog arrived early Friday morning.  Got me out of bed, actually!  We had a leisurely breakfast, cleaned up, and headed for a genealogy trip to Greencastle, Indiana--Putnam County's county seat.  Our first stop was the County Health Department for a look at a death certificate for one of her great-grandfathers, in order to quell a rumor about how he died.  (They wanted to give her a genealogical copy for $10, which would NOT have been a photocopy of the original, but rather transcribed information on a printed form.  She simply wanted to take a picture of it.  They dragged their feet a little, saying that they had never had a request like that before.  We thought they were being sensitive because of the possibility that the flash from the camera could damage the document, so Meg offered to turn off the flash.  We discovered, however, that they simply wanted to mask the information surrounding the entry she wanted, for the sake of privacy.  They scotch-taped papers to a 65-year-old ledger book to hide the other entries!  So much for our being worried about flashbulb damage!  Scotch tape does terrible things to documents!) 

We arrived at the local history/genealogy room of the Greencastle Public Library a little after 10:00 AM and spent the entire day there, with a short break while Meg went to lunch with her father and stepmother.  Meg, in her super-organized way, had prepared binders for us both to work from, with names we were searching for and family trees that provided dates, etc. 

A couple of Meg's Putnam County ancestors were local nobility of sorts, well-to-do and well-respected.  (One was a delegate to Indiana's Constitutional Congress when the state was first formed.)  Meg's grandmother on her father's side was a Bryan, and Bryan was one of the prominent county names.  In the process of our research, the librarian picked up on the fact that Meg is a niece of Pearl Bryan, the young woman who was murdered in Kentucky back in the 1800's, in what was called the "crime of the century" because she was beheaded and her head was never found.  (Her murderers were found, tried, and executed, but the story still fascinates people.  There is all kinds of lore--including ballads--about the murder of Pearl Bryan.  You can Google it to read the stories.) 

In the process of our research on Friday, we discovered that the glorious mansion on State Road 231 that we thought was the homestead of her great-great-grandfather Bryan simply wasn't!  We did find the actual house close to the other, not nearly as grandiose--and certainly changed from the historical pictures that we were given.  THAT bubble burst, but we did stop and take pictures of it on our way home, and I sensed that Megan had some of those goosebumps that come with that kind of discovery.  I know I did!

We stopped at a cemetery, then back to Plainfield where Meg left to meet Nathan in Fishers to trade children.  Meg and the kids came back to my house; Nathan got to go home to some peace and quiet!  He didn't bring the things Meg had packed for the children, however, so we were working with limited clothing for them, which I washed for Saturday's adventures.

Prior to my niece Lisa's visit, Robin had advised me that she wanted the toy box back in the living room.  (I had moved it to the back bedroom last Christmas.)  So, being a dutiful grandmother, I moved it back.  Well!  You would think the children had discovered gold!  They tore into the toy box, finding toys that are actually too young for them, but playing nicely, nonetheless.  They especially did well with a couple of puzzles.  (Note to self for Christmas.)  I had earlier told the children that we would clean up the toys before going to bed.  We had some food, and little Ryan declared that he wanted to go to bed.  We heard him in the living room singing the "clean up" song and chucking toys into the toy box!  We took him at his word and put him to bed.  Robin followed, after a bath, to my "bumpy bed".  In time, it got quiet in the bedrooms as the babies conked out after a busy day.  Their mother and I stayed up a little later, then conked out ourselves.  I joined Robin in the waterbed, and Frodo joined us both a bit later. 

At about 3:30 AM, I woke up feeling wet on my right sleeve and neck area.  I thought I was simply perspiring but sure seemed awfully drenched for mere sweat.  I soon figured out that SOMEONE had wet the bed!  I woke Robin and told her she had wet the bed.  (She said the dog did it!)  I moved her to the dry side (MY side) where she went back to sleep, and removed myself to the couch.  (I'm still trying to figure out how she piddled so high up on the bed!)  Meg got up to find me on the couch and figured out what had happened.  Can't fool Mommy!

This morning, after breakfast and cleanup, Meg and the children and I left for adventures.  Our first trip was to Hummel Park for a treasure hunt.  (A letterbox thing on the Internet.)  There are two letterbox treasure hunts listed for Plainfield, so we did the one for Hummel, successfully (although Meg had to get the box, when we found it, because it was surrounded by poison ivy, and she was the only one in long pants.)  We made a note that we had found the box, etc...then went to one of the park's playgrounds.  Soon thereafter, a girl from something going on up in the bandshell came by to invite us to join their activities. 

The activities up the hill were part of a YMCA nutrition and fitness awareness deal.  The children had just expressed that they were hungry.  Well, the activity included a goodie snack bag and drinks, etc.  The children enjoyed the snacks and some of the activies.  Robin participated in a sack race.  They both did scooter races.  And Mommy joined them both in playing with a parachute.  (Grandma just watched.  I'm not stupid!)

After that, we drove to Danville to visit Uncle Dan and Aunt Sara in their new townhouse, then drove back to Plainfield for the United Methodist Church's annual fish fry.  We were supposed to meet the other grandparents there, but things got messed up.  We ended up staying longer than necessary just to visit with them, but Ryan was able to be with his adored Grandpa Phil and Robin gave a big, long, head-on-the-shoulder hug from her Grandma Judy.  When we finally came back to my place, Meg really wanted to go home to sleep in her own bed even though Nathan would have liked for them all to stay here another night.  As for me, I would have gladly had my tribe here for another night, but if they were going to depart, I wanted them on the road early enough that I wouldn't have to worry.  They left amid requests for milk in their sippie-cups, raisin boxes, and chocolate kisses.  They got home safely, but tired.  I have one more free day before the school year begins on Monday.

How do I feel about that?  I think I am ready!  I ran into a list of summer household projects that I wanted to accomplish, dated 2004.  Guess what?  They didn'tget done in the summers of 2004, 2005, or now 2006.  I've decided that I need to learn to pare my lists of expectations and hope that it will lift me out of feelings of defeat.  I've had a full and busy summer.  So my house isn't perfect!  I'm the only one who cares!

Lots of busy times and things to digest.  I just keep on keepin' on!

 

God Works in Mysterious Ways

On Tuesday, I awaited the arrival of my niece, Lisa, and her daughter, for a visit of a couple of days.  There is nothing spectacular about that except that I had only met Lisa once before, at the funeral of her birth father (my brother) back in January.  All summer, I had hoped to drive to the Chicago area to visit, but it didn't happen...and Lisa agreed to come here, with daughter Lydia, and 8-month-old black German Shepherd "puppy" Crowley. 

Lisa is my brother's daughter by a girlfriend back when he and she were both very young in the early 1970's.  She was given up for adoption at birth.  Daughter and birth parents were reunited via the Internet back in the late 1990's, but for reasons known only to God, my brother stopped calling her.  The next thing Lisa heard about her father was from me...that he had dropped dead in a store on New Year's Eve day of 2005.  I can only imagine how she felt.  She didn't know me, but we had her name and found her phone number, so I called.  She attended her father's funeral on January 13th and accepted his flag, but it had to be overwhelming for her. 

Since then, Lisa and I have traded emails on a number of occasions, and we finally got a chance to spend some time together in the last two days.   I see nothing of Doug in his daughter, except intelligence!  She doesn't look like the Covill family at all (and Lisa, if you are reading this, that is probably a blessing!).  She is calm and patient and seemingly unflappable--totally unlike her birth father!  From her very arrival in the drive, I was comfortable with her here.  We stayed up WAY too late both nights and spent WAY too much time on genealogy stuff--but we had to pack a lot into a short time. 

Her car pulled into my driveway just about at dark on Tuesday.  It took her 2-3 hours just to get out of the Chicago area, so it was a long trip for them.  Lydia, 10, ensconced herself in the guest room (although still awake) at bedtime, and Lisa and I stayed up until 2:00 AM just talking.

On Wednesday, we slept late, then crated puppy Crowley in order to go to the Children's Museum in Indy.  We were gone from probably 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM.  (I think Lisa would have had a better time were it not for worry about Crowley.)  When we arrived back at the home place, we discovered that Crowley had been a busy boy!  Somehow, he managed to pull down the window curtain and broke the rod that held it up.  No biggie there, but how did he do that??  The real surprise was that he got Lydia's backpack, which was OUTSIDE of the crate, chewed it to shreds until it was INSIDE of the crate, with the contents of the backpack still on the outside.  Wish I had a video of how he managed that!!!  Lydia went to sleep somewhat early--maybe 11:00 PM?--so Lisa and I could stay up talking way too late, again.

Today (yesterday...Thursday), was a rainy day.  Lisa and I were kind of wiped out by late hours, etc....so we ate a little and did genealogy things.  She finally crashed for a long nap before departing much later than she had hoped for the Chicago area.  I got the call that she had arrived safely.  I know she is pooped!   

I feel good about our visit, but also humbled.  It is ironic that the only chance I had to meet my niece was after my brother died.  Had he not died, our meeting would not have happened.  She has a loving adoptive family that represents her "real" parents, but the genetic angle counts for something.  I loaded the young lady down with family stories and pictures and genealogical information...and I hope she forgives me for so much so soon! 

Meg will arrive in the early morning tomorrow (today now) so we can do a genealogy research trip.  Things are complicated by grandchildren care.  The day will evolve as it will. 

I hope to have Sunday to recupe and get ready to start the school year!

 

 

Clean, clean, hurry, hurry...

I am expecting double-overnight company tomorrow, and even though I THOUGHT the house was relatively clean and just needed picking up, I began to look at the place with a jaded eye.  Dust and cobwebs everywhere!  The guest room linen needed to be washed, and since Frodo is at Meg's for the duration of my company's visit, I figured I could put the living room decor back the way it USED to be before dawg.  In a house that is visited by toddlers, if you move furniture, you find things!  Vacumming required!  I have even polished the brass knick-knacks in the living room.  <gasp!>  Am I ready for the company yet?  Not on your life!  Still working...

I have paid one of my young ham friends to mow my yard this summer.  He came today.  When he was done, I offered him a glass of water while we talked about radio and I continued to move and dust furniture.  In the process, I saw sticky fingerprints on an end table, so sprayed it again and gave it some elbow grease.  Travis said, "You do know what you are using, don't you?"  I glanced at the can in my hand and discovered I was dusting with Raid!!

Megan IMed me this morning asking if anti-depressant medication is good for dogs.  My heart sank.  Thinking Frodo had gotten into some medicine at her house, I envisioned a call to the vet hospital and a rush trip to the doggy emergency room.  When I asked if the dog had eaten some drugs, Meg said, "No, but she's so down in the dumps, I'm considering giving her some!"  Apparently, the pooch misses me--which I think is amusing.  She was their dog for 5 years...has only been with me for 1 1/2...and seems bored out of her skull here because she spends many long hours alone when I am at work.  Still, we have our routine...  She genuinely seems to enjoy visiting the family, but I guess I am the love of her life!  Once upon a time, I was desperate to find her another home because I didn't want to have to have another living thing dependent on me.  Gaining freedom after raising a child and two cats, I was enjoying my freedom before the dog came here.  But--and I think everyone knew this would happen--the dog has issues, and we have eked out a relationship.  It is a pain in the butt to figure out what to do with her when I want a weekend away, but she is now officially MY dog...dammit!  She won't be going to another home unless I croak before she does.

Back to work here.  So much dust; so little time!

 

Baby Robin

Yesterday was my granddaughter's fourth birthday.  Much anticipated and loved at birth, our Baby Robin became (I'm convinced) the most photographed child on the planet.  Yesterday was no exception.  She woke up with a big smile on her face, knowing that it was her special day, and it proved to be just that.  She had an all-around Princess birthday party.  I'd say that Robin is one lucky little girl to have so many people who love her so much!

When the paternal grandparents (and a neighbor) arrived, we gathered in the back yard and broke with tradition to have Robin open her presents before dinner and cake.  Meg had a spread of yummy snacks to stave off the hungries while this went on, and Robin seemed truly delighted with the things she got. 

Little brother Ryan sat patiently and watched her open her presents.  He really was a good sport about it, considering that he is only 2 1/2, but he soon discovered that he had some "consolation" presents, too.  The Grand Prize present for both was a big-kid bicycle (complete with training wheels).  Ryan took to his instantly, riding around and around the inside of the garage like he was born with wheels.  Robin needs a little more practice because her bike is bigger and has caliper brakes.  Still, Meg's plan that the children could be playing with their presents while the grownups prepared dinner worked! 

After dinner, there was homemade ice cream cake that Grandma Judy brought, complete with four candles and fresh strawberries on top.  Then we returned to the back yard so the children could open a princess castle pinata.  (Yep!  Grandma Judy had found a pinata in the shape of a castle with Cinderella on it!)  This one, however, wasn't the kind that one hits with a stick while blindfolded (thus clobbering others in the process).  It had ribbons on the bottom, which were to be pulled, one at a time, until the right one releases the trap door--and the candy.  (Leave it to the Disney people!)  The children loved it!

When I left at about 9:00 PM, the children were splashing around in the bathtub, getting ready for bed.  Both should have slept well because they had had a very big day!  (And so did the grownups!  Megan fell asleep in a chair in the garage before dinner, watching Ryan ride around and around on his bicycle.) 

All in all, it was a lovely day for a young lady who is the apple of her grandmother's eye.  God bless the children!

Food, food...

We did get to the Farmer's Market today.  Busy place!  And tonight, we fixed birthday food dishes that were all home grown by somebody.  I did a cabbage dish that I love with cabbage, onions, green pepper, and cherry tomatoes, all purchased at the market or picked out of Nathan's garden.  I also did a zucchini casserole with home grown ingredients.  Until my divorce and move to Plainfield in 1991, I was never without a garden.  Gardens are a lot of work, but I get great satisfaction from taking something grown from the soil and preparing it for consumption months down the road.  In the middle of winter, I can have something I prepared myself.  Unfortunately, my yard in Plainfield doesn't have the space for a garden.  I miss it!

Tomorrow will be a busy day.  The house isn't ready for company, in the least...but one little girl's birthday will happen, nonetheless.  Gotta go rest my weary feet!

Jokes!

My grandchildren have discovered knock-knock jokes.  Here are some samples:

Ryan:  Knock-knock.  Mommy:  Who's there?  Ryan:  Apple.  Mommy: Apple who?  Ryan:  Apple banana-head!

Robin:  Knock-knock.  Mommy:  Who's there?  Robin:  Orange.  Mommy:  Orange you glad I came to see you?  Robin:  No, Mommy!  That's not my joke!  Mommy:  Okay.  Do it again.  Robin:  Knock-knock.  Mommy:  Who's there?  Robin:  Orange.  Mommy:  Orange who?  Robin:  Orange banana-head!  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...

You get the picture!

Here I Am...

Made it to Muncie yesterday afternoon without incident--although I have to say that I really don't like Friday afternoon traffic around Indy!  Meg and I picked the kiddos up from school (day care) and everyone seemed to be in a good mood.  In fact, the children played pretty nicely all evening.  Ryan spent the entire evening on his knees playing with his trucks.  Robin just bounced around from one thing to another, as usual.  But neither of them clonked each other, which made for a pleasant evening.

As it happens, Nathan will be the only one going to the qualifications at the speedway today.  That leaves Meg here to help with the children and the party preparations.  Yay!  Her jaw is still a little sore and swollen from tooth extraction--which turned out to be TWO teeth instead of just the ONE I thought was coming out.  She is doing well, however--much better than before they were removed.

The Frodog is going to be spending a few days here after I go home, to make room at my house for Crowley.  (Crowley is my newfound niece's newly-adopted German Shepherd "puppy".)  Since Frodo hasn't been socialized around other dogs, Meg suggested that she stay here until after Lisa's visit.  It will simplify things for everyone.

We are going to the Farmer's Market here in Muncie this morning, if we can get everyone up and moving.  Maybe I need to go rattle some pots and pans in the kitchen...

Change of Plans!

No one is coming here this weekend.  I am going there!  The original plan to have everyone here for Robin's fourth birthday got s-canned for another plan because Robin (and Ryan) are to get bicycles.  Bringing them here, then taking them back up to Muncie seems somehow impossible. 

Meanwhile, Meg and Nate are going to attend the Brickyard qualifications with Meg's father and stepmommy...so it looks like I will just go to Muncie and try to keep the peace between children before the birthday event on Sunday.

I have a niece--my brother's daughter--whom I have only met once (at his funeral).  Since she shares the same birthdate as my granddaughter (and my mother), I invited her to join us.  She and her daughter, and their newly-adopted dog, will come to Plainfield for a visit on Tuesday for a couple of days.  We'll see how well I can entertain a young woman, a 10-year-old, and a BIG puppy!  (Frodo the Wonder Dog will be staying at Meg's for the duration of the visit.  It's just wise...)  I look forward to the visit.

Tomorrow is the last day of summer school.  The weather has been unbearably hot, both outside and in the classroom, but the rains came this evening and have cooled things off some.  Thanks be to God!!

On another note, word from Ryan's preschool isn't good.  He has been hitting kids (yesterday) and wasn't cooperative (today).  The little dude has a low threshold of frustration, largely because of his big sister.  He is lost without her, but doesn't do well with her.  He will always be trying to catch up with Robin.  Only later will he find his own niche in life.  For now, however, he is a two-year-old trying to be a man.  He absolutely adores his Grandpa Phil, and Grandpa Phil is a good role model.  So is Daddy.  The problem with Ryan, unfortunately, is that he is TWO.  Stuff happens!  I just hope we can all maintain damage control...

God Bless! 

 

Have I Mentioned that It's Hot??

Another day with a heat index of over 100 degrees.  I go from air conditioned house to air conditioned car to somewhat-air conditioned school, back to car, back to house.  I'm keeping cool, so far.

The word from Muncie is that Meg's tooth extraction went well.  When I talked to her, the numbness hadn't worn off yet, so she doesn't know how the evening will go.  Grandma Judy is there giving a helping hand with the children.

I am preparing for possible company this weekend.  Robin's fourth birthday occurs on Sunday, so we will at least have immediate family here.  There is a possibility that my brother's daughter (whom I have only met once--at his funeral!) will be here, too.  She and Robin share the same birth date, which is the same as my mother's.  Interesting coincidence! 

These warm summer nights make me notalgic for the farm and my childhood.  My grandparents lived on a farm outside Streator, IL.  The house was a remodeled garage, remodeled into a house because the gorgeous old 12-room homestead on the property burned to the ground on my grandfather's 50th birthday, before I was born.  When I was a kid, there was no such thing as air conditioning in residences or cars.  (An occasional business might have air conditioning, with a sign on the doors, "It's COOL inside!")  But for the most part, we did what we could to keep air moving through the house--even if it was hot air.  At the farm, the drapes were all kept closed during the day to keep the sun warmth out, and opened at night when it was cooler.  After supper, everyone retired to the yard to sit in the shade of a huge old oak tree and receive whatever breeze there was.  We children caught lightning bugs and chased each other around while the adults sipped iced tea and talked.  My grandmother swore she could hear the corn grow.  Once in awhile, the children, in their pajamas, would be piled in the car to go to the Four Corners (a small diner/gas station just a couple of miles from the home place) or to the Tastee Freeze in Streator for an ice cream cone as a cool summer treat.  These were happy times when my parents and grandparents were alive, and I hadn't a care in the world!  To this day, warm summer nights bring back these memories.  Also to this day, I prefer night summer drives with the car windows down and fans in the house moving warm air rather than air conditioning--but as I age, I don't do as well in the heat, so I acquiesce to the wonderful inventions that have brought us to 2006.  Still, I miss SOME of what used to be.  (Makes me wonder what kind of memories my grandchildren will have...)

Three more days of summer school!