Holy Cow!

Had a doctor's appointment for Robin at 9:00 this morning, so took Ryan to day care and headed for Mooresville Pediatrics.  It turns out that she has an ear infection and pneumonia, so there was a prescription for an antibiotic to be filled, etc.  Got to looking at the antibiotic tonight.  The original cost of it was $145!  (Meg's insurance took it down to $8...but still!) 

Didn't get anything done at home today.  The running around lasted until almost 1:30, then keeping the bored little girl occupied and quiet took some doing.  When I picked up Ryan at 4:00, we all met Mommy at Sam's Club where we did a little shopping and had some pizza.  (Can't beat Sam's Club pizza!)  Home again, home again...to watch a video and head for the boudoir.

Am looking at leaving for my sister's on Sunday.  Still too miuch to do at home, but need to get in a visit while the getting is good!

God Bless the Children

We had a very nice Christmas.  Santa was good to me!  It bothers me some that Megan bears that burden, but honestly, I was just happy that we were all together.

On Christmas Eve, Robin and I went out to find last-minute gifts.  Ryan and Meg made cookies for Santa.  (I was so relieved that they did that while we were gone!)  Ryan loved it that HE got to crack an egg all by himself!  Meg fixed us a nice dinner.  (She is a good cook.)  Then Grandma had to lie down for awhile.  I was pooped...and when I got up about 1 1/2 hours later, the elves of the family were cleaning up the living room...and the dishes were in the dishwasher.  What a nice surprise!  All I had to do was run the vacuum in the living room to make room for Santa to make his way through the room to the Christmas tree.  

Meg brought out a family gift--a game called Perfection.  We all played and had hot chocolate.  Thereafter, both children went to bed willingly, for a change--but not before leaving cookies for Santa by the fireplace.  Santa's OTHER elves...Megan and me...stayed up late wrapping presents and bracing for the morning.  The rules are that the kids have to wait until 8:00 AM to get up, and no presents can be opened without the grownups there.  Ryan was awake at 6:00, poor baby...and so excited! 

There is always a down side, isn't there?  Robin started with a cough and fever sometime on Christmas Eve day.  (Ryan also has a cough, but no fever.)  Both children went to spend an overnight with Daddy in Muncie after Christmas dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Heffelman's, but Robin still came home with 102.  She won't be going to day care tomorrow.  Meg has to work...so I will do kid duty.  The plan, for now, is to take Ryan to day care and keep Robin at home.  If she can't lose the fever, we will be looking at a trip to the doctor.  She coughs so much that she throws up.  Never fun!

In any case, Christmas is over for 2007.  I think everyone approved.  God bless the little ones.  It's all about them, isn't it?

Christmas Full Moon

'Twas in the moon of winter time, when all the birds had fled, that mighty Gitchi-Manitou sent angel choirs instead; before their light the stars grew dim, and wondering hunters heard the hymn: Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found, a ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped his beauty round; but as the hunter braves drew nigh, the angel song rang loud and high: Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria. O children of the forest free, O sons of Manitou, the holy child of earth and heaven is born today for you. Come, kneel before the radiant boy, who brings you beauty, peace and joy: Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

There Comes a Time...

In spite of the fact that the house is trashed and I don't have my Christmas shopping done, there comes a time to attempt to back off from the stress and just be.  My church today had a largely musical service, with pieces from Handel's Messiah, complete with a mini-orchestra.  My grandchildren's other grandparents sing in the choir, and we needed to go.  I needed to go!  I figured I'd just cry through the whole service...but I only cried through part of it.  When I was in high school, it was tradition for the A Capella Choir to sing The Halelujah Chorus as the finale.  I know that piece like the back of my hand, and even though I can't sing anymore, it was wonderful to hear.  The children enjoyed Sunday School.  (Robin said she LOVED it.)  In any case, I'm glad we went.  (Mommy stayed home to wrap presents.) 

After church, I took the children to a local Chinese buffet.  In the past, behavior (particularly Ryan's) had been horrible, so I figured I was asking for trouble.  To my surprise, both children were totally civilized.  We actually could have some conversation!  We went home and didn't do much.  I did a little shopping while Meg did kid duty.  Later, I took the children to McD's for supper while Meg finished her wrapping.  And that is where my grandparental devotion fell apart.  Meg got the kids to bed and everyone fell asleep first time!  BOTH children wet the bed last night.  (Very unusual for Robin.)  So there was laundry to do before we could even put them to bed...

I have found myself to be emotional lately.  Anything to do with the Christmas story makes me weep...which is my indication that something else is afoot.  Perhaps it is sadness over years past, or the stresses of Christmas present.  I'm not sure.  All I know is that I am pretty exhausted.  I will try to get everything done tomorrow.  <sigh>

I owe so much to so many that I wish I could afford gifts for everyone who has been so much a part of my salvation this year.  (You know who you are!)  In spite of that, please accept my heartfelt thanks for all you are to me and my family...and my best wishes for a wonderful holiday.  God bless you this Christmas, and always!

First Day

I went to bed late last night, so my first day of "vacation" started late when I slept in.  Everyone was up before me.  I am usually the first one up!

I will take the grandchildren to church tomorrow.  The service is mostly music...parts of The Messiah, which is something I dearly love.  I'll just cry through all of it.  Have to take lots of tissues!

Meg is still out shopping.  I took care of the children tonight.  They were good--marathon DVDs, with popcorn, chocolate milk, and quiet times.  Ryan was totally ready for bed when I tucked him in.  His sister was, too.  She just takes longer to give up!

Talked to my sister tonight.  I will probably try to go to Illinois on the 26th for a couple of days.  We have to find if the other grandparents can pick the children up from day care while I am gone... 

As the year ends, I am feeling the tragedies and the blessings.  Sometimes, the tradedies ARE blessings!   We keep moving on!

 

 

I Survived!

Got through the last day of school today.  It was my plan to let Meg and the children go to supper somewhere so I could nap and go shopping after midnight.  Well!  That didn't work.  Meg wanted to talk about her day and some changes at work.  When we got back from Burger King (with the play place), I did take an excursion out.  Bought about $50 worth of stuff for the grandchildren then cruised the Wal-Mart parking lot several times looking for a place to park.  Abandoned that idea.  Thought about driving to Meijer, but there was mist in the air and visibility was somewhat lousy...so I came home to do some housework.  (Three loads of laundry and one of dishes.  MUCH more required!)  Will head out tomorrow to do more shopping.  The problem with doing it this late is that everything is picked over.  I can't help it!

I finally got Robin ensconced in bed at about 11:30.  I could tell she was tired, but she wasn't taking directions.  I think she gets scared.  Don't know what spooks her, but she needs to get over that!

Tomorrow is another day!  Will have at it again then!

Well...great.

The storm that we got over the weekend didn't amount to as much as was predicted for here.  We had about an inch of snow that turned to freezing rain and messed things up...then had about four inches on top of that.  Then wind.  It could have been a lot worse, but was enough to put us out of power for about three hours on Sunday morning.  I woke up at 7:30 AM because the house was too quiet.  I fired up the three oil lamps, and Meg offered me one of my Christmas presents early (some much-needed flashlights).  Fortunately, the house never cooled off enough to make things uncomfortable.  I cooked brunch after lighting the stove with a match.  The power came back on as we were eating.  Yay!

The grandchildren's day care provider pulled Megan aside this morning to tell her that Ryan was saying the F-word.  (This had previously happened with Robin.)  When he was corrected on it, he said, "Daddy says it."  Yes, Daddy does!  In fact, Megan and Nathan finally parted company over an incident when he pushed her and was cursing epithets at her with the children right there....and Nathan and I parted company over an incident only a couple of weeks prior to that when he was calling my daughter an f-ing b**** in front of the children AND me.  I went ballistic, telling him that if he couldn't control his language around the children, he needed to leave the room.  He informed me that it was HIS f-ing house.  And so it was.  So I left.  Not only was he voicing disrespect for me and his wife (my daughter) but he was abusing his children by causing them to hear it.  And now, they are in trouble for repeating his behavior, which is why I consider it abuse.  That makes me really, really angry--especially since his only response to Megan today when she called him to talk to him about it was to say, "I'm surprised it has taken this long."  Huh??  I am quite certain that Nathan wasn't raised that way.  He comes from a wonderful family with steadfast Christian faith and values.  I'm not sure when HE decided it was okay to talk the way he has...

Here is what bothers me the most about this deal: whenever innocent children come up with stuff like that, it is assumed that they heard it at day care or school or on the playground.  In this case, they heard it at home--which makes my grandchildren the ones who are exposing OTHER children to the not-so-nice parts of life, and they are too young to know the difference.  It wouldn't surprise me if parents wouldn't want their children to associate with mine because of this deal.  They don't use the word in our home.  I suppose that means that there is hope that they know it is wrong and can eventually learn the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behavior.  I mean, geez...  We are actually punishing Ryan for saying "poopie".  Now this?

I raced home on my free period today to pick up Robin and Ryan for a district family Christmas party after school today.  They had to sit through my last period class in the meantime and were actually better behaved than my 8th graders!  When we went to the party, there was pizza and salad and cookies and cupcakes abounding...and Santa Claus, etc.  When the administrative secretary took the microphone to say we were going to play some games, the kids perked up.  "If you have a red pencil, come up for a gift."  "Anyone with a paper clip."  "If you are wearing red socks."  "Green socks."  Etc.  At one point, she was offering a gift to anyone who could come up and name the married couples that work for our district.  The school nurse did that.  Then, she asked if one of the couples would come up and sing a Christmas song.  Well!  Robin and Ryan launched from their seats to be a "couple"!  I tried to stop them, but I was too late.  They were instantly on stage.  While the secretary held the mic, Robin leaned into it and sang "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" while Ryan just stood there.  It was kinda cute, actually--even if I was embarrassed! 

So went the day.  The children were sent to bed early because neither of them got their naps today.  Neither did Grandma!  I think everyone is finally asleep...which is where I am going now.  I haven't even started my Christmas shopping.  Have you??

 

Here It Comes!

Major winter storm on the way.  Depending on the track, we could get anywhere from four to eight inches of snow, plus blowing conditions, most of which is supposed to hit early Sunday.  This, my friends, will be the third measurable snow before Christmas...and I have to tell you that it makes for a looong winter when the white stuff comes before the holidays!  Now that the children live here, we have to be prepared for all eventualities.  My school district generally calls off school before Plainfield does. 

Meg's piece o' crap car is acting up again.  She really needs a more reliable ride.  If it makes it through the winter, it will be a miracle!

This week has been a busy one.  Meetings, meetings, meetings...plus a major criticism from the mother of one of my students.  I haven't addressed that, yet.  I'm waiting until I can feel civil in order to respond!

Meg did some Christmas shopping tonight.  The children stayed home with me, and they were good as gold.  I let them stay up later than usual.  They played nicely together and even helped pick up some stuff.  Though Meg wasn't home yet, they went to bed willingly.  Shock!

Meg's description of the evening at Wal-Mart sounded chaotic.  She called me sometime after 10:00 PM to say she was in the checkout line, but there were about ten people in front of her.  The combination of the coming storm and Christmas had everyone out and about.  She came home tired.  I went out to pick up some staples after she got home.  'Tis now Saturday morning, and I'm still up. 

Guess I should let things go for the night.  The grandchildren will be with us this weekend and next, so I will need some sleep.  Starting now!

 

Ahhhhh.....!

I have dreaded this week.  So much going on--including the HCARS Christmas dinner--I was afraid I would forget something.  (I did.  Failed to have the club secretary send out a mass emailing about the dinner, so one of my best friends didn't know about it and had to miss it.  Ugh!)  I had made plans for the dinner sufficiently late that I wasn't sure if everything was adequately covered, but it was.  The folks at the restaurant where we dined took very good care of us.  I came home delightfully full!

The best part about the dinner was that it was my swan song as president of the club.  I've done it for three years and enjoyed the majority of it, but there is enough going on in my life that it was time to let someone else take over. 

This morning, however, didn't go well.  Let's see...I was up at 4:30.  Plenty of time to get things done, yes?  I was dressed and had my hair done and most of my face on when I decided to help get the children dressed to go to school/day care.  When everyone launched, I got my school papers together and my lunch, locked the house, and left.  A block down the road, I realized that I didn't have my purse, my school/house keys, or my glasses.  I turned back, hoping that the front door hadn't latched.  It had.  The back door was deadbolted.  All of my spare keys were in my purse...in the locked house.  The neighbor has a key, but it, too, was in my house after the last time I locked myself out.  I couldn't get in via the garage door because I had the garage door opener switch turned off because it is connected to the outside Christmas light.  In a word, I was screwed.  Drove to school and emailed Meg, begging for her to find a way to come home over lunch or something, to unlock the door.  It took all of her lunchtime, and then some....but she did, which saved me.  Thanks, Meg!  She even got home early enough this evening that I wasn't late to the dinner. 

I have at least three other meetings this week, so time is pressing.  I'll try to write more tomorrow.  Right now, my bedmate (who is 5) is still up.  Time to beat her!

Ho Ho Freaking Ho!

I went out yesterday (Sunday) to purchase a couple of those lit deer yard decorations because the grandchildren like those.  I have never done much outside Christmas decorating, but this year (for the children) there is a lighted garland on the fence...and now the cheap-o deer.  Little Ryan wanted to do the hammer.  That means he was to pound the stakes into the ground--the stakes that are supposed to hold the deer up.  Heh heh...he did, and was quite careful about it.  When he wasn't looking, I just stepped on the stakes and put them the rest of the way into the ground.  He never knew the difference!

December is closing in on me!  There are so many dates being thrown around at work for this committee or that thing that I am getting overwhelmed.  Meg's car needs to be worked on to determine why it still isn't producing heat in spite of the new heater core, etc.  I am going to take Wednesday off to do insurance paperwork and prepare for the HCARS Christmas party, etc.  I also have a student who is hospitalized for suicidal depression right now, and I need to find time to go visit her.  She's a neat kid--she just doesn't know it!

My sister's birthday comes up on Friday.  I haven't sent a card yet.  Need to get at that.  She's OLD!  <wink>  Love you, Shari! 

 

Fat

Meg and I have been talking about the overeating deal.  I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life.  She is rapidly approaching an unacceptable weight.  We both maintain that we are out of control.  So what's the deal?

My family enjoyed eating.  My parents, both survivors of the Great Depression, endeavored to provide for us.  Wasting food for them was a sin.  Pie crust--delicious!--was made with lard.  Breakfast meals on the weekends were quite fatty, but the standard by which I measure brunch:  sausage or bacon, fried potatoes in some form, eggs however they can be fixed.  Then there is the rest of the day...and the rest of the week. 

Once upon a time, I walked the track at the park with a dear friend of mine...two laps per day, which was about 2 1/2 miles.  Then things got in the way.  Plantar fasciitis for me...and time.  I have steadily gained weight since then.  Meg has been up and down in weight, always a struggle...but when she puts her mind to it, she loses, big time.  So...why are we struggling NOW? 

I am somewhat convinced that, although being fat hurts my self-image more than anything else right now, that it insulates me from relationships.  Meg is considering that, too.  Perhaps we need new motivation.  I don't know.  I DO know that the both of us have to reconsider our motives and figure out what we want out of life.  I need to lose for health reasons.  Now...how to make what I want fit into the "what I need" category!

This isn't a good time to start a diet...but whenever is it a good time??

Santa Claus is watching.  I need to be good!

"That Looks Like a Lot of Work!"

Meg had a hair appointment right after work this evening, so I took the children to Chick-fil-A for supper (there is a play place).  We stayed for 1 1/2 hours!  The kids were good...didn't even resist me when I said it was time to go.  On the ride home, Ryan told Robin to "keep an eye out for Christmas decorations".  Sooo...we drove around a little bit.  Down to Hummel Park where they have some "coo" lights...and through a couple of neighborhoods that have luminary displays, etc.  Every time we went by a house with lots of lights, Ryan would say, "That looks like a lot of work!"  He must have said it a dozen times.  I thought it looked like a lot of work, too, but I didn't say it!  'Tis the reason that we have a chintzy little strand of garland and lights on the fence in front of the house.  Grandma doesn't do ladders!

The children's cousin Joey (Robin's age) in Tennessee has a staph infection in his ankle and is in the hospital.  They had to drill a hole in his ankle bone to try to get to the area.  He has had a dangerously high fever and may be messing with this for months and months because of a growth plate deal.  If you are the praying type, please remember Joey Fletcher in your prayers.  Grandma Judy has gone down to help, but it can't be fun for any of them.  Poor Joey!

The news from Meg's father is that he probably has to have his knee replacements replaced...maybe in December.  I won't comment further except to say that I once determined that if anything could go wrong with a health concern, it would happen to him.  He had an appendectomy back when I was preggers with Megan.  He got an infection that put him back in the hospital for longer than the original surgery.  Then there was the allergic reaction to penicillin after he had a tooth pulled...and the tiny drop of blood that seeped out of an incision that caused him to pass out when he had a bursa sack removed from one knee.  The list goes on and on...  His current wife is his caregiver now.  God bless the woman.  She has her hands full!

Three more weeks until Christmas Break.  I am working to try to make what we have left to do come out even with the time left in which to do it.  Tall order, sometimes! 

Robin got a "red light" at school this week.  She was caught doing something (ridiculously) wrong, and was traumatized by the fact that she had spoiled her perfect disciplinary record in Kindergarten.  We hope it was sufficiently traumatic to prevent it from happening again.  God bless my little bean.  She reminds me so much of her mother as a young'un!  I learn more about both children every day...

I am still in the middle of an insurance nightmare.  The ruptured aneurysm may cause me to have to keep working past the time I'd like to retire.  We'll see.  It "ain't" over yet, but I'm not crazy about the situation, so far...

Blessings.  Time for bed.

 

 

 

 

Arrrrggghhh!

It is 10:51 PM and I am doing battle with a 5-year-old over going to bed!  She is being particularly obstreperous and is at risk of my waking her mother to handle the problem.  I'm giving her until 11:00 to stop coming out of the bedroom.  God bless her toady little heart!

Decorating for Christmas should be a simple thing.  Just remove the things that the decorations will displace, then put them back later, right?  Ha!  On Friday, Meg and I moved furniture around to make room for the Christmas tree.  Meg went through the toy box to remove things that aren't used any more.  We took a chair, lamp, and two tables to the garage, which is so cluttered, I can't even find the Baby Jesus for the manger scene yet!  I vacuumed endlessly.  Meg took the straw bale (fall decoration) to the minibarn and hung the Santa flag outside the front door.  We did lots and lots...and the children enjoyed decorating the tree last evening...but there was still more to do.  We got the stockings "hung by the chimney with care" today, but it rained all day, so the children trashed the living room.  (In truth, there they were both pretty good for half of the day.  The rest....well...)  We took them to the library.  When it was time to go, Ryan threw a fit because Robin wasn't putting her grocery cart where it should be.  We were all supposed to go to the "dollar store" after that, but Ry had to go home because of bad behavior.  Robin and I did the rest of the shopping.  This evening, Meg spent a lot of time with both kids for baths and stories.  It didn't help.  They were settled during attention time, but whacko when it came to going to bed.  Heh heh...the other day, I made a comment about how I had been with children all day and needed some Grandma Time...and Robin asked, "Do you wish you had your own bedroom?"  Uh...yes.  I wish we all did!  Which is why I am hoping we can do something with the garage to relieve the stress in the rest of the house...  And we STILL need to trash a lot of stuff!

And so it goes.  Santa has a big task this year.  He has to struggle down to an electric fireplace that doesn't have a chimney.  (The children don't know that!)  I think I was about Robin's age when someone spilled the beans to me about Santa.  Once she finds out, she won't be able to keep the news from her brother.

Hmmm...it's quiet in the bedroom right now.  Perhaps I can go to bed now?  God rest ye, merry gentlemen....or gentlewomen, as the case may be!

 

 

One of Nature's Miracles

I went out to the car this afternoon.  Could hear leaf blowers working in the neighborhood...but there was something else.  Even as bad as my hearing is, I could hear geese on the move, way up in the sky, heading south.  Later, in the back yard, I could hear more--dozens and dozens of them, some in V-formation, and some reforming their V--so high they were actually in the clouds.  Southbound.  I don't know why that thrills me, but it always does. 

Had a fellow come today to look at the garage with an eye to remodel into a room.  It won't be an easy process, I'm sure...

Back to work here. 

Truly, Truly Thankful

Most people probably look back on the past year on New Year's Eve.  This year, I am looking backward on this Thanksgiving Eve, so I may have the proper perspective tomorrow, when I intend to give thanks to Almighty God for the year's blessings.

Megan and Nathan divorced, and she and the children came to live with me.  It drove away my loneliness demons and presented chaos into my little home, but I've been happy to have some purpose in life again.  The consequent months have been tough for everyone, in every way...but I am happy that everyone involved seems to be focusing on the children's well-being.  I'm glad to have my baby and grandchildren near me.  I am thankful for that!

I had a ruptured brain aneurysm on July 21st while visiting my sister in Illinois.  Have thought a lot about that...  Had it happened at home, I would not have awakened anyone.  Would not have been able to get through the night well, since I share a bed with my granddaughter.  As it was, my sister saw me come up the stairs and heard me throwing up in the bathroom.  (Too much information!)  A brain bleed is a whole-body thing.  It causes unrelieved vomiting and a horrific pain in the neck--and heat.  Lots and lots of heat.  My sister found me in the bathroom and asked if I was okay--which, of course, I wasn't--and brought TWO ice packs: one for my head and one for my neck, and a receptacle "just in case".  The next day, we went to an "urgent care" facility...and the rest is history.  It was a horrible experience for everyone--in particular, my daughter, who didn't know what to do, once she found out about the diagnosis.  In any event, if I HAD to have a catastrophic event, I'm glad I was where I was.  I got "sprung" after only a week and Meg could feel in control again.  I am thankful for that!

I recovered without a single disability.  I am thankful for that!

Robin was accepted into Kindergarten, even though she was five days past the birthday limitation.  She was ready.  I am thankful for that!

I have enjoyed the support and love of my teacher/ham friends.  I can't begin to be thankful enough for them all!  What would I have done without them??  Thank you, dear Lord, for that!

May God bless you on this weekend of thanksgiving..  Share your troubles with someone, andtrust that the Good Lord will bless you.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Yay, Megan!

A position opened up at the Bursar's Office at IUPUI where Meg works.  Meg applied, along with a number of other people, most with more seniority than she has.  She got the job!  It is a supervisory position in another room where she is now, and brings a slight pay upgrade (and more responsibilities).  You go, girl!  I am proud of you and knew you could do it!

I am officially free until Monday.  So much to do; so little time!  I had a parent show up just after dismissal today, inquiring about some things regarding her daughter.  She didn't stay long, and I felt good about the brief conference.  Ya just never know!

So much to be thankful for this year.  Many "bad" things happened, but they all happened for a reason, and the Good Lord has blessed us with so much.  It makes me humble.  It's all about love... 

Sunday in Paradise

I was up early again this morning, but not as early as yesterday.  Did get some things done, but was back in bed for a snooze by 10:00 and up at noonish.  By that time, Meg had gone down for a snooze because she had a headache and just didn't feel well.

It was not as pretty a day today, so I wasn't inclined to be outside much.  Meg had told me that Plainfield High School was presenting its last musical on the stage in the present building.  (Next year, they will be in the new, improved PHS.)  The show, which had a matinee today, was You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, a musical that I helped to direct when I was in an elementary teaching position in Illinois many years ago.  The PHS production was directed by none other than Robin's Kindergarten teacher, with the music directed by her old choir and vocal teacher.  Sooo...with Meg still in bed, I bundled the children up and took them, hoping that I wasn't making a major mistake by trying something like this with both of them.  As it was, they behaved quite well!  We've been taking Robin to stuff like that since before she could even talk.  Ryan is generally pretty good in theaters and the like....so I lucked out!  (And so did Meg.  She had a good 3 1/2 hour break from children!)

For only the second day in my teaching career, we have the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off.  Yes!  It will give me a chance to catch up on some things here in the house as well as do a little cooking for Turkey Day.  We will be celebrating the holiday with Nathan's folks again, who have been kind enough to invite us.  We are trying to keep things as normal as possible for the children until there is a tad more adjustment to the divorce situation.  Divorce is never a good thing, but we have all worked to maintain some semblance of normalcy for the children.  I am proud of Meg and Nathan that they have been able to pull that off.  More and more, the children seem to be able to "get it" that they have two homes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

It has been a busy weekend if not necessarily fun.  Colts won.  That can't be all bad!

 

Raking, Raking...(Over the Bounding Main?)

Sorry...I couldn't resist the title...

I was supposed to go to the Fort Wayne Hamfest today, but it's a 6-hour round trip, and there is so much to do here, that I decided to stay home.  (Sorry Mike and Adam!)  It's a decent enough day that I decided to commence to start to begin raking the leaves in the front.  That encouraged Robin to come out with the children's rake...then came Ryan with the second rake...then came Megan with the camera.  I told Meg I should be taking pix of her raking!  In any case, we knocked down most of the front yard in no time.  I have three mature trees in my yard.  I lucked out.  The ash tree usually dumps its leaves all at once...which it did, on a windy day. Voila!  Don't have to rake those because they are gone!  The unhealthiest of the two maples has dropped 99% of its leaves.  That is what we raked today.  The other maple is still holding on, so this won't be the last of the raking.  Besides, I ran out of room at the curb!  The branches and twigs on the ground will be our wood supply for our patio fire and marshmallow toasting tonight.  The children love that!

I was up really early again today.  That happens when I go to bed early.  I wake up and efforts to go back to sleep don't work...so I get up and putter.  Today, I had the fixings for stroganoff in the crock pot, did two loads of laundry, and did the grocery shopping...all before 7:30.  Have I made a dent?  No!

Robin is all hot-to-trot to decorate for Christmas already.  (We usually don't do that until AT LEAST the Friday after Thanksgiving...and I don't know how to tell the young'un that we can't bring a single other thing into the house until something goes OUT.)  I'm taking suggestions...

I am a great-aunt again.  Actually, I think that makes me a great-great-aunt.  My sister's third great-grandchild was born last week--another boy.  Mother and baby are doing fine. 

Meg and the children have gone to run errands.  We'll see how the kids behave.  It isn't always good.  Back to work here...

 

Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

A friend of mine asked me the other day if I wanted a "social life".  It gave me pause.  I don't have a clue what a social life is...and I don't have a clue if I actually want one!  I am so far removed from the real world that I'm not sure of anything anymore.

When I divorced my daughter's father (because he left the marriage for his secretary, who was looking for someone to stray with), I figured I could just run out and find someone to share my life.  But I was quite busy trying to make a home for my daughter and me...and maintaining a job...new territory.  There were a couple of occasions when someone entered my life and I was smitten...only to discover that they didn't want a relationship.  They wanted a sex partner.  (One actually told me that!)  It didn't take me long to figure out that I wasn't going there... 

I became a Show Choir Mom...and then a ham radio operator...and then a grandmother.  The advent of my grandchildren replaced the loss of my daughter in my life.  Now, they are all back, living with me.  If I had a life, perhaps it would bother me that they are here.  As it is, I don't mind.  Having them here, with all of the foibles, is better than living alone.  With that, I understand that I am in a "love me, love my dog" situation.  Yes, my house is chaos.  Yes, my life isn't my own.  Meg relies on me to do certain things that I have agreed to, day by day.  She pays her way.  It isn't the best situation here, but at least I am part of my grandchildren's lives. 

So...everyone knows that I have given up my life for my family.  Did I have a life before that?  I was freer, if that counts....but after my brain deal, I have new priorities.  I may be making major mistakes now, but I don't care.  Still, it's time to make a bigger house out of where we are...  We can't live forever sharing beds and space. 

Life goes on.  I just keep up as I can!

Oil, Anyone?

After a couple of schedule changes, I finally was able to arrange to get my oil changed in Brownsburg today.  I got more than I bargained for!  KB9RDO is a dear friend who has taken care of my car, with the exception of one deal, since I got the vehicle.  Today, he changed the oil, put in a new oil filter, rotated the tires, and put in a new "cab filter" because the one I had (that I didn't even know I had!) was plugged up with weeds and leaves and junk.  Mike is my Car Conscience.  He keeps gigging me about things that need to be done.  I need that.  Thanks, Mike!  Meanwhile, as he was servicing the car (on his day off, I might add), I put child booster seats together and got them in the vehicle.  Robin and Ryan had both well outgrown the seats that I had.  Hope this works until they are big enough/old enough to ride in the car without them. 

I just finished baking a little guy's birthday cake.  We are celebrating his birthday tomorrow, although his actual birthday isn't until Tuesday.  Ryan will be 4 years old.  We will go to his Heffelman grandparents' for the party.  God bless Grandma Judy--she had a family funeral to attend to...then her sister, who was there for the funeral, fainted and had to be hospitalized for observation.  And now the family party tomorrow...  She is such a special person!  (Meg asked, "What is it about people visiting sisters and getting sick?"  Since it happened to me, I think she's spooked!)

You know, life is complicated.  Relationships and circumstances change, but people don't.  We have tried to keep things normal for the children.  I think it helps them.  They know that we are all here for them.  The ONLY thing that has changed is that Mommy and Daddy don't live together anymore.  That's tough enough!

I am annoyed that the stores are filled with Christmas stuff and Christmas music.  I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to hear/see that yet.  We are living day-to-day here.  We just got over Halloween, for Pete's sake! 

Time to go decorate a birthday cake.  Ciao!

 

Insurance Game

I got a call from St. Francis Hospital in Peoria this evening, indicating that there is a "problem" with my insurance at the time of my brain surgery.  Apparently they were prepared to send a check for over $90,000, but used a company to try to negotiate a lower balance.  The company never bothered to call St. Francis because they know of the hospital's policy that they do NOT negotiate fees.  The insurance company now says they are sending a check for $67,000.  Uh...huh?  Who is going to pay the rest?  The gal that I talked to asked me to get involved and/or my employer's HR department.  Well...my employer doesn't have an HR department...and it doesn't help that our insurance company changed on September 1st.  Anything I do, at this point, is a lame duck effort...but St. Francis is within a month of sending it to an attorney.  I would then have to hire an attorney to go after the insurance company for the fees.  IF the company pays the original offer of $90,000+, I would have a balance of $3,500 just for St. Francis.  If they don't, and if I can't find an appeal process, I am financially screwed for the rest of my life. 

Isn't life fun??

Colts Lost! Hiss, Boo!

Yesterday, Meg rode with some folks to attend a Halloween party near Cincinnati that her best friend Tiffany had.  She didn't get home all that early today, since she was riding with others...but in the meantime, the decision was made that the children would come home prior to the big Colts vs. Patriots game, rather than after (since it was a late game).  Unfortunately, the Colts lost by four points in the last minutes of the game, after having led the entire rest of the time.  Meg was so put out, she just shut down the TV before the end. 

I worked my butt off again this weekend, but I can say (for once) that every single bit of laundry in the entire house was done and put away.  I even managed to do a little vacuuming!  Interestingly enough, the children didn't want that much to eat all evening.  I thought they'd want to launch into Halloween candy, but it wasn't even mentioned.  They were relatively good all afternoon/evening, with a few glitches here and there. 

Ryan's 4-year-old birthday will be celebrated next weekend at Grandma Judy's house.  I would have had it here, but the house (with four of us) would take a major undertaking to be clean enough for company.  God bless the little guy...he is such a sweetie...but somewhere along the line, he jumped from Winnie the Pooh to Spiderman.  I still want him to be my little guy!  <sigh>

I know there are those out there who are wondering how we survive in this little house.  It isn't easy...but there is a move in the works to transform the garage into another room.  I have a couple of folks arranged to provide an estimate...then have to find funding.  A huge chunk of Meg's paycheck goes for child care.  She pays me another huge chunk for rent and food.  For awhile, we can survive...if we can provide another room.  She simply isn't financially able to take on a place of her own until the children are both in school.  We are doing the best we can!

Field trip at school this week.  I need to get a lesson plan together for the kids who aren't going.  Another task!

Blessings..

My Day, and Welcome to It!

I took today off--all of it--because I had an appointment with the neurosurgeon and decided I didn't want to run myself ragged.  I ran myself ragged anyway! 

Because I wasn't going to school, I told Meg I would take the children to day care.  That meant she could go to work without messing with them, and they could sleep in a little after their late and busy trick-or-treating of last night.  I got up at the regular time.  Meg ran late.  I horsed around, giving myself an hour's travel time...only to remember that I didn't know what time the school bus comes to pick up Robin and the other school kids from the day care.  I was also getting them there too late for breakfast, and couldn't find the breakfast oatmeal squares that I had planned to give them.  Ugh!  We didn't miss the school bus, but I spent much of the day worrying about how they would fare with only graham crackers for breakfast!

Dr. Horner was running 30 minutes late in his appointment schedule...and I was there at least 25 minutes early.  I should probably mention that Dr. Horner has the same stellar reputation that Dr. Lanzino (the doc that did my craniotomy) did in Peoria.  (Lanzino is going to Mayo's, so he must be good--and everyone at St. Francis sang his praises.)  In any case, the only reason for my appointment today was to check on the incision, etc.  He asked if I had any drainage from it.  (Huh?  It's healed over.  I mean, it's been three months since the surgery!)  I told him that I didn't, but it does itch...but since my scalp is numb up there, scratching does no good.  And it doesn't make sense.  How can something that is numb itch??  He told me that it is a common complaint, explaining that the nerves are trying to reconnect and the brain can't differentiate, blah, blah.  I did ask him when I could be considered totally healed.  He said any problems that I have after 12-18 months are permanent.  (I don't have any!)  He did also ask me about my thinking...did I notice anything wrong with it?  Uh...no.  I have been so totally blessed!  He did tell me that I am better off than many because my head has been examined and we know that there are no more aneurysms.  Oh...and I did ask about the possibility that the "clip" on the aneurysm could come un-clipped.  I liked his opinion of the odds: mostly zero!

When I left Methodist Hospital, I found my way to Meg's work so we could go to lunch together, then wended my way to a Girl Scout store downtown in order to get Robin some stuff for Daisy Girl Scouts.  Would you believe $50 worth???? 

I headed back to Plainfield and came upon what I would call a rolling roadblock.  As I approached where I-70 branched off, there were two police cars that were side-by-side, moving slowly.  When we got close to another merging ramp, along came another police car and a motorcycle cop...and after that, they took off.  Didn't see where they exited.  I got on the radio, wondering if this had anything to do with the Vice President's visit.  KG9QJ said it could have been because the local radio was talking about Cheney's arrival at the airport.  I noticed that there was NO air traffic when I got near the airport.  (Highly unusual.)  Shortly thereafter, a jet launched overhead.  It wasn't big (not a passenger airliner).  I'm thinking I saw the VP's plane take off today!

When I got home, I took time for a nap, then cooked supper and went to the Kindergarten Center to pick up fund raiser materials...then went to pick up the children.  It is never fun!  They hug me profusely when I show up, but then there is competition between Robin and Ryan for stupid things, so that by the time we get home, I'm usually ticked.  After supper, Meg was about dead to the world and Robin wanted to go to the park...so I caved in and took them, even though there was lots to do to clean up the kitchen.  I think Meg got a small nap, anyway.  Both children got baths and went to bed...although Robin is still awake at 11:37 PM.  What to do????

Big deal Colts game on Sunday!  They are playing the New England Patriots--their nemesis.  Go Colts!  (Or, as Robin says, "Go Coats!)

Later...

I couldn't write much before because "stuff" was happening, but all is quiet now.  Sort of.

Meg and the children came back from the Heffelman grandparents' neighborhood with lots of goodies and all wired.  Meg was still wearing her bumble-bee outfit from work.  She came home saying that Grandpa Phil (her former father-in-law) made her cry by hugging her and thanking her for working so hard to make the divorce situation work for the children.  It took me back to a day, many years ago, when my father-in-law thanked me for taking such good care of his grandchildren (my step-kids) and making it easy for us all to be together.  I can remember wishing that I had heard it from their father (my then-husband) but I was gratified knowing that someone had noticed how hard I worked at trying to make a good situation for everyone.  Except for the fact that the children no longer live with both parents, nothing else has changed...but it does take all of us to make it all work.  The Heffelman grandparents are on call (since they are retired) in case one of the children gets sick.  The rest of us try to keep all of the bases covered.  It's a huge job!

The Colts play the Patriots this Sunday evening.  I don't know if I can stand to watch!  In the meantime, I am trying to plan for my radio club's Christmas dinner/meeting.  It will be my last stroke as President.  I am bowing out, graciously.  I will not seek, nor will I accept any position as officer for next year.  I need a break!

Need to go get my bath so the doctor won't be grossed out tomorrow morning.  I will probably meet Meg for lunch after the appointment, then stop at the Girl Scout place to get some GS stuff for our little Daisy Girl Scout.  Then home for a nap.  If I don't get a nap, I'm going to be really ticked!

Ciao~

Happy Halloweenie!

How did it get to be Halloween already?  Meg and the children have gone to the other grandparents' neighborhood to get more goodies.  It has been a crazy couple of days!

This would have been my brother's 54th birthday.  He is no longer with us, and that still smarts...but I do think of him each Halloween.  <sigh>

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning.  Decided to take the whole day off, only because I'm tired enough that I don't think it is worth it to attempt to go in to school in the afternoon.  Oh, well! 

The next big occasion is little Ryan's birthday on November 13th, to be celebrated the weekend before.  I suggested to Meg that we look into having it at McDonald's or some other kid place.  She said, "I presume that means you don't want to have it here."  Well...I'd love to have it here.  I'm just trying to figure out how we could get the place clean enough to have guests!  Ryan will be 4.  The question is, will we survive??

 

Blurrrrrr...

The week has been a blur of activity.  At school, things have been so busy that I haven't even had time to look at the news websites.  I am still mopping up after parent conferences with a couple of parents who need/want me to communicate with them on a daily basis about their child's grades/assignments.  Apparently the new software that we are working with isn't doing everything it's supposed to do.  I would tear my hair out, but I don't have much to rip!

Meg had a parent conference for Robin this week.  The news is good.  She is cooperative and hard working at school.  Doing well!  Today was the Kindergarten's Red Ribbon Walk (drug awareness).  The children walked around Swinford Park behind the Kindergarten Center/High School.  Grandma and Grandpa H. joined Robin, so she was a happy little girl.  Little Ryan can't compete with Robbie's school things, so he has to be louder and more spectacular (SpiderMan, etc.) in order to find a niche for himself. 

Several days ago, I got hit by an intestinal thing at the dinner table, so I went right to bed.  By the next morning, I was fine.  In fact, it was as if the whole thing hadn't happened.  That is the way I've been thinking about the craniotomy deal.  I have been so well that it is hard to remember that it occurred.  Of course, there are the scars...

Something has to happen here if we are to remain together in this little house.  I am looking into making the garage into a bedroom.  Don't know how many $$ it will take, and don't know where the money would come from...but we have to find private spaces for everyone.  Time will tell!

We are also looking at new holiday traditions.  This will be the first round of winter holidays since Meg and Nate have been divorced...and now the fun begins.  Who will be where, when?  I went through this when I was first divorced.  I think I got through it better than Meg did.  The children will be the main focus.  The rest of us, unfortunately, will manage...because we can.  Meg has had some trouble with events where "happy couples" show up.  Intellectually, she knows that there is no such thing, and that what one sees on the outside is not necessarily what happens on the inside.  Still, I understand her emotions.  Been there, done that!

Last weekend, we took Meg's car to the repair shop during my fall break so the heat could be fixed.  The dudes put in a new heater core to the tune of $600...but the problem still isn't fixed.  The car will go back to them, but it isn't easy.  Being without one car messes up everything for awhile.  Ugh!

For the first time in three weeks, both of the children will be in Muncie to see their father for the weekend.   I'm not sure how I will function!  The bed all to myself?  Wonderful!  I love my grandchildren, but I have to admit that it feels good to have the house to myself for a day or two.  More so for Meg!

More tomorrow...

Ack!

It's been a few days since I have posted here.  It's been a busy week!  I don't have much "grown up" time these days--or spare time at all.  Will try to find some time tonight to bore you with the details of my life in the slow lane.

Destination: Everywhere!

I was up at 8:00 this morning, before the rest, to go get my hairs cut.  (All three of them.)  I brought cinnamon melts home from McD's.  Meg and Robin were up and had cereal.  Oh, well!  Robin and I went out into the yard to gather "firewood" for later in the day.  Lots of burnable limbs and branches!

The ultimate destination of the day was to be Beasley's Orchard in Danville, IN...so we headed out.  First, we stopped at JoAnn Fabrics in Avon, to find some vinyl to cover the kitchen chairs with.  (The previous cover job has been ruined by kid spills.)  Then, since it was lunchtime, we stopped at Wendy's.  Then the Meijer gas station to fill up the buggy.  Next, we stopped at Cookie Cutters to get Robin's hair cut.  (She is so bad about letting anyone brush her hair that Meg decided to get it cut short.  It's cute!)  After Cookie Cutters, we stopped at Sears Hardware so I could look for replacement blades for a cutter that I had.  Next stop:  Meg's bank to deposit some funds.  FINALLY, we got to the orchard.  Took a hayride to the pumpkin patch, checked out the store there, then headed to the garage sale of a ham friend of mine.  Bought some "Spidey" jammies for Ryan...then pointed the car back toward Plainfield via the country to look at the fall foliage.  We decided to stop to get KFC to take home...then got home to eat it.  Thereafter, Robin and I went back out to Wal-Mart to pick up things we needed for our "campfire" on the patio.  When we got home for good, we started a fire in the burner and had s'mores.  As near as I can figure it, we went at least ten places today.  Whew!

The plan for tomorrow is to take Robin to the zoo.  I really would like to stay home.  There is so much to do.  It is supposed to be a lovely day, however...so maybe it would be good to go with them.  I'm just too tired to think about it right now!

I called my sister tonight.  Haven't seen her online or heard from her in awhile.  Just wanted to make sure she was still among the living.  She is!  I love you, Shari.  We will be in touch about the holidays.  Just don't know how things will go...

Later...

 

Kid Trade, the Sequel

Last weekend, we had Ryan while Robin spent the weekend with Daddy.  This weekend, Robin is here.  Ryan starts out with his Heffelman grandparents this evening, then goes to Daddy's in Muncie tomorrow with them. 

After we dropped Ry off, we went to a Chinese restaurant (which Robin likes), then went to the video store to pick up something she'd like to watch...and took a short trip to the grocery store to get marshmallows.  We lit a fire in the patio burner, roasted marshmallows, and made s'mores.  Robin is more cautious than her brother of the week before.  She didn't dance around the fire trying to make it more and higher.  She just liked roasting the marshmallows!  We also did a few leftover Fourth of July sparklers.  I think she thought it was a special night.  That was the general idea!

Have a lovely Saturday!

 

Fall Break

Fall Break in Indiana is a 4-day weekend that used to be reserved for statewide teacher workshops.  No one does that anymore.  We just have four days off during a pretty time of the year, but since it comes directly after the end of the first grading period--and parent conferences--I think people just fall into a dead heap!

I went in to school a few minutes early on Tuesday thinking that I would get the jump on getting my grades in, since the software failure of the day before.  The computer dude met me in the hall and informed me that it wasn't fixed yet.  He had logged onto my computer as him--a system administrator--just so I could enter my grades.  But there was still one grade book/class that even he couldn't seem to make work.  At issue is the fact that I take two grades:  spelling and language arts.  Spelling is only 20% of the overall grade; language arts is 80%.  I had to set the categories by weight, then go back and tell each assignment what weight it carried.  One grade book was okay because it doesn't have assignments that carry different weights.  The IT guy and one of the school secretaries were going to work on the one class that "we" couldn't do while I worked on the other four.  I got my part done within two class periods.  Andrew (the IT guy) came in and asked me to verify the weight categories for the assignments for the class they were working on.  FINALLY, it all seemed to get done, and they could go print everything out for the 8th grade.  (Parent conferences were to begin at noon.  There was no time to spare!!)  I breathed a sigh of relief, but still had to write conference notes for every kid that isn't in my homeroom, to give to my other team members, just so they could talk to the parents about how Johnny or Susie was doing in the other classes.  That is approximately 95 papers...and I hadn't even started because I couldn't put the kids' grades on the papers until they were entered into the computer, which I couldn't get done until just before!!!  (Are you confused, yet?)  I spent the next hour or more working on those.  Got them done just as parents were beginning to arrive.  Whew!

I was handed a stack of report cards for my homeroom students to give to conference parents.  Then I was told that the grades for social studies were wrong, so I was given a correction sheet.  Then, a number of people who were rushing around trying to get things taken care of, managed to fix the glitch that had those grades wrong, and I was given a corrected stack of reports.  I unstapled the incorrect ones from the required meningitis letter that was attached, pitched them, and stapled the corrected ones on.  Then I went through the conference notes from the other three core subject teachers and stapled them together just so I wouldn't have to waste time rifling through papers when parents were there.  That made me a pretty expensive paper-shuffler!  A trained monkey could have done it...

One of the things I noticed in my own last-minute grade deal was that a number of the final grades for my classes were quite low--even for the accelerated class.  As expected, my phone and email box lit up on Wednesday after conferences.  Parents wanted to know why.  Shortly before my prep period on Wednesday--AFTER conferences--I noticed that three grade columns for each class were marked "language arts" (80%) when they clearly should have been marked "spelling" (20%).  All of my final grades were incorrectly calculated!!!!!  Arrrgggghhhh!

I went immediately to Andrew to explain my problem, then to the principal.  Andrew got on the phone with the software company (again) because it seems that only they can "unfinalize" a grade book--which is stupid.  The principal just told me to get a corrected report card and write a cover letter to parents.  By the time I left on Wednesday, Andrew said that the reports were corrected.  On Monday, we will issue new reports..and I will beg parents to forgive the inconvenience!

Today...my first day of Fall Break...I spent it doing laundry.  Six loads of laundry and one load of dishes. We took Meg's car to the repair shop last night to get the heater core replaced.  That meant I had to take the children to day care and her to work.  The rest of the day, I spent doing endless laundry. Six loads?  Plus a load of dishes.  And at the end of the day--when I went to pick up the children and Meg--you couldn't tell that I had done anything!!  I don't know where all of the money is coming from to do everything there is to do, but we just keep pluggin'.

This weekend is Ryan's turn to be with Daddy, and Robin will stay here.  We'll watch the weather and try to go to the zoo with her, etc.  We had a Skywarn net tonight, but not much materialized in Hendricks County.  Okay with me!!

I know how vain this sounds, but I can't get my hair to do anything around the craniotomy scar.  It's been a couple of months since I had a haircut, so I am going to get a cut tomorrow and hope that it helps.  The plain truth is that I didn't have much hair to begin with, and then the operation carved a bunch of it out at a critical area of my head where my hairdo is concerned.  It has essentially deteriorated my self-image.  I understand that I am the luckiest person in the world to be alive and kicking after a ruptured aneurysm.  I understand that God didn't give me much to work with in the looks department.  I have tried to work around that for years.  But this is just demoralizing!  The only scars I have on my whole body are on my face and head.  That's not fair!

Okay...so after the pity party, I'll just go to bed.  More laundry tomorrow.  Stuff happens!

 

 

Tard!

I am just flat-out worn out!  I have two more days of school before a 4-day break, but tomorrow will be a marathon.  Parent conferences from noon to 7:30 or so.

Today, I was trying to get my grades in (by the end-of-day deadline), but it wasn't to be.  Nothing I tried to do with the new software worked.  After school, the IT guy and one of my colleagues came to my room to help figure things out.  As it happens, I hadn't been given full authority to do the grades since I wasn't there at the very beginning of school.  At 4:15, they hadn't gotten the job done yet, so I left--in hopes that I can get it done in the morning before the you-know-what hits the fan.  I had a ton to do tonight--filling in conference papers for the rest of my team--but I ran out of steam before I began.  It will get done tomorrow...or it won't.  At this point, I don't much care. 

I hope the rest of the school year goes better than this one, so far.  I need a system for getting grades entered on the software on a daily basis.  Just haven't figured that out yet.

Time for me to hit the sack. 

The Great Kid Trade

This has been a marathon week.  No rest for the weary!  Today, to culminate the whole deal, we had Fun Night after school (sponsored by the 8th grade teachers), then I came home to fix a quick supper and send Meg and Robbie to Muncie. 

What to do with Ryan while they are gone tonight?  Knowing a teensy bit about little boys, I decided that we would have a fire in the burner on the patio and burn up some yard trash.  Well!  I didn't get to the biggest branch in the yard in time to get it cut up for the burner, but we burned smaller stuff....and paper, and foam bowls and plates and cups...and anything Ryan could get his hands on.  He kept talking to the fire, and whenever something flamed up, he cheered, "Yes!"  It worked!  He's in the bathtub now.  He has opted to sleep in Grandma's bumpy bed tonight, since his sister is gone.  Grandma has to get up early tomorrow, but he and Mommy don't.  I hope the day goes well for them...

I will be at Coats for Kids all day tomorrow.  I'm a little worried about it since my feet haven't totally recovered from last Sunday...but we'll git 'r done.  My grades are due on Monday and I can't get the software to do what I want it to do.  I really need to go there on Sunday and get stuff done, but I may be doing the zoo thing with Meg and Ry.  Who is going to do the laundry and clean the house???????  I need a maid!  (Would have to clean just to make things ready for a maid.  That's bad!)

Oh!  Found the parmesan cheese jar on the floor in the hallway today.  Hmmm...wonder how that happened.  It appears that the top was chewed, although not breeched.  Frodo the Junkyard Dog strikes again!

 

Worn Out!

I don't have any answers to life.  My grandchildren are hard to get up in the morning because they are hard to get to bed at night.  The morning routine is fraught with tears and yelling.  The same thing with bedtime.  I am WAY behind at school and WAAAAYYY behind at home.  Nothing I do successfully changes anything. 

I'm trying to figure out why things are so much more stressful now than they were in the spring before I was off for the summer.  Meg reminded me that she was working at Kelly then--just 10 minutes away from home, and was picking up the kids, herself.  OH...so THAT'S why I could manage a nap before the dinner onslaught!

It particularly hurts me that the children are in a competitive/negative mode when I pick them up in the evenings.  Today, I was so fed up that I left them in the car when we got home.  I went back out to get them two minutes later, but they decided that Mommy would save them from wicked Grandma when she got home.  Shortly thereafter, I took Robin with me to Wal-Mart to do grocery shopping.  We were gone a long time.  Ryan was still in the bathtub when we got back, and Robin taunted him with a game that I had bought for them.  ARRRGGHHHHH!

Nathan and Megan have determined that there needs to be a split weekend, whereby one child goes to Muncie and the other stays here...then the reverse for the weekend after that.  This is the weekend to try that.  Robin is to go to Muncie and Ry is to stay here.  One on one, both kids are great.  'Tis the together thing that causes problems.  I keep thinking that there has to be another life for all of us, but I'm buried trying to decide how it will all work out. 

Where is my mommy when I need her????  Oh, yeah...**I** am the mommy now.  Hope I can live long enough to see an answer to the messes....

Harold

The fellow I wrote about yesterday--Harold, K9PZ--is back in the hospital.  He went to a doctor appointment this afternoon with an internist, and they put him in a wheelchair and admitted him in the hospital, thinking he has a blood clot somewhere.  Yesterday's event was just the icing on the cake.  He's had other episodes.  That was just the first one where he passed completely out...  So please remember my friend Harold and his family in your prayers.

This has been one of those days with no relief from first thing in the morning until late at night.  I have been on the go all day.  I need to go to bed, but the few minutes of Peggy Time are precious to me.  I will deal with tomorrow, tomorrow!

Too Much Excitement for One Day, Thank You...

Today was "Colts and Coats".  The Salvation Army, in conjunction with Tuchman Cleaners and Channel 13 television, collects "gently used" children's coats for cleaning and redistribution to children in need of winter coats--and a major collection point is a home Colts game in Indianapolis.  Today was the day.  SATERN radio operators work the event, providing communications to various sites around the RCA Dome.  It works well.

Today, we had Harold K9PZ (and wife), working Twelfth Man Alley because he has season tickets and would be in that area anyway; Travis KC9HNS, who was riding with me; Bill KG9QJ (and wife) working as net control at Gate One; and me as a floater.  We checked in with the Volunteer Coordinator at 1:00 PM and knew we would be let off the hook along about 4:00 when the kickoff occurred.  It was hot--probably a record-breaker for Indiana in October--about 90 degrees.  Unfortunately, no one in TSA thought to bring water for the volunteers...and there didn't seem to be the usual street vendors anywhere around!

I was sitting on a concrete landscape barrier at Gate Two, talking to the volunteers there. toward the end of the deal.   We were going to be shutting down the operation in ten minutes.  I heard a female voice talking to Bill on the repeater we were using.  I had a little trouble understanding her, but it did get my attention because **I** was the only female on the net.  Finally, I heard Bill repeat what she was saying:  Harold had fallen and was hurt, and needed medical attention.  (The woman was a TSA volunteer who was taking coats near Harold's station.  I applaud her for getting on the radio and letting us know, even though she is not a radio operator!)  The 911 call went out.  I reached Harold before the paramedics.  (By his last transmission, I could tell that Travis was running in the same direciton.)  Harold was on his back on the ground with his head resting against a moving blanket against a concrete barrier.  He was conscious, saying he was okay but that he had gotten lightheaded and passed out, falling over backward.  He had bloodied a few places.  A couple of people were tending to him.  One woman official had his cell phone and was calling Joann (his wife, who was already in the dome at her seat)--to no avail.  (It was loud in there.  I doubt she could hear the phone!)  Finally, we had to send a Dome employee into the stadium to get her.  (She said later that the minute the guy approached her, she knew why.)  While she was making her way back out of the Dome, the paramedics came to look him over...then the Wishard Hospital ambulance.  The ambulance personnel got him up and into the air conditioned vehicle while waiting for Joann.  When she finally arrived, she determined that SHE would take him to the hospital, but in Hendricks County. 

As it turned out, Harold's blood pressure was way too low...and his blood sugar was high.  Compounded with the heat, he just keeled over.  He is taking BP medication that is working too well....  The hospital did some workups on him and finally let him go home, but he is following up with a specialist on Tuesday (an appointment already established before this all happened). 

I was really impressed with the personnel that assisted with Harold's emergency today.  Dome personnel were super-attentive, as were by-standers.  After they all left to take him for medical care, we had at least a mile walk to our vehicles.  I think I worked blisters on my feet!  The grandchildren had arrived by the time I got home.

Colts won.  Back to work tomorrow.  <sigh>

 

It's Friiiiidaaaaayyy!

Weekends--blessed weekends--are treasures!  By Thursday evenings, I'm pooped.  By Fridays, I'm exhausted!  Most of the time, the grandchildren go to Muncie to be with their father.  (Meg drove them up tonight.)  As much as I love those little skunks, the peace and solitude around here after they depart is priceless.

I tried to do some housework tonight.  Really, I did...but...(there's always a "but" isn't there?)...I didn't have the energy that God gave a sloth.  I did fill a garbage bag with junk from the computer room/radio shack.  More to dig out!

I like my last period class at school.  It is my smallest class, and they respond well to me, so I feel like I can mess around with them.  (It doesn't always work, btw.)  In any case, we were all feeling goofy today.  For those that didn't have their memory selection memorized, I told them to write on their paper, "I am a failure as a human being because I didn't memorize the poem, EVEN THOUGH I had a month to do it, so I am now 20 points down in my grade."  Some did!  I hope I don't get into trouble for that, but the truth hurts.  Heh heh.

Meg was sick for two days this week and didn't go in to work on Wednesday and Thursday.  She slept on the couch Wednesday night.  When I got up in the morning, she told me she had heard a crash outside sometime in the wee hours of the morning, but was afraid to see what it was.  I opened the front door and immediately saw that our mailbox post was smashed, broken off at the base, with the boxes (the neighbor's and mine) destroyed.  I figured the smashee was drunk.  The bad part is that the mailboxes had been smashed last July.  Neighbor Fred fixed it all up for us both.  This time, however, I was surprised to learn that the person who hit the post turned it in to her insurance, and the replacement was to be paid for.  The lady came to our door yesterday to apologize.  It seems that a truck turned the corner widely, and she had to hit the post or him.  Guess it did over $2,000 damage to her vehicle.  Anyway, Neighbor Fred got the boxes replaced and up today...and submitted the bill to her insurance.  And I didn't have to do a thing!

We are breaking temp records in Indiana this week.  SATERN is preparing to help with the Coats for Kids event, but the temperatures have been so warm, I'm not sure how many needy folk will show up.  In other years, it has been cold and rainy on the distribution day, and the coats were most welcome.  This year?  We'll see!

Way late for bed.  Meg has crashed.  My turn!

 

Fighting Fruit Fries

I guess I can't make fun of little Ryan's pronunciations anymore because he has corrected his speech.  He now says "flies", but with a tongue flick directly behind his front teeth that sounds affected.  We have fruit flllies...

The garbage situation in the house was such that the main garbage can was overflowing, so we just started a new bag each day and took it out to the trash daily.  Several days ago, a cloud of fruit flies met us when we approached the regular garbage can.  Ack!  I took the stuff out and found the culprits:  a couple of apple cores that Robin had thrown into the mix.  We have been fighting the little buggers ever since. 

I developed a slight fever last week.  It made me feel just punk enough to go to bed and hope that the bottom wasn't going to fall out of my world.  I had no other symptoms.  Then, this weekend, I got a sore throat.  A quick look at my throat made me decide to stop at the Immediate Care place down the road from me...just to make sure I didn't have strep.  I don't!  The doc there did tell me that the eardrum in my bad ear was shriveled and probably not functioning...and he didn't think a mere tube insertion would help.  I need to get an appointment to see the ENT for an assessment.  I haven't been hearing well for a couple of years.  It may be a permanent condition now!

Trying to do SATERN work and still find time to go to the Bedford hamfest, etc.  We'll see!

My roomie has finally crashed, God bless her.  Time for me to do the same!

Come On, Weekend!

I came down with a phantom fever last night.  I NEVER run a fever, so I felt punk and just went to bed at about 7:00.  Tylenol helped.  Still had the fever this morning but didn't feel bad, so I went to school.  (The students were to go home at noon so the teachers could have afternoon meetings.  Will happen again tomorrow.)  Our speaker had a death in the family so didn't show up.  We were dismissed after a brief after-lunch meeting to go work in our rooms...so I just came home, thinking I'd take a nap.  Didn't end up doing the nap thing...but it felt good to have a bit of a jump on the evening.

I don't think I have a fever tonight.  The mysterious thing is that I don't have any symptoms of anything.  Fever = infection....but where?  Maybe my sinuses?  If so, they don't feel any different than normal.  Go figure!

The grandchildren are going to be with their other grandparents tomorrow, and then to Muncie for the rest of the weekend.  As much as I love the little skunks, they exhaust me.  Actually, it isn't so much that THEY exhaust me as the clutter that follows them does.  The weekends aren't long enough, but I do so look forward to them...

Discovered a major conflict today, thanks to one of my ham friends.  The Coats for Kids collection (for The Salvation Army) at the Colt's game on October 7th is the same day as the Bedford Hamfest.  I can't be at two places at once.  If I can get enough operators, I'll bow out...but I have a feeling that isn't going to happen.  I'll start on that this weekend.  (Trying to find enough operators, that is.)

The children go into the computer room/radio shack this evening.  (That is a no-no.)  Meg found Ryan with a disposable razor in his hand, trying to scratch a mosquito bite on his forhead with it.  Of course, he has a razor cut on his noggin now...along with the chunk he bit out of his tongue this afternoon.  Maybe he will learn to leave things alone?  (Wanna bet???)

Have to take the garbage out before I can go to bed...and I hardly know where to start!  I keep collecting it, but it keeps showing up!  <sigh>

Uh...well...um...

One of my "hamster" friends (who shall remain nameless, but he retired last year and moved to Alabama, the skunk) mentioned that he likes catching up on things by reading my blog...except he is bored with my entries about my grandchildren.  So I decided that I would write about something else tonight. 

Well.......let's see.....um.....hmmm....  I'm sure there is SOMETHING I can write about.  Let me think.  This might take awhile....

We had an "informal" weather net late this afternoon.  (Informal means that the National Weather Service didn't ask us to call it up, but it was called up anyway.)  I was on my way to pick up...uh...those little persons that live in my house, and take them for Kdg. night at Chick-fil-A for dinner...so I wasn't on the net long.  When I returned home, it was Tuesday evening net time, but the repeater wasn't working.  Don't know what happened to it, but I am assuming that the weather did something to it.  We had our evening net on another repeater--and it took some doodling with the buttons on the base radio to figger out how to get to it.  We haven't had more than 2 or 3 weather nets all summer, so I'm not sure anyone remembered what to do!  Rain has been at a premium...

Another of my ham friends, KB9RDO, mentioned on the radio this morning that I should be more diligent in monitoring my blood pressure.  That caused me to look up the "clipped brain aneurysm" on Google, just to see what my risks are.  What I read shows that I am a very lucky duck to be normal.  I also noted that the clip can move...and that there are other risks (minor and rare) for another aneurysm to occur.  Still, the thought of going through the whole thing again has caused me to consider that I need to get serious about losing weight and taking better care of myself.  I don't know where to start!  I'm already behind in paperwork at school, the calendar is filling up fast with activities that require me, my house is an obstacle course, AND, I am not getting enough valuable sleep.  There are a lot of decisions that need to be made, and I can't make them.  Dr. Phil, where are you when I need you?!

I think my bedmate has finally crashed.  I hope we don't have another morning like this morning was in preparation for job/school departure.  It wasn't fun!  Tomorrow is another day...

Who's Going to Kill Me First??

The kids?  Or the dog??

Frodo the Junkyard Dog is on steroids again, due to her ears.  That makes her an absolute food whore.  And what goes in must come out.  We have had several incidents of poop in the house.  TOO MANY incidents of poop in the house.  I hate that!  The 'roids also make her thirsty, so she drinks a lot.  Today, in spite of the fact that there were the usual doggie Pampers on the kitchen floor, she left no fewer than four puddles on the carpet.  And the day isn't over yet!  I scolded: "If you don't stop using the house as your toilet, you are going to have to go live with someone else!!"  Robin heard me and teared up.  She loves the stupid dog.  <Sigh!>

I had promised the children a picnic for last Thursday for supper.  That was the day I was called to come get Ryan because he was throwing up.  So much for the picnic!  The next day (yesterday) it was too hot and we had errands to run.  So much for the picnic again.  Today, I didn't have an excuse.  I took Robin to go pick out some pumpkins for our fall "display" by the front door.  When we returned, I decided to take the kids to get McDonald's food, then go to Hummel Park for our picnic and play.  Meg was to go to grocery shopping in our absence.  Apparently the call of the playground doesn't hold as much attraction as it used to.  The kids seemed somehow bored with the whole thing--except for the TWO restroom trips.  (The restrooms at Hummel are a whole field away from the play area.  Bad planning on the town's part!)

Okay...so when Meg got home from shopping, I took a nap.  The children should have, too, because they--Ryan particularly--became totally out-of-control whacko!  By the time Meg was ready to pull out of the drive to deliver the children to Muncie, I was making the sign of the cross over her, hoping that she survives the trip!  It remains to be seen.  She should be home in an hour or so. 

Let it be said that I love my grandchildren, but there is something to be said for peace and tranquility, too!  As for the dog...I am beginning to wonder if dog meat cooked in a crock pot is good.  Au jus on the side??

I Need to Say This

My life and my daughter's have been intertwined since her birth.  Her father was no help in raising her, and after The Divorce, I threw myself into finishing the job the best way I knew how. 

Amateur radio put me in the company of males who, by the nature of their gender, feel that it is their job to fix things.  Women understand that whining and complaining is only a way to vent.  Men think that whining and complaining is a bid for resolution. 

My daughter and grandchildren arrived on my doorstep in early March for my birthday...and never left.  I didn't know that was going to happen, but I wasn't totally surprised.  A divorce ensued.  We have maintained some semblance of normalcy for the children in cramped space.  Yes, I get frustrated that not enough of us are doing the housework, and yes, I understand that Meg should be out on her own....but guess what?  A huge amount of her pay goes for child care, and there is no way that she can afford separate housing.  The other part of the story is that when they all moved to Muncie, I was--for the first time in 26 years--alone.  I floundered.  I traveled to Muncie two to three weekends a month and buried myself in trying to help out there.  With them here, no matter how wacky the situation is, it feels okay. 

We have a lot to negotiate, but we are doing okay.  Folks looking in from the outside probably think I am being taken advantage of.  True!  But I have accepted most of it.  I am co-parenting my grandchildren, even if I'm not the best parent in the world.  For the most part, I enjoy having my family with me. 

There are those who figure that having my family live here will ace me out of a personal relationship.  To that, I say that I lived alone for sixteen years prior to their arrival with no marriage proposals!   Which came first?  Did I lose relationships because of my daughter, or did my daughter fill the void? 

At this point in time, I think I am destined to spend the rest of my life with my daughter and grandchildren.  If anyone has a better idea, I am open to hear it!

 

 

Anniversary?

Today marks the two-month "anniversary" of the event that turned my life upside down.  Two months ago today...at about this time...an aneurysm ruptured in the subarachnoid area outside my brain.  It wasn't pleasant!  What IS pleasant is that I survived with no disability.  I am so very grateful...but also scared.  I figure I dodged one enormous bullet, but the next bullet might find its mark.  In some respects, I feel that I am living on borrowed time.  It isn't a comfortable feeling...

It was Homecoming for Monrovia today.  Our pep session at the end of the day consisted of a Powder Puff football game (girls) playing on the football field, which is down a hill from the school--a rock road.  I remembered to take a hat to cover my poor scarred noggin so it woudn't get sun.  (The incision isn't totally healed yet, which somewhat surprises me.  I also don't see a lot of hair activity.  Too early to tell?  Hmmmmm....)  As I was walking down the rock road to the football field, I wondered if I was doing more than I should have, but I keep on keepin' on.

Yesterday, about 45 minutes after I got home from school, a call came in from the day care provider saying that Ryan was throwing up.  I needed to go get the kids.  It was only about an hour earlier than I usually do that, so it wasn't a big deal...but there are problems with the trip home.  The children have a competition going about who gets to go in the house first.  Ryan's car seat is right behind the driver's seat, so it is normal for me to get him unstrapped first.  That doesn't always sit well with his sister.  I got out the car to unstrap him and saw that he was about to throw up.  I had taken a pan for that purpose, so was leaning over him and holding the pan while the poor little dude dealt with his upset tummy.  His sister interpreted that as my getting him out first, so decided to kick in his direction.  She hit my thumb.  I yelled...loudly.  Told her she was behaving like a spoiled brat.  When I finally got both kids out of the car, Robin ran to the bedroom and hid under the covers in our bedroom.  Ryan was fine thereafter, but it took a little prodding to get Robbie to accept my apology for yelling, while accepting her bad behavior.  When we kissed and made up, she wanted to decorate the house for fall.  That's a lovely idea, but the place is trashed.  How can we decorate????

After school tonight, we all went to McDonald's for supper (for the play area) but both children totally misbehaved.  I don't know what it is.  There seems to be a button in Ryan that something pushes and he is out of control.  His sister can be just as bad.  In any case, we finally got things somewhat under control.  Bought winter jackets for the children, a Halloween costume for Ryan, a couple of shirts for them, a new DVD/VHS player to replace the one that isn't working now...blah, blah.   They won't be going to Muncie to see their father until late tomorrow.  Can we survive?????  Inquiring minds want to know!

 

 

Oops!

Couldn't go to the Monrovia football game last night because getting the dog out of her vet appointment took too long.  (Vet = infected ears = bad doggy smell = $300.)   So we had supper and went shopping for warmer clothes for the children.  They've pretty much outgrown the stuff from last winter.  Shopping with them is always an adventure!  We went to Metropolis.  Blah!  It was pretty chilly out.  The kids were in shirtsleeves.  The fountain that we went to see sprayed them, and the ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery made us all cold.  Home sure looked good after that!

The children went to their other grandparents' this morning, to go this evening to be with their daddy.  It's quiet here right now.

I have done laundry all day--except for escorting the dog to the groomer--but you can't tell I've done anything!  K9PZ's wife, Joann, shopped for winter clothes for my grandkids at her church's rummage sale.  We drove to Brownsburg to pick up the goods.  In a word, she "done good"!  The kids are well stocked now!  The only issue at hand is finding places to put everything! 

Meg and I talked a bit this evening about the health issue I had.  I was curious how she got the word out to folks about my situation because it seemed that I came home to everyone knowing and wanting to help.  She said something like, "You don't have a clue...."....and she is right.  The seriousness of what happened to me has never really hit.  My mind has a way of shutting down and moving to another place when things get tough.  Meg and my sister suffered the most.  I was simply at the mercy of the medical system.  At that point, my brain shifted into survival mode.  I'm glad it is behind us, but I wonder what is next!

I need to keep plugging on the condition of the house.  Maybe sometime tomorrow it will seem okay enough to live in! 

Open House Night

Meg played hooky from her class tonight in order to be here for Open House at the Kindergarten Center.  As it turned out, we all went (Ryan and me included) just to see Robin's class and have Meg meet the teacher.  It was pretty much a madhouse!  Mr. Pickard told Meg that Robin is "quiet but not shy".  Huh?  Robin?  Quiet???

After the open house, we took the kids to McD's for supper--the McD's with the play place.  It echoes in there, and some female child was shrieking at the top of her lungs, just for fun.  It was enough to drive me bonkers! 

I am finishing up my first full week back to work after the extended summer due to circumstances beyond my control.  I am tired, for sure...but, as I have said before, I don't think I am any worse off than I was pre-surgery...except that I am a few months older.  Makes a difference, I'm sure!

I haven't written my thank you notes yet--to the people to whom I owe so much gratitude for all they did for me and my family during my illness.  I need to set housework aside and do that!  I was on prayer chains all over the place.  People brought food.  People watched the grandchildren (and my dog) so Meg could be with me in Illinois.  People came to see me, both in the hospital and at home--babysat with me, actually.  Sent flowers.  Sent cards.  Cleaned my house.  Shampooed my carpets.  Mowed my lawn.  Sent money!  Where do I start saying "thank you" for all of that????

Can't go to bed until the last load of laundry is dry and folded.  We couldn't find a clean shirt for the little guy this morning.  He doesn't have too many clothes to begin with, and I didn't get much laundry done last weekend.  Down to the dregs!  We meed to make a shopping excursion this weekend because the seasons are changing--starting with Goodwill!

Both Meg and Robbie have colds.  Meg has felt pretty lousy the last two days, but she keeps on going.  We all do!  Hope I don't catch this...

I'm looking forward to a cooler weekend.  Maybe I can work on my garage again????

 

Meeting

This is my third year as President of the Hendricks County Amateur Radio Society.  We only meet once a month, but the meetings roll around pretty quickly...and I have been fresh out of program ideas for a number of months now!  Over the years, we have had special guests:  our county's EMA director, the ARES Coordinator for Marion County, etc., and hams who have come to talk about PSK-31, antenna launching, high definition radio, etc.  We have had a county "treasure hunt" that was coordinated by the Skywarn Director, a show-and-tell in which members brought their favorite little tools or things that come in handy in radio.  So far, it has gone fairly well, and I have been lucky in that no one has refused me, even in my last-minute bids for presentations.  (For the most part, I think the membership doesn't care much what we do!)  My poor belabored brain, however, has hit a dry spot. 

I spent some time this weekend searching around on the Internet for ideas...something that wouldn't require a presenter.  I thought about a radio trivia quiz, but I didn't want to be the one to make it up.  Today, at school (in every free minute I could scrape up), I searched the Internet for quizzes I could plagiarize.  Some were too short.  Some were too basic.  Some were too difficult or boring.  Down to the wire when I got home from school, I started writing my own quiz of ten questions, ending with a question of embarrassing or "worst" events that happened to the members in radio.  Interestingly enough, the quiz seemed to be successful, and the stories were both instructional and amusing--my own included. 

I think the next three meetings are covered, thank God.  I have already told the membership that I will not be their president next year.  Time for new blood!!!!!

Time for bed.  It's been a looong day. 

See It Yourself

Patriotic Robin:

How to Make Mommy Cry, by Robin

Okay, so I survived the week back at work.  I was tired, for sure...but no more so than I normally am.  Of course, it was a short week (3 1/2 days for me), so that's not saying much. 

We have the children with us this weekend.  Normally, they are with their father in Muncie on the weekends.  Today was Plainfield's Quaker Day, complete with parade, so (since Megan had to work), I took the kidlets to Main Street to watch the parade.  Meg had already had a talk with them about not running into the street to pick up thrown candy.  We were prepared!  We had the children's lawn chairs, one of those folding chair deals for me, two plastic grocery bags--and all kinds of excitement.  When the parade started, I taught the children to stand for the first American flag that goes by.  (Ever the teacher!)  And then came the candy!  We were in a strategic spot--close to the beginning of the parade (so everyone still had plenty of candy to throw) and away from other children so mine stuck out.  It rained candy!  At first, Ryan was apprehensive about leaving the curb to pick up the loot, per his mother's warning, but by the third throw, he was oblivious to the parade and out in the street hauling in the goodies!  When the parade was over, we had two bags loaded with candy to carry back to the car.  Ryan thought he was a pig in slop!

One of the floats had the Pledge of Allegiance on it.  I mentioned it to Robin who told me that they say the Pledge in school.  I was glad to hear that, but she's only been in Kindergarten for three weeks.  How much can 5-year-olds know about the Pledge--much less know it?   

We decided to do Chinese for supper.  In the restaurant, Robin was telling her mother about the parade and the float with the Pledge on it.  She said she knew the Pledge.  I didn't half believe her...until she started reciting it.  Our jaws dropped.  She knew it!  We have "one nation, under God, unvisible, with liverty and justice for all"....but it was a masterpiece!  I looked over at Megan...and (of course) she was crying.  Now I think my daughter gets why I sat in the bleachers blubbered during her solo in her second grade Christmas concert!

The house is trashed.  Having the children for the weekend leaves no opportunity to catch up on housework.  Ugh! 

 

First Day Back

My first day back at work actually turned out to be just a half day.  I had a 9:30 AM doctor's appointment at Methodist Hospital in Indy...so didn't get to school until lunch time.  (11:00.)  I was greeted well by my colleagues, all wanting to know how I am feeling.  My prep period was taken up with a meeting (figures!) so I didn't get much done except teach a couple of classes.  (I hated to interrupt the sub, but I think he was grateful to have me take over.  He said something like, "Now they will finally learn some English.")  I was impressed with the job he had done in getting the kids used to routine.  I noticed that the students didn't bolt from the room when the bell rang--even at lunch--and that they began their ten minutes of silent reading without having to be told.  That's a huge job at the beginning of the year, getting the kids used to routine.  My hat is off to him!

I had hoped that today's doctor appointment would be my last one...but, as it turns out, Dr. Horner was not pleased with the appearance of the infected portion of the incision on my noggin.  He removed the scab (again) and indicated that I had to do a better job of getting it treated with the peroxide.  (Meg is my applicator, and she is grossed out by having to work on it.  I'd do it myself, but I can't see it!)  The "or else" nature of the doctor's threat is that if the bone flap in my skull gets infected, it would have to be removed and a prosthetic skull patch put in.  I don't like the sounds of that at all!  We will work harder to get the stupid thing healed!  I have to go back again next Tuesday.

Here is the hard part:  the office gals gave me a get well card that they had sent around when they found out I was ill.  It was cute...and was full of money!  It is hard for me to be gracious.  I mean, I was humbled and overwhelmed by the amount of money in the card...but how does one say thank you for something like that?  The words don't seem like enough...

Off to bed.  Tomorrow will be a FULL day of teaching.  Hope the kids appreciate the sub they have had.  They could have had a lot worse!