First off, in a household of 9 people & several furry, feathered, finned companions, there is no such thing as privacy. That said, I was not eaves-dropping, just over-heard the following yesterday afternoon. My niece & her fiance were in their room & apparently having a tickle match or something. There was some whooping & hollering & lots of laughing. Crash, our almost 4 year old goes charging into their room to see what's going on. They tell him he can't just come in, he has to knock. He sighs & goes out, shuts the door, knocks & comes back into their room. They say, no, you have to wait for us to say "who is it?" then tell us your name. He sighs heavier, goes out, knocks, waits for the question then answers as he's opening the door, it me .... Well they explain it to him again, stating that after that he is to wait for them to say "Come in". He is getting tired by this point but tries it again, then says, "Oh just never mind". Later another outburst of laughter & screams erupts from their room. This time Crash goes to the door & says exactly as I do, "Don't make me come in there guys". Following this statement he goes on to say, "OK, that's it, I'm coming in" I happen to be in a nearby room & shout, "No, give them their privacy, stay out of their room." There is a pause in his normally busy, noisy behavior then he says, "I give you sticker if you be good!" to the still closed door of my niece's room. It was pretty funny.
He seems to be on a real roll. Today he was playing with a bouncy ball which bounced under the couch & he griped, "Oh Tarter Sauce!" Can you tell we are Sponge-Bob fans????
My mother-in-law gave us a plaque a while back which says "Having kids is like being pecked to death by a duck" This is so appropriate on many levels since my husband also has pet ducks in addition to all our children. I couldn't agree more with this plaque, it seems to be laughing at me from it's position on my desk, taunting me, as if to say, "If you'd only known" Known the work, the heart-ache, the sleepless nights hanging out with a puking child, the trying to remember which kid likes pb&j & which one likes ham & cheese & not get their lunch boxes mixed up. Yes, I'd still do it, because other-wise I might never have learned how my bribery enforced parenting (I don't care what the experts say it works) has now gone forth a generation to my almost 4 yr old attempting to use it on my niece & her fiance. That is just too funny not to hear in person. So, the next time I get frustrated with finding his socks on the kitchen floor so that he can use his toes to scale the handles of the kitchen cupboards to stand on the counter & get candy out of the top cupboard, I'll try to say "Oh Tarter Sauce" instead of becoming frustrated.
Dear Readers, Be Blessed & find your funny bone then give it a good tickle-match!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Just Another Day
I had a rheumatology appointment yesterday & a flu shot, yippee-skippy. It is funny when someone has chronic pain & the doctor pushing on "trigger points" gently feels like he's trying to kill me & yet, the nurse apologizing for giving me the shot, doesn't hurt me at all. It's been a couple days now & I've not dislocated my wrist so there's more good news. Oh & the doctor increased one of my medicines to be taken more often since it seems to help me the most. Now on to slightly less boring news.
A newer phrase from my almost 4 year old who is in speech therapy which we have no clue where he picked it up is: " You just freakin' me out guys". He also seems to insist daily on me watching a movie with him. I don't mind but this excuse is wearing thin with the family for me not getting stuff done. He also described his oldest brother's new girlfriend as the one with the pretty dress & hair & tiny brown nose (she is very tan & beautiful, not a brown-nose, just tan all over). She was wearing a beautiful dress for church after a family breakfast adventure at a restaurant. Bless her heart, she held up well dealing with all of us plus the grand-parents!
I actually, for once, made dinner for my family last night! I know, my apologies, I should have warned you to sit down before reading that shocking news. I use to love to cook meals for my family & bake too, but lately, for the longest time it's all I can do to pop a take n bake pizza in the oven! I suppose having back spasms & being in pain whether on a heating pad, lying down or in the kitchen cooking had its upside!
Tonight will be the 2nd night of Kids' Wrestling Club for our tiny lil Boog. He missed the first week due to conflicts in our family's schedule & then made only 1 of the 2 practices the 2nd week due to dental work & being numb still. He loves it & it is truly fun to watch.
Our Gumby went to a birthday party at a laser-tag place & had the time of his life. Dolly drove him there & picked him up too. She said it's so cool inside she'd like to have a birthday party there! That's cute because she's almost 17!
I've learned that when the African Gray won't stop impersonating a telephone ringing if I tell her, "Wrong number!" she actually stops. This is an invaluable bit of knowledge & I'm thankful the handy lil trick works! I'm now going to try to see if I can psychically get the laundry to move itself from washer to dryer then levitate upstairs for me & fold itself. I won't try to make it sort & put away in the correct person's drawer, that would just be asking too much! Wish me luck, I figure with all the stupid psychic commercials I've been seeing, if I can learn by osmosis then I have a fighting chance! Yeah, right, but I can dream I guess.
Well, I've got boys to cart to school despite declarations of stomach aches & such. I told them they've played opossum too many times & from now on are going to school & the school can call me to come pick them up if they are still sick when there. They aren't too happy about this. Good thing I'm not deploying "Major Pain" tactics as in the funny movie "let me show you a little trick take your mind off that pain" ha ha.
I'm in desperate need of scotch tape so will also spend the day looking for that. We have just slightly less than a million Halloween pictures that Gumby has drawn to put up all over the place.
Whoops, I'm still in my jammies & need to skedaddle so bye for now Dear Readers, Be Blessed!
A newer phrase from my almost 4 year old who is in speech therapy which we have no clue where he picked it up is: " You just freakin' me out guys". He also seems to insist daily on me watching a movie with him. I don't mind but this excuse is wearing thin with the family for me not getting stuff done. He also described his oldest brother's new girlfriend as the one with the pretty dress & hair & tiny brown nose (she is very tan & beautiful, not a brown-nose, just tan all over). She was wearing a beautiful dress for church after a family breakfast adventure at a restaurant. Bless her heart, she held up well dealing with all of us plus the grand-parents!
I actually, for once, made dinner for my family last night! I know, my apologies, I should have warned you to sit down before reading that shocking news. I use to love to cook meals for my family & bake too, but lately, for the longest time it's all I can do to pop a take n bake pizza in the oven! I suppose having back spasms & being in pain whether on a heating pad, lying down or in the kitchen cooking had its upside!
Tonight will be the 2nd night of Kids' Wrestling Club for our tiny lil Boog. He missed the first week due to conflicts in our family's schedule & then made only 1 of the 2 practices the 2nd week due to dental work & being numb still. He loves it & it is truly fun to watch.
Our Gumby went to a birthday party at a laser-tag place & had the time of his life. Dolly drove him there & picked him up too. She said it's so cool inside she'd like to have a birthday party there! That's cute because she's almost 17!
I've learned that when the African Gray won't stop impersonating a telephone ringing if I tell her, "Wrong number!" she actually stops. This is an invaluable bit of knowledge & I'm thankful the handy lil trick works! I'm now going to try to see if I can psychically get the laundry to move itself from washer to dryer then levitate upstairs for me & fold itself. I won't try to make it sort & put away in the correct person's drawer, that would just be asking too much! Wish me luck, I figure with all the stupid psychic commercials I've been seeing, if I can learn by osmosis then I have a fighting chance! Yeah, right, but I can dream I guess.
Well, I've got boys to cart to school despite declarations of stomach aches & such. I told them they've played opossum too many times & from now on are going to school & the school can call me to come pick them up if they are still sick when there. They aren't too happy about this. Good thing I'm not deploying "Major Pain" tactics as in the funny movie "let me show you a little trick take your mind off that pain" ha ha.
I'm in desperate need of scotch tape so will also spend the day looking for that. We have just slightly less than a million Halloween pictures that Gumby has drawn to put up all over the place.
Whoops, I'm still in my jammies & need to skedaddle so bye for now Dear Readers, Be Blessed!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Why?
Why am I so lonely today? I woke up in severe pain, like a 97 on a scale of 1-10. That pain scale is so extremely stupid, it doesn't accurately reflect pain, I don't know if anything can. I'm feeling better physically but... The rain & skiff of snow have melted away. An occasional cloud rolls past the sun & the light & shadows play in our house, enticing our birds to chatter excitedly in their native tongues. About an hour or so ago I saw a young doe in our back yard with what was probably her fawn, though no spots. It is amazing how delicately these animals sneak about, nervous of any disturbance. I was mesmerised by how they could munch the leaves, striping a branch of a tree or shrub leaving the now naked branch perfectly intact. It brought me great joy watching them for as long as I could, even though I sight them often, they always steal my heart. I was then watching our fish & thinking of what a symbiotic world we live in, for the most part. Then I began to wonder, where I fit in with the whole symbiotic relationship & if my contribution was relevant to what I take in return. I think it may be sorely lacking & that saddens me. I hope I am further reaching & impacting than I am aware. I hope that for every negative experience anyone has, the good that comes of it is that he or she is somehow able to impart compassion, support or other help for others in a similar circumstance, maybe even a little wisdom if we are lucky. My Dolly girl came home briefly to grab lunch before heading back to school. It dawned on me yet again, increasingly more often, how much she is less of a Dolly girl & more of a Dolly woman. She looks so beautiful, I admire so many qualities she has.
I've been getting dressed & doing my hair & makeup even though just agonizing in pain around the house often times. It made me feel better one or two days, it doesn't seem to be working today though. Maybe it is because I am out of some of my medications, maybe a full moon is imminently approaching or in phase or phasing out, I feel like I'm phasing out. I liken myself to a catalog sitting on the end table in our living-room: collecting dust, not having anything new or of enough value to make people look further inside. Am I dusty? Yes, I'm afraid so & that isn't going to change unless there is a cure for all that ails me magically discovered overnight. I think I've pretty much tried it all- pretending there is nothing wrong, doing all I can to ignore every symptom, treating as doctors say, or telling them-hey no way, this isn't working-specialized diets, & so on. I'm fairly convinced it will take an act of God to fix this chronic pain disease which for years many believed wasn't real. The chronic fatigue that was to last only 6 months has gone on for 14 years now. Yawn. Luckily I am limber to the point of being called a contortionist as a kid, so when the hypermobility syndrome kicks in & something dislocates I can usually snap it back into joint myself without the usual trip others like me have to make to the E.R. -yeah, I found out there are others like me in this regard at least! Popping back into joint at home may avoid a lot of waiting room time & paperwork & $ but it doesn't hurt any less, perhaps moreso.
I have 6 children, my oldest I haven't seen this year, she was just too busy & lives in another state & time & money were of conflict for both of us at times. My youngest clings to me at times, whines & gabs & gets more than his fair share of attention. The ones in the middle are in school & busy with their activities. My niece & her fiance are on vampire schedule because he works swing shift so I rarely see them. With 9 people under one roof it is hard to imagine feeling lonely. Especially given all the animal companionship: fish, 2 parrots - an African Gray & a Senegal, a lop bunny, 2 dogs, doves & ducks. My husband works so much & doesn't hardly want spoken to when he gets home, he's just that tired & stressed. Well, such is life. I guess things will get better. I'm enjoying the computer today & various other electrical items as it appears our service may be shut off tomorrow unless another magic wand is waved. Always something, always behind, as my "catching up" post goes into. Be Blessed Dear Readers!
I've been getting dressed & doing my hair & makeup even though just agonizing in pain around the house often times. It made me feel better one or two days, it doesn't seem to be working today though. Maybe it is because I am out of some of my medications, maybe a full moon is imminently approaching or in phase or phasing out, I feel like I'm phasing out. I liken myself to a catalog sitting on the end table in our living-room: collecting dust, not having anything new or of enough value to make people look further inside. Am I dusty? Yes, I'm afraid so & that isn't going to change unless there is a cure for all that ails me magically discovered overnight. I think I've pretty much tried it all- pretending there is nothing wrong, doing all I can to ignore every symptom, treating as doctors say, or telling them-hey no way, this isn't working-specialized diets, & so on. I'm fairly convinced it will take an act of God to fix this chronic pain disease which for years many believed wasn't real. The chronic fatigue that was to last only 6 months has gone on for 14 years now. Yawn. Luckily I am limber to the point of being called a contortionist as a kid, so when the hypermobility syndrome kicks in & something dislocates I can usually snap it back into joint myself without the usual trip others like me have to make to the E.R. -yeah, I found out there are others like me in this regard at least! Popping back into joint at home may avoid a lot of waiting room time & paperwork & $ but it doesn't hurt any less, perhaps moreso.
I have 6 children, my oldest I haven't seen this year, she was just too busy & lives in another state & time & money were of conflict for both of us at times. My youngest clings to me at times, whines & gabs & gets more than his fair share of attention. The ones in the middle are in school & busy with their activities. My niece & her fiance are on vampire schedule because he works swing shift so I rarely see them. With 9 people under one roof it is hard to imagine feeling lonely. Especially given all the animal companionship: fish, 2 parrots - an African Gray & a Senegal, a lop bunny, 2 dogs, doves & ducks. My husband works so much & doesn't hardly want spoken to when he gets home, he's just that tired & stressed. Well, such is life. I guess things will get better. I'm enjoying the computer today & various other electrical items as it appears our service may be shut off tomorrow unless another magic wand is waved. Always something, always behind, as my "catching up" post goes into. Be Blessed Dear Readers!
Catching Up
It seems we are forever behind in everything no matter what, but maybe that further compels us to keep pedalling forward. I'm not sure some days. My husband brought home even more laundry than I did from the camping trip. He stripped the bed & brought in all the blankets too. Ugh. I was too sick to go to the most recent 2 home football games to support Big Z & feel bad about that. I missed Dolly's powder-puff game to attend a meeting for parents with students graduating high school this year. I also missed Boog (6 1/2 yr old ) getting to wrestling practice the first week. I did get to see my two oldest at-home children in their outfits for the home-coming dance & they looked absolutely lovely. Big Z had a date for the dance & Dolly went with her girlfriends.
As of late, we are all feeling better virus wise. I received an unexpected package in the mail from my uncle, the oldest surviving member of my father's side of the family. It was photos of my father when he was a baby with my Grandfather, also photos of my father from the war & his school year book! It was just amazing to see the process that was gone through to create these books, the pages were typed then folded in half at the top to make two-sided pages & the photos were individually glued into position. I can't imagine doing this for an entire graduating class, wow! There was a news article about my father being promoted to first lieutenant in the war, he flew B25 bombers on strafing missions in WWII. The package was such a nice surprise. I use to love surprises, now it seems I am fearful of them & I opened the package with trepidation fearful of bad news. It sort of makes me wonder where the fun-me disappeared to?
Speaking of fun, Crash has invited me onto his top bunk to watch cartoons with him a few times now & I've done so. More recently I've told him it's just way too hard for mommy to get up there so we watch on the bottom bunk which is a futon couch & quite comfy. Cartoons with a little guy or movies can be quite fun. Better than cleaning Sunny's bird cage that's for sure! I can attest to that after having done so this morning. The novelty of the some of the spilled bird seed in the cage actually having sprouted into grass from Sunny flipping his water dish over & watering it, not to mention the free fertilizer, well, the novelty just had worn off. Yuck. Nice & clean now though! I've finally gotten Loca, the African Gray to stop ringing like a phone by telling her "Wrong number Loca" Thank goodness, it is so annoying. Another fun thing was watching my 6 1/2 yr old & a large number of other kids at wrestling club last night! It was Boog's first time there, having missed the first 2 practices but he did pretty well. His partner, I was told by his gramma, had thought it would be like WWF style & wanted to know where his costume was & if they'd play a drum for him to come in with & he needed a nick-name! They did well & Boog really enjoyed it. We are hoping it will help our human tooth-pick of a child to build some muscle & good paying-attention skills as well. Very fun. I've been trying to add in photos to these blogs the last few days but some error is preventing me from sharing them with you, my apologies.
Well, Dear Readers, thank you for your support & Be Blessed! Have a beautiful day & find a way to have fun!
As of late, we are all feeling better virus wise. I received an unexpected package in the mail from my uncle, the oldest surviving member of my father's side of the family. It was photos of my father when he was a baby with my Grandfather, also photos of my father from the war & his school year book! It was just amazing to see the process that was gone through to create these books, the pages were typed then folded in half at the top to make two-sided pages & the photos were individually glued into position. I can't imagine doing this for an entire graduating class, wow! There was a news article about my father being promoted to first lieutenant in the war, he flew B25 bombers on strafing missions in WWII. The package was such a nice surprise. I use to love surprises, now it seems I am fearful of them & I opened the package with trepidation fearful of bad news. It sort of makes me wonder where the fun-me disappeared to?
Speaking of fun, Crash has invited me onto his top bunk to watch cartoons with him a few times now & I've done so. More recently I've told him it's just way too hard for mommy to get up there so we watch on the bottom bunk which is a futon couch & quite comfy. Cartoons with a little guy or movies can be quite fun. Better than cleaning Sunny's bird cage that's for sure! I can attest to that after having done so this morning. The novelty of the some of the spilled bird seed in the cage actually having sprouted into grass from Sunny flipping his water dish over & watering it, not to mention the free fertilizer, well, the novelty just had worn off. Yuck. Nice & clean now though! I've finally gotten Loca, the African Gray to stop ringing like a phone by telling her "Wrong number Loca" Thank goodness, it is so annoying. Another fun thing was watching my 6 1/2 yr old & a large number of other kids at wrestling club last night! It was Boog's first time there, having missed the first 2 practices but he did pretty well. His partner, I was told by his gramma, had thought it would be like WWF style & wanted to know where his costume was & if they'd play a drum for him to come in with & he needed a nick-name! They did well & Boog really enjoyed it. We are hoping it will help our human tooth-pick of a child to build some muscle & good paying-attention skills as well. Very fun. I've been trying to add in photos to these blogs the last few days but some error is preventing me from sharing them with you, my apologies.
Well, Dear Readers, thank you for your support & Be Blessed! Have a beautiful day & find a way to have fun!
Extreme Camping - Day 4 Home-coming!
I drove through 40+ mph winds to get home today with the boys. I then find out my 16 year old daughter, Dolly, had 3 girls or so over to spend the night. We had discussed prior to my leaving, no parties. She explained in her defence that a few girls for a sleep-over was not her idea of a party & if I wanted she could take me to a "party". Ugh. My niece & daughter got into it a bit & things went a little overboard. At this time, since I was met with most of the info the instant I emerged from the car, in my driveway, from the neighbor, I was somewhat willing to get back in the car & drive for another 3 hours away again. Dolly then complained there was not enough food left in the house for her & Big Z (her big brother, my oldest son). A $20.00 bill mysteriously disappeared too, supposedly. What is odd is that in the week since that, we've had a hand held razor for shaving show up & a pair of boxer shorts that nobody claims any knowledge of. I'm wondering if my missing sock to the pair & the $20.00 bill showed up at somebody else's house somehow in a cosmic trade?
Everybody is wanting something from me & I am unable to fulfill all their needs. I prefer to be independent & able to take care of things as they arise the best I can, but that isn't the case for me right now. I'm dependant on my husband for almost everything, he is the only source of income right now & does not like being told what to do so it is tricky to stroke egos & accomplish things in the correct order. Adult ADD & compulsive spending habits do not help him, but the heart wants what it wants & so here we are. On top of this I came home with an insurmountable load of laundry to do & in such pain & agony I winced as I climbed my stairs to check & move the loads from washer & dryer, being dependant on others to sometimes carry the loads upstairs for me. Others are not always available when needed & I hate asking people to do stuff, I'm seen as the Chore Queen, or so I fear, & often met with excuses as to why whatever it is cannot be done. Oh well. We manage to continue forward somehow. My cold reached the point where I was completely hoarse, the boys were sick as well. I also came home to a niece who had a stomach virus for days on end. Boy, extreme camping is sure looking good.
Survival skills are just as much used here on the home front as out in the wild I suppose, just of a different nature. Be Blessed Dear Readers!
Everybody is wanting something from me & I am unable to fulfill all their needs. I prefer to be independent & able to take care of things as they arise the best I can, but that isn't the case for me right now. I'm dependant on my husband for almost everything, he is the only source of income right now & does not like being told what to do so it is tricky to stroke egos & accomplish things in the correct order. Adult ADD & compulsive spending habits do not help him, but the heart wants what it wants & so here we are. On top of this I came home with an insurmountable load of laundry to do & in such pain & agony I winced as I climbed my stairs to check & move the loads from washer & dryer, being dependant on others to sometimes carry the loads upstairs for me. Others are not always available when needed & I hate asking people to do stuff, I'm seen as the Chore Queen, or so I fear, & often met with excuses as to why whatever it is cannot be done. Oh well. We manage to continue forward somehow. My cold reached the point where I was completely hoarse, the boys were sick as well. I also came home to a niece who had a stomach virus for days on end. Boy, extreme camping is sure looking good.
Survival skills are just as much used here on the home front as out in the wild I suppose, just of a different nature. Be Blessed Dear Readers!
Extreme Camping - Day 3 Recovering & Such
Last night our intrepid camper Gumby (7 1/2 yr old) suddenly emerged from the camper to sit next to us by the campfire. With sad, watery eyes he said in a pitiful voice, "I feel sick". He nearly immediately threw-up. Crash (3 1/2 yr old) fell asleep without eating his dinner but had noshed on jerky like a wild man. I hadn't slept more than a cat-nap here & there at various times throughout the night. It was amusing to hear little guy snores & the occasional blurb of sleep-talking coming from one or both of the youngest two. Since the boys slept in the living & dining quarters of the camper, there was no where to escape to.
This morning Gumby was perfectly fine in a way that only children can be recovering from a virus. My hubby was kind enough to hand me coffee, however our big dog was vying for more attention & put her paw on my lap accidentally knocking the literally, boiling-hot beverage all over me. Funny how fast boiling liquid can seep through a robe & pajamas-but I wasn't laughing. After a bit of debating hubby finally decided to attempt taking the boys out on his own to fish a nearby lake he had not yet explored. I had mentioned the idea of hanging out at the camp today playing card games & watching movies but this was met with extreme disapproval from My Dearest. Apparently these fish are on a schedule & won't wait a day to be caught, ha ha. I am of the mind that his winning a game of electronic Yatzee against me is what set the odds in my favor & elevated his mood to the status of fearlessly taking his sons fishing without me. I had previously beat the socks of him a couple times at games of electronic scrabble on his palm pilot. Men & egos are tricky things, like a moody cat or an injured wild animal. I envisioned open fractures & no cell signal. While the former is highly unlikely, the latter is true. When they left I locked the door - just in case, in case of what I don't know, there is virtually nobody around other than an occasional deer hunter a few miles away passing by. So, unless squirrels are going to knock on the door & try to sell me something or ask for me to put more dog food out, I should be race-ready for a nap. If sleep would just come. hubby's cpap machine hadn't been working so he was snoring during the nights too. Without that to contend with I may have a chance! Yea!
After finally relaxing (without my restless leg medicine & sleep medicine that's tough to do) I fell asleep for about 2 hours. Waking to have my same disc slip in my back for the 2nd time today wasn't fun. However, spying 2 Golden mantle chipmunks delight in running up to our dog food bowl, eat a kernel & take one back to their little homes gave me great joy & entertainment. In my next life, I want to be a chipmunk: they're suppose to get fat in the winter & rest a lot. The rest of the time they're spunky, energetic & always cute, making people smile. It's a tough call, stay up & watch them haul off all our dog food or - go back to bed. I have a feeling more chippy viewing opportunities will more readily present themselves than napping opportunities, so, back to being a "Bed Zombie" as Gumby newly dubbed me. The sun is out but so is the wind, I'm so glad I got to stay behind today & nurse my cold & everything else that's wrong with me! Note to self - let hubby win more games of Yatzee.
This morning Gumby was perfectly fine in a way that only children can be recovering from a virus. My hubby was kind enough to hand me coffee, however our big dog was vying for more attention & put her paw on my lap accidentally knocking the literally, boiling-hot beverage all over me. Funny how fast boiling liquid can seep through a robe & pajamas-but I wasn't laughing. After a bit of debating hubby finally decided to attempt taking the boys out on his own to fish a nearby lake he had not yet explored. I had mentioned the idea of hanging out at the camp today playing card games & watching movies but this was met with extreme disapproval from My Dearest. Apparently these fish are on a schedule & won't wait a day to be caught, ha ha. I am of the mind that his winning a game of electronic Yatzee against me is what set the odds in my favor & elevated his mood to the status of fearlessly taking his sons fishing without me. I had previously beat the socks of him a couple times at games of electronic scrabble on his palm pilot. Men & egos are tricky things, like a moody cat or an injured wild animal. I envisioned open fractures & no cell signal. While the former is highly unlikely, the latter is true. When they left I locked the door - just in case, in case of what I don't know, there is virtually nobody around other than an occasional deer hunter a few miles away passing by. So, unless squirrels are going to knock on the door & try to sell me something or ask for me to put more dog food out, I should be race-ready for a nap. If sleep would just come. hubby's cpap machine hadn't been working so he was snoring during the nights too. Without that to contend with I may have a chance! Yea!
After finally relaxing (without my restless leg medicine & sleep medicine that's tough to do) I fell asleep for about 2 hours. Waking to have my same disc slip in my back for the 2nd time today wasn't fun. However, spying 2 Golden mantle chipmunks delight in running up to our dog food bowl, eat a kernel & take one back to their little homes gave me great joy & entertainment. In my next life, I want to be a chipmunk: they're suppose to get fat in the winter & rest a lot. The rest of the time they're spunky, energetic & always cute, making people smile. It's a tough call, stay up & watch them haul off all our dog food or - go back to bed. I have a feeling more chippy viewing opportunities will more readily present themselves than napping opportunities, so, back to being a "Bed Zombie" as Gumby newly dubbed me. The sun is out but so is the wind, I'm so glad I got to stay behind today & nurse my cold & everything else that's wrong with me! Note to self - let hubby win more games of Yatzee.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Extreme Camping - Day 2 - The Main Event
Heavy thump! Top bunk occupant has awoken. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, soon followed by medium thump of middle bunk occupant & more pitter-patters. Whispering ensues & bottom bunk occupant emerges. The whispers verge on the brink of actual voice audibility with shushes & other orders issued by the oldest sibling, he is all of almost 8 after all!
Their daddy & I follow suit, whispering amongst ourselves. Discussion of breakfast ideas, how we slept (ha ha) & so on. Daddy dons a red cape & takes the lead getting up & prepping boys for the day, taking dogs out, firing up the generator & so on. When he had whispered to me he had coffee & sugar & creamer I had to burst with glee "Oh, I love you!!" My hero!! After I had unwillingly gone through caffeine detox - no soda or coffee - for over a week.
Boys begging for M&Ms, marshmallows & other non-breakfast items settle for bacon & eggs instead. I hear our nearly 8 year old say, "I think Mommy is a Bed-Zombie because she won't wake up". He is right, I am a Bed-Zombie, just not always sleeping, often longing for sleep with legs fidgeting & my mind wandering. Husband reports snow has melted quite a bit over night -Thank God! It's too bad the other family did not stay, having left late in the evening. I ask why Husband has not taken us camping in the summer - his smirky reply is "..because I don't like bugs." I'm still in bed with a robe on for added warmth, thinking the bugs are smarter than we are.
After breakfast & layering everyone in thermals, 2 pairs of socks, sweatshirts, coats & hiking boots we drove to the trail to the lake where my husband has come to fish for about 20 years. Now, for the first time his wife & sons were introduced to the spot. I notice deer-hunters' foot-prints in the snow, they had been here the day before. I found it highly amusing that there now lay deer tracks weaving through their boot imprints. Then we found bear tracks. I was a bit concerned that lack of common sense kept us from changing direction rather than continuing on in our jaunt to the lake, the same direction the bear seemed to have gone before us. The fact that our dogs seemed totally unconcerned helped me feel a smidgen better, since fishing poles, folding chairs & a pocket knife seemed inadequate resources to fight off a bear if need be.
My hips ached, my arms burned with pain from carrying just a few items, including a tote bag with medicine, camera & notepad, etc. Stopping frequently & as if a child in the backseat of a station-wagon I kept asking "are we there yet?" between panting breaths. It was, thankfully, a fairly wind-free day & the sun even pushed its way through the clouds from time to time. The shore was sandy with tiny bits of snow mingled in. No sooner had we arrived then there were echoing comments uttered in slightly whiny little boy voices, "I'm bored" "I'm hungry" "Can we go back to the camper now?" "Can we go home?" Like militant soldiers we issued answers & doled out provisions. Camp Robbers, also called Gray-Jays came to keep us company. They swooped in to eat cracker pieces I purposely dropped for them. They kept our dogs highly amused & busy chasing them away, even the boys got in on the action. Our 6 year old remarked that we were catching more birds than fish. I had to laugh at the validity of the statement, but mind you it hadn't been long. The birds were using the fishing rods as perches. Becoming quite comfortable with us a gray jay landed on my head starling me as I uttered "don't poop" & sending my husband into deep laughter. I was so grateful for the still air that was almost warm as the sun kept trying to push its way through the clouds. The quiet was so comforting to my soul, as was the chair for my exhausted, worn out body. About 45 minutes after lunch the first rainbow trout was caught & about 40 minutes after that a second. Each time it was as if Mother Nature was giving us a nod of approval - the sun shone warmly down on us, the campfire took hold, a Gray-Jay landed on my foot & on my lap. The kids were curious about the fish continuing to flop in the gunny-sack. Even the bait seemed more lively than I at this point. It wriggled through the dirt with ease & agility. I know something is wrong when I'm jealous of fishing bait's liveliness! Cloud formations made me wish that fibro-brain-fog hadn't erased so much of what I had once learned. I had read a book on symbolism but forgotten it. As I wondered what first an eagle, a horse, a fish & a deer represented, as I made the clouds out to be in these formations.
The day wore on without laundry woes nor dishes nor video games, it was lovely. Just note to any city-dwellers, when roughing it on an outing in the woods & needing to squat, to take care of business, it is important to first note the lay of the land. Make sure neither foot is on the downhill slope. As a trivia bonus I will also tell you that toilet paper is avidly referred to as "mountain money" having an elevated status as a luxurious multi-purposeful necessity, being used for runny noses & dirty hands as well. The fishing was at a lull but the boys found a frog & the dogs kept busy on chipmunk & squirrel patrol. We took a different trail back to the truck & I was given more help in carrying items, plus it was downhill, yea! At one point a large tree had fallen across the trail, we had to climb over it. Our smallest family member hollered out as he struggled over it, "Think dis a bad idea guys!" but managed to continue on. A bit further on he declared "Wow, dat pretty "mazing!" over something he saw along the way. Our 6 1/2 year old was eager to carry the bag of fish, which is good because I wasn't! He kept singing "We got 2 rainbow trout" over & over in various formats ending with a rap rendition. He then stated that the fish were hard to carry because 1 kept slapping his leg. A moment later he confidently proclaimed "there, I made them dizzy by running, now they aren't slapping me any more" A short time after this he asks, "Mom, are bears real?" I said yes & he asked why one hadn't come to eat him since he's carrying fish & Bears eat fish. I said the bear must have had other things to do today & we're lucky! After stopping to fetch (not buy) firewood, we came back to our make-shift home: camper, circus-tent-canopy ( the tarp over the table) & what our friends had deemed "the French Quarter" due to our old exterior house lights which my husband recycled onto stands to use for out-door camp - lighting. Oh, & last but not least, our child size zoo animal bench. The boys were fearful of their marshmallow roasting status with the fire off to a dull start so Dad appeased them & tickled them silly by pouring "girl-scout juice" (aka: gasoline) on it with blazes roaring in response. The boys found it fun to set a round of wood for Dad to split then carry & stack it, I'm sure if it was a more regular ritual the fun would wear off quickly but for now, thankfully, they enjoyed helping out. Crash kept saying something we were trying to understand & finally got it right. He saw the sparks from the fire & was calling them fire-midges! Midges are like gnats & in mass quantity in the summer where we live.
Seeing my husband in his element was like seeing a whole different person. It's hard to be who we really are when we work a zillion hours then habitually meld into the couch in exhaustion. It also is difficult to be our true selves when we are wracked with pain. Although today's event's have devastating consequences on my health, I'm glad to have witnessed first hand the making of these memories.
Their daddy & I follow suit, whispering amongst ourselves. Discussion of breakfast ideas, how we slept (ha ha) & so on. Daddy dons a red cape & takes the lead getting up & prepping boys for the day, taking dogs out, firing up the generator & so on. When he had whispered to me he had coffee & sugar & creamer I had to burst with glee "Oh, I love you!!" My hero!! After I had unwillingly gone through caffeine detox - no soda or coffee - for over a week.
Boys begging for M&Ms, marshmallows & other non-breakfast items settle for bacon & eggs instead. I hear our nearly 8 year old say, "I think Mommy is a Bed-Zombie because she won't wake up". He is right, I am a Bed-Zombie, just not always sleeping, often longing for sleep with legs fidgeting & my mind wandering. Husband reports snow has melted quite a bit over night -Thank God! It's too bad the other family did not stay, having left late in the evening. I ask why Husband has not taken us camping in the summer - his smirky reply is "..because I don't like bugs." I'm still in bed with a robe on for added warmth, thinking the bugs are smarter than we are.
After breakfast & layering everyone in thermals, 2 pairs of socks, sweatshirts, coats & hiking boots we drove to the trail to the lake where my husband has come to fish for about 20 years. Now, for the first time his wife & sons were introduced to the spot. I notice deer-hunters' foot-prints in the snow, they had been here the day before. I found it highly amusing that there now lay deer tracks weaving through their boot imprints. Then we found bear tracks. I was a bit concerned that lack of common sense kept us from changing direction rather than continuing on in our jaunt to the lake, the same direction the bear seemed to have gone before us. The fact that our dogs seemed totally unconcerned helped me feel a smidgen better, since fishing poles, folding chairs & a pocket knife seemed inadequate resources to fight off a bear if need be.
My hips ached, my arms burned with pain from carrying just a few items, including a tote bag with medicine, camera & notepad, etc. Stopping frequently & as if a child in the backseat of a station-wagon I kept asking "are we there yet?" between panting breaths. It was, thankfully, a fairly wind-free day & the sun even pushed its way through the clouds from time to time. The shore was sandy with tiny bits of snow mingled in. No sooner had we arrived then there were echoing comments uttered in slightly whiny little boy voices, "I'm bored" "I'm hungry" "Can we go back to the camper now?" "Can we go home?" Like militant soldiers we issued answers & doled out provisions. Camp Robbers, also called Gray-Jays came to keep us company. They swooped in to eat cracker pieces I purposely dropped for them. They kept our dogs highly amused & busy chasing them away, even the boys got in on the action. Our 6 year old remarked that we were catching more birds than fish. I had to laugh at the validity of the statement, but mind you it hadn't been long. The birds were using the fishing rods as perches. Becoming quite comfortable with us a gray jay landed on my head starling me as I uttered "don't poop" & sending my husband into deep laughter. I was so grateful for the still air that was almost warm as the sun kept trying to push its way through the clouds. The quiet was so comforting to my soul, as was the chair for my exhausted, worn out body. About 45 minutes after lunch the first rainbow trout was caught & about 40 minutes after that a second. Each time it was as if Mother Nature was giving us a nod of approval - the sun shone warmly down on us, the campfire took hold, a Gray-Jay landed on my foot & on my lap. The kids were curious about the fish continuing to flop in the gunny-sack. Even the bait seemed more lively than I at this point. It wriggled through the dirt with ease & agility. I know something is wrong when I'm jealous of fishing bait's liveliness! Cloud formations made me wish that fibro-brain-fog hadn't erased so much of what I had once learned. I had read a book on symbolism but forgotten it. As I wondered what first an eagle, a horse, a fish & a deer represented, as I made the clouds out to be in these formations.
The day wore on without laundry woes nor dishes nor video games, it was lovely. Just note to any city-dwellers, when roughing it on an outing in the woods & needing to squat, to take care of business, it is important to first note the lay of the land. Make sure neither foot is on the downhill slope. As a trivia bonus I will also tell you that toilet paper is avidly referred to as "mountain money" having an elevated status as a luxurious multi-purposeful necessity, being used for runny noses & dirty hands as well. The fishing was at a lull but the boys found a frog & the dogs kept busy on chipmunk & squirrel patrol. We took a different trail back to the truck & I was given more help in carrying items, plus it was downhill, yea! At one point a large tree had fallen across the trail, we had to climb over it. Our smallest family member hollered out as he struggled over it, "Think dis a bad idea guys!" but managed to continue on. A bit further on he declared "Wow, dat pretty "mazing!" over something he saw along the way. Our 6 1/2 year old was eager to carry the bag of fish, which is good because I wasn't! He kept singing "We got 2 rainbow trout" over & over in various formats ending with a rap rendition. He then stated that the fish were hard to carry because 1 kept slapping his leg. A moment later he confidently proclaimed "there, I made them dizzy by running, now they aren't slapping me any more" A short time after this he asks, "Mom, are bears real?" I said yes & he asked why one hadn't come to eat him since he's carrying fish & Bears eat fish. I said the bear must have had other things to do today & we're lucky! After stopping to fetch (not buy) firewood, we came back to our make-shift home: camper, circus-tent-canopy ( the tarp over the table) & what our friends had deemed "the French Quarter" due to our old exterior house lights which my husband recycled onto stands to use for out-door camp - lighting. Oh, & last but not least, our child size zoo animal bench. The boys were fearful of their marshmallow roasting status with the fire off to a dull start so Dad appeased them & tickled them silly by pouring "girl-scout juice" (aka: gasoline) on it with blazes roaring in response. The boys found it fun to set a round of wood for Dad to split then carry & stack it, I'm sure if it was a more regular ritual the fun would wear off quickly but for now, thankfully, they enjoyed helping out. Crash kept saying something we were trying to understand & finally got it right. He saw the sparks from the fire & was calling them fire-midges! Midges are like gnats & in mass quantity in the summer where we live.
Seeing my husband in his element was like seeing a whole different person. It's hard to be who we really are when we work a zillion hours then habitually meld into the couch in exhaustion. It also is difficult to be our true selves when we are wracked with pain. Although today's event's have devastating consequences on my health, I'm glad to have witnessed first hand the making of these memories.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Extreme Camping - Day 1 Getting There
We took 2 vehicles on our camp trip since the boys & I would be coming back earlier than my husband. The boys rode with him & the dogs with me. I enjoyed every minute of the peace & quiet, not even turning on the radio for our over 2 hour drive. The annual fall foliage color changes were pretty to observe. i had the back windows partially down for the furry babies & as we climbed in elevation I could actually hear the leaves quaking in the chilly wind. It had been 28*earlier this morning at our home located at about 4,000 feet elevation. Now, the road we traveled seemed to only lend itself to other campers, raised up 4 wheel drive trucks & an occasional semi-truck as we climbed to 6,000 feet elevation. The road signs seemed to stick out more than usual with their ominous messages: "carry traction devices" "do not pass snow plows on the right" & so on. We climbed ever higher on this lightly trafficked road, the various pine trees seemed to encroach upon the roadway, leaning in from either side nearly enveloping us. My leery concerns & the weather forecast came to fruition as I began to see patches of snow scattered here & there. For a brief space the trees gave way to a view of a lake, choppy with wind-induced waves. Still we traveled on. The wild shrubs & plants seemed to be waving us back as if a warning. Then the scattered patches of snow took over, reversing the order of things, now patches of earth were the rarity to see & soon non-existent. Even the pine trees were more white than green.
We finally arrived at our snow covered destination. The family joining us for at least a little while arrived shortly after us. I shoveled snow off a picnic table. My husband leveled the camper & a fire was built. Chairs were put out & snacks made handy. The collective group of now 5 boys wasted no time in making a huge snowball. A bird chirped excitedly at our arrival, probably in hopes of crumbs. The dogs played happily in the snow. A canopy was erected over the picnic table & towels helped finish drying off the previously snow ensconced sign of civilization (aka-the table). A comment was made about "welcome to the big top" & appropriately so because the bird's eye view did resemble a bit of a circus.
We finally arrived at our snow covered destination. The family joining us for at least a little while arrived shortly after us. I shoveled snow off a picnic table. My husband leveled the camper & a fire was built. Chairs were put out & snacks made handy. The collective group of now 5 boys wasted no time in making a huge snowball. A bird chirped excitedly at our arrival, probably in hopes of crumbs. The dogs played happily in the snow. A canopy was erected over the picnic table & towels helped finish drying off the previously snow ensconced sign of civilization (aka-the table). A comment was made about "welcome to the big top" & appropriately so because the bird's eye view did resemble a bit of a circus.
Despite the elevation induced ear ache, the cold & wet aching in my bones & not just surrounding us, it all somehow made me smile. My 6 year old in a giant coat, my 3 year old crying to go home because his hands are wet & cold after begging for a week "When are we going camping?". Seeing my husband in his element-sharing with his wife & children the spot where his family & their close friends have gathered annually for 23 years & will return for the 24th year in just a few days. Trails originally forged around & to the nearby lake by his great-grandfather, still in use today. I've retreated to the camper to write. Through the window I see comradery of 3 families, I hear the fire crackling & snow falling off the trees, conversation flowing. I brave the cold once more to actually try to take part in it all. Besides, the chicken should be grilling soon!
The snow continued to melt, falling in startling clumps as it melted off the trees. All notion of time was lost & pinky promises were made to roast marshmallows tomorrow. I made my retreat to the camper with the kids, all 5 of the boys! They with their chocolate milk & "Danger Mouse" cartoon video (hooray for the generator) I with my medicine, dry pajamas, robe, socks, notepad & pen. It feels like home but instead of a neighbor's cat or dog it may be a bear I see out the window! So ends Day 1.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Fall Is In The Air & Immenently On The Ground
As I awoke in my semi-chilly bedroom to cartoons blaring from the living-room I unwillingly got up. After a bit of slow movement & mindlessly shoveling cereal into my mouth I was prodded into action by my husband's taunt, "are you ever going to get moving this morning?" I checked the weather forecast on the computer & saw it was a balmy 28* this morning, giving me the urge to sunbathe, no, more like "cloud-bathe". Yeah, gotta work on that tan no matter what ya know?-Said by me, the pasty white chick writing this !
Instead I countered this minute urge with actually packing for our family-fun-filled-extended weekend of camping in the boon-toolies. I packed my clothes, personal items, medicine & other items to plan for every & any contingency. I can attribute this handy little quirk to being a realist, or what my husband calls a pessimist. Call it what you want, it's better to have junk you don't need than to be in a remote, isolated area & need junk you don't have. I even packed for boredom, kid card games, drawing paper, movies & a hand held game system. I remembered dog food & band aids & toothbrushes (for the kids, not the dogs, hee hee). Yes, Super-mom, that is, until I found out about the one contingency I hadn't planned on. My 6 yr old left his coat at school. Go figure huh? I have to draw the line at breaking into the elementary school to scavenger-hunt through their lost & found box on a Saturday morning. We will manage somehow. A bon-fire, one of Daddy's over sized-coats & my happy pills & anti-anxiety meds should take care of everything! Somehow cloud-bathing is becoming more appealing too. But no! Family fun damn it, that's what this is about, for the kids by golly!!! For the kids. Will they know what I went through? No, They may not even remember the trip at all, but I'll be there with camera in tow, clicking away to make sure they have no choice but to remember.
Yesterday I saw a lady in Walmart using a scooter. I envied her bravery as I am too embarrassed to use one. To filled with anxiety over the possibility of someone confronting me with the "You're not that old, you look fine to me, why are you using this? My wife/husband/whomever needs one & there are none left!" Would I dare to answer or would I automatically assume my needs are insignificant in comparison to someone else's? After waiting in the car for the 2nd 1/2 of the shopping trip, unable to stand & walk any longer, I saw a man in the parking lot moving his scooter with grace & agility from between two cars & into the store. I admired him. I probably would have bumped into something, not knowing how to drive the things. Maybe once invisible illnesses become more readily understood & in the mainstream media, maybe then I will overcome my fears & actually seek the mobility-aids I need. But that is a big Maybe!
When I got something at another store quickly in & out & I climbed back into the truck my bad wrist (hyper mobility) buckled yet again. This time it did not snap one way or the other, it just completely collapsed, sending throbbing pain through my hand Wearing my wrist-brace nearly 24/7 makes me feel like that weird guy on "Prison Break" that has the dead hand sewn on one arm.
Well, the dogs are so happy after the camper taunting them in the driveway for a week or more, their day in the sun (so to speak) has finally come. They are thrilled. My husband even recycled a bit using our old outdoor houselights & mounting them to scrap lumber, building stands to have outdoor lighting run on the generator. Just so nobody stumbles about in the night. He also purchased string lights of trout & beer bottles-one must decorate appropriately for such an outing I suppose. Well, of course after buying such novelties there was no money left to get some of my medicine nor any of his. That man & his priorities I tell you what. But the heart wants who it wants...which may explain his staying with me as well. He is now getting ice for the ice-chests, then packing them & then the other crazy family will meet us & off we will go. So, if you don't hear from me by next Wednesday just know my high IQ hubby, who holds in all emotion until he explodes & has been given cutlery by his older brother always said what Scott Peterson did wrong & how it should properly be done. So, alert the Media if I'm not back in touch - OK?
Be Blessed, Dear Readers, whomever your higher power be. Be thankful for mobility in any form & for mobility aids being available. Be thankful for cameras & building family memories, no matter how or what the consequences.
Instead I countered this minute urge with actually packing for our family-fun-filled-extended weekend of camping in the boon-toolies. I packed my clothes, personal items, medicine & other items to plan for every & any contingency. I can attribute this handy little quirk to being a realist, or what my husband calls a pessimist. Call it what you want, it's better to have junk you don't need than to be in a remote, isolated area & need junk you don't have. I even packed for boredom, kid card games, drawing paper, movies & a hand held game system. I remembered dog food & band aids & toothbrushes (for the kids, not the dogs, hee hee). Yes, Super-mom, that is, until I found out about the one contingency I hadn't planned on. My 6 yr old left his coat at school. Go figure huh? I have to draw the line at breaking into the elementary school to scavenger-hunt through their lost & found box on a Saturday morning. We will manage somehow. A bon-fire, one of Daddy's over sized-coats & my happy pills & anti-anxiety meds should take care of everything! Somehow cloud-bathing is becoming more appealing too. But no! Family fun damn it, that's what this is about, for the kids by golly!!! For the kids. Will they know what I went through? No, They may not even remember the trip at all, but I'll be there with camera in tow, clicking away to make sure they have no choice but to remember.
Yesterday I saw a lady in Walmart using a scooter. I envied her bravery as I am too embarrassed to use one. To filled with anxiety over the possibility of someone confronting me with the "You're not that old, you look fine to me, why are you using this? My wife/husband/whomever needs one & there are none left!" Would I dare to answer or would I automatically assume my needs are insignificant in comparison to someone else's? After waiting in the car for the 2nd 1/2 of the shopping trip, unable to stand & walk any longer, I saw a man in the parking lot moving his scooter with grace & agility from between two cars & into the store. I admired him. I probably would have bumped into something, not knowing how to drive the things. Maybe once invisible illnesses become more readily understood & in the mainstream media, maybe then I will overcome my fears & actually seek the mobility-aids I need. But that is a big Maybe!
When I got something at another store quickly in & out & I climbed back into the truck my bad wrist (hyper mobility) buckled yet again. This time it did not snap one way or the other, it just completely collapsed, sending throbbing pain through my hand Wearing my wrist-brace nearly 24/7 makes me feel like that weird guy on "Prison Break" that has the dead hand sewn on one arm.
Well, the dogs are so happy after the camper taunting them in the driveway for a week or more, their day in the sun (so to speak) has finally come. They are thrilled. My husband even recycled a bit using our old outdoor houselights & mounting them to scrap lumber, building stands to have outdoor lighting run on the generator. Just so nobody stumbles about in the night. He also purchased string lights of trout & beer bottles-one must decorate appropriately for such an outing I suppose. Well, of course after buying such novelties there was no money left to get some of my medicine nor any of his. That man & his priorities I tell you what. But the heart wants who it wants...which may explain his staying with me as well. He is now getting ice for the ice-chests, then packing them & then the other crazy family will meet us & off we will go. So, if you don't hear from me by next Wednesday just know my high IQ hubby, who holds in all emotion until he explodes & has been given cutlery by his older brother always said what Scott Peterson did wrong & how it should properly be done. So, alert the Media if I'm not back in touch - OK?
Be Blessed, Dear Readers, whomever your higher power be. Be thankful for mobility in any form & for mobility aids being available. Be thankful for cameras & building family memories, no matter how or what the consequences.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Ages & Stages & Legislation
Yesterday my little Crash gave me a huge hug & said, "Mommy me wuv you & when you bake cookies me whowe duper wuv you!!!" And yes, speech therapy is helping the little tyke tremendously. Now, that little quote just reminds me of the old adage, "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach". So, I went with it. Not in the sense of baking cookies, only because we didn't have all the ingredients nor time nor money to go to the store. But I went with it today instead.
Today my oldest son is 18 yrs old. I keep remembering a birthday party when he was in about 3rd grade where we taunted him & his friends letting them beat up a purple telletubby pinata since we all hated the telletubbies. I also keep remembering leaving the hospital with him dressed in little football sweats & lo0king like he had been on the loosing team playing without a helmet because he was so bruised up. Now, now he's a senior in high-school & plays offence, defence & special teams almost never leaving the football field. He's now taller than me & much bigger than me. So today I cooked him a special breakfast & Crash & I will bake him a cake.
Tomorrow is my 11th wedding anniversary, that's also hard to believe. I jokingly told my husband, "you realize that we've now been married long enough for me to get alimony from you?" He seemed bummed & we jested back & forth, it was quite fun. It is sad that many couples are forced to divorce because there is more financial aid & public assistance available to single people. Elderly couples who've been married for 60 years are divorcing to receive better government benefits. Now that's sad. I've actually known people who divorce so that the wife can qualify for student financial aid. Once a degree is obtained some of these people have gotten remarried. That is a sad state of affairs isn't it? I guess we all have to play by the rules however bizarre the rules are.
Speaking of rules, the fact that an 18 yr old can vote & die for his country but not old enough to drink is just bizarre to me. I guess my point is, some things really need changed in our government & laws. But I am sure I've worn a hole in my soap box from standing on it so often ranting away. Forgive me please.
Today is a rainy day in my part of the great Pacific North West. It is leaving me longing for a good book & lazing by the fire. I do believe Crash has other ideas though, as he keeps interrupting me every 2 minutes to discuss various things with me. I treasure these interruptions though because before long, he will be 18 like his big brother is today. The time slips by so fast.
Dear Readers Be Blessed & enjoy each stage & age of your life & your child's. Thank you for reading.
Today my oldest son is 18 yrs old. I keep remembering a birthday party when he was in about 3rd grade where we taunted him & his friends letting them beat up a purple telletubby pinata since we all hated the telletubbies. I also keep remembering leaving the hospital with him dressed in little football sweats & lo0king like he had been on the loosing team playing without a helmet because he was so bruised up. Now, now he's a senior in high-school & plays offence, defence & special teams almost never leaving the football field. He's now taller than me & much bigger than me. So today I cooked him a special breakfast & Crash & I will bake him a cake.
Tomorrow is my 11th wedding anniversary, that's also hard to believe. I jokingly told my husband, "you realize that we've now been married long enough for me to get alimony from you?" He seemed bummed & we jested back & forth, it was quite fun. It is sad that many couples are forced to divorce because there is more financial aid & public assistance available to single people. Elderly couples who've been married for 60 years are divorcing to receive better government benefits. Now that's sad. I've actually known people who divorce so that the wife can qualify for student financial aid. Once a degree is obtained some of these people have gotten remarried. That is a sad state of affairs isn't it? I guess we all have to play by the rules however bizarre the rules are.
Speaking of rules, the fact that an 18 yr old can vote & die for his country but not old enough to drink is just bizarre to me. I guess my point is, some things really need changed in our government & laws. But I am sure I've worn a hole in my soap box from standing on it so often ranting away. Forgive me please.
Today is a rainy day in my part of the great Pacific North West. It is leaving me longing for a good book & lazing by the fire. I do believe Crash has other ideas though, as he keeps interrupting me every 2 minutes to discuss various things with me. I treasure these interruptions though because before long, he will be 18 like his big brother is today. The time slips by so fast.
Dear Readers Be Blessed & enjoy each stage & age of your life & your child's. Thank you for reading.
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