Schools are out; camps are in session; people are planning these things called "vacations." Summer already started, but it's only now officially starting, and on the other hand, the days will just get shorter in the N. hemisphere from here on out. So confusing! I do really like the long days.
Sibling angst report: had a very long, good talk with the Sibling of Greatest Historical Angst. Wow. Not betting the farm on this development, but it's not bad.
On the SIL front, I'm really happy to have found an online support group for people dealing with her kind of dementia. It is a boost to find out there is a "tribe" out there.
Cluestick nomination: those gigantic urban assault vehicles, parked in the "compact" spot.
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Wednesday Whining is a weekly blog with rotating hosts. Whines and Anti-Whines, both big and small, are welcome! Our purposes are mutual support and sharing a few laughs along the way.
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The Wednesday Whining Community is diverse, and strives to be safe, welcoming, and supportive. To this end, comments that are personally abusive or otherwise disparaging [regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation] will be deleted by moderators, along with spam and self-promotion.
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A: The Whiner's Ball commences no later than Tuesday, and ends when Awards are given (usually Thursday in theory, but definitely before Monday).
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A: Yes, really. Traditional awards include Style [music, poetry, etc.], Old Skool [piddly little whines], and Elevated Risk of Mullet [funniest line in a whine], but other hand-crafted awards may be granted at the host's discretion, and nominations from commenters are encouraged.
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A: The Playdough Violin
A: The Whiner's Ball commences no later than Tuesday, and ends when Awards are given (usually Thursday in theory, but definitely before Monday).
Q: Awards? Really?
A: Yes, really. Traditional awards include Style [music, poetry, etc.], Old Skool [piddly little whines], and Elevated Risk of Mullet [funniest line in a whine], but other hand-crafted awards may be granted at the host's discretion, and nominations from commenters are encouraged.
Q: Can I whine about someone who just does not "get it"?
A: The Cluestick Posse is on hand for persons in need.
Q: Is there a mascot?
A: Ralph is the mascot.
Q: Are there other traditions I should know about?
A: The passing of virtual refreshments is appreciated.
Q: How did this all get started anyhow?
A: Phantom Scribbler was our muse and host for two years.
Q: What was the first prize ever awarded?
A: The Playdough Violin
35 comments:
I'm in my two weeks non-stop activity spree. It includes planning a retirement dinner, driving all over the state, prickly family members, meetings with the "robust conversations", and to little sleep. I really don't wanna today, either. Mostly, it is good stuff but it's too little downtime in there, too.
W of my own doing: I didn't get to bed until midnight! In an uncharacteristic turn of events, Mr. Q and I stayed up late playing a video game. (Mr. Q admitted to deliberately prolonging play.)
Connected whine: So, of course Li'l E was up for the day at 6am.
AW: Mr. Q went late-ish to work so that I could sleep an extra hour. He's normally there an hour early (ah, teachers), but he probably ran in to staff meeting at the last second today.
AW: Li'l E slept 10 1/2 straight hours last night!
AW: And Mr. Q made breakfast! I'm going to enjoy summer break.
Tiny W: My bank is annoying. I got a savings account, and had Mr. Q added to it, but the website still won't let him transfer money to it. I was at our branch depositing cheques yesterday, and after a bunch of "Well, the computer tells me that you're able to access the account online!" "I didn't ask about myself. I said that my husband still can't access it." "Well, he'll have to come in!" "We came in together already. Why didn't it work?"
So, we're going to have someone babysit the baby AGAIN, and come in to the bank together AGAIN. It's minor, but it's such a dumb thing, and a bunch of hassle that I don't want to deal with.
Busy busy, Miranda!
Went and fished my comment out of the spam filter, and found a comment by kathy a there, from last week's thread! The spam filter continues to befuddle me.
Well, obviously the host was posting too much, so that's my excuse. geesh.
It sounds like Take Your Baby To The Bank Day! No worries if she is nap-deprived -- that gets attention, and is exactly what they deserve. Otherwise, she adds the cuteness factor. Win-win, except for having to shlep over there again in the first place. Got to save teh precious baby-sitting for better occasions.
Agree on the babysitting, unless you then claim the afternoon for yourselves at a nice restaurant, movie, etc.
:)
Still not out of school for summer. But tomorrow is the last day. And the day we drive Neighbor Girl to sleepaway camp for 3 1/2 weeks. So much change in one little day. yikes. She's excited. I'm excited for her. also nervous....will she keep hydrated? put on sunscreen? bugspray? make friends? miss us?etc.
I think she'll love it. ANd I'll love it that she loves it.
fingers crossed
My own kids' last day is today. Think we are going to dinner with them to celebrate. It's about 98 here. ugh.
--Neighbor Lady
Sorry--was confusing. Last day of work at my school in another town is tomorrow. Kids' last day at school in our town is today.
Also, a bonus antiwhine--only part of a day left with obnoxious colleague who I dislike (I dislike very few people, folks, seriously.) He was not invited back next year.
and a bonus mini-whine: last day with all the rest of my colleagues who I love, is tomorrow.--until next year.
--Neighbor Lady
NL, you can sing the "school's out for summer" two days in a row! Hope that Neighbor Girl has a fabulous time at camp!
As for your disinvited colleague -- sometimes endings are to the good. We never suspected you of random dislikes, so he probably has a lot of work to do on his karma, or whatever.
Oh boy! End of school!
So, our church family camp starts on Saturday. It is four hours away from here. Nervous whines:
1. Whaaaat if Li'l E cries the whole time we're traveling? We said that, if that happens, we cancel the trip to the West Coast. Nervous.
2. Also, Mr. Q had a sore throat for a couple of days, and today she's fussy and coughing. That times my inevitable descent into this cold for roughly when we're supposed to leave. And they always linger with me.
3. Our camp is on the edge of a small city, and (thanks to the flooding situation heading eastward, and the city's historic water treatment problems) the water there is pink right now?! I fear a replay of some equivalent of ten years ago's cryptosporidium outbreak.
4. You guys, I'm taking a six-month-old baby to camp, to sleep on WWII-era beds! (I'm serious: many of the bedframes were purchased from the defunct AF base after the war.)
AW: all my friends and family will be there to help, along with all of E's baby friends. All the babies will be in the same hallway of the dorm, so there will be baby crying solidarity. And no one will be able to tell whose baby is crying, which works in my favour.
QWP -- the great thing about driving is that babies tend to sleep on the drive. I mean, we used to take our first out for drives just for that reason. Also, car songs!
A small city means there are emergency things available, if there is an emergency. No dunking of the baby in pink water, that's a rule. Take along all the precautionary things. The baby wing of the dorm will be well equipped with other parents, so no worries there -- lots of backup, and you can be backup! Babies are actually very durable, and it is great to be with other parental units. Take adult treats. It will all be fine!
Yeah, we were there for Easter and the travel was good, but she's now old enough that she doesn't automatically sleep in the car anymore! She cried for about 1/4 of the trip two weeks ago. Ooof.
Yay for the arrival of summer! We've had two warm days in a row. Inconceivable!
AW: hit the "send" button on Sunday night on my big writing project.
All good baby advice so far!
WOOT, Sue! It is good to hit the button!
Yes! It always feels good to hit "send."
Bigger whine: just found out that my house is being sold from under us. We knew we'd have to be out of here eventually (the place is falling apart, and the owners were going to be figuring out what to do when they returned to the country; they're missionaries, btw). We have a new place lined up for whenever my cousin's house (plus awesome suite) is built, but it's tied up in paperwork. (Building can't start until the sale of their current house is finalized.)
So. We haven't yet been given official notice, but the owners want to sell by the end of summer. The house will be done by late fall, or early winter. We'll either have to move twice, or not get to have the awesome rental situation with my cousin. Also, the trip West can't happen, b/c we'll need to be packing.
Arrrrrgh.
BTW, even though the house is crumbling, developers are snapping up places in the neighbourhood, tearing them down, and building duplexes and big houses, because of the location. This place will sell quickly.
((((QWP)))) That stinks! So sorry about the trip west. :(
Moving stinks even when you actually want to do it. But twice? ugh.
also a thought about the pink water....maybe bring one of those big P0l@nd Spr1ngs jugs with handle so you'll have non pink drinking water just in case?
Hugs to you.
And Sue, yay on the big project being done!!!
:)
Neighbor Lady
Water, bring your own.
Moving, pack up everything you don't need until winter: put it in storage.
Pack up the items you seldom use: put them in storage.
Pack up your books, cds, whatever: Put them in storage (yeah, I'm wincing, too.)
Pack up your artwork, knick-knacks, statuary, good china: put it in storage.
Photos: Storage.
Bring with you to temporary quarters the following: All the baby gear. Two sets of bedding/towels for adults. Clothes for adults. Kitchen gear (but not the seasonal stuff - put that in storage).
If you don't have a Kindle/Nook/Equivilent, now's the time to get one. It will hold books to tide you over.
AW: Muffin Man is doing enrichment activities this Summer (third summer in a row, his choice). First session is Math and Robotic Olympiad. Here's the quote from his math assessment:
"[Muffin Man]'s Diagnostic Test results show that he is excelling in many areas of mathematics. In particular, he has demonstrated mastery in the measurement, fractions, and arithmetic strands of this content area. In addition to doing well on the test, [Muffin Man] went above and beyond when answering many of the Diagnostic Test questions – by providing extra examples and thorough explanations. In the coming weeks, I will be working to help [Muffin Man] polish off his already well-developed skills and to provide him with challenging, advanced topics that allow him to further solidify his solid background."
Boo on moving.
Yay, Muffin Man! That's excellent.
Also yay on the DOMA and Prop. 8 decisions!
DOMA!! PROP 8!!! WOOOHOOOOO!
Also, the awesomeness of the fillibuster in Texas.
What a huge day in the US! Goodness.
And hooray for Muffin Man!
Water: we'll bring water, and the main building has its own filtration system. My main concern is, if the water gets bad, the baby's very-needed daily baths and tendency to try do drink the water.
Moving: I talked things over with my cousin (who is building the house) this morning, and I have a clearer idea of what to do. The house won't be done until Christmas, and we agree that, if we find a suitable apartment for long-term, we just go with that. Otherwise, we'll have to figure out something temporary and put stuff into storage, keeping in mind the competitive rental market, lack of space for us at family homes, and the fact that I won't be able to put my own books into storage (and will need to carve out work space for myself), because I start back into dissertating in the fall. Oh, and the baby won't sleep (and neither do we) if we're in the same room.
So: if I find a 2-bedroom sublet for six months, we're good. But first, I'm calling the complex where I lived a decade ago, and getting on their wait list. They don't advertise anymore, and just go off of word of mouth and the sign outside, but the places are big and affordable (if rather out-of-the-way).
Oh, fingers crossed for the sublet or the old place!
In a pinch, sponge baths are usually just fine. Especially in a rustic area.
SIL is reportedly calmer this week. She chose one of the haircolors, and let the in-house person do her hair! (This is of zero interest to anyone but us, and I only care because now she won't be stuck on "take me to have my hair done.")
QWP sorry about the moving and (ugh) packing. I hope a sublet is out there waiting for you.
Yay for Muffin Man!
Double Yay for good news in politics!
W: the boring, tedious, obnoxious, and purely Awful head pain. Bleh.
AW: at least the ice pack helps cool me down on HOT days! Yes - we have summer!!
It's of interest to me too--I often find myself thinking about you and hoping things are going smoother for you. Glad they are!
W?/AW?/W?/AW?
Daughter dropped at overnight camp til late July. SHe seemed happy, and the place seems awesome!!!! But I miss her. and nervous for her. and late july is far.
:(
YAY for DOMA decision!
--Neighbor Lady
((( Sue ))) sending some nice ice packs and whatever else eases things.
((( NL ))) there, there. She will be fine! OK, some nights she will miss you desperately and vice versa, but I assume that mail back and forth is encouraged? It is VERY fun sending notes and whatever -- cartoons, photos, stickers -- to an away kid.
The hairdresser was so excited about success, and using colors not normally in stock for the older residents. I've been amusing myself with visions of the grandmas suddenly sporting wild shades! As experienced parents tend to say, "Eh, it's only hair. It grows out."
I'll call this an AW, even though it is about SIL. I got a couple of books about fronto-temporal dementia (her special kind of dementia), and now I'm reading The Banana Lady, and other stories of curious behavior and speech -- a collection of interesting case descriptions, written for lay people.
It is really uncanny. I never really heard of this kind of dementia before, and her behaviors were just disastrous and crazy-making -- but it is all very consistent with the features of this horrible disease. The obsessions; the loss of language abilities; loss of reasoning/cognitive abiities; increasing physical effects; anger at restrictions; physical lashing out; financial and social recklessness; legal troubles; hypersexual behavior; repeating things over and over; hoarding and compulsive shopping; even food weirdness, like she wants cake or pie every day when she did not have a sweet tooth before. Etc.
It is really helping me understand this demon better, reading these stories with some context instead of just a symptom list. And also hearing the stories, problems, advice at the online support group.
It makes a huge difference in how one is able to deal with difficult people when it's clear that their difficultness is a result of illness.
Less resentment?
It really is helpful reading stuff that helps you make sense of an unusual and difficult situation. I'm glad that you could find that.
And hooray for SIL cooperating with the hairdresser!
AW 1: Camp City's water situation is better than expected. One of their treatment plants is still offline, but it didn't suffer any damage, and the water's safe. So, I'll still take water to be on the safe side (I always have for the past decade), but I can stop worrying.
AW 2: I had the car for the day, and went shopping with my Mom, and bought really nice nursing bras. Dear goodness, does a good bra make one feel normal.
AW 3: And, while we shopped, E napped like a champion and generally enjoyed herself in the car seat. Makes me much less worried about driving for 4 hour on Saturday, after she stayed in a carseat for 3 straight hours today.
AW 4: I'm starting to see all the benefits of not going to the West Coast this summer. I don't have to worry about car travel with a baby. We now don't have to miss two family reunions. Suddenly money's a lot less tight.
Potential AW: we have two solid leads on apartments that would actually be cheaper than my cousin's basement suite, and bigger. Alternately, my cousin is negotiating with someone who might rent a whole house to her, her husband, Mr. Q, E, and me (up and down suites) for the next six months!
QWP! Both the potential temp housing things sound great!
Liz -- in my defense, I did remove the "fh" suffix from SIL's designation... It's a relief, though, to see it is part of a pattern instead of an incredibly bizarre, never seen before twist.
I didn't mean YOUR resentment, in particular.
Well, I do have some...
Kathy A: I know you know this, but that's totally normal and understandable. (hugs)
AW/nervous energy: So, I told my cousin "If the complex where I used to live has an opening right away, that means we're not supposed to move into your basement suite." Don't know why I said that (other than assuming, in this rental market, that "ready right away" doesn't exist). But I just called Old Complex, and there's a 2 bedroom suite sitting empty, just waiting to be painted. We can view it this afternoon. Bigger and cheaper than we currently have, with access to parks and a creek, and about the same bus ride as Mr. Q has now.
So, I have to sit and wait for the next 15 minutes, so that I can phone New Complex, which is also bigger and cheaper than I currently have, but fancy and new, with central A/C and a built-in dishwasher, and a fast bus ride to Mr. Q's work. We've agreed that, if they also have an opening, we'll go with that, but I'm going to call them when they open, at 11am.
AAAAA!
The biggest AW of all: one of these places having an opening means that we aren't moving twice, and we're moving during summer vacation, which is Mr. Q's preference. (And Old Complex has a wall a/c, and so either place is better than here.)
Updated AW: pending approval of our application, we've taken a suite in New Complex, and we're staying there long term. At first, they didn't know if they had any openings for August 1st, and so we were going to go with Old Complex, but then New phoned me back and said that they already had received notice about two different two bedroom suites!
And so we went to their office, filled out their application, reached some agreements with the people there, and they'll contact us on Tuesday to tell us for sure. But they're talking with us like it's a done deal.
And now, on this hot night, I'm dreaming of my future A/C, and looking at the shiny new bus routes that are going to make this new neighbourhood very convenient for us. (Even though we're moving from the middle to the edge of the city!) One potential down side: my closest grocery store will now be a certain mega chain that ends with Mart and starts with a single-l Wall.
We're moving to the suburbs. Or the closest my city has to suburbs.
QWP - Yay!!! I'm so glad that New worked out for you (though Old sounds like it would have been okay too).
Great news!!
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