Greetings Pixies!
I hope y'all are having a good start to the week.
My biggest whine for today is that yet another low pressure system has moved in and created a hair disaster of massive proportions. The word of the day is Frizz.
Also, it is now mid-July and our low temp last night was the same as a typical night in October. Really, polar vortex? Really?
Stay cool, friends in hot places, and enjoy these summer days!
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Ahhh! This cold weather! I'm wearing a sweater right now, which is just wrong in July! But it's going to be hot again in two days, abs I have a feeling that I'm going to miss this cool weather.
AW: E has slept past 7am for two days in a row! We're getting her adjusted to a slightly later schedule (in anticipation of a trip to the West Coast in a few weeks), and it's working so well that I want this to be her schedule forever and ever.
W/AW: you guys, we're going to take E on an airplane for the first time ever, in a few weeks. This will be better than driving for three days each way, right? Right? (I've seen her get motion sick enough that I'm justifying giving her some Baby Version Of That Famous Motion-Sickness Medication for the flights, which will have the blessed side effect of making that active kid dopey for sitting on our laps for four hours.)
Yay for the new sleep schedule QWP!!
One of our sons was a hard-core barker from an early age. When we traveled, he always had the anti-bark medication. It did make him dopey and sleepy (two dwarves!) which was great, but when we arrived at our destination, he was ready to party! The rest of us wanted to rest up after a day in the car/on the plane, but he was looking for Play Time Fun.
Good times!
Oh, I definitely vote for the airplane vs. 3 days in the car! Also, whatever works, on the meds. Make sure she swallows and/or yawns, so her ears don't hurt -- the cabins are pressurized, sure, but little ears get pluggy anyway.
Albatross progress! But not so much as predicted by this time.
All the lobbying paid off, and SIL's treating doc is calling the Big Teaching Hospital neuro about meds today! Again, a partial victory -- need to see how it pans out.
Last night, I talked MIL's best friend through how to attach photos to email. She is not that much older than me, and she uses email and FB, and she said she has all her photos of MIL "in my computer." Um, victory.
Also, we should just pack some Canadian cold in a duffle bag, and send it to Esperanza.
Okay, now that college is about a month away for Offspring, I am starting to get really fidgety regarding tuition. Got a bill today for $23,220 for the first half of the year, and let me tell you -- when I am scraping change together to buy gas for my car, that looks completely INSURMOUNTABLE.
I think that is before grants, scholarships, and work study, so that isn't nearly what I will have to pay out of pocket (Thank baby Jeebus, as Homer Simpson would say.)
I am just so confused about where I go from here....Luckily, I fired off an email to the REALLY nice Financial Aid officer that I've been dealing with, and hopefully, that will resolve some of my questions, and I won't feel quite so palpitation-y anymore.
Yay! The financial aid people are very helpful. xoxo
Well, my eyes just fell out of my face at the cost of tuition for a single semester! Last year, my tuition cost a tenth of that, per semester! Apparently things are different here.
Selfish whine: I'm so thankful to have Mr. Q home for the summer, but it's so hard to find time for myself, and I'm so tired! He's naturally a busier person than me, and is (quite helpfully) trying to get a lot done around here, while he's off. I'm not used to keeping up this kind of pace! (He doesn't always expect me to help, but I feel lazy if I don't.)
Kathy a. -- the financial aid lady was SO nice, and she answered ALL my questions, and she said that Offspring is good for the YEAR, not just the semester! And, what with all the scholarships she got, grants, and everything else, she actually had MORE money than what the comprehensive fee allowed for, so she has a small cushion for books! Hooray!
QWP -- this is a small private college, and she could have gone somewhere much cheaper, but this was what she really wanted. And, she had enough aid and merit awards that we were able to make it happen. Thank goodness.
Now I'm picturing QWP's eyeballs on springs, boinging out of her head. Ew. Glad the financial aid palpitations settled down considerably, KLee. Go, Offspring, go!
We will take some of that polar vortex. Because, alas, it is not predicted to make it into our part of the state. We have the "compressional heating" ahead of the front, so this is our hottest day of the year so far.
W: poorly scheduled Day Out of the House for the Baboos and me. But, friend-whose-dad-died-recently has Mondays off, so that kind of settled it. Resulting high levels of grumpiness at breakfast, and meltdowns at children's museum (not my first choice, but my first choice of air conditioned options which were open on Monday). Restaurant behavior at lunch was shaky, but an application of chips and salsa and lemonade was quite helpful. (Attempted previous snack applications had been rejected, heartily, by a Certain Hungry Baboo). Sigh. This too shall pass, someday.
KLee: I figured that the awards and financial aid would cover it, and it's amazing that offspring is going to be going to such a great school! I was just really thrown off, because I'm not sure if we have the equivalent of small, private, fancy colleges here (or at least in this half of the country: it's basically all state schools here).
My nephew was considering a west coast canadian U. The "international" student costs are in the range of KLee's offspring's costs. And, no so different for the "out of state" US public university he will attend. Sticker shock! But the list price is almost never what people pay, what with one thing or another.
Yay for helpful financial aid people!
The international student tuition fees up here are about the same as what Offspring is paying. Otherwise, the rates are significantly lower, thus QWPs bulging eyeballs.
The exception is the graduate MBA. In most provinces, MBA programs have been taken over by private companies who charge over-the-top crazy tuition. The thinking is that successful MBA grads usually start with six figure salaries and can pay off student loans quickly.
Sorry about the heat esperanza!! I'm glad there are air-conditioned options for all of you to enjoy.
QWP - I hear you. Hubby has "ideas" about projects we can do while I'm on vacay. The only project I'm keen to take on is a pile of books and a cool beverage. We shall see....
W/AW: Well, our youngest son is moving to The Big City in February. He needs to finish up a few things here this fall, but he already has some options for a place to stay and some work when he gets there.
On the one hand, we'll miss him a LOT. On the other hand, there isn't much of a future for him here, so this is a good thing for him.
I haven't seen him this energized for a long time, so that's good. We had my in-laws over for dinner tonight and he shared his news with them. My MIL cried. They are so close to our boys.
So, ya. Good news/hard news.
Oh, Sue. How far away? Sounds like he is very excited, though. xoxo
The partial victory ran into a wall -- the supervising nurse at SIL's facility called, very frustrated because she doesn't think the facility doctor wants to call the Big Teaching Hospital neurologist. Hmph. She even tried to call herself -- because boy, is she ever on board. Email is the magic here. And we haven't gotten to the big gun approach yet.
AW: daughter is making tiny origami cranes to go in the small photo albums everyone will get at her grandma's memorial gathering. She decided one gold, one colorful for each book. Did I mention she is fabulous?
(((Sue)))
(((Kathy)))
(((Esperanza)))
Yay for KLee's offspring having enough scholarship money to even cover books!!!
Yay for baboos eventual acceptance of sustenance!!!
Yay for Sue's son's excitement!!
Our son is moving away but in the same (massive) province. It's a quick flight to get home, but a very long two day drive. So, flying it is!
Sorry about the glitch in the small victory. I hope the nurse can make things happen re: the meds.
Yay for your creative daughter! What a great idea.
Wow. I just got a request to conduct a memorial service on Friday for a gentleman who was in his 105th year. He's got quite a life story!
The service is at the same Big Deal church where I did the weddings last week. At what point should they just put me on salary? Ha!
KLee, it is great that things are covered! Even some books!
Yay for the A/C kids' museum! And snacks and lemonade!
Sue, sounds like a good move for your son. Who won't be TOO far away! Also, Big Church should definitely put you on salary. Wow, I bet there is quite a story for the gentleman.
This week officially sucks. Totally non-bloggable shock yesterday. Albatross deadlines.
Big meltdown this morning from my (sweet in many other ways) daughter, who lost it when the current foster kittens decapitated an earbud set she got just yesterday, after they did the same thing the day before. Apparently I am insufficiently considerate about this development. OK then! No mom of the year for me!
(((kathy a))) for the non-bloggable shock. Sending hugs and chocolate.
((KLee)) glad the financial aid office was so helpful
W: Neighbor Girl seems really homesick in her leters from camp, still. She's half way there. Am hoping there are lots of fun moments too when she's not writing and thinking about home
W: I hate it when you can't tell whether or not a child needs to be seen by a doctor. hate it.
a couple times recently when exercising hard, Neighbor Boy has slowed down saying he can't breathe, and his chest hurts. But, he was running full tilt before that and continued walking around the track after. He's not in super athletic shape, so if I was running as fast as him, I would definitely not be able to breathe either. But, just can't tell if it's something important. And, it's so nebulous to go to the doctor with....arg! Where's the instruction manual?!?!?!?!
W: despite the exercise that he and I are doing together, I continue to gain weight! Maybe I'll just be in denial and decide I'm generating new muscle that weighs more?!
sigh
--Neighbor Lady
NL, I would go to the doc with what you've got, say you don't know what to make of it. My son had asthma, and getting treatment made a huge difference! Exercise can make it worse. Not being able to breathe, that's scary. Does NB sometimes have a cough for no good reason, or one that lingers after the cold is gone? Any nasal allergies?
There is a simple tool to measure how the lungs are doing, by blowing into a tube and seeing how far up this thingy goes. There are preventive meds for asthma. Inhalers are a "rescue med," for times when it gets hard anyway. My son was and is very active, so if it is asthma, no worries that is a couch potato sentence. ;)
Also, fingers crossed that NG is having a great time, even if her letters are about homesickness. I think there was a Tom Lehrer song about this -- Liz?
W: Mr E made a big decision without talking to me about it. Even bigger W: he didn't think it was a big decision that would require consultation. How can we be on such different pages about this?
AW: he apologized for hurting my feelings. But I don't think he really thinks he should have asked me first.
Sorry for the vagueness.
Esperanza, I hate when that happens. (Yes, it happens here, too. This is usually the place where I explain how the thing affects me and others, and he thinks I'm being unreasonable, and we slouch off to our corners. But then again, that kind of thing happens less often in the future.)
Not Lehrer, Allan Sherman
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
Ah yes, love that, Liz!
Thanks! :)
And Kathy a., thanks for the suggestions. It is nice to know that there is an easy test. I had a thought that he might have pulled a muscle because the first time I remember was right after he was diving as a goalie (darn W0rld cup!!!--he's a little too inspired and thinks he has skills he, er, doesn't...)
But, I am thinking that if it happens again, I will take him in. In both cases, there was a quick rebound from the breathing....
So happy to know there is any easy test, and he can still be super active it is asthma.
Thanks, Kathy a.
Hugs to you!
(((esperanza))) I hate being on different pages, but, alas happens here some too.
Neighbor Lady
Well, now that all my fears/palpitations have been laid to rest in regards to the tuition, I opened my paycheck to find out that they docked me a day's pay for taking the day of Offspring's graduation off, despite the fact that my site administrator had approved the day off request more than three months in advance....
Once again, the Devil farts in my face! Yeesh.....
Gotta love working for the government.
KLee, that is beyond obnoxious. Beyond. Cluestick posse on the way.
W: The ex was here Thursday-Monday to pack up and move her stuff. Her stuff is now filling my house in boxes, with more empty boxes thrown in for good measure.
AW: New "Weird Al" Yankovic album released this week. I haven't purchased it yet, but the first two videos are hilarious (and "Word Crimes", a song making fun of bad grammar to the tune of "Blurred Lines" features a Clippy Cameo at that).
My preferred Motion Sickness Medication is Bonine, which I like to pronounce as "bonin'" because it is much funnier when I go to the amusement park with friends and say "Anybody want a bonin'?" I'm super mature.
Also, it doesn't make me drowsy, unlike the other kind I had when I was a very consistently motion sick kid. In fact, due to motion sickness and allergies, I spent most of my childhood in a medicinal haze. Seems like I got a lot of good sleep.
NL, I hope you can get the breathing testing done soon. I hope NG is having fun at camp.
Liz - I love that song!
(((esperanza)))
Aw KLee, you did not need that. Can you appeal it?
Sorry about your BoxLand experience Andy - I hope it doesn't last long.
KLee, hopefully that paycheck thing will get straight.
Andy -- yikes, invasion of the boxes! I had not noticed the dreaded "Clippy" in Weird Al's video.
Andy, I totally empathize, since I am also of the Truly Motion Sick Tribe. My family jokes that I can get motion sick looking at a glass of water, but it's not all that much of a joke because it's true. It's so bad that I take a daily pill that's supposed to minimize the symptoms of motion sickness, and it does, but it only minimizes and does not get rid of them completely. I can't ride in a car (with someone else driving) for more than about an hour without getting sick. Before this med, that was measured in blocks, rather than time.
I use the non-drowsy Dramam1ne, but have used B0nine, too. Sadly, I also have an anti-nausea med to use "as needed" that is a drug supposedly given to patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, and it does *absolutely nothing* for me.
It is such a limiting factor in any kind of travel, from something as small as a half-hour car ride to international travel. When I went to London, I had the foresight to pack a change of clothes in my carry on backpack, and it was a good thing, because on landing, I got sick all over myself and had to immediately change my clothes. (After brushing my teeth and taking a sink "bath" before really exiting the terminal.). Such is my truly glamorous life.
Obviously, motion ickness is a front-runner for unwanted ailments. xoxo
There is some thoroughly unbloggable news, but the good kind. I might sleep well tonight. ;)
Everybody got so quiet! AW: son visited; excellent pizza for dinner; kittens are doing fine.
Happy for your good news, kathy a.!!
Yay!
:) Neighbor Lady
I'm rounding up the posse on behalf of KLee. That is so ridiculous!
Glad to hear that you've heard good news, kathy a!
AW: our anniversary was yesterday, and Mr. Q and I had a nice day. My sister came over to watch E for a few hours, so that we could go out for lunch (fancy place, but with more reasonable prices because it was lunchtime, and they have a patio, and so we got a table overlooking the lake). And we went out for macarons! We bought a lot of them, and brought them home, so that we could have a fancy tea party with E and my sister.
W: after such a nice day, why did E have such a bad sleep last night?
Yay for good news!!!
Motion ickness is definitely award worthy. So awful for you Andy and KLee.
I am a bit motion sensitive, but not too terribly. I can't sit in the back seat of a vehicle for more than an hour or two.
What really got me nauseated were those theme park rides where you stay in your seat and the screen does all the moving. Well, the chair moved back and forth, but you know what I mean...
Ugh. So. Sick.
AW: The countdown to vacation has begun.
W: In the meantime I'm doing my best zombie imitation as I drag my Walking De@d body through the days. If one more person says, "You look tired" I may scream. Or eat their brains.
Happy birthday, Sue!
Well, a little early....
Happy Anniversary, QWP!
Thanks. It's a Significant Birthday which makes me officially eligible for senior discounts. *sigh* The big day is Saturday. I'm working very hard today so I won't have to work on my birthday. So far, so good!
Happy Anniversary to QWP and Mr. Q!!
AW: breakfast with an old friend! I need to get out more. So does she. We have known one another since elementary school, lived next door one year in college, know most of the backstories. Trade books and tips on books. Etc.
This week has been a headachy mix of amazingly great news, really terrible news, not quite making a promised deadline, and so on.
Made my husband sort through boxes and albums of old skool photos last night, so I can actually make these little photo albums to give people at the memorial thing for his mom this weekend. There is a lot of estrangement in his family, so many photos unsuitable because of blowouts over the years with the other person in the photo. Sigh.
AW: Baby cats all doing fine per checkup yesterday!
AW: made significant progress on the upholstery project, which has been languishing for want of 10 consecutive minutes to concentrate on it or anything else. (oops, that was a whine in there).
W: that required Mr E staying home to work today, and allowing Baboos to watch tv/screens all fireplacing day.
AW: got Sweet's school supplies for kindergarten today.
W: I used to *love* school supply shopping, but it wasn't much fun today for some reason.
kathy, that's a rollercoaster week for sure. I'm glad you could have a breakfast date with your friend though.
Funny, no one ever asks to have breakfast with me. Could it be that I'm SO not a morning person?? :)
Yay esperanza for working on the upholstery project!
My friend and I meet at 9 a.m., which works fine. And is only possible because of flexibility in ze schedules.
Esperanza -- yay for upholstery! Would love to see a photo, sometime. And school supplies! The supply shopping will get better when you are not so deep in the 24/7 baboo thing.
I have enough photos now. The nearest drug store photo machine, I determined yesterday, is really crappy. But think I can get the copy/print job done another, better place this morning. Send search teams if I don't return. :P
Grumpy.
((Liz)) snack? go potty? nap?
Maybe not, since you are not in preschool.
Snack? Wine? Get away? Voodoo doll with long sharp pins?
Got all the photos scanned or uploaded, cropped, and a nice young man is making a bergillion prints. So the photo books will happen. A lot of the photos feature her dog, but that's because the dog made her smile. Numerous photos did not make the cut because MIL often looked irritated, if not downright fierce, when asked to pose.
Ooh. Snack. That may help. I have yummy gelato.
I may not be in pre-school, I think pre-school cures for the grumps are universally appropriate. They may not always fix what caused the grumps but they certainly can help make the grumps less grumpy.
I agree that the preschool cures for the grumps are pretty universal!
Kathy a, that's really nice that the photo books are coming together. It sounds like you're going to have a nice memorial for your MIL.
W: melancholy. I just heard some worrying news about a close friend's mental health, and it's hard not to fret.
I'm also melancholy because my mom and her sisters are on their way up to the family farm, to clear out my grandparents' house. I'm happy that my grandparents are receiving good care in their assisted living facility, and I'd rather that we deal with their things than leave the farmhouse as a shrine or something, but it's hard not getting a little emotional about the whole thing.
AW: my sister and my dad are bringing supper over.
QWP, if we were doing an immediate straw vote, I believe your family would at least be in the top tier for multigenerational caring. xxoo
Hope things settle for your friend with troubles.
We don't really know how to do a memorial when MIL ordered no services, and by chance we are in charge, and there are all these family dramas in the background, and everybody lives hours away from the cemetery with the family plot. So we're making it up. Flowers at the gravesite; lunch nearby; everybody gets a photo album. We will all be remembering her, in any event; expect there will be stories told. ;)
Preschool Grumpy Cures for anyone who feels the need (or just wants gelato - yum).
(((QWP))) Those are two very hard things: worrying about your friend's mental health and sorting out the family homestead. Sending love and hugs.
kathy, the memorial sounds perfect, and doesn't cross the line into a service. I hope it goes well for all of you.
AW: I have beautiful roses and carnations on my dining room table. For my birthday, right?
Wrong.
The family from yesterday's funeral gave them to me as we left the graveside. It was very sweet of them.
Awards later pixies!!
hahaha. We get leftover funeral flowers too. And leftover funeral food.
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