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Monday, June 1, 2015

Low-frill bargain whining

Welcome to the weekly festivities!  Hope y'all have recovered from weekend fun, flooding, chunky meetings, and whatever else has been going on.

I ended up wasting most of the weekend, which was lovely except for I should have gotten more work done.  Back in the albatross saddle this week!

The entire last week has mostly been gloomy and chilly.  No rain.  Only a tiny bit of sun, a couple afternoons.  We're supposed to have overnight fog that burns off in the morning, this time of year -- e.g., perfect weather -- but the weather fairies are having some difficulty finding the rhythm.

My son's birthday is friday; he'll be off at a wedding in a distant part of the state.  (As a member of the wedding party!)  I find it impossible to believe he'll be 28.  That day is so clear in my memory.  A c-section was scheduled for the next week because of his position, but I started having a lot of contractions -- and I was in court trying to finish up one last case before my leave, and the judge kept calling everybody else's cases, which gave me a lot of opportunity to time contractions.  Finally my dear colleague (who was also seriously pregnant at the time) waddled on up to the bench and said, "Judge, if you don't call Kathy's case, you are going to witness the miracle of life right here in your courtroom."  That got him moving...  ;)

Come tell your stories of joy and woe!

74 comments:

Sue said...

That's a great birth story kathy! Happy Birthday to your son.

AW: Home again. It was a good weekend, I had a good table group (makes all the difference), and my travel companions were fun. We even had a chance to see the new Human Rights Museum on Sunday. It was powerful but at times difficult. It's one of those places, I think, that would be best tackled one floor at a time over many weeks. Still, I'm so glad I got to see it.

W: Oh dear me, but the head hurts. I only missed a small bit of business over the weekend because of a need for ice and darkness.

AW: A week today I'll get some relief. AND I will meet my son's new love for the first time!

esperanza said...

Sorry about the headache monster, Sue.

W: Chiggers. Seriously, Universe. I go to help people suffering from a natural disaster, and this is what I get in return? Chiggers. There is no purpose on earth for these little beasties.

W: also, pretty sure I have a sinus infection, heading quickly toward bronchitis. I'm going to the doctor this afternoon. Perhaps hanging out with flood debris and a burning brush pile was not my smartest decision ever.

W: Summer. Dragging the Baboos everywhere with me is so draining, and time consuming, and potentially embarrassing. (Sweet had a full on toddler tantrum because I would not haul her 46 pound self up into the basket seat. Said tantrum lasted all through produce, such that the produce manager came to check on her and make sure she had not hurt herself in his department.)

AW: she straightened up and was pretty fun after that. Dentist appointments conquered this morning, with much behavioral improvement over last year. Sweet will now have to see the orthodontist, because of the family underbite. I have to track down insurance benefits and networks and such first, but we have a couple of recommendations to go on.

KLee said...

Mom got some good news late last week -- she had an appointment with her docs, and her white blood cell count is up. She also got a steroid shot, which is helping her with feeling not quite so dragged out, and that helped, too. She dislikes the steroids because she says it gives her a "Moon Pie" face, but I tell her it's better than suffering. Her sister was here this weekend, to help keep her spirits up, and my brother is coming next weekend. The one upside to this is that I've seen assorted members of my family more in the last six weeks than I have in years!

Looking for a new job. I hate my principal, and I hate what he's done to my school. I have some applications in, but I haven't heard anything back yet. I need to do some more looking.

kathy a. said...

Sue, yay about the conference! Big BOO about the headache monster. And you get to meet the sweetie?! :)

Esperanza, I think chiggers and sinus infection and a public tantrum are pretty much the trifecta of Old Skool. Glad things are on an upswing otherwise.

KLee, good news about Mom! The steoids are kind of a bitch, but better than the alternative, eh? Glad the family is rallying round, also. Sending Good Job Vibes in your direction. Still cluesticking the principal.


kathy a. said...

Whine and ye shall receive -- we have sun, temp about 70F, and a gentle breeze! Also, dishwasher is pre-emptied; my beloved made a meatloaf, and all I have to do is cook it; and son is probably dropping by since he got another package here.

esperanza said...

Only a sunburn would have made it Old Skool-ier. And I actually did think ahead about that and applied sunscreen. Twice, even.

Doctor claims my breathing sounds fine. It doesn't feel fine. He agreed with me on the sinus infection and gave me a Rx. Let's hope it kicks in soon.

Liz Miller said...

W: my opponent out raised me this period.
AW: he took money from a company his constituents hate. Passionately. With a side of rage. Hehehehehehe.
AW: I didn't do too shabby myself, and I got help from pixies! Like Kathy! And Dr. Corndog!!! And no nasty evil corporations!!!

kathy a. said...

Go, Liz!

AW: Breakfast with a friend I've known since elementary school. And knew in college also, with a whole new mix of friends.

AW: SIL's doing pretty well! She's "mellow," not so anxious and worked up. They have been able to reduce some of the heavier medication, so she is steadier on her feet. The medical mj experiment is so far, so good.

Sue said...

Go Liz!!!!!

yay for reconnecting with long-time friends kathy! And that's good news re: the mj experiment with SIL.

esperanza for multiple Old Skool whines award!

esperanza said...

AW: I feel like a slightly smaller pile of elephant pook today, so the medicines must be working.

AW: Sweet saw the developmental pediatrician today. She'd made 14 months' worth of progress on the "auditory processing" questions, in only 6 months' worth of time. He was pleased. And she bounced in the door to tell Mini, "we had fun today!" which is a good sign, too.

kathy a. said...

Yay, Esperanza! Sweet is really taking off, no?

Liz Miller said...

Sleepy..

Esperanza, glad you're feeling better! Go sweet go!!

Kathy, woot for mj!!!

Yay for good news, Klee!!

Sue said...

KLee, the steroids aren't great, but indeed, better than suffering. I'm glad there has been some improvement for your mom!

W: Up at O Dark Thirty to take hubby for a test at the hospital. Nothing urgent, just testing re: MS symptoms.

AW: What feels like wonky scheduling is really a more efficient hospital. Most departments have 24 hour coverage, especially the diagnostic imaging (MRI, CT etc...) It really cuts down wait times. Also, the staff are delightful.

Coffee, this will be a big day for coffee.

kathy a. said...

Sue, that does sound brilliant -- come early, avoid the crowds and waits, get lots of attention. :)

W: Here is a down side to the support website for families dealing with my SIL's rare dementia -- there is one guy who always preaches about how he took his wife off of all meds, and lo, she was better. And it's great that worked for his wife, but her symptoms were WAY different than those of my SIL (who is a whirling mess w/o meds -- doesn't sleep, tries to hit people, says the most awful things you have ever heard, etc.). AW: He is also a really nice man, who cared for his beloved wife at home for years. And I guess our loved ones illustrate the range of symptoms. Sigh.

Liz said...

Kathy, if I remember correctly, your SIL was not an easy person to deal with BEFORE she came down with this illness? Her personality flaws may just have become more intense with the dementia.

kathy a. said...

No, she was not an easy person from the beginning (we met 34 years ago). And when she became ill about 9-10 years ago, we did not know what was going on, only that it was horrible -- that's when she became the SILfH.

Nobody could have prevented the damage to SIL's frontal lobe, it just happened for reasons not known (rare disease, no known genetic cause) -- but losing that set things all to hell.

So, if you have the chance to protect somebody's frontal lobe, go forth and do good. Helmets, people! Avoid contact sports. Watch for repetitive head injuries. And if you have the chance to love a kid -- I just wonder if more love and less chaos in her early years might have helped, personality-wise. xoxo

kathy a. said...

Ahem. I have a small problem with whining....

But there is sauce simmering slowly on the stove! Onion, bell pepper, sausage, assorted spices (black and red pepper; garlic; little sage; bunch of basil; dash of sage; bit of ginger; oregano); tad of balsamic vinegar; glug of wine to scrape up the bottom of the pan; tom sauce and paste. Up at dinnertime will be cheese tortellini, and probably I'll find some veggies.

Miranda said...

Young Adult Son called tonight. He was sweet and kind and said he's matured from his struggles.

I feel like my prayers are being answered.

kathy a. said...

((( Miranda ))) xoxo

esperanza said...

Mini was asleep in bed, sans pajamas (because I told her to put them on, so of course she refused; it's been that kind of day) at 6 pm. Please pray to all relevant deities, I'm really not picky about which ones at this point, that she will just stay asleep all night.

esperanza said...

Oh Miranda, that's wonderful. I'm sure it's not the end of the story, but what a moment of grace.

kathy a. said...

For the record, a package of ravioli boasting 4 servings is just flat out lying.

Crossed fingers that everybody sleeps well tonight.

esperanza said...

Thank you. So far so good. She also is sans supper, so if she wakes up in the middle of the night, it's not going to be pretty.

W: rash of preemie births in Mr. E's church. Twins born at 24 weeks last weekend. Another mama at 30 weeks with twins in the hospital with pre eclampsia this week. Esperanza with a wee bit of PTSD. (Sweet was 29 weeks, for reference).

kathy a. said...

Sending love for all the teeny-tinies and their parents. xoxo

And, some mac/cheese in case of midnight munchies.

Liz Miller said...

Esperanza, I hope she stays asleep, but I recommend prepping peanut butter crackers before you go to bed, just in case. Hoping all the itty bitty babies make it. Sending hugs.

Yay, Miranda!!

I think the serving size is calculated for the ravioli to be a side dish.

We had a fun time at tonight's launch party for a software app MM helped test. And he proved once again his incredible aptitude for math.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Popping in from my week of church-related introspection (I'm allegedly spending a few days offline, with middling success) to give hugs, especially to Miranda and to esperanza. Oh boy, am I praying for those tiny preemies. 24 and 30 weeks!

esperanza said...

Report from the night: Mini stayed asleep for 12.5 hours. Apparently, she was really tired. She also stayed naked that whole time, then put on the pj's before she came out of her room this morning. She said "let's just not talk about it" when I mentioned she slept without them.

Liz Miller said...

HAHAHAHAHA, that Sweet is a riot!

Woke up with a headache. Not a Sue-type headache, just a headache. But have taken pills and more pills and it's still there. Weather related, most likely. Probably NOT hormonal as Aunt Flo just left yesterday. At least, I hope it's not hormonal.



Sue said...

That's good news, Miranda. xoxoxo

Yay Mini for a good night of sleep!!! Prayers for all the tiny ones too.

Sorry about the headache Liz. Pain is pain and it's always unpleasant. Hope it resolves soon.

AW: A friend who does therapeutic touch is paying me a visit at the office this morning. We're in a low pressure zone at the moment and will be for another two or three days. My brain does not appreciate low pressure. Bleh. My friend is very good at therapeutic touch. It ends up being an individual guided meditation as much as anything else, but the deep breathing and focus helps.

kathy a. said...

Sue, therapeutic touch sounds wonderful. Hope it brings some relief.

Liz Miller said...

Headache finally gone, after 2 Advil, then 2 Tylenol, then another 2 Advil. Def. low-pressure related. Theraputic touch sounds lovely!

esperanza said...

AW: made it through oil change, trip to Target (every toy in the toy department was inspected thoroughly), trip to Bed/Bath/Beyond (ordered online, picked up in store, super easy), and lunch. All with Baboos.

W: car needs a couple of repairs. Not too expensive, but still. I like my car to work and not cause me stress.

kathy a. said...

Good job, Esperanza! And heh about Sweet's "we shall say no more of this" type comment.

Yay for the old 1-2 advil/tylenol punch, Liz.

Dudes, my SIL is calmer enough that they are trying to ratchet down a second Big Med. Yay! The "mellowish" is holding, knock wood.

esperanza said...

Wow, if she isn't a poster child for medical mj, then who would be? That's great news.

AW: Babysitter came through....W: at the last minute. I love her, but she is a procrastinator.

Sue said...

Yay for babysitters, even last minute ones!

I'm glad the advil/ty punch worked Liz.

Yay for mj!! I'm so glad it's helping SIL kathy.

W: My dad's in hospital. My sister and BIL (who will be sainted for all this one day) drove out to the lake to pick him up. He was feeling awful but didn't want to call and ambulance, and his wife can't drive because she's healing from hip surgery. Turns out he has a kidney infection that explains his fever and a staghorn calculus that was causing his back pain.

He's been admitted. The infection will be easy to resolve but the rock in his kidney will not. Ick.

AW: He was seen almost immediately when he got to the ER and he's receiving terrific care. We are really blessed with our hospital.

kathy a. said...

Sue, glad your dad got to the hospital, and hoping for a swift recovery.

W: my beloved decided to stay home today. I have a lot of work today.

kathy a. said...

Even better, he decided to replace the sink in the bathroom across the hall. From me. Today. No warning.

AW: woot, got another little something done!

kathy a. said...

He took the day because he's depressed; we are totally the cheerful family. Handyperson therapy works for him. He's on his second run to the hardware store, so far.

On the up side, I actually am cheerful today, and have done a bunch already! This feels amazing.

esperanza said...

Oh, kathy a. You have my deepest sympathy. Husband suddenly decides to stay home is award-worthy. Nothing, but nothing, throws me off like that. At least he's being productive?

kathy a. said...

Power tools. Part of the wall is currently missing. The dog ate all the cat kibble during HW store run #2; she is secured for HW store run #3. At least the water's back on.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Unexpected construction? Oh Kathy, give yourself an award.

Sue, I'm glad that your dad is receiving good care now. Seriously: sainthood for your sister and BIL.

We just had an hour-long power outage, half of which lined up with E's naptime. And that's how I discovered that she's become dependant on white noise, in order to sleep.

It's such a tough balance, you guys! She got used to white noise because she needs an air purifier in her room, but we definitely take advantage of the fact that it buffers the sound for us, since we live in a tiny place with hard floors. I'll try gradually lowering the fan speed, so that she doesn't need as loud of a fan, but I'm not trying any changes right now. Mr. Q is out of town for the weekend, and I'm in survival mode.

I'm apparently getting really growly this week. I snapped at a friend yesterday, because she was giving me that old advice about giving your kid only juice that's been diluted with water, and bragging about how her kids don't know what regular juice tastes like, and prefer water and milk anyway. And I was tearing into "Well, my kid has grandparents who give her sugar, and she spits out diluted juice. She prefers water and milk, too, and we just don't give her juice regularly, so don't start with me on that nonsense" and just stop stopped myself before "and I doubt that your twelve-year-old has never tasted juice ever, and I've seen them both drink iced tea and gorge themselves on candy, so step off."

June is a stressful time of year, you guys. Only a few more weeks, and then the school year will be done.

kathy a. said...

QWP, best with the sleep adjustments. All we can do is our best! Long story short, I became a fan of "quiet time, you can play or look at books quietly in your bed."

The juice-preachy mom is on the list for the Posse, along with all the other know-it-alls about everything -- napping, toilet training, what foods to feed -- long list at E's age, and really at every age, but one learns to block a certain amount of it. (It is kind of delicious that her own kids gulp the sugar, no? You're a good person for not going there.)

esperanza said...

If this tells you how our lunch out went, I said to the waiter "Summer is almost over, right?" and he busted out laughing. I gave him extra tip $$ for that.

kathy a. said...

If I had a magic wand, there would be fabulous and affordable and exciting day camps right in Esperanza-ville. Right Now!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh, esperanza, I wish you lived closer! Our kids could entertain each other.

AW: nap time still happened!!! As soon as the power came back on, I turned on her fan, and tucked her back in. Asleep instantly.

Kathy, you are so right about all the opinions about toddlers. SO MANY OPINIONS! Everyone has one! And I'm one part "Eh, she'll be fine." And one part "Maybe I do everything wrong? I need approval from other people!"

Sue said...

A posse for the nosy know-it-all people with endless toddler advice. Ugh. QWP, you don't need approval from diluted juice mom. You are a great mom!

Lol esperanza! That's an awesome waiter.

Good news on the handyman front kathy, but I'm sorry hubby is feeling low. I hope today helped.

AW: dad is feeling better this evening and may even go home tomorrow, depending on how he responds to the antibiotics.

W: I'm in that "Gee Sue, you look so TIRED!" stage of migraine-life. I came very close to making a scene today when yet another concerned person made this observation. In my fantasy, it went something like "No kidding! I can't sleep because I'm in too much pain from the hot spike embedded in my right temple! Then I go to work and smile through - you got it - pain! So yes, I look tired! Get over it!"

Instead of all the above, I said "I'm fine, really." (This wasn't a person I needed to be honest with - she was fishing for gossip.)



esperanza said...

Nothing like a well-placed "I'm fine" to squelch the conversation :)

I, too, am tired, on just about every level a person can be tired on. I'm not getting enough sleep, plus the fireplacing sinus infection is not going away fast enough. I feel just good enough to function, but I can tell I'm worn down physically. The week of helping my friend through her son's suicide is also catching up with me. And I don't seem to have many moments to myself, what with the above-referenced summer. I am trying to schedule Baboo entertainment and travel and cannot get other people related to me (including, but not limited to, Mr E and my brother) to make a decision already. And summer is always busy for the preaching business, filling in for vacationers. Albatross #2 awakened today with a small but significant task to prepare.

Let's just say summer is an...adjustment.

kathy a. said...

Sue -- Gossipy Glendas are also on the Posse list, as well as anybody else who gives you that backhanded "you look like crap" thing without any intention of helping, should there be something to help with.

QWP, you really are an exceptional mom. Go with the "eh, she'll be fine." You are already on top of all the hazards, and you know your kid, so just come on by here if you can use some affirmation. :)

The new sink is still sitting on the bedroom floor, along with the old sink, but the wall is pretty much fixed structurally. And a man has to take his dog for a long walk, so they have gone to do that.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Sue, you're a model of restraint with your "I'm fine, really" response. And I'm so sorry that you're suffering so much.

AW: I got through the first day of Mr. Q being gone! E went to bed without much fuss.

W: the smoke detector battery died, and it's one of those new-style noisy ones, and our ceilings are so high that I can't reach the smoke detector from my big step stool. So, my landlord came down to replace the battery (he's VERY tall), and it turns out that these new smoke detectors are also very fiddly, when it comes to replacing the batteries, and they're VERY loud when they're complaining at you about replacing the battery wrong. This all happened just after I put E to bed.

AW: I think she's finally asleep. She didn't shoot for me or anything, but all the commotion kept her awake and silly in her room. I sure hope this means that she'll sleep to a reasonable time.

W: dangit, I just heard her again. Go to sleep, child!

Liz Miller said...

Esperanza, can I give marital assvice? "As of today, DH and BIL, the summer is wide open. Make your decisions about dates by 2:00 pm tomorrow, because at 3:00 pm tomorrow, I'm scheduling camps and putting down non-refundable deposits. dithering time is over."

Feel free to ignore above.

Sue said...

esperanza, I'm with Liz. Time to make some plans that involve you getting some well-deserved "esperanza time."

QWP - I hope you and E managed to get some sleep.

W: Dishwasher broken. At around 9:00 last night - a Friday. Of course.

AW: It's under warranty. A local repair place will take care of it Monday.

W: Monday.

First world problem, I know.

Sue said...

Funny whine: Our chair of worship sent an email around detailing summer plans re: my vacation. This year, like every other for the past 14 years, I will be off for the entire month of August.

Our Board chair writes back to the group Freaking the Fireplace Out about why I have an extra week of vacation this year, who's going to cover emergencies, and OH NO the world is ending.

Um...

This year August has 5 Sundays, but it still has 31 days. I know because I checked :)

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.

esperanza said...

Sundays count twice, didn't you get the memo? :)

kathy a. said...

Do they pay you extra when you work the months with 5 Sundays??

The sink is still on the bedroom floor, but the wall is whole again. Guess it will be another fun-filled day.

Not sure about the award thing. Keep going!

Sue said...

Hahahahaha kathy!!! Extra pay?? Ya, that's not happening. No one has ever noticed 5-Sunday months until now.

kathy a. said...

I have a feeling they don't pay much attention to all the other stuff you do besides preaching on Sundays. Near as I can tell, that ranges from janitorial, to employee relations, to budget concerns, to meetings of various exciting committees, to the kidlets, to relations with the larger church and continuing education type activities, to pastoral care, to weddings and funerals, and whatever else walks in the door. I'm probably missing some specifics.

AW: 2 more bits of albatross done! On to the next!

kathy a. said...

My husband is using my blowdryer to finish drying the thick layer of spackle he applied yesterday. (Seriously, that much spackle? And for behind the sink-to-be?) My offer this morning of a space heater to speed things along was rejected.

Also, I discovered that he had tossed my makeup bag (not used every day, but essential) on the floor, and that broke at least one item. Breathing in and breathing out, with the door to my office closed due to construction. (Fortunately, I hated that blusher anyway, and am too cheap normally to go find something better. But still.)

Liz Miller said...

Kathy, am I detecting passive aggressive bullshit vibes being put out by your DH? Because this kind of is triggering that feeling for me

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Yeah, are you sure this construction project is as therapeutic as he'd hoped? Because I'm not sure how good it is for your own mental health.

Sue, I'm chuckling about the panic about a five-Sunday August.

AW: So, we had a good sleep last night, but then there was no nap today. But it worked out well, because we then spent the afternoon with my family (including a visiting cousin), and we had time to plant a tree that my mom bought in Grandma's memory. It was nice being able to do that all together. Today went really well.

W: Now to survive a Sunday service without Mr. Q. (My kid is lively, and we keep all the kids with us through the whole church service.) We're normally pretty okay, but her late-morning mood depends heavily on the previous night's sleep.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

AW: you guys, not only is Mr. Q coming home tomorrow, but I'm getting a wild boar roast ready for tomorrow's supper! Thanks (?) to the fact that they're an invasive species with a booming population here, the meat is really cheap at the farmer's market.

I got a shoulder roast, and I'm going to do a dry rub tonight, and leave it in the slow cooker all day. It should be falling apart by supper, right? (Maybe I should research how to cook the stuff, before I start.)

kathy a. said...

QWP, yay for tree planting! I have no opinions about cooking boar, but ye olde slow cooker works for almost anything.

Liz -- No, don't think it's passive aggressive bs, just that he got a little too wrapped up in his sink as therapy. We had a nice dinner out.

And then I stepped in some cat poop outside the box, tracked it around, took my sandals out to wash them off, changed to an old dress and got the poop on that, cleaned the floor, dragged the mat outside, stripped to put the disgusting old dress in the washer, and took a shower. There was some swearing during this part of the saga. Because there is nothing at all that I hate worse than icky poop on my person. Nothing. And none of this was my husband's fault. Think I know which cat to blame, but as I've been plotting a military operation to get him to the vet, find it hard to hate on him very much. The End.

KLee said...

Got to spend some time tonight with my mother and my brother, which was nice. Offspring came out and joined us, so it was a nice evening of family and laughter. I think, more than anything else, this together time is what makes my mom happy. She went to bed a little early, but that's to be expected.

Some news on the medical front (subtitled "Stuff I Did Not Previously Know"): 1) Mom misunderstood her directions from her doctor about her oral chemo -- she thought she was supposed to do the chemo M-F, with weekends off, just like her radiation treatments, but the oncologist said, no -- it is supposed to be SIX FULL WEEKS (every day) of the oral chemo, and then she got a break from the radiation on Saturday and Sunday. So, she's feeling slightly more puny this week after adjusting her meds. 2) The neurologist did a CAT scan of the brain on Thursday, but it is only to be used for targeting the radiation, not to see whether the tumor has shrunk or anything. She'll have another scan after this round is over (two more full weeks), and then I guess the course of treatment depends on what has happened with the tumor. 3) The reason that the neurologist termed the tumor "inoperable" was that it sits on top of the region that controls movement and motion, and they didnt want to tinker with that too much since she already has some loss in her left hand due to the small stroke she had right before the diagnosis. I can see where it might not be a good idea to go rummaging around in there like a bull in a china shop. 4) She still has not lost her hair fully, so she's laughing that I shaved my head, but I don't regret doing it.

Not much else going on here. Finally got some donations in on Offspring's GoFundMe page for her Study Abroad in London next year. I sure am glad we have generous family, because it wouldn't happen otherwise.

Husband is having a depressive episode lately -- hates his weight, wants to make more money, and HATES summer with a passion, so it's been a long few weeks for him. I wish there was a way I could actually HELP him, but depression isn't rational and does not care to apply logic to situations. It's hard for him, and he feels like I have enough on my plate right now without "listening to [his] crazy, too." there's no good way to comfort a person with depression without coming off as either insincere or Pollyanna-ish. We just keep trying.

Other than that, Mrs.Lincoln; how was the play?!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh, that's so much on your plate right now, KLee. So many hugs about your mom's treatments and your husband's depression. (I'm so glad you have good news about donations for Offspring's trip.) I hope you have some way to take care of yourself, in the midst of everything.

Liz Miller said...

(((Klee)))

esperanza said...

That is a lot, KLee. Just keep swimming, huh? Hugs to everybody.

Sue said...

(((KLee))) love and hugs to you...

kathy a. said...

((( KLee ))) Sounds like a good visit with mom. So sorry about the med mix-up. Yay, Offspring! xoxxo

Queen of West Procrastination said...

W: I just found out that Mr. Q's school skink (aka E's best animal friend) died this weekend. Now I get to figure out how to get a toddler to understand why she can't go visit her buddy anymore.

esperanza said...

W: What my friend calls the "Toy Rapture" (aka, I make old/unused/underappreciated toys disappear, and the Baboos are none the wiser) is not working anymore. Today, Sweet asks about a particular set of markers that she got for Christmas. They are still around, but they no longer have their own box; they've been absorbed into the great marker matrix. AND THEN, she asks about an overly complicated Lego set that she got in OCTOBER and never played with after Mr E put it together. I sold it at a consignment sale. So I said, "I have no idea where it is," which is, strictly speaking, the truth.

kathy a. said...

QWP, poor skinky friend! E is still so young. You could go with "he went to live somewhere else, and we'll miss him." Or, begin explaining that he was old and he died -- because that will continue to happen.

There are some books that help kids come to grips with death -- one that I remember is the Tenth Good Thing About Barney. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tenth-good-thing-about-barney-judith-viorst/1102166645?ean=9780689712036

Esperanza, you speak nothing but the truth.

kathy a. said...

My kids' caretaker (family day care at her home) died when they were 3.5 and almost 5, respectively. She had cared for them about 2.5 years, and they and the other kids adored her. So we had to confront death fairly early; but my daughter was still a year or so older than E.

The families stuck together and shared info. A couple of the older kids were already attending a local preschool part time, and several kids ended up going there together. We had a picnic to "remember Auntie," and even the littlest kids could plant flowers in a planter box. (E just helped plant a memorial tree, right?)

xoxo

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Mr. Q came home from his camping trip, and has promised to handle the Joey talk with E, since visiting the skink was their thing to do together.

On a lighter note, and speaking of big questions I feel ill-equipped to answer: while we driving home at bedtime yesterday, E pointed out the window at telephone lines and asked, "Is that the Internet? Where is the Internet? I can't see it anywhere!" And then peppered me with questions about exactly WHAT the Internet is, all the way home. Kid: you're 2.

esperanza said...

The Internet: harder to explain than God :)

Liz said...

Leave the explaining up to Obi Wan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2YQJsbbWNA