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Monday, October 5, 2015

Aloha!

Not leaving until Sunday.  So much to do this week -- like some albatross projects!

What's happening with you?

49 comments:

kathy a. said...

Am sorry this needs to be so, but there is a lot of gun conversation even days after this latest shooting, and to me that is a good thing. Something's gotta change.

My husband called to ask me to remind him to give daughter the mailbox key, so she can collect the mail while we're gone. So, I'm not the only one thinking of details. (Although I am the only one with a list.) (Or, apparently, sticky notes.)

AW: Leftover pizza! Leftover quiche!

Sue said...

Well, my day off yesterday flew by at warp speed. It's the time of year hubby likes to get all his annual doc visits done before the snow flies (it's so much easier with the wheelchair when there isn't a bunch of ice and snow). So, two appts, back home, supper and boom - back in the office.

AW: All of his appointments have gone well. He needs to see the speech language pathologist in the spring to help with his swallowing, but the neuro isn't concerned about rushing that. Basically, he needs to eat less granola/crunchy stuff and more soft stuff.

W: I had an odd discussion with someone in our congregation on Sunday. I'm not certain yet, as I need to speak with him further, but I think he told me our themed service (World Communion) was too Christian. He framed it a bit vaguely, and frankly, Sunday after worship is the WORST time to have a deep conversation with me... but I think it was another version of the "Do you have to talk about Jesus all the time?" speech I've heard from a few others over the years. *sigh*

Liz Miller said...

If they don't want to talk about Jesus all the time, but they like the flavor of your church, why aren't they going to the Unitarian Universalists? Unless there's no UU congregation in your town.

I mean, isn't Christ in the NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION???

Sue said...

Exactly, Liz. We do have a UU congregation in town and we have a good relationship with them. For a long time, our two congregations were the only Open and Affirming congregations so we shared a service during pride week.

And yes, Christ is kind of a big deal in a Christian denomination. That said, we are, as a denominatin, presently dealing with a very vocal and openly atheist minister. Which is a whole other can of worms....

kathy a. said...

Sue, good to get those appointments out of the way, and better that the news was positive!

How very, um, interesting about the atheist minister....

Anonymous said...

That's.... Hilarious

-Liz on iPhone

kathy a. said...

W: Big unbloggable work-related crisis, that was unforeseen and is not even an official albatross. AW: Team brainstorming! A path forward, maybe. Knock wood. I love this team.

The silly: I currently carry about a 2 gallon purse, because you never know what you're gonna need, no? But I got this cute little purse that won't wreck me while walking around on vacation, so it's a challenge to fit in essentials -- deciding what is not essential, finding smaller versions, and deciding what goes where. Close to victory!

esperanza said...

W: Without Internet at home for 36 hours. Eeek! Multiple calls to provider and fumbling around by me and then Mr. E led to the conclusion that we need a new router.

AW: Mr E was a peach and drove an hour to fetch a router last night, so I could do Albatross work at home, in peace, today.

W: Sweet flunked her eye exam at the pediatrician's office. She passed one at the school nurse's office, so I'm a little perplexed. She struggled to see the 20/50 line, so it's off to the eye doctor for her.

Sorry about the work crisis, the church people who don't like Jesus, and people bereft of sticky notes.

Sue said...

kathy - yay for teamwork and teams that work!

Good luck with the travel bag. I managed to downsize so well for my vacation a few years ago that I never switched back to the Great Big Bag.

Eeek, esperanza - no internet!!

That was nice of Mr E - hope you can get some Albatross work done today. Boo about Sweet's eye exam.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

That's strange about the two different write exams, esperanza! Hopefully it was just a fluke at the pediatrician's office, and the eye doctor is helpful. (And oh no! No internet!)

Kathy: good luck in the effort to downsize your purse contents! I bought a smaller purse, for the sake of my back, and now have it crammed more full than I thought possible.

Sue: I rolled my eyes so hard at the person telling you there was too much discussion of Jesus at church.

Argh: people I know are perpetuating xenophobic memes about Muslim women, thanks to the nonsense currently being pushed by the Canadian government. I straight-up told someone I was disappointed in her, yesterday. (It didn't work.)

Old Skool: I tried to see how long I could make it through the day before turning on the TV for E. And then she insisted on listening to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on a permanent loop. I turned on the TV at 8:30.

esperanza said...

We had actually been concerned (mildly) about Mini's eyesight but thought Sweet was fine. The left eye was first, and she got maybe half of the letters right. The right eye was next and she struggled through half the line (incorrectly), and said, "it's a lot harder with this eye," and the nurse just let her quit. There are worse things than wearing glasses, but I hate that Sweet in particular will have one more thing to deal with.

kathy a. said...

Esperanza, glad your internet is back! I'm sorry about Sweet's eye test. I hope she ends up being delighted by her glasses, that she can see so much more!

QWP, yuck on the ugly commentary. And sorry about the endless loop; we feel your pain.

Little purse is coming along! One challenge was placing a reusable shopping bag, but my daughter gave me this sweet bag that tucks into its own little pouch and hides behind a decorative purple rose; even clips onto the purse strap! Sounds weird but looks cute.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

You guys, did you know (sarcasm detectors on, please) that opposing the spread of hateful, racist messages is being judgemental against someone's personal beliefs? I'm out. I don't know why I go near the Book of Faces.

kathy a. said...

Some people, it is really hard to talk with them on a rational level. Racist hatred -- how can that be justified as a personal belief? Even if the person had a bad encounter with a person of a different background, what's the justification for condemning all? Gah.

Sue said...

Ugh QWP. I had to unfollow a colleague (a minister!!) whose book of faces posts keep propping up the fear and xenophobia being sold by our Present Guvment. (Seriously, we MUST vote them out in two weeks. We simply must.) But then, said minister colleague has also spoken out against Canada's strict gun laws in the past. Good grief.

The shopping bag sounds cute kathy!!

AW: It's Thanksgiving this weekend!

kathy a. said...

Oy! Ministerz fer gunz? Well, shouldn't cast aspersions since we have a presidential candidate who is a doctor, who has repaired gun damage to humans, and sez that is nothing compared to the horror of taking somebody's guns away. One ends up wondering about the planet of origin, no?

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Ministers from Sue's denomination for guns? That thoroughly shocks me.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Okay, I finally unfollowed that woman who called me judgemental! She just shared a Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote about how silence in the face of evil is an evil. Because I told her that spreading xenophobic stuff about Muslims feeds a culture of hate and fear.

kathy a. said...

Huh? Unfollowing is a good thing.

The celebrity gossip magazine, P30pl3, is reportedly listing phone numbers for all US congress-critters, and urging readers to call their critter to complain about gun violence and lack of gun control. This.Is.Amazing!

esperanza said...

QWP, oh yeah, that calls for an unfollow, if not a block and unfriend.

W: Apparently, 'tis allergy season here. Sneeze, sneeze, sneeze. And that's WITH the allergy meds on board.

KLee said...

Ugh. So tired. All the time tired, too. It's all I can do lately to work all day and cook dinner at night. Everything else is falling by the wayside.

Kids at school are all out of control. Our staff are at their wits' ends trying to figure out how to deal with these unmanageable behaviors because we get no backup at all from our admins. They are content to juke the stats do we look good to downtown, and then hide their heads in the sand, ostrich style. Most of us are seriously considering a "blue flu" day soon, just to get someone noticing what were going through.

Sue, I had to laugh at the idea that church is "too Jesus-y" and the fact that there's an atheist minister out there. That fits right in with my "up is down, yellow is blue" world a little too well here lately. Glad Hubby got his appointments out of the way, with no major changes.

Esperanza, don't feel too bad about the eyesight thing.. I actually had a lady who does eye screenings on little people for a living tell me that the shyest ones usually don't test well because they're reluctant to talk to a stranger. If that's not the case with her, glasses aren't that horrible a deal. Allow her to pick a pair in a color she likes, and she should be happy.

So jealous at the idea that SOMEONE (cough, cough) is lucky enough to be heading off to Hawaii! I'd drown myself in a Piña Colada right about now, and I don't even drink. Maybe eat my weight in macadamia nuts....

QWP - you are better off without that pyscho hose beast from the Book of Faces in your life.

Love to all, and vote Liz!

E

kathy a. said...

((( KLee ))) May the wild kids settle down soon. Meanwhile, I think the Posse has some clues to deliver to higher-ups. Sheesh.

esperanza said...

oooh, macadamia nuts. Yum. Good plan, KLee. I'm sorry the bigwigs at school are such idiots.

W: Yet MORE Youth Director drama at Mr. E's church. The third such youth director, if you've lost count. Youth minister and her husband (who is also a church employee) requested a special meeting of *part* of the Personnel Committee, without Mr E (the pastor) present. This is a no-no under their rules, and the Personnel Committee chair (who is really wonderful and an HR professional in her other life) told them no private/secret meeting. So now there's going to be a meeting of the whole committee. In the meantime, Mr E is mind-fireplacing what he has done to upset the youth director and/or her husband. It is not pleasant to be Mr. E's long suffering spouse right now.

kathy a. said...

Oh, jeepers, Esperanza. I'm glad the Chair is taking charge on this one. Mr. E can't very well respond on the spot to whatever complaint they have that they haven't told him (or apparently, the committee), so I guess his job is to calmly listen. Cluesticks!

Liz Miller said...

(((KLee)))
(((Esperanza)))
(((QWP)))

I am sad because my always-was-friendly across-the-street neighbors have my opponent 's yard sign in their yard and when I went over to ask them what I'd done to offend them, they said "nothing!" And I said, well, what's with the sign? And they talked a lot of bull about both sides getting to make their case, and that they were undecided. I said, well, while you're making up your mind, does his sign have to be out there? Oh, yes, they said. The sign is staying. Well, can you put up mine with it? No. Can you let me know if there's anything I can do? Sure!

Door closes.

I admit my feelings are hurt. I don't mind if they don't want to vote for me, but I do mind that these formerly friendly neighbors are putting out this gauntlet. Why?

esperanza said...

Oh, poop, Liz. Why did they have to go and do that? Insensitive, at the very least.

kathy a. said...

Geesh. Cluesticks to the neighbors.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

That's really weird behaviour, Liz. And obviously not the behaviour of an undecided voter! Cluesticks, for sure.

KLee just reminded me the Kathy will get to have macadamia nuts from a Hawaii, and I'm so jealous!

(((Esperanza and Mr. E)))

Old Skool Whine: I went to C0stc0 this evening (all the way across town!) and they had none of the pull-up-style diapers the E wears. Just absolutely nothing (I suspect they have a supply issue, since they get a special case from the brand, that only they sell). I had to go to the nearby Evil Empire, because we're in a desperate state for diapers (and Little Miss E refuses to go back to wearing regular baby diapers, but also is stalled on the potty training front). It cost an extra $15! I'm experiencing sticker shock over the price difference.

Can the pixies please send some extra "please use the potty more than once a day" pixie dust toward E? Her ankle injury really derailed things (because it caused her muscle pain to sit on the potty, and even though she's so much better now, it's hard to let go of that association).

esperanza said...

Good potty vibes to E and her mama.

W: Puke. Sweet. On the carpet. I have a meeting today, so she's getting to stay home from school with Daddy. He's kind of happy to have a legitimate excuse to avoid the office and staff drama.

Sue said...

QWP - I should have been clearer. I trained (in my denomination) with gun guy, but he ended up being ordained to another denomination. For some reason, we weren't a good fit. :)

And yes, that was a wise unfollow on your part.

(((KLee))) I nominate you for Mullet for the use of the term "psycho hose beast" :)

Oy esperanza - wtfireplace???? Third youth director...private meetings... good grief. I agree, his job at this meeting is to receive information. If he needs/wants time to process it before responding in any way, he has a right to do so. To spring something on him this way, especially after trying to deal with it in such an unacceptable way in the first place...well, it's just wrong. Sorry Sweet is unwell, but at least Mr E gets respite from the drama llamas.

Liz - your neighbours are mean idiots who need multiple cluesticks.

QWP - ugh. I hate it when I have to go to the Evil Empire. Sending good potty vibes E's way...

W: It's rainy today.

AW: It's not snow. That would be worse.

W: It's 10:00 and my head is already rebelling. Going to be a loooong day. :(

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Sue, that makes so much more sense! He doesn't sound like a good fit with you guys. I'm so sorry about your head.

Poor little Sweet!

W: my Book of Faces has turned into Hide The Racists Whack-a-mole.

kathy a. said...

Sending potty vibes to E.

Esperanza, hope Sweet is feeling better! Not bad timing for Mr. E to have a day away.

Sue, I like "drama llamas." May your head feel less ouchy, and the snow hold off.

kathy a. said...

Last night was a culinary victory -- shrimp and broc in a sauce with pesto, over buttered thin spaghetti, little parm on top. Should have made more.

esperanza said...

Oh no on the racist whack-a-mole. That's not good, QWP.

Sweet is better. Mr. E has given her some...questionable...food items today, and she seems ok with it. Low energy, but I think she'll be able to go to school tomorrow.

esperanza said...

W: her room, however, still smells like vomit. We've cleaned the spot on the carpet twice, washed the sheets and other linens, opened the windows. If there's a spot we missed, we can't find it. Baking soda in there now.

esperanza said...

AW: I don't think Sweet was ever really sick, just coughed so hard that she puked. But a day of lounging on the couch, being spoiled by indulgent Daddy, and then a good night's sleep seems to have done the trick. The coughing is much, much better, and she woke up feeling better than she has all week. None of which stopped her from trying to convince me she needed to stay home again.

kathy a. said...

Glad Sweet is back to school! Hope the fragrance from her bad incident disappears, too.

I don't know why I thought I could get so much work stuff done this week. To be fair, something unexpected popped up, but still -- the pace of a slug.

esperanza said...

Right there with you on the slug pacing, kathy a.

AW: Received Sweet's report card today, and her lowest grade is an 87! That's regular work, no modifications. Special ed works with her 30 minutes/day.

W: WHY do first graders need number grades?

kathy a. said...

GO, SWEET! Those are pretty darned good scores.

Dunno about number grades, but may as well seize the moment to reinforce how awesome she is!

In totally unexciting (to everyone else) news, I washed and am restocking my travel kit bag for handy and bathroom items. That's how big this vacation is! Normally I toss in whatever extras come to mind, then toss it in the bag. I'm becoming a responsible, plan ahead kind of person. At some point in the future, this might also happen to my closets. :)

Anonymous said...

Kathy a-- Hope you have a fabulous trip!!!!!
:)Neighbor Lady

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Go Sweet!! (But elementary gets number grades there?! We haven't had the since the 70s. It's outcomes-based here, with letters that aren't A-F.)

Have an excellent trip, Kathy!

Canadian Thanksgiving weekend! Oh boy, is it going to be busy here.

Sue said...

Yay Sweet!!

Have a great vacation Kathy!

We're having a very low-key Thanksgiving this year. Just hubby, the in-laws, and me on Monday (because big dinners just don't happen on Sundays in our house - I'm too zombie-like after Sunday morning). The boys are both celebrating with their friends in the Big Cities.

esperanza said...

Happy Thanksgiving, QWP and Sue! Enjoy!

kathy a. said...

Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadian Pixies!

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!
--NL

Liz Miller said...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Today I am giving thanks to H0w@rd De@n. That man is a GOD. He sent out an email this morning and so far 299 people from around the country donated to me and 10 others. $631 so far and rising. I am gobsmacked.

kathy a. said...

Go, Liz!!! And, that was really great of him.

esperanza said...

Wow, Liz! I haven't heard that name in a while. So glad it's working out well for you!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

That's fantastic, Liz!