Hurricane, back to school, and other adventures

Think we are united in concern and caring for those affected by the hurricane and continued flooding.  The images from Houston are shocking, and unfortunately the water levels are expected to be dangerously high for a while.  I just read there might be as many as 30,000 in shelters soon.  If you are so moved, cash donations to reputable relief agencies are the quickest and best way to get what's needed to where it needs to be.

I've been seeing a lot of back to school photos today, and they are just cute as heck!  Forgot to take one of my daughter before I left her to her new stint in school.  (Bad Mommy!)   My favorite story so far today was from a mom whose daughter, a 6th grader, was so excited that she was dressed and ready to go a full 2 hours before the bus was due to arrive.  :)

Minor league W:  My husband told me last night he and his friend might go on a backpacking trip.  This week: Tuesday, which is tomorrow.  I guess they decided Saturday night, and he just forgot to mention it for 24 hours?  "I was outside working on the yard" is a nominee for the Lame Excuse of the Week Award -- but feel free to submit your own contenders!

AW:  My pile of things to donate is growing.  One day, I'll haul it to the car.  Or possibly, several days.

What's going on with you?

Last Week of Summer Whining

This week is dragging already, and it's Monday morning at 9:18 a.m.

On our agenda:
buy outfits for first day of school (Mean Mom is insisting that said outfits be worn more than once)
go to work with Mama for the last time of the summer (excitement levels are all equal on this one)
head to local swimming hole, to fulfill promise made at beginning of the summer
let everything else go until next week (the mess. And the clutter. And the mess.)

What's happening for you, whining pixies?

Wednesday Whining - Rage and Sadness Edition

I have spent the weekend rage-tweeting, and re-tweeting other people's rage tweets.

Here's a safe space to be angry, or sad, or to just bring your small victories or annoyances.

Weird summer winding down...

I mean weird mostly in a good way!  Such big developments there have been in my family, between our son's wedding, and the re-launch of daughter to a new academic endeavor.  All this must seem impossible to those with little persons; but it wasn't that long ago that mine were little and funny and adorable.  And so on.

There is still a fair amount of leftover stuff around the house.  I'm working on more donations.  Found a good home with a school reading specialist, for this enormous collection of Babysitter Club books!  Am also placing a beautiful annotated Alice with a former member of this blog, so the "vultures" at the free book exchange don't knock one another over trying to snatch it right out of my hands.  (They're awful!)  The trash and recycle bins will be full, as I'm dumping a lot of "product" that was left behind, or is past prime, or that nobody here will ever use again. 

I'll be flying to visit daughter on Friday.  We still don't know when her boxes and the furniture she shipped will arrive, so I might need to receive those after she starts orientation.  We'll see!

What's new with you?  It seems on the early side for back to school, but surely that is on the minds of several Pixies.  Any vacation plans?  Big summer projects proceeding apace?  Bring us your whines, your antiwhines, the rants about the whatever.

August already???

Greetings pixies!

I can't quite believe it's already the last day of July. The spring/summer seems to have flown by. It's odd though, because my days on sabbatical have been an exercise in slow living...leisurely coffee on the balcony, good books, writing, long walks...you get the idea. Still, here it is - August!

Huge AW however, as August is vacation time...so let the slow living continue!!

What's new in your world? Whine away, friends!

Dry dry dry whining

We are in the midst of a record-setting drought here (this will be familiar territory for Kathy). It's doing weird things in my city, which sits on an ancient lake bed, with clay soil that is usually a sponge full of water. Usually, we have problems with the moisture content of the soil (cracking foundations, water in basements, sump pumps), but it turns out that this long drought is just as tricky: without the ground moisture, all the houses are shifting in new ways (half of our interior doors aren't latching right now, and the other half of them stick shut so hard that you have to hip check them to get them open). There have been electrical fires all over the city, as shifting soil and underground power lines have caused things to go askew. I'm keeping a close eye on my house, because our structural engineer warned us that a severe drought, followed by a really wet year, could worsen the tiny foundation crack that we have.

The forecast keeps saying that it'll rain in a few days. Meanwhile, the sidewalk chalk from late June remains untouched.

How are things where you are?

Moving right along; or, how to turn your house into a warehouse

Since daughter intends to move totally out of state in 3 weeks -- and swears she is not returning to her old room ever again -- a lot will be happening between now and then!  Really a lot has to happen this week, so she can get the movers all lined up and tell them exactly what she is hauling.  Therefore, the boxes are starting to pile up, and I have high hopes for the designated "donation" sector of the dining room, too.  A chunk of the dining room table is now dedicated to kitchen stuff -- things that belong to her, things that might be useful.  This Will Get Done! Which will bore and/or annoy everybody to tears; apologies in advance.

 So, y'all need to come up with some better material than is available chez moi!

xoxo