Have not yet had breakfast, and already I've channeled Liz's advice! My SIL was out of it and not eating yesterday; and Saturday they reported swallowing trouble, maybe related -- and we need to ask them to check for UTI. Yay for a possible solution!
AW: Nice Easter dinner with the (adult) kids! W: Traditional post-festivity dish whine.
AW: Daughter is now officially trained and ready to assume the fostering of kittens! And it's kitten season!
One of my friends collects handshakes -- her theory is that when one person shakes hands with another, they are passing along all previous handshakes. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter died yesterday; he was falsely imprisoned for murder, and back in the day, Bob Dylan wrote a famous song about him. Anyway, I met Rubin once, so I remembered to tell my friend that he was part of her handshake collection. You know how sometimes a gift really is perfect, even if it doesn't even cost anything? I really like the idea of her handshake collection, also.
What's cooking with you?
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You've shaken my hand, and I've shaken the hands of VP Biden; Senators Warner, Webb, and Kaine; Mandy Patinkin; Congress critters Moran and Connelly; Governor McAulliffe. All those folks have shaken hands with millions of other people, so there you go.
Let's sing it: "It's a small world, after all..." ;)
Love the handshake collection. It is a blessing to think of that instead of what the germophobe in my head usually thinks of....
Went with family to visit other family six hours away, and had a fantastic time. Got work done, stayed home in their house alone one day while they went out. My hubby and his brother cooked delicious meals....didn't get as much done as I would have staying here, but it was what I needed.
Thanks for all the advice last week!!!
--Neighbor Lady
NL, ha! My brain went to a similar STD illustration. Ew. Yes, the handshake collection is much nicer.
NL, glad it worked out this weekend! Hope this week off is a good one, and the rest gets done as well.
Esperanza -- STD's?? /faint/ Hand sanitizer for all!
Did you know there is such a thing as Peeps on a stick? It looks like a shish kebab, only more colorful. Present from the cousins. I'm pretty sure we are stocked for sugar around here, but if I was still working the office life, I'd be shopping the sales to put leftover seasonal candy in the candy jar.
NL, I'm so glad that it all worked out well.
AW: E and Mr. Q is in the mend, and our trip home went without incident (just barely. Mr. Q was running to our apartment, by the end). *Whispered* Now, I don't advocate the off-label use of the drug. But, when you have a barky toddler, and need to drive four hours to get home, it sure is helpful that the primary side effect of gr@v0l is drowsiness.
Old Skool: after three shampooings, occasionally I still catch slight wafts of Phantom Bark Smell from Li'l E's hair.
I think it was at some sort of sex ed event. We had to walk around shaking hands and collecting the names of our "partners." At the end, it was revealed who had started the "game" with an STD, and how many of us profligate hand shakers had contracted it. Same principle, just not as warm and fuzzy as a handshake collection :)
QWP, I hope everyone is well pronto.
W: Teh fireplacing cancer. A friend this time, lung tumor spread to his brain. Two kids in elementary school. All I can think is "dammit," which is ok for today, I guess.
oh, QWP, I think that Phantom Bark Smell gets embedded in your nose for a few days. Blech.
Liz - Mandy Patinkin!!! Love him!
I like the handshake theory too. Fun!
QWP, I'm sorry for the sick weekend and the Phantom Bark Smell. I no everyone is better soon.
Oh esperanza, dammit is a perfect response to the fireplacng cancer. So sorry.
Big family dinner tonight. Folks left a few minutes ago. We used paper plates! I'm leaving the other dishes until hubby has had a short nap and I've had my tea.
Sorry about the phantom bark, QWP.
Esperanza, many hugs about your friend.
We're still working on the dishes from last night. Things move a little slowly around here...
Esperanza, I have encountered that handshake game!
Hugs about your friend's fireplacing cancer. So many hugs.
W/AW: we ended up missing all of our Easter dinners because we wanted to quarantine ourselves and stop the further spread of The Barks. But this meant that we've had a lovely, slow day, where the only with that has happen was (of course) laundry.
AW: and now I'm gazing at pictures of my future kitchen. It's gorgeous! They're putting in lovely details that you normally don't get in a rental.
AW: lovely morning of aimless shopping. I usually detest aimless shopping, but I needed an escape from my never-ending list of projects at home and from church stuff and from Little Town. So I went to Bigger College Town and shopped at T@rg3t (boy, do I know how to let loose or what) and a couple of outlet stores. I bought very little. Then I stopped at my happy place, the library. All this made a huge difference in my mood/patience with Baboos.
W: To do list did not get any shorter
My child is sitting beside the washer, crying because Blankie is being washed. I tried to bring her Bunny, and IT'S NOT THE SAME!
W: so much for my Attach Her To Something Easily Replaceable, And Buy Multiple! plan. She loves a hand-knit, delicate blanket best. And I foolishly didn't wash it as soon as we got home, thinking she was fine until I had time to wash delicates.
Well, these things happen. The up side is, she'll start to understand that the washer isn't a loss for ever and ever -- Blankie will come back!
Have you tried the Kitchen Drum Set distraction yet? She likes spoons, right? Inverted tupperware, etc. of different sizes and a wooden spoon. BAM! Or two spoons together, clack clack!
um...bath? play outside?
I would like to tell you it gets better, and it does, as far as understanding that the lovey will come back alive from the washer. But, Mini is becoming MORE attached to hers recently, rather than less. Sigh.
Esperanza, yay for aimless shopping and a library trip!
I've given the shaking hands/STD transmission lesson some thought, and I think that's a good way to spoil perfectly good handshakes for the rest of a person's life. Unless maybe everyone wears gloves (no glove, no love), and then the big conclusion can be how many cases prevented with a simple precaution.
lankie is clean and hidden in our bedroom while it dries and she naps. She's been living without Blankie for a couple of days now, but apparently she went digging through the bag of Bark Laundry and found Blankie. That led to a meltdown, of the "I JUST FIGURED OUT WHY I'VE BEEN STRESSED OUT" variety. And it got worse when I took it away and put it in the laundry.
Separation anxiety: not just for time away from parents, now!
Look at her, all pro-active and digging through laundry! LOL You keep reporting developmental leaps, is the upside to present drama. But as Esperanza also reports, the pushme-pullyou of attachment vs. independence is ongoing. Normal. Human. xoxo
I've been a bit panic-attacky, what with the what-all and SIL on a downturn. My SIL's neurologist is maybe the best doc forevah. I mean, she always responds fast; always factual and kind. We are lucky. She should definitely be teaching as many docs as possible.
(((Kathy a))) SIL's doctor is an absolute treasure.
W: we may have rushed E back to normal food a little too quickly. Those diapers today were... not good. She clearly still needs time to recover.
Cluesticks, please: the friend who brought a sick toddler to camp (and now ALL the kids are sick) is now telling people that her kid was just teething! Not sick at all! The kid has both a stomach virus and a throat infection (for which she is on antibiotics, and was likely caused by all the barking), and was in really rough shape all weekend. AND NOW EVERY OTHER CHILD HAS ALL HER SYMPTOMS (minus throat infection).
Can Ralph please explain viruses and germ theory to her? I'm tired.
I'm glad you had some aimless shopping and library time esperanza!
QWP, sorry to hear about the blankie trauma. I hope E feels better soon. :(
((((kathy a)))) Deep breaths....
Massage today. This one falls under the category of "Not Your Average Spa Experience." I know it's good for me and my massage therapist is very good at releasing the muscles I spend so much time knotting up, but Holy Fuzzly Ducklings am I sore! I sense a soak in a tub is in my future.
Ralph sez: barking is not a teething complication. Infection is not a teething complication. The vector family should shut up, get all healed, and go forth and do good.
Sue, I'm so jealous of that massage. Even the sore after-part.
QWP I am sending posse reinforcements to those parents.
And, I share this from hard-won experience. Our pediatrician explained that a stomach virus and its effects eat away the very tiniest ends of the little hair thingies that process and move food along in the intestines. The very tiniest end is what processes lactose. So, if you rush the dairy food (or, for instance, if your Baboo is a dairy-aholic and you don't have much option), the symptoms are going to return because the little tiny ends haven't had a chance to grow back yet. Wait a day longer than you think you need to, he says. He who is not living with dairy-aholics.
Thanks for that, esperanza. I suspected that the dairy we gave her today was the culprit. We're going back to the Sickness Diet for a few more days.
I was skeptical till he explained the science behind it. Have I mentioned that I love our pediatrician? He also had me write a referral letter for Sweet today, which he signed. Easier for everyone, though I suspect the recipient of the letter will know that a doctor did not actually write it. Though...our ped's English is not so good, so perhaps it's a wash.
Woot! That works, Esperanza! (I mean, a lot of docs would just have a secretary write it, and you know what's what.)
As I told the nurse, I could have written an essay but limited myself to bullet points. Theme: Why the Sweet Baboo needs to be seen by a developmental pediatrician. Backup document: recent OT evaluation, with the 0.1 percentile business.
I'm glad Ralph's in the way to the Vector Family. Grrrrrr.....
I love your paediatrician esperanza!
Esperanza: wonderful pediatrician! I hope that the letter is received well.
W: my wee dairy-aholic, who has grown accustomed to having a bottle of (cow's) milk before bed, is fighting sleep without that bottle right now. She's refused water or the pediatric electrolyte drink. Well, then she's going to have to manage to fall asleep without a bottle. (This has been the goal, but I didn't exactly plan to do this while she was sick.)
Oh my goodness, you guys. It took me a solid hour to realise that she would mellow out if we gave her water in a sippy cup, because that's the familiar way for consuming water. My brain: it doesn't work today.
QWP, you are forgiven. A barking toddler removes mama's brain cells.
Mini: entering hour 2 of not going to sleep. How can I prevent preschool naptime? Seriously, this is a pain, and she did not get two hours of sleep at naptime, so we're losing sleep time.
Sippy cup for the win!
Much sympathy, Esperanza. My second just always needed less sleep than the first; and it's a challenge. (Though 2 hours of unsleepiness is probably just a blip.)
Will she settle down with a book and a snuggly for "quiet time," even if she is not ready to sleep just then? I think this solution required [a] firmness about the need to stay quietly in bed, and [b] extravagant compliments when she did.
Esperanza, also heart your ped!
When I told SIL's neurologist just how amazingly wonderful it is that she is so responsive, she revealed that her own dad has a degenerative neurological disease, and it has made her much more aware of what families go through. <3
Anyway, she is the Big Teaching Hospital evaluator, and not directly treating SIL. There's a meeting at the facility tomorrow about SIL's care given her downturn -- but my beloved is now armed with the neuro recommendations. And also my strong preference that he make some decisions (in advance of emergency) about level of care, should this or that happen. (His mom did not have those kinds of decisions in place.)
Um, that was just venting.
In wildlife news, Spot the Cat has been very lovey! And he is getting braver. Also, sunbeams!
Vent away, kathy! I'm so glad that you have found useful help, and that neurologist sounds amazing. The plan to make future plans now is a really wise one.
Small W: have to write a teaching philosophy for my job application. Don't wanna. *kicks rocks with toe* (I've written about a page now, but I'm stuck, right after my general statement about fostering a respectful, accommodating & inclusive environment. I know I can't just leave it at that single statement, but my brain has now stopped.)
AW: spent most of the day not doing anything productive. Napped, read a book, ate lunch, cooked supper. Now--deep breath--to put the Baboos to bed. Mini's teacher was under threat if she allowed a nap today, so I think she'll go quickly. Dear Lord, hear my prayer.
If you use the phrase "think outside the box," we'll probably need to kick you for blatant over-use of a cliche. But, if you were a student thinking about this class, what would you want to get from it? Or, knowing what you know, what do you want the students to get?
I'm a big believer in brainstorming. You know people in your field and academia; and also civilians who might have a thought or two. Don't be shy! Advocate for the special thing you want to teach!
My previous comment was for QWP.
And Esperanza, fingers crossed over here. Good advocacy!
It's the Tuesday/Thursday teacher that encourages the napping. Monday/Wednesday teacher is fine if they just lay quietly. I texted her this morning with a threat that if she allowed Mini to nap, I was sending Mini to her house for a slumber party :) We are friends, thankfully.
LOL!
Ha! Good luck esperanza! We're all sending lullaby vibes your way.
What kathy said, QWP. Good advice!
Vent away kathy - that's why we're here.
AW: Sunshine today! I even went for a walk and saw some city workers taking down the boards at the outdoor rink near our place. Sign of spring.
(((Kathy)))
Esperanza, you are awesome
(((QWP))) "Socratic method" "Discussion-based" "pulled from the reading"?
AW: it's really starting to hit that I don't need to spend all my waking hours writing: I just enrolled E in a fun, weekly program at the library! I've been wanting to do this forever, but I haven't had the time.
Esperanza, I hope the nap /night situation worked out!
I wish I could report that the nap/night situation had worked out. The ordeal was shorter in duration but stronger in magnitude. Expect drastic measures tonight, because this cannot continue.
(((esperanza)))
Yay QWP!!!! That is awesome. I loved those library groups when the boys were wee ones. So much fun - and books!!!
(((esperanza)))
W: How can it only be 1:40??? I've been working for at least 12 hours. Or at least, that's what my body is telling me. Seriously, even my toenails feel tired. It's possible I may have a bit of post-Easter burnout going on.
AW: I have a week-long break coming up on May 4 (May the fourth be with you!)
Tired toenails is a bad sign.
AW: you may remember the saga of my grandmother's large cabinet: to refinish myself or just pay someone? Cabinet returned today, local(ish) small business supported. He finished it in 10 days. It would have taken me...er...rather more than that. And it's beautiful. Hooray!
Tired toenails? That is a good sign that you are extremely tired. I hope you find some time to rest, Sue.
Esperanza: huzzah! It sounds like you chose wisely.
W/AW: Ugggggh, I just finished writing the email to the Dean of Grad Studies, asking for my (temporary) program withdrawal. I feel all drained after that. There's nothing like writing out exactly WHY you need to withdraw from the program to give a real boost to your day. (It took me so long to figure out a way to write it that didn't sound whiny, an it still... ugh.)
AW: my supervisor and Graduate Director are sending letters of support to the Dean, telling him that it's a good idea to give me permission.
Happy with a tiny heartache: my brother's house just went on the market, and it looks beautiful. I'm so proud of him, and I love the condo that he bought. But there are heartstrings being tugged, looking at the pictures of his house, remembering how this had been my SIL's dream house. (Her dad's been amazing, helping my brother finish the basement, but he's also having All The Emotions, since he thought he'd be helping her finish the basement for her to enjoy it, instead of helping to finish it as she would have wanted it, two years after her passing.) Each little step forces us to reflect a bit, I guess.
Boo on tired toenails! Yay for upcoming break!
Esperanza, that is a fabulous furniture story. Fast; spending local; none of the angst of DIY.
QWP, sounds like everybody's behind you, and that part is done! Also really good to be out from under it for a while.
Many hugs about your brother's house -- it is really lovely that her dad and her husband could work together on this. I imagine both will be losing a little bit more of her when the house sells; which is why we need one another. xoxox
W: More bark from Li'l E. Mr. Q was really insistent that she was completely better and therefore could handle ALL the food, as much as she wanted. And fed her a pile of strawberries, and then lasagna. Bark everywhere after supper.
oh, QWP, that is a pair of heartbreaking whines.
Mmm mmm mmmm. Daddy just got a dose of "let's move slowly after a stomach problem, because ... BAAARRK!" It usually only takes one or two lessons. ymmv.
Great furniture story esperanza!
(((((QWP))). Just lots of hugs...
I stand by my AW yesterday about our nice sunny day. However....
W: FIREPLACING SNOW tonight. We're getting a bunch tonight. Perhaps it's time to think about living somewhere warmer, like the Yukon.
What what what? It's almost May! No snow allowed!
snow? huh? Ralph is on the way.
Still snowing. I am conducting a wedding tomorrow for a lovely young couple who probably thought they were having a spring wedding. Boo!
In other news, chunky politics makes baby Jesus cry.
Snow plus chunky politics? Sigh. Well, wedding tomorrow, anyway!
We've got rain, possible thundershowers. Still need the water, so guess we can live with it.
The dish fairy paid an unexpected visit this morning!
AW: you guys, my brother just accepted an offer on his house. The listing just went up today!
Yay for dish fairies (Please send him/her here. Soon.) and WooHoo for house offers! That didn't take long.
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