Saxophone Saturday

[trissie]

Harriet, computers just sometimes act up like this! I saw the thread all right the entire time and I was kinda surprised that nobody but kittykatt posted anything there - I was like "do people refuse to think about Christmas this early?"

helia, 16yolds from Germany are probably far more self-sufficient than US kids at the same age! That was probably the biggest cultural shock for me when I started my study year in the USA at 17 - back home, I was travelling on my own across the country since probably 15 (my grandma lived 4 hours away and I would also travel 100+ miles to summer camp by train with a backpack and so on), and suddenly even getting to the closest drugstore for hairspray required coordinating with a driving adult. So, yes, the girls will be fine and you needn't worry about them

I ended up taking a nap after lunch. I guess I am more exhausted than I thought!

TaDas
- morning routine
- load of darks
- spiff up master bedroom (well it received some attention)
- spiff up master bathroom (ditto)
- spiff up DBD's room (ditto)
- spiff up kitchen (ditto)
- spiff up living room (ditto)
- lunch
- midday routine

ToDos
- 45 on plums
- afternoon routine
- defrost garage freezer

Braindump
routines
- evening routine
food
- dinner
- bake something sweet
- feed breadstarter
- freezer cooking
- process plums
organization
- pay library fee renewal
- arrange for drop-off of old mattresses at the dump
- order new vacuum cleaner and cooker hood
- make apt - obgyn
- 15 on filing
- plan for September
- print materials for H&H plan
cleaning
- clean office
- spiff up twins' room (oversee it done)
- spiff up DS15's room (oversee it done)
- spiff up downstairs bathroom and hallways
- clean out / reorganize attic
- deep cleaning in office - H&H plan
laundry
- load of colors?
- load of linens
- load of towels
- ironing
- folding
- mending
- laundry put away
garden and outside
- watering and feeding flowerpots
- feeding veggie garden
- weeding in veggie garden
- weeding in front garden
- deadhead climbing roses
- pick up - front garden / porch
- pick up - backyard
- spiff up carpool
- spiff up garage
- reseed in veggie garden
- plant fall flowers in flowerpots
- mow the lawn?
me time
- 15 of exercise
- Bible study
- reading
- sewing?

[Lauralind]

Morning all. Harriet I have been having to sign in every time even on remember me. No biggie but might be something worth part of the mystery stuff.

Helian that was me too. I couldn't find where you said the diagnosis but bursitis is very painful. Physio called it that on my hip too. She didn't specifically say to reduce movement. But I did try to avoid too many stairs and just gave it time. I push through a lot of pain but I knew the treatment was Physio and that's where I was... it seems to have dissipated now. I feel too if those girls are at all independent and they're 2 of them they probably can walk or bus sometimes. Mine can but we're not in a city I think you are. I pick mine up more often than needed too.

Frenchie I too think that's a lot of changes for your boys. But in time really good for them to learn independence. I have a problem though... of late my parenting of teen is making me doubt my own advice... I know the answers.. for a regular kid ..

Ooph doesn't dh know not to mess with kitty routines yet kittykat. Hopefully Fred will forgive him.

Trissie I am so sorry about the ongoing drama. You keep going so strong amidst... how is school on your end.

I think I got most everyone.. nope no baby yet. Serves me right for being so adamant she'd have it in August yet. 2 days to due date... and mom seems to be settled in nicely.

Oopph but I think I'm struggling again. What with waiting baby and moving mom .. that should have been easy.. but still just seems a bit more permanent.. it always was. And dealings with ds and school and he has been hermit enough that somehow he didn't even realize the plan of going to see his sister.. plus Casper is just driving me bonkers. He pulled off on me twice yesterday again. Then I didn't connect his house lead and after we were done supper he did the dog thing and stole the mostly eaten chicken from the table... sent me spiral for a bit.

Ds told us last night he wants to do all online classes... kinda at school maybe but he doesn't want anything in class.. that means people. He likes it only seeing his family and no one else. Ugh.. my only comment was how is that going to help in real life. Somehow I'm going to have to quickly hunt down something of me help for dealing with autism anti social... asap. He can't hermit all his life or he will go no where...

I woke up at 330 ish with a bit of headache. Took something and laid on the couch a bit. Went back to bed and next thing dh timer was telling us time to get ready for work.. after 7. Both off today. Long weekend. I am deciding.. probably need to move the greenhouse onto the tomatoes and bring peppers and herbs inside. Awful close to freezing. Beans.. check i think I can pick some but not many yet.. they can't freeze yet.

My freezer is clean I can do some kale. Dill. Decide how to do beets. Nothing worth much in the carrots yet.

Need to do some whb. Take garbage away. Gardening. Not sit here letting myself get down.

[helia]

Glad you have the day off, Lauralind. I didn't know you'd had bursitis in your hip. It's pretty uncomfortable in a strange spot for me. Glad your mom is settling well. Waiting for the baby with you!! You are close to freezing already? Wow.
Yay for a nap, trissie! You must have been exhausted.

I'm lying down for a while now as I'm starting to feel the bursitis. I'll take some ibuprofen in a bit. I understand now why my thighs are also sore -- and tight. The bursa (sack of fluid) is swollen in a tight space, pressing on the tendons which also become tight and painful. The tendons are attached to the muscles which then are also pulled tight and become painful. Everything really is connected. . .

Next:
- back exercises
- s2s and self care
- squeegee and wipe down shower

TaDas!
- up; weighed self - up from yesterday
- coffee
- reclaimed kitchen; running dw
- gathered kitchen towels for laundry
- dh started a load of towels for me (so I don't have to go up and down stairs as much)
- folded some clothes for the girls (I threw them in with the sheets last night)
- look at calendars with dh - to book trips
- ate some lunch; I've started splitting my lunch and eating it in 2 sittings

[trissie]

lauralind, there are good jobs and careers that do not require being - or even communicating - with people, but it's better to actually have some people skills and therefore a choice! Good luck, parenting neurodivergent kids is tough My kids are pretty settled, we shall of course see, but DS is in the last year of junior high (grade 9), and he has a chance of trying to make admission tests for a different school (there is one that would be good for him, very computer-specialized, and with even better commute), but it's no stress, worst that can happen, he stays at his current, very good high school for the senior high years. The twins will have to undergo their admission tests next year and it will be significantly more stressfull
helia, the ibuprofen should help not only with the pain, but also with the inflammation, right?

I have 7 large jars of canned plums in spicy syrup in the canner, and two more baskets to go! Not all tonight, though

TaDas
- 45 on plums
- afternoon routine
- defrost garage freezer
- load of colors washed and flipped to dryer

ToDos
- dinner
- evening routine
- 30 on laundry

Braindump
routines
food
- bake something sweet
- feed breadstarter
- freezer cooking
- process plums
organization
- pay library fee renewal
- arrange for drop-off of old mattresses at the dump
- order new vacuum cleaner and cooker hood
- make apt - obgyn
- 15 on filing
- plan for September
- print materials for H&H plan
cleaning
- clean office
- spiff up twins' room (oversee it done)
- spiff up DS15's room (oversee it done)
- spiff up downstairs bathroom and hallways
- clean out / reorganize attic
- deep cleaning in office - H&H plan
laundry
- load of linens
- load of towels
- ironing
- folding
- mending
- laundry put away
garden and outside
- watering and feeding flowerpots
- feeding veggie garden
- weeding in veggie garden
- weeding in front garden
- deadhead climbing roses
- pick up - front garden / porch
- pick up - backyard
- spiff up carpool
- spiff up garage
- reseed in veggie garden
- plant fall flowers in flowerpots
- mow the lawn?
me time
- 15 of exercise
- Bible study
- reading
- sewing?

[Doggedly]

Hello, all. I am up early and confused. The laundry service guy said that they would deliver my laundry between ten and four, but I have not received a text message to say that they are coming. It's Labour Day Weekend, so if they don't come today, I won't be seeing those clothes until Tuesday at the earliest.

I am inspired to follow Gma's good example and to start organizing the packing. If the clothes don't come home, I'll bring other clothes on the trip. We are in no danger of running out of clothing, LOL.

--later: My clothes have arrived as promised, to the laundry service's credit.

Germane is being mostly good with her pee pads. She has had irregularity since yesterday, so there's a lot of floor washing going on which she can't help.

Thank you, Kittykatt for starting us off. I liked your SHEM; it gives an interesting perspective.

Hi, FrenchFly. I hope that your DS's find an activity that interests them, and new friends.

trissie: a relaxed start, beautiful weather and time in the garden. Sounds like an ideal weekend.

Hi, Harriet.

helia, I think that you are right that there is something stressing your DH because he doesn't sound like himself. Normally we hear about the considerate husband who makes a meaningful contribution to the extra work when he brings guests home. This week his logic is that bursitis is too trivial to be considered if it is going to inconvenience him when he wants to go to the upstairs level of the restaurant or to walk around town to get ice cream, but bursitis is SOOOO important that it should have a veto over your financial independence when he wants unpaid labour from you. It's hard to put those two pictures together.

I am up to the end of Page 1, so time to do something.

Saturday
Checked messages: no message from the laundry service on whether they are delivering today
Heart pill for Germane
Messaged the number the laundry service guy gave me:IVR said that it's not taking calls right now.
Checked their web site, and the main phone is only Mon-Fri business hours. So I can't confirm that they really are or are not coming.
Replied to their original message, explaining that I would like to know if they are coming today so I can plan my day.
Got a message back that they are coming.

15 X 3:
Cleaned up after dog
Washed floor

Breakfast for Germane
Received my delivery

[Doggedly]

I adapted last year's packing list, and now I can see exactly why I end up scrambling as I am trying to leave, to gather misc food items. I need to plan those too.

[Doggedly]

trissie, I think that an afternoon nap can be a rare treat for a mother. I'm glad that you got to enjoy yours. WTG on your Ta Das.
It's a great position to be in, to have only good choices for your dchildren's schools.

Imagine, thinking of frost already, Lauralind. I am never ready for the end of summer.
You are right that people skills (or at least the ability to suffer fools) will help your ds over the long term. One thing that will be in his favour is that his generation leans much more in his direction than previous ones, so whatever society figures out to help a large segment that is disengaged and socialized for electronics rather than people will be of help to the neurodivergent people too.

That sounds very painful helia. I hope that the pain dies down after your rest.

Saturday
Checked messages: no message from the laundry service on whether they are delivering today
Heart pill for Germane
Messaged the number the laundry service guy gave me:IVR said that it's not taking calls right now.
Checked their web site, and the main phone is only Mon-Fri business hours. So I can't confirm that they really are or are not coming.
Replied to their original message, explaining that I would like to know if they are coming today so I can plan my day.
Got a message back that they are coming.

15 X 3:
Cleaned up after dog
Washed floor

Breakfast for Germane
Received my delivery
Did first draft of packing list

15 X 2:
Put away dry laundry
Put away big drying rack
Gathered paper recycling
Misc tidying

SHEM: Storms make trees take deeper roots. --Dolly Parton

[FrenchFlybebe]

Doggedly, that is a wise SHEM. I didn't know much about Dolly Parton before hearing about her death and know I read quotes from her in many places.
I hope planning your trip is part of the enjoyment, before the trip itself.

Helia, sorry about difficulties with your DH. It seems like there are solutions to the things he is worrying about. I hope you have better communications again soon.

Laura thaks for your advice for "regular" kids. I think my kids are "regular", no diagnosis of any kind for either, but sometimes I read advice that doesn't seem to work for them. I hope they find ways to solve their current challenges, and I show them I'm on their sides and I listen to them. Hopefully it is enough. As for your own DS, it may not be enough. I hope you find resources or advice or people to talk to, who can help you find the best ways to help him. (( ))

trissie, a slow morning and a nap may be just what you need. Well, you may need more than that, but I really think you fully deserve those. Congrats on canning the plums. Our plums were ripe at the end of July, we gave a lot to neighbours, and ate a lot, and froze some, but a talent in canning and some canning things would have prevented part of the harvest to finish in the compost pile.

Waving to Harriet ! Waving to anyone I forgot.

We went to the clubs fair, got some info for table tennis, aikido, arts lessons... the kids weren't impressed. I think they should enrol into "something", be it music or sports or arts or anything. It's important to be parts of a group, to socialize, to learn new skills each year... or so my parents thoughts, and every year as kids we would have a sport class or arts class... It seems this year my kids may not have any activity outside school
THe aikido teacher said he offers a free "discovery" class tomorrow mornign at 10, for kids and grownups. I may go. He does aikido and aki-taiso, which maye be something I would enjoy. Not sure about the time and energy I would need for a weekly hour-and-a-half, but maybe.

TADAs
sports and clubs fair, got some info, nothing certain
quick lunch at home
weekly grocery pickup
folded the tent that had remained in the garden all August
laundry and hand washing
read a manga ("Blank Page", a mangaka about how she became one)
kids homework - DS10 isn't finished
pizza and family movie night

TODOs
convince kids to go to bed, it's 11pm already
before bed routine and bed!

[Doggedly]

FrenchFly, in the long run I don't think that anything a parent can do is more important than being interested in your dchildren's welfare, and to try to give them opportunities to grow. You are doing great!

[Gma]

The issue I have with the boards is checking the "subscribe" box, but not being notified of posts. My easy work around is go to the las email I received, go to tha tday, then click on fun and games and just go there. It works. Just doens' t tell me when people have posted.

MrVKM came today, mowed my lawn. I took him out for what turned into a very good brunch. Then we(he ) loaded my car. (So glad that I stayed up until 0300 to get it all ready for him to do that!) We played musical cars for a bit because I'm leaving me "old" car at home and taking the new to me car from dfBS that only has 6500 miles on it. So my car is in mother's garage now where the new car has been resting. By the time I get back home I hope to have figured out many of the bells an whistles it has.
After he left, I have been doing odds and ends: Get gas. Tidy up the K before I leave. Bring food that will spoil to neighbors. Cleaning out my purse so I am starting fresh, and I have an envelope for receipts. Gathered maps, even tho there is GPS, I like a paper map in case GPS is wrong or doesn't have a signal or whatever else computerized maps can think up to fail.
I think it's about time to go to bed early, so I can get up early, heat my leftovers, put cold things into the cooler. Stop at the CoOp grocery to get a couple snacks for in the car. Remember to pack my pillow, get the water that's in Mother's refrigerator. So hard to leave 2 houses for 2 1/2 weeks!