Thursday, in Theory

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~

Today in theory I will stay home to
* work on the kitchen FOCUS tasks and
* do some paper taming

Yesterday at LEGO Club we had 24 kids. That's not as many as we've been having, but we knew going in that the numbers would be down because it was a sunny, warm afternoon after rainy/stormy days. 24 is still a lot more than the 6 or 7 I was hoping we'd get when we first started the club!

I need to discuss a couple of things with the children's librarian before we start the intensive summer schedule. She really wants us to use themes for the meetings. Yesterday's theme was Springtime flowers/plants/birds/animals. 2 of the newer kids had fun with the theme -- the girl made a frog pond & flower garden, the boy built a big white chicken like the picture on the display board. Several other kids preferred to do buildings -- an ice cream shop, a striped house, others that I'm not sure what they were. One boy built a planting machine that was pretty cool, in spite of the fact that we didn't provide any wheels this time.

Two older boys left immediately when they saw that we didn't have out any of the pieces for the minifigures (people). I thought that was odd.

I need to check with the children's librarian about how strict she wants to be about the themes. She had said in our planning meeting that she thought builders should only get their picture taken and receive a ticket for the summer prize drawings if they stuck to the day's theme. Do we set out all of the pieces whether or not they go along with the theme of the day? Is the club meant to be about teaching something, or just having fun?

I thought the goal was to provide stress-free play and social time, so I'm not too sure about imposing rules about what they're allowed to build. I don't like the idea of kids leaving or staying away if they don't like a particular theme. I'd rather they come anyway to have fun and make it a habit to come to the library frequently. However, the children's librarian has the teaching background and experience, not me. She's the one who has developed the curriculum for the summer reading program, she's the paid staff person who is officially in charge of LEGO Club, so she gets to decide.

As a volunteer, I am enjoying supervising the kids as they play. The 7-year-old boy who built the ice cream shop yesterday was totally adorable as he ever-so-seriously showed it to me and pointed out all the features he put in it.

Okay

I just finished turning off the 5 school related alarms.

Kids in my Tiny Town had to add time for snow days, so they will go to class through June 3.

[DeeClutter]

Oh I do understand the 'med thing', Twins. I tried to order dh's the other day and it didn't go through. I tried again Tuesday night & discovered we owed $.44 (that's cents) -which makes no sense since we have automatic payments to our credit card. So I paid it without contesting it simply so I could order.

In theory I should be rested. I slept all night except for a bathroom break about 2am. I remember hearing a thunder storm but the fan was just noisy enough that it masked it and I must have fallen right back to sleep. Never heard dh get up, though I did hear him go out. Got up at 7 for the bathroom & crawled into the recliner & promptly dozed off for another TWO HOURS! So should be caught up a little bit. I hurried around and got the visible things done so it at least looks like I've been busy a lot longer than I have. I only am s2s and meds done.

Have an appointment at 1:30 for my haircut. Was supposed to go at 1 on Tuesday but had called and (left a message) to cancel it as I was ill that day. DFriend called a little after 1 to see if she had written down wrong time -uh no, but evidently she hadn't listened to her messages either from early that morning. No problem.

Think I'll get breakfast and at least get our bed made.

Kathryn, you continue to amaze me. First of all I can't believe you're moving in the first place and in the second you sound so organized about it all. When I think how 40 years of living in our house (and 5 kids) came down to 3 days of packing, tossing and moving I shudder. However, there are still many times that I wonder "whatever happened to????" (For those who may be new -our DS-A sold our house to a friend while we were in FL. Dh and dd flew home Thanksgiving week, stayed with our neighbors. They and our 2 sons cleaned the place out in those 3 days. Lots went in a dumpster (and who knows what all that was?), some went to Goodwill and the rest went to a storage unit. I know there's still stuff left in that house -in the kitchen, in the basement and in the attic especially. A few years ago we went there for something & the new owner said, "Let's check the kitchen cabinets". I found all sorts of things still there -including my Pfaltzgraff pieces! I stayed in FL to babysit our GD then 6. We all figured I would be more useful that way. But then I think about it and realize that we cleaned out DShelley's double wide that summer and then our house that fall. That was a LOT all in one year. Of course we ended up cleaning out the double wide again the next fall when our eldest son vacated it and went to 'parts unknown'.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dee I've had 17 months to get to this point. If I'm not organized, it isn't for lack of time as it was in your case.

Part of the reason we are doing this now while both healthy and mentally here is that we did it at our parent's homes after they died and that was stressful. In fact, I'm still moving papers of my dad's that I have yet to get to and diaries and letters I haven't touched in 10 years. We just wanted to ditch a lot of the easy stuff so our kids won't have as many decisions to make and hopefully fewer regrets.

We are going to end up with a storage unit - there's no way around that because of where ds is in his life. His plan is to buy rural land with or without a wrecked house and live there while slowly building his dream home since he'll never be able to afford something already built. So things like a gas weed trimmer and other yard tools are worth hanging onto for him. Dd on the other hand is a city girl. Ds has asked us to negotiate cuttings off the maple for him to plant on his land. Now that the sale is up in the air (and the maple is in the way of the new septic system) we have arranged for a friend with land to take numerous cuttings for himself and ds. He plans to grow a grove of our trees for himself and ds.

Back from the next village. We got 12 boxes there (grocery store) and the local corner store is holding boxes for us until tonight (for reg store stock) and tomorrow night (after the liquor store order comes in.)

Off to the market town now for more boxes, we hope, and the mulch.

[Harriet]

Happy to hear the cuttings idea, Kathryn.

Oh, yes, summertime - that's a big part of homemaking theory I didn't mention, OKay! Twice a year, households with folks whose schedules are built around a school calendar (attending or teaching!) have lots to theorize for "school's out" and "back to school".

It's interesting to me that I look forward to both. I'm so grateful to have less frantic scheduling and early mornings for summer. But by fall I'm also grateful to have the absolutely regular start to the day, and what that does for household routine.

This summer dd intends to take her driver's training course. We need to get her signed up for that. And she needs to make smart decisions on what she can study in advance for good measure. Next year will be tough.

[Harmony]

I am reading all the "moving" news with interest. We have 1 more move in our future. When DH can no longer work or we can no longer take care of this big place & property, we will sell and move. The plan (which can surely change) is to build a tiny efficient house, with space put into storage areas but no extra living space not necessary. The hard part is doing that construction when we're not able to do the work ourselves. And all the downsizing and selling of business assets. I wonder if this plan is even doable.

I was up early to get the lab visit done so that I would be able to eat & drink. My lab opens at 7:00 and to get there at 8:00 means a full waiting room. Not as bad this time because the snow birds are all back up north. I hate sitting in the waiting room, it is full of people who are old and/or frail. That will be me someday.

It's a big building. I drove car around and went in to the dr. part and ordered another week of thyroid medicine because I ran out 6 days before my appointment. I gassed up the car on the way to pharmacy. It is expensive to get just 1 week of medicines. But I don't know if it will be changed, so...

Got 1 LOL hung up outside. I've done a little paperwork, straightened out a statement which I paid wrong. Gal on the phone said lots of people make the same mistake, thinking their unapplied credit amount means that can be deducted....ah no, it's just last month's payment and is in effect applied. She says yes they need to change the wording.

In theory, I have a plan. In reality, that depends on our work load, things that crop up... and I would dearly love to keep a schedule and have my house just "so" but it ain't going to happen around here!

Kathryn, I'm sorry your maple tree is in the way of the septic. Such a shame to lose it, thank goodness for cuttings. You will have to change that on your web page, I remember you mentioned it. Do you think perhaps roots from the tree are a factor in the septic failing?

[DeeClutter]

We just wanted to ditch a lot of the easy stuff so our kids won't have as many decisions to make and hopefully fewer regrets.

We still have lots of that in our storage unit, Kathryn. The maple cuttings are a great idea -hope that all works. The dks had given me a beautiful crab apple tree one Mother's Day. It always bloomed a little later than the norm and was gorgeous. After we sold, I tried a few times to take cuttings and they never 'took'. However dd had taken one of the maple (helicopter) seeds and grew it into a beautiful maple in our side yard. Then one fateful thunderstorm it was split down the middle. Which is a 'cute' story in itself. DSGD was renting the house from us a few summers ago and she and dsgdnow14 were upstairs. Elder dsgd heard a lot of racket downstairs & figured it was our DS-A from next door. Elder said to younger, "Go tell A to cut it out". As dear younger went to the stairs she ran back to elder to state: "It's not just A, it's the whole fire department coming up the stairs". Seems lightening had split the tree, then hit the back of the house, blowing off siding, etc. and ds-A instantly called the fire department for additional help. All turned out well, except for losing that tree -dd has a piece of it sitting on her screened porch to be made into a table 'someday'. Maybe I'll put a 'bug' in dsil's ear this summer -if dd makes it up here for a few weeks.

I do have quite a bit of DShelley's stuff in our storage unit. A lot is doll stuff from dgd19. Knew we didn't dare take it to her at her dad's house as he would have destroyed it. So maybe someday she'll have it for her own. There's a few things for dgs20 too. But they both have to get into their own homes. I probably have a couple of boxes of (mixed) pictures and certificates. I really want to get into those and get them in albums -perhaps give them to dgks when they get married or something. DGD19 just finished her 1st year of nursing school -but because of some summer courses she'll start the fall as a Junior. So proud of her. She could have chosen the 'poor me' route but has decided to make it. It did warm my heart to see pictures she posted on FB of she and DGS20 releasing purple balloons from the meditation garden at our church on Mother's Day. We placed a memorial bench there for DShelley.

I have reminisced enough for the moment. Harmony just reminded me that 1 or 2 big boxes in that storage unit are business records from DS-A from 2005!! Will ask him tonight if he thinks he needs any of them -if not, guess where they're going. They were at our house because I was doing all the paperwork for DS-A at that point in time. I'm sure there might be a very few things he might want to save, but as for the rest -outta here I hope. He came this winter and removed his pool table from the unit. Dh had placed a big steel filing cabinet there, which to this day has nothing in it. I think he & another worker are going to take it to the campground barn to keep papers in that don't have a home right now.

[Ivy]

It's nice to hear from you, MT.

Twins', I know the feeling about ordering meds, from a pharmacy I used for years. But with the new health care system, I just use Safeway Pharmacy & am so much happier with them. It's pick-up & not mail order.

Kathryn, That's too bad about the tree.

I woke up at 3 a.m. this morning, had a difficult time getting back to sleep, so I don't feel like sweetness & light this a.m. I didn't know if I should get up to write letters or just stay in bed, so I stayed in bed. I turned off the dawn simulator, slept until 8:40 a.m., so I feel rested now. With breakfast, etc.. I'll get into the groove.

Our main/guest bathroom sink is "bugging" me. I scrubbed it & I noticed there was grey in the back side of the sink with what looked like stripes of white. I used Comet or Ajax on it, scrubbed & scrubbed on it. It didn't take the "stripe" look off. I said something to DH about it and HE says, "OH! I TOOK THE PUMICE STONE TO IT, THINKING IT'D TAKE THE GREY OFF, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK!" Now, what do I do? I hope "HE" can fix this, because it looks so "tacky" to me. Why would a grown man do that? So now it looks permanently striped. I'll "see" if he can fix it because it's irritating every time I wash my hands in there. Guests go in there, so they see it, too. It's embarrassing. MEN!

[OKay]

BAck home again.

LO and I went to watch the award ceremony for the 1st grade so we would know what to expect next year. Then...
back home to get oximeter....battery was bad in it. Then...
to general store to get new batteries Then...
to DMom's home to check her oxygen level (98). She is aggravated & frustrated that she isn't recovering from pneumonia on her schedule. She called family doc yesterday and demanded for him to do something so she gets better RIGHT NOW. Family doc knows DMom's personality well. He told her to rest for 2 weeks then they would repeat the x-ray again. Resting is NOT on DMom's agenda. This morning she did 2 LOL, cleaned her house, bought groceries and was cooking pork steaks & potatoes for DBro's lunch. DMom does not consider any of this as "doing anything". She told me I AM RESTING! She isn't going to change so just Gotta love her.....and hope she recovers from pneumonia while doing her version of "resting"

[lucylee]

Ooohhh... I wish I could "rest" like OKay's dmom... (Hope she feels better soon, btw!)

In theory... I would do laundry and errands on Monday; WHB tasks (dusting/vacuuming/bathrooms) T/W/Th, and paperwork; and computer back-up, etc on Friday.
And, in theory, I would spend at least 15 minutes in focus room every day, M-F.
In reality, none of this happens much, except for Monday. Tuesdays & Thursdays usually involve some amount of babysitting, and every day involves some visiting of dmil, and my day just flitters away.

I would dearly love to keep a schedule and have my house just "so" but it ain't going to happen around here!

Yes, Harmony... YES...
So maybe I do need to theorize a bit more about how to make this work. Maybe when dh gets a little more comfortable w/the new caregivers, I can skip some days with dmil again.

If I walked earlier in the day, I could s2s earlier, and then maybe I could vacuum/dust/etc while dh s2s.
But I'm usually late walking b/c ds calls and wants to come over and run/walk with me.

So... I could do WHB tasks (except for vacuuming) while waiting to hear from ds. Can't vacuum until after 2:00 pm b/c dh will be listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio. All over the house.

Hmmm... thanks for this heading, Harriet.

Good news for ddil today (see J&C)... dmom sounded really good last night on phone... and can y'all believe we are taking an 8-hour drive tomorrow w/ddil & dgs and I'm actually sort of looking forward to it? Would y'all have ever thought four years ago, when I was so nervous, anticipating ds's marriage with such fear, that this day would ever come and I would love this girl like she was my own?
Well, yeah... Y'ALL thought it. Y'All knew all along.

Sooo glad to hear from MT!!! I've missed you!!!

(((Twins))) Lots of balls to keep in the air... some of them are going to fall sometimes. (((BIG HUGS)))

(((Ivy))) Men... that's so true.
I remember once when my dbro (ten years younger than I) was being especially grumpy/annoying and I looked at dmom and said, "Oh no... he's turned into one of THEM."

Continuing moving thoughts... following Dee & Kathryn's conversation... and fearfully anticipating dmom's eventual move, LOL. She has a house FULL of stuff, plus two storage units. And yes, there are many things that I hope she keeps... but ooohhh... going through all this and packing it all up... * whew *
I LOVE the idea of trying to transplant the maple trees though! Hope that works out great!

Ooohhh... one more driver in the family, Harriet... exciting times... (((HUGS)))

BookSaver, I totally understand what you're saying about the Lego club purpose should be FUN. Hmmm... sounds like the other librarian has her priorities a little out of line.

Oh -- for those of you who may not be following the reading thread, but saw where I was reading Gone Girl, I just posted this in the reading thread:

Just finished Gone Girl. I was not very pleased with the ending. Let's say I was, in fact, very DISPLEASED w/the ending. I may read some more of her books, b/c the plot was so fascinating... but ugh. The ending. Yuck.

[Sadie]

Hello Dear Ladies,

Sunshine here again.

We are slowly making our house livable for when we get older. Like putting in higher toilets and vinyl floors. We'd like to stay here for as long as we can. But who knows?

Things on my mind: need to get a certified copy of Dson26 birth certificate as he'll need one when he leaves. I'll keep the original but birth certificates are asked for a lot lately. That and a new social security card.

Trying to think of what DH and I will need when we stay the night with Dson 18 at the hospital when he has his procedure.

Trying to plan family get together in October. Will whole turkeys be available then?

Also Doctor said a steroid shot might help loosen my shoulder/arm more to be able to do more. There's pros and cons to steroids so I don't know. maybe I'll just keep plugging along at this slow speed I am with my arm. Going to run out of PT sessions soon-insurance only pays for 20 per year, but I'll keep working with it at home.

Also don't know how much longer I need to go to the shoulder doctor anyway. She keeps having me come back every 6 weeks but she doesn't really do anything, we just talk for a minute and then she says see you in 6 weeks. I figure Dson18 will have to be going to his doctor for follow-ups and there is just so much time that I have. DH goes with me to my shoulder doctor, it's in a very busy traffic area and I wouldn't want to attempt to go there by myself and I really want to be there for Dson 18 and all he'll be going through. So thinking the next time I go to see her-June 30, I'll tell her I can't keep coming down there, especially with my Dson 18 problems.

I read "Girl Gone" about a year ago. It was a page turner. I just finished "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". I read it when I was 12 and remembered some parts of it.

Another work day and I have to shop when I get off.

Great day to all!