Thursday Thread

[Nancy]

Ok back from the day of kids around the baby has left grands are still here. Lunch is done & snack time is over now.
I laughed at the pet dates!

We've done the afternoon chicken chores fed pullets, dgson collected three eggs. Dgd helped me feed the hens and pullets. I checked on the chicks and they were fine.

Hot spots have been doused.
H. called to say he was working late today.
I saw a hen out in the yard and then the next time I looked out she was back in the pen with the other two that had gotten out as well so the barrier is working after a fashion. Not sure what will happen in inclement weather how ever will give that some thought they used to huddle under the deck.

We have cloudy weather here today.
Today dgson said don't tell my mom but I like walking and not riding the bus. That's not very good punishment.

[OKay]

I'm wondering just how that all became the norm for your family.

I suspect it is greatly influenced by small town lifestyle. This is all we have known. It is just the way our parents and grandparents were. The people who live around us are much the same.
Today DH and I decided to eat out at small town cafe. We walk in and DH went around the room to greet most everyone there. After we sat down at our table then everyone that entered while we were eating cames over to shake DH hand and say a few words to us. When we went to pay for our meal - we found out it was already paid for by the cook. We aren't friends with the cook, but DH seems to attract people. DH recently gave him a free wash and the cook wanted to return the favor. I sometimes wonder how I will adjust to living in a place where we don't know most everyone....and their family for generations. I'm sure DH can make friends anywhere so hopefully it will be okay.

Elizabeth - I've been thinking about your DD. What is the next step? I don't know much about autism/aspergers. I've heard it is a sign of extreme intelligence.

LO's ball practice has been cancelled due to the chilly weather. YEAH! I was not looking forward to shivering and shaking.

I took LO to get his hair cut and he kept the whole barber shop entertained. The barber and other customers kept asking LO questions and he has no shyness at talking with adults. OH BOY> He needs no encouragement to talk. He will answer their question and ask them one right back.

DMom is cleaning out her pantry today. Taking all the food that DDad liked to eat and giving it away. We came home with two sacks full of canned food.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dinner (ham and scalloped potato) was a success. We crammed it into the counter top oven and I didn't think it would work, but it did. Next time I'll choose a smaller dish for the potatoes so there will be less cramming.

The boil is finished and we have another 350 ml for a total of 1.2 liters plus the batch of candy I made. That's worth about $20 on the open market! But it is fun and dh does 98% of the work. He's broken even since he had to buy the buckets and spiles this year. It is a labour of love he says.

Don't know if the sap will run again tomorrow. It has been a strange year with it starting and stopping over and over again.

While dinner was cooking I went through a box of supplies I had for when we were running a course. We won't be doing that any more (the customer can run a course and hire dh to deliver it but I won't be responsible for the logistics.) So we now have a lifetime supply of post-it notes and highlighter pens. And 30 lanyards for nametags. Not sure what I'll do with all that. Summer bible camp needed name tags one year but they don't use lanyards because of the choke risk.

Garbage is out in the garage but it is windy so dh doesn't want to put out all the boxes of paper recycle until morning.

[Elizabeth]

I did not go to art class tonight, thinking the ceiling fixer would be here. On looking at my DayRunner, I have her down for today and tomorrow, and it is likely today's entry was my error. Oh well, I have used the time productively. I did some yard clean up and weeding and have put 3 bags in the trash. After that I ate dinner, then emptied and loaded dishwasher, ran a LOL, and got the paint off my sink and shined it good. Next up, some computer work on the database project.

OKay: I am not sure what the next step for autism/aspergers is either. Next week is spring break, then we will have an appointment with the school and that should tell us something. I am not sure if they have decided she actually HAS it or just has some traits. Either way, we want to know what will work for her. I have poked around at autismspeaks.org and they have some resources, including a what they call a 100 day kit and an autism response team. The latter sounds like a group of superheroes! Needless to say we have not told DD11 any of this, primarily because we don't know enough ourselves. She does know she has been seeing a lot of counselor types. I told her the same as what we said about the dyslexia testing: we are trying to figure out how she learns best. Which really isn't too far from the truth.

ETA: YEAH!!! I didn't get the spamhaus problem. I can post from home again.

[helia]

I have 3 friends, including my bff here and guinea pig play date friend, with kids on the autism spectrum, 4 kids total among these 3 friends. One friend has 2 of them, out of her own 4 kids. They're all of varying severity. The one girl in the group is faring quite well; she is also the oldest of the 4 young people/kids I know. She has completed an engineering degree at UM, holds a good job, and has just moved out of dfriend's home into her own condo. I hope you find the support and resources that will be helpful to you and dd, Elizabeth.

I do not expect helia to avoid eccentric ideas, however.

Harriet! This tickled me to no end, like you know me!

Dinner guests are gone. Dh has gone to bed; he is tired. dd17 has gone to bed. Dd14's friend is here. I'm chilling for a while then I'll go to bed too.

[lucylee]

My DKids, unfortunately, see me as very competent, able to withstand any trial coming my way and often aren't around when I could use help.

Ooohhh... (((Harmony)))... are you SURE you are not actually my mom in disguise??? I know that is something she must often feel like saying.

Accomplishment for the day:
Went to bank, had direct deposit info certified for retirement application!
Will have to wait until Monday to get employment stuff done at local board of education, but I expect to have these papers in the mail by Monday evening!
Woo hoo!
(May 1 is deadline.)

Need to call dmom back -- we talked some this afternoon... I'm afraid I may have laughed at inappropriate times. Dmom was just having this so matter-of-fact way of putting things. I'm afraid I may have exhibited a somewhat morbid sense of humor. I think she understands... but I should call back.

Also need to grade some more papers. Got a lot of paperwork caught up today at school... but a LOT more to do.
Something I will NOT miss.

[Harriet]

I wanted to say thanks for all the well-wishes for my ddad at 95. Although he could never understand that I find friends at the other end of a screen, he has certainly benefited from you all, since our village gives me an outlet, encouragement, company, affirmation, advice, etc., etc.

I was thinking of Kathryn's dd - old men do say things in ways that seem creepy when they don't mean anything bad by it. It's a combination of "the times" being different, though they have not caught up, a decline in social savvy, and possibly a decline in mental sharpness. I think sometimes an old woman can say about the same thing and be considered "spunky", while an old man just sounds creepy. Kathryn, I'm glad your travel plans are shaping up.

I did nap. I also exercised after getting back up (and having watched Big Bang), because I really am convinced I've got to take care of myself, especially my strength, my back, with dear uncle coming home from hospital soon and caregivers stretched thin. I started thinking about the case workers who do the inspections to see if elderly people can go home or if they think changes need to be made in the house. My dear aunt already took that household through that process once, but there might be a different staff now, or different ideas, and I know there could be some intrusion if PT or something is advised. Need to be ready to make changes, lift, tote, twist, turn.

SO appreciating the wall calendar placed near my desk this year, which is helping me keep up with date incidentals. For instance, I keep moving the "renew library books" post-it tape through the calendar to the next spot and I haven't had a day's fine all year so far. The only birthday card I've forgotten to send was one for which we'd already had a party, so that was okay.

I'd read a fan posting that Big Bang would end the year with a cliffhanger of one of the guys about to lose his employment at the university, but instead the cliffhanger is which one gains tenure, so that is much less of a nail-biter. Hmmm... ... that might not be good, actually. People like mysteries with something to lose. Btw, Miss Kay going bowling with her grandchildren and their friends was a hoot last night on Duck Dynasty. All teens should have to take their grandmother bowling. DuckD is not great television, I suppose, but it is so charming, and everyone we introduce to it sort of drops their jaw open, so that's worth seeing.

[Elizabeth]

Well, I have put some time in on the database project (about 2 hours). Right now I am downloading some libraries I need and I have another hour and forty minutes to go on that. I decided to start the process of building DD11's new bookcase. I have made progress there. Now, I am going to relax and crochet on the neverending jacket while watching a mindless video.