Chris, over at the Big Yellow House says that today is Delurking Day. So, heavens to Betsy, stop lurking around and POST something!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Who ARE you???
Chris, over at the Big Yellow House says that today is Delurking Day. So, heavens to Betsy, stop lurking around and POST something!
Well, maybe not EVERYTHING...
Last night, while we were playing the game of Life, I was lamenting the fact that I have to cook, clean, teach, do the finances, blah, blah, blah. Bohemian was rolling his eyes.
"Look," I said, "It's totally true. I have to do EVERYTHING!"
Without looking up from the Life gameboard, Monet said, "You don't brush my teeth. Or pick my nose."
Ah, but if they could think of a way to make it possible...
"Look," I said, "It's totally true. I have to do EVERYTHING!"
Without looking up from the Life gameboard, Monet said, "You don't brush my teeth. Or pick my nose."
Ah, but if they could think of a way to make it possible...
Bard's Handwork
While my in-laws were visiting last week, we went shopping in one of the little touristy places in our area. Bard accidentally found a stash of really yummy yarns in one of the shops, and we both drooled over all of the possible projects we could start, but I restrained myself and told Bard that we have enough of a yarn stash to complete several, several, SEVERAL projects!
A few shops down was a cross stitch shop. While I have a bunch of cross stitch patterns in the basement, most of them are patterns that don't really interest me anymore. They're so hopelessly country, with cows and ducks and bunnies and things I see die on a regular basis that I just don't to spend hours stitching them or decorating my house with them. As we were walking out, we saw a framed work that Bard couldn't resist--a beautiful fairy adorned with metallic threads and glittery beads. I figured, since she has that bohemian blood, like her dad, it would be good for her to add to her repetoire of insomnia remedies. She reads, she knits...now, she can stitch.
She started the project today. It's on 32-count linen and has a billion colors. She says I've threatened her with her life if she doesn't finish it, but I really didn't. I didn't say anything more than, "You'd better finish this, or else..."
A few shops down was a cross stitch shop. While I have a bunch of cross stitch patterns in the basement, most of them are patterns that don't really interest me anymore. They're so hopelessly country, with cows and ducks and bunnies and things I see die on a regular basis that I just don't to spend hours stitching them or decorating my house with them. As we were walking out, we saw a framed work that Bard couldn't resist--a beautiful fairy adorned with metallic threads and glittery beads. I figured, since she has that bohemian blood, like her dad, it would be good for her to add to her repetoire of insomnia remedies. She reads, she knits...now, she can stitch.
She started the project today. It's on 32-count linen and has a billion colors. She says I've threatened her with her life if she doesn't finish it, but I really didn't. I didn't say anything more than, "You'd better finish this, or else..."
And this is a Sting Ray...
For Christmas, my father-in-law bought Monet a notebook-type drawing book called Draw Really Cool Stuff. It has six tabbed drawing sectionsand boasts that there are "hundreds of exciting and fun images to draw." It wasn't the first thing he attacked when he opened his grandparents' gifts (it's hard to compete with a HoverDisc and a HoverCopter) but in the past two days, both he and Houdin have been drawing like mad. They seem to be especially drawn (no pun intended) to the ocean animals and the cars.
Yesterday, Houdin went to the library with my dad and while he was there, asked if they had any drawing contests coming up. They actually did! There was a contest for drawing superheroes, so Houdin drew some kind of blue superhero and turned it in before he left.
Thanks for the book, Grandpa. ;-)
Yesterday, Houdin went to the library with my dad and while he was there, asked if they had any drawing contests coming up. They actually did! There was a contest for drawing superheroes, so Houdin drew some kind of blue superhero and turned it in before he left.
Thanks for the book, Grandpa. ;-)
Houdin's Math
Houdin is working on his multiplication tables today. He's trying to memorize his 9s. I gave him the little trick that every product of 9x any single digit will have a sum of nine when added together. He thought that was pretty cool. Now he's working on a 9x time trial. His first effort gave him three wrong and it took him over three minutes.
Pop quiz:
Do you have all of your multiplication table memorized?
How old are you?
How fast can you recite your nines?
Pop quiz:
Do you have all of your multiplication table memorized?
How old are you?
How fast can you recite your nines?
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Triplux - 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days
Triplux - 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days I found this site through another site which had me on their blogroll. This looks very inviting, and I just may do it. What do you think?
Strong Coffee's Mondo Beyondo List
Strong Coffee
When I have time, I want to do a list like this. Have you done one? If you do, will you let me know?
When I have time, I want to do a list like this. Have you done one? If you do, will you let me know?
Smarty Shots...(AKA Dixie Cup Learning)
I came up with a fun little reading practice game today. Here's how it works:
Get some little Dixie Cups and a permanent marker. Find a kind of little candy that makes your kid weak in the knees. I used Smarties. You could use M&Ms or Skittles or whatever you want.
Write a single letter on each cup. Label enough cups for you to be able to make words with the cups. For instance, label one cup "C," one "A" and one "T."
Make as many cups as you think your child can sound out. This can work with younger kids OR with older kids.
Arrange a series of cups in order so that they spell a word. Place a Smarty, M&M or whatever in each cup. If it's a hard word, you can put an extra piece of candy in one or two of the cups.
Have the child read the word. If she reads it, she gets to put the candies in a cup with her name on it. Alternately, you can just let her have the "candy shot" right then! It's funny to see them "drink" the candy out of the cups one right after the other. If you'd rather, they can save all of the candies until you're done with the game. If they read the word incorrectly, the candies stay in the cup. The next time that letter is used in a word and the child reads the word correctly, she gets all of the candies in the cup.
VARIATION: Write "Beginning," "Middle" and "End" on the cups. Say a word, and then say a sound. Ask if the sound is at the beginning, the middle or the end of the word. The child puts the candy in the cup she thinks is right...the beginning, middle or end. If she's right, she keeps the candy. If she's wrong, the candy stays in until she gets the answer on that cup right.
ANOTHER VARIATION: Write letters on the cups. Say a word that begins with one of the letters. Have the child put the candy in the letter whose sound begins the word. If she's right, she gets the candies. If she's wrong, it stays until she gets an answer right that begins with that letter.
I'm sure there are a bunch of variatons that can be used with Dixie cups and learning. Do you have any suggestions? Tell me about them!
Get some little Dixie Cups and a permanent marker. Find a kind of little candy that makes your kid weak in the knees. I used Smarties. You could use M&Ms or Skittles or whatever you want.
Write a single letter on each cup. Label enough cups for you to be able to make words with the cups. For instance, label one cup "C," one "A" and one "T."
Make as many cups as you think your child can sound out. This can work with younger kids OR with older kids.
Arrange a series of cups in order so that they spell a word. Place a Smarty, M&M or whatever in each cup. If it's a hard word, you can put an extra piece of candy in one or two of the cups.
Have the child read the word. If she reads it, she gets to put the candies in a cup with her name on it. Alternately, you can just let her have the "candy shot" right then! It's funny to see them "drink" the candy out of the cups one right after the other. If you'd rather, they can save all of the candies until you're done with the game. If they read the word incorrectly, the candies stay in the cup. The next time that letter is used in a word and the child reads the word correctly, she gets all of the candies in the cup.
VARIATION: Write "Beginning," "Middle" and "End" on the cups. Say a word, and then say a sound. Ask if the sound is at the beginning, the middle or the end of the word. The child puts the candy in the cup she thinks is right...the beginning, middle or end. If she's right, she keeps the candy. If she's wrong, the candy stays in until she gets the answer on that cup right.
ANOTHER VARIATION: Write letters on the cups. Say a word that begins with one of the letters. Have the child put the candy in the letter whose sound begins the word. If she's right, she gets the candies. If she's wrong, it stays until she gets an answer right that begins with that letter.
I'm sure there are a bunch of variatons that can be used with Dixie cups and learning. Do you have any suggestions? Tell me about them!
Reading and Math
Last night, Sweetheart and I worked on her math facts. She has her doubles through six just about memorized.
Today we're working on reading and letter recognition.
Later today, Monet and I are going to make muffins. He's at the library with Houdin and Grandpa right now.
Today we're working on reading and letter recognition.
Later today, Monet and I are going to make muffins. He's at the library with Houdin and Grandpa right now.
That About Says It
The Big Yellow House: So What Have You Been Up To?:
"In my dream the house came with a maid and the children were better behaved. "
"In my dream the house came with a maid and the children were better behaved. "
Monday, January 03, 2005
Unaware--a Poem Ode to Winter in o-HI-o
Unaware
by Thicket Dweller
The garden hose and
leaf rakes are still
lying in the driveway
And up against the house
the bike rack leans
The cooler from
the picnic is still
Camped out of the front porch.
I'm afraid to look inside...
It might be filled with old
Baked Beans
There's a soccer ball,
deflated, resting lonely
in the front yard.
Someone left their old sunglasses
tarnished, on the still porch swing.
Beneath that sits an dry dead plant.
Seems that I forgot to water
it--had good intentions when I bought it
at the nursery this Spring.
Winter took me unaware again.
It was falling into Autumn, into blazing leave and then
One morning I woke up and the snow was in a spin.
How'd it take me unaware again?
There are boots beside the sandals
In a puddle in the hallway
and a bathing suit's still hanging
from the shower curtain rod.
Look! That calendar is showing that it's well into December!
Yet I don't remember turning it.
That thing must be a fraud.
Winter took me unaware again.
I was falling into Autumn, into blazing leaves, and then
One morning I woke up and the snow was in a spin.
How'd it take me unaware again?
Huh. The temp is 55 now.
Well, that's winter in Ohio.
If you don't like what the weather is,
just stick around and it will change.
Or just wish for snow at Christmastime
While you're gayly whistling "Greensleeves"
And setting out your manger.
Still, I can't imagine weather
warm as this in January
Well, I'd better get to work
since I've been given a reprieve.
Guess I'll go clean out that cooler,
Use that rake for what it's made for.
Glad the trash bags aren't paid for
by each pound of sopping leaves.
Sheesh! It's getting kinda chilly.
Maybe I should put my coat on.
Oh, Good Lord! Is that a snowflake?
It was just as warm as May!
Sure enough, here comes a blizzard.
I should go shovel the sidewalk.
But I didn't dump that stuff there.
Nope, it's gonna have to stay.
Winter took me unaware again.
I was just falling into Autumn, into blazing leaves and then
One afternoon I look around, and the snow is in a spin.
Winter, how'd you take me unaware
Again?
Stream of Consciousness about My Date with Sweetheart
"When are we leaving? When are we leaving?"
She gets a date because I gave her a coupon for a date with mom for Christmas.
She can't wait. Every day, every minute, she's asking if it's time for the date yet.
I have to explain many times that the coupon's not good until AFTER January 2nd!
January 3rd arrives. It's time for the date.
I'm exhausted...still working a few hours at the cheesehouse, and we officially started lessons again today.
What will we do?
She puts on my favorite dress, a princess-waist number that I bought for Bard years ago from Land's End. It has cute little gardening things on it.
I notice that the dress is missing a button. I actually USE one of those buttons they sew to the hem of the dress--you know, the ones intended to be used in case a button falls off?
Bard sews the button onto the dress. Bard's date is next.
We get in the van. Where does she want to eat? I ask.
Where do you want to eat? She asks.
No...this is YOUR date, I say. Where do YOU want to go?
Let's go to Subways, she answers.
Do you like Subway? I ask.
No, not really, she answers. But you do.
What do YOU like, I ask, but I already know the answer.
McDonald's, she says, just like I thought she would.
First to Wal*Mart. I need mayo and my dad needs carpet cleaner.
We buy Sweetheart a new pair of boots for the winter. The ones I bought her at Goodwill didn't survive the dogs.
She puts them on in the store. I put the old shoes in the box.
We buy a pair for The Baby, too. I wanted the little brown ones, but I didn't think The Baby was ready for high heels just yet.
The cashier asks to see Sweetheart's new boots. She models them proudly.
Off to McDonald's.
She sees a little girl that she's seen there before.
She shows the little girl the locket she got for Christmas. It's gold. It doesn't have pictures in it yet.
The little girl had a locket the last time Sweetheart saw her. She told me about it before Christmas. This is why I bought her the locket.
Sweetheart plays with her friend in the McD's playplace.
It's off to a movie. I'm still tired. Do I want to do this?
We're too late for the cheap movie. I take my time.
The roads are wet. It's raining a lot.
I have a hard time hearing Sweetheart. She's mumbling about a headache.
I can't hear you, I say. Talk louder.
She doesn't annunciate well. I've worried about her speech. Too much time talking with a binky in her mouth, I think.
She talks louder.
I still can't hear you, I say.
She yells this time. I HAVE A HEADACHE! She yells. AND NOW THAT YOU MADE ME YELL, I HAVE A BIGGER HEADACHE!
I'm not doing very well at this.
Do you want to go home, I ask?
NO! she yells. WHY IS EVERYONE MAD AT ME?
Everyone??? I ask. I'm not mad at you.
She begins to cry. Uh oh. Tired kid.
As she's yelling about everyone hating her, I hit a patch of high water. Scares the daylights out of me.
I hate driving in the rain, especially at night..
We get to the theater. It's either Fat Albert, Christmas with the Kranks or Polar Express. I don't want to do Polar Express, and it's not playing this late, anyway.
We conference. Why is Christmas with the Kranks PG, I ask the ticket guy.
Mild language. Mild sexual references.
And Fat Albert?
Brief Moments of Language.
I choose The Kranks.
I got Milk Duds.
She got Sour Watermelons.
The movie was pretty good. Not great. But pretty good.
Driving home...now THAT was good.
Sweetheart decides to sing Christmas carols. We sing Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Jingle Bells. She LOVES Jingle Bells. We sing it again and again.
That was so much fun! She yells.
I'm home now. Very tired. Glad I went, but wishing it would have been better.
Bard is next. She needs embroidery thread for her new cross stitch. And then Houdin. He wants to see National Treasure. Maybe I'll let Bohemian take him.
Date is over.
Goodnight.
She gets a date because I gave her a coupon for a date with mom for Christmas.
She can't wait. Every day, every minute, she's asking if it's time for the date yet.
I have to explain many times that the coupon's not good until AFTER January 2nd!
January 3rd arrives. It's time for the date.
I'm exhausted...still working a few hours at the cheesehouse, and we officially started lessons again today.
What will we do?
She puts on my favorite dress, a princess-waist number that I bought for Bard years ago from Land's End. It has cute little gardening things on it.
I notice that the dress is missing a button. I actually USE one of those buttons they sew to the hem of the dress--you know, the ones intended to be used in case a button falls off?
Bard sews the button onto the dress. Bard's date is next.
We get in the van. Where does she want to eat? I ask.
Where do you want to eat? She asks.
No...this is YOUR date, I say. Where do YOU want to go?
Let's go to Subways, she answers.
Do you like Subway? I ask.
No, not really, she answers. But you do.
What do YOU like, I ask, but I already know the answer.
McDonald's, she says, just like I thought she would.
First to Wal*Mart. I need mayo and my dad needs carpet cleaner.
We buy Sweetheart a new pair of boots for the winter. The ones I bought her at Goodwill didn't survive the dogs.
She puts them on in the store. I put the old shoes in the box.
We buy a pair for The Baby, too. I wanted the little brown ones, but I didn't think The Baby was ready for high heels just yet.
The cashier asks to see Sweetheart's new boots. She models them proudly.
Off to McDonald's.
She sees a little girl that she's seen there before.
She shows the little girl the locket she got for Christmas. It's gold. It doesn't have pictures in it yet.
The little girl had a locket the last time Sweetheart saw her. She told me about it before Christmas. This is why I bought her the locket.
Sweetheart plays with her friend in the McD's playplace.
It's off to a movie. I'm still tired. Do I want to do this?
We're too late for the cheap movie. I take my time.
The roads are wet. It's raining a lot.
I have a hard time hearing Sweetheart. She's mumbling about a headache.
I can't hear you, I say. Talk louder.
She doesn't annunciate well. I've worried about her speech. Too much time talking with a binky in her mouth, I think.
She talks louder.
I still can't hear you, I say.
She yells this time. I HAVE A HEADACHE! She yells. AND NOW THAT YOU MADE ME YELL, I HAVE A BIGGER HEADACHE!
I'm not doing very well at this.
Do you want to go home, I ask?
NO! she yells. WHY IS EVERYONE MAD AT ME?
Everyone??? I ask. I'm not mad at you.
She begins to cry. Uh oh. Tired kid.
As she's yelling about everyone hating her, I hit a patch of high water. Scares the daylights out of me.
I hate driving in the rain, especially at night..
We get to the theater. It's either Fat Albert, Christmas with the Kranks or Polar Express. I don't want to do Polar Express, and it's not playing this late, anyway.
We conference. Why is Christmas with the Kranks PG, I ask the ticket guy.
Mild language. Mild sexual references.
And Fat Albert?
Brief Moments of Language.
I choose The Kranks.
I got Milk Duds.
She got Sour Watermelons.
The movie was pretty good. Not great. But pretty good.
Driving home...now THAT was good.
Sweetheart decides to sing Christmas carols. We sing Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Jingle Bells. She LOVES Jingle Bells. We sing it again and again.
That was so much fun! She yells.
I'm home now. Very tired. Glad I went, but wishing it would have been better.
Bard is next. She needs embroidery thread for her new cross stitch. And then Houdin. He wants to see National Treasure. Maybe I'll let Bohemian take him.
Date is over.
Goodnight.
Concerned About Making Sandwiches
We had stayed away for so long. And now, here I was, looking at Great-Grandma lying on the floor.
Both of Bohemian's grandparents are in their mid-80's. Up until about three years ago, we'd enjoyed regular visits with them. We'd go and take a meal, or we'd go out to dinner together, or we'd hang around watching Grandpa do magic tricks. Sometimes, we'd just watch some of the magic videos Grandpa had videotaped. Grandpa's magic tricks are amazing.
When Grandpa was young, he was in a car accident and, as a result, lost both of his legs. He decided right away that he wasn't going to let that destroy him, and he took up sleight of hand. On any given visit, you can hear someone asking, "How did you DO that?" Grandpa's reply is always, "Very well, I think."
Within the past few years, Grandpa's sight has become poor. He's as sharp as a tack, but his body just doesn't want to keep up with him. Grandma has gone through some very difficult health issues, too, and while it's difficult for her to see and hear, she still has a wonderful sense of humor and always appears to be glad when we visit.
It's not easy to visit elderly people when you have five children, especially when the Great-Grandparents live in a very small house which becomes exceedingly hot as your visit continues. It's also difficult to keep the children occupied in a place where there's no playground, no abundance of toys, and no kid-like activities. Not to mention that the place is so small that there's not a lot of room to move around when there are seven extra people in the house.
But we've always enjoyed our visits. Grandma insists on making sandwiches or providing pizza, or fussing over us in some way. Grandpa always leaves us wanting more magic, and now that Houdin is very interested in magic, there's a wonderful common bond.
A couple of years ago, a rumor came to us from my husband's side of the family that the Great-Grandparents didn't want any more visitors. They had refused a visit from my sister-in-law and had declined an offer to have my other sister-in-law live in to help care for them. I was really very sad that we wouldn't be visiting, especially with the legacy that Grandpa was giving Houdin with his magic tricks. I called the Great-Grandparents on a few occasions, and I wrote a few letters, but communicating by phone or in writing isn't easy for people who have a hard time seeing and hearing.
So, in recent times, I've felt very unsettled about our visits--or non-visits, I should say--and have often felt led just to call them and ask if they truly no longer want visitors.
But I haven't. I guess I was afraid of the answer.
When we had our Family Gathering in October, my mother-in-law decided to ask the Great-Grandparents if they'd like to come out for a day, to have a family photo taken and see our new home. These people. who never leave home, came with my in-laws to spend a day with us. While Grandma shopped with us, Grandpa spent the day showing Houdin some card tricks. The family photo was precious. I thought it was a very good day, and was so grateful for their visit.
On their way out, Grandpa leaned out the car window and said to me with a smile, "We live in Suchandsuchtown, you know? It's about an hour and a half from here? Visit sometime."
My oh my. Does he think I've been staying away because I WANT to? Family is so incredibly important to me! I have no grandparents of my own. I've been blessed with my husband's family, who had both sets of grandparents living until four years ago. Their lives are so very important to me.
Well, after an invitation like that, I didn't want to stay away. But I still wondered if he was just being kind...polite.
A couple of weeks later, my father-in-law called and asked Bohemian if we would be willing to go visit with the grandparents twice a month, to see if they needed to do any grocery shopping or to do any things that needed done around the house. Now, I was totally confused. Do they want visitors, or do they not? Will I be helping them, or will I be imposing on them? We decided that all we could do would be to try it. Just go and see.
So we did.
Our visits have been good, for the most part. Because their house is so hot, The Baby tends to get a bit loopy and rosy-cheeked while we're there. Grandma gets too concerned about seeing that we eat, even if we've already eaten. Even if we bring our own food. She wants to be sure to be a good hostess. I can understand that completely. But I do so wish she wouldn't worry.
Over the past couple of weeks, we've made plans to visit but weren't able because of very bad weather. Our county had a terrible ice-storm that left most of the residents without power for anywhere from a few hours to over a week. Our power was off from the day before Christmas Eve through a week later. But yesterday, we were able to make the journey to the Great-Grandparents house. We even ate before we left, a wonderful lunch of Turkey Carcass Soup (it really is very good).
As soon as we arrived, I asked Grandma if she needed to go to the grocery store. I know how she likes to get out of the house, and I know how she likes to shop. She was all dressed and ready to leave the house. Her tiny frame, a foot shorter than my own 5' 2", dressed in a white blouse and black slacks, her shoes on and ready to go. She wanted to go into the kitchen first, to see what there was to eat and to decide what to get while we were out. I went along ahead of her, Bohemian just behind me, and Great-Grandma almost at his side. As I stepped into the kitchen, the floor shook with a great noise. We had only been in the house a few minutes--less than five, I'm sure--and I turned quickly to see which of my children had tripped or dropped something or knocked something over. There, on the floor, was Great Grandma. She had fallen flat on her face.
I rushed to her, Bohemian right behind me. What had happened??? Grandma? What happened? My mind was racing. Did she have a heart attack? Did she pass out? She was obviously in pain, but I couldn't tell where the pain was. Bo and I knelt beside her.
"Grandma? Where does it hurt? Do you know what happened?"
"I think I slipped on a shoe," she answered. I looked beyond her feet, and there, in the middle of the hallway, was Sweetheart's black boot. She had probably not had it off longer than a minute, and she stood in the doorway with her mouth hanging open.
I looked back to Grandma. A small trickle of blood began to run down her face from a cut above her left eyebrow. Her glasses had slammed into her face when she hit. I took the glasses off and whispered to Bo to get me a napkin. Grandpa had made his way to Grandma's side, walking himself with his hands.
"Mom? Mom are you okay? What happened?" He asked her, not panicked but taking charge. She answered him that her arm was under her and that she wanted to sit up. I shoo-ed the kid from the room as Bo and I helped Grandma to her feet. Her shoulder was sore. Maybe even out of socket. But she didn't want to go to the hospital. They had given her too much of the wrong medication the last time she went. She just wanted to wait and see how it felt later.
She was still concerned about making sandwiches.
Sweetheart came to me, tears in her eyes. She whispered in my ear, "Mom. It was my shoe. I'm sorry." I hugged her and told her that I forgave her, but that now she could see why we insist on keeping the shoes out of the way. She nodded.
Grandma kept an ice pack on her arm, and she wouldn't stop fussing about food, so I finally went out for pizza. Even after the pizza came, she wanted to know how many pizzas we ordered, so she could be ready next time.
As we were leaving, I gave Grandpa my cell-phone number. Grandma was sure she was fine, and she wanted to wait and see her own doctor in the morning. She was sure she could get one of her girlfriends to take her to the doctor's office. She wanted to take the bandage off of her eye, but when we did, it started bleeding again. I felt so horrible.
"I'm so sorry," I said. I knew she didn't want sympathy. She'd said several times that she didn't want us looking at her all sad.
"I'm sorry, too," she said, "We're all sorry. None of us wanted this to happen, but it did, so we just go on. We can't feel bad about it."
Grandpa piped up from his chair, "Grandma's game is to pretend she's not in pain. She doesn't like to show anyone that she hurts."
My heart was so full of sadness.
On the way home, we listened to Delilah. Five for Fighting's 100 Years came on. A tear slipped down my cheek. In the back seat, Bard, my own 15 was crying, too.
Tucking Sweetheart into bed. "I'm really sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to make Grandma fall."
A lesson learned. Put your shoes away.
Both of Bohemian's grandparents are in their mid-80's. Up until about three years ago, we'd enjoyed regular visits with them. We'd go and take a meal, or we'd go out to dinner together, or we'd hang around watching Grandpa do magic tricks. Sometimes, we'd just watch some of the magic videos Grandpa had videotaped. Grandpa's magic tricks are amazing.
When Grandpa was young, he was in a car accident and, as a result, lost both of his legs. He decided right away that he wasn't going to let that destroy him, and he took up sleight of hand. On any given visit, you can hear someone asking, "How did you DO that?" Grandpa's reply is always, "Very well, I think."
Within the past few years, Grandpa's sight has become poor. He's as sharp as a tack, but his body just doesn't want to keep up with him. Grandma has gone through some very difficult health issues, too, and while it's difficult for her to see and hear, she still has a wonderful sense of humor and always appears to be glad when we visit.
It's not easy to visit elderly people when you have five children, especially when the Great-Grandparents live in a very small house which becomes exceedingly hot as your visit continues. It's also difficult to keep the children occupied in a place where there's no playground, no abundance of toys, and no kid-like activities. Not to mention that the place is so small that there's not a lot of room to move around when there are seven extra people in the house.
But we've always enjoyed our visits. Grandma insists on making sandwiches or providing pizza, or fussing over us in some way. Grandpa always leaves us wanting more magic, and now that Houdin is very interested in magic, there's a wonderful common bond.
A couple of years ago, a rumor came to us from my husband's side of the family that the Great-Grandparents didn't want any more visitors. They had refused a visit from my sister-in-law and had declined an offer to have my other sister-in-law live in to help care for them. I was really very sad that we wouldn't be visiting, especially with the legacy that Grandpa was giving Houdin with his magic tricks. I called the Great-Grandparents on a few occasions, and I wrote a few letters, but communicating by phone or in writing isn't easy for people who have a hard time seeing and hearing.
So, in recent times, I've felt very unsettled about our visits--or non-visits, I should say--and have often felt led just to call them and ask if they truly no longer want visitors.
But I haven't. I guess I was afraid of the answer.
When we had our Family Gathering in October, my mother-in-law decided to ask the Great-Grandparents if they'd like to come out for a day, to have a family photo taken and see our new home. These people. who never leave home, came with my in-laws to spend a day with us. While Grandma shopped with us, Grandpa spent the day showing Houdin some card tricks. The family photo was precious. I thought it was a very good day, and was so grateful for their visit.
On their way out, Grandpa leaned out the car window and said to me with a smile, "We live in Suchandsuchtown, you know? It's about an hour and a half from here? Visit sometime."
My oh my. Does he think I've been staying away because I WANT to? Family is so incredibly important to me! I have no grandparents of my own. I've been blessed with my husband's family, who had both sets of grandparents living until four years ago. Their lives are so very important to me.
Well, after an invitation like that, I didn't want to stay away. But I still wondered if he was just being kind...polite.
A couple of weeks later, my father-in-law called and asked Bohemian if we would be willing to go visit with the grandparents twice a month, to see if they needed to do any grocery shopping or to do any things that needed done around the house. Now, I was totally confused. Do they want visitors, or do they not? Will I be helping them, or will I be imposing on them? We decided that all we could do would be to try it. Just go and see.
So we did.
Our visits have been good, for the most part. Because their house is so hot, The Baby tends to get a bit loopy and rosy-cheeked while we're there. Grandma gets too concerned about seeing that we eat, even if we've already eaten. Even if we bring our own food. She wants to be sure to be a good hostess. I can understand that completely. But I do so wish she wouldn't worry.
Over the past couple of weeks, we've made plans to visit but weren't able because of very bad weather. Our county had a terrible ice-storm that left most of the residents without power for anywhere from a few hours to over a week. Our power was off from the day before Christmas Eve through a week later. But yesterday, we were able to make the journey to the Great-Grandparents house. We even ate before we left, a wonderful lunch of Turkey Carcass Soup (it really is very good).
As soon as we arrived, I asked Grandma if she needed to go to the grocery store. I know how she likes to get out of the house, and I know how she likes to shop. She was all dressed and ready to leave the house. Her tiny frame, a foot shorter than my own 5' 2", dressed in a white blouse and black slacks, her shoes on and ready to go. She wanted to go into the kitchen first, to see what there was to eat and to decide what to get while we were out. I went along ahead of her, Bohemian just behind me, and Great-Grandma almost at his side. As I stepped into the kitchen, the floor shook with a great noise. We had only been in the house a few minutes--less than five, I'm sure--and I turned quickly to see which of my children had tripped or dropped something or knocked something over. There, on the floor, was Great Grandma. She had fallen flat on her face.
I rushed to her, Bohemian right behind me. What had happened??? Grandma? What happened? My mind was racing. Did she have a heart attack? Did she pass out? She was obviously in pain, but I couldn't tell where the pain was. Bo and I knelt beside her.
"Grandma? Where does it hurt? Do you know what happened?"
"I think I slipped on a shoe," she answered. I looked beyond her feet, and there, in the middle of the hallway, was Sweetheart's black boot. She had probably not had it off longer than a minute, and she stood in the doorway with her mouth hanging open.
I looked back to Grandma. A small trickle of blood began to run down her face from a cut above her left eyebrow. Her glasses had slammed into her face when she hit. I took the glasses off and whispered to Bo to get me a napkin. Grandpa had made his way to Grandma's side, walking himself with his hands.
"Mom? Mom are you okay? What happened?" He asked her, not panicked but taking charge. She answered him that her arm was under her and that she wanted to sit up. I shoo-ed the kid from the room as Bo and I helped Grandma to her feet. Her shoulder was sore. Maybe even out of socket. But she didn't want to go to the hospital. They had given her too much of the wrong medication the last time she went. She just wanted to wait and see how it felt later.
She was still concerned about making sandwiches.
Sweetheart came to me, tears in her eyes. She whispered in my ear, "Mom. It was my shoe. I'm sorry." I hugged her and told her that I forgave her, but that now she could see why we insist on keeping the shoes out of the way. She nodded.
Grandma kept an ice pack on her arm, and she wouldn't stop fussing about food, so I finally went out for pizza. Even after the pizza came, she wanted to know how many pizzas we ordered, so she could be ready next time.
As we were leaving, I gave Grandpa my cell-phone number. Grandma was sure she was fine, and she wanted to wait and see her own doctor in the morning. She was sure she could get one of her girlfriends to take her to the doctor's office. She wanted to take the bandage off of her eye, but when we did, it started bleeding again. I felt so horrible.
"I'm so sorry," I said. I knew she didn't want sympathy. She'd said several times that she didn't want us looking at her all sad.
"I'm sorry, too," she said, "We're all sorry. None of us wanted this to happen, but it did, so we just go on. We can't feel bad about it."
Grandpa piped up from his chair, "Grandma's game is to pretend she's not in pain. She doesn't like to show anyone that she hurts."
My heart was so full of sadness.
On the way home, we listened to Delilah. Five for Fighting's 100 Years came on. A tear slipped down my cheek. In the back seat, Bard, my own 15 was crying, too.
Tucking Sweetheart into bed. "I'm really sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to make Grandma fall."
A lesson learned. Put your shoes away.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Showing Jen how to Blog
I'm showing Jen how to blog. She says she hasn't kept a journal since her kids were born. I'm going to get her addicted to blogging, too.
A Legacy
SCHOOL @ HOME
After reading Tenn's list, I decided to make one of my own.
Five Things I Want My Children to Know About Me:
1. That I don't do a thing without thinking about how it will affect people and how it will influence them.
2. That God is my guide.
3. That I love my family more than anything on this earth and that I do almost everything I do because of the people I love.
4. That, should anything happen to me, I want them to forgive me for anything I've done to hurt or anger them, and I want them to forgive themselves for anything they've done to hurt or anger me.
5. That I want them to spend eternity with me in Heaven.
After reading Tenn's list, I decided to make one of my own.
Five Things I Want My Children to Know About Me:
1. That I don't do a thing without thinking about how it will affect people and how it will influence them.
2. That God is my guide.
3. That I love my family more than anything on this earth and that I do almost everything I do because of the people I love.
4. That, should anything happen to me, I want them to forgive me for anything I've done to hurt or anger them, and I want them to forgive themselves for anything they've done to hurt or anger me.
5. That I want them to spend eternity with me in Heaven.
Thirty Nine Things About 2004
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Moved into a brand new home. And contrary to what anyone tells you, brand new homes do not stay cleaner than any other kind of home. Five kids are five kids, no matter where you put them.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions that I can remember, but I did make myself a promise sometime during the year to write letters regularly and to not use my credit cards for Christmas. I've done well on both.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few friends, but not anyone extremely close. My sister-in-laws are due soon, though!! Yeah!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Quite a shock.
5. What countries did you visit?
Amish Country. ;-)
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A life free of consumer debt. Organization and normalcy.
7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July and October. Moved into our house for real and had our first Family Gathering with extended family. June, Houdin turned 13.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving in. Actually finishing the biggest project we've ever undertaken aside from having kids--building a home.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Being in debt. Did I mention that I don't like being in debt?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope. Not this year.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well, I'd say my new house, but I think I've worn that one thin...and I didn't actually buy it yet. That's not for another 29 1/2 years. I got a lot of stuff for free from FreeCycle--a black lab puppy, an awesome dishwasher that actually works, a very comfy couch, a fridge and a piano. Oh, and a kitchen table. Stuff I bought...hmmm...a big roaster with buffet compartments, a new frying pan that's actually big enough to make a side dish that will feed my family. Oh! I bought a Corda-Roy's foam thingy and a Landing Pad. Those are really awesome. I know I bought a lot more cool stuff, but it would take too long to write it all out and you'd be bored stiff. The most recent best thing I bought was one of Bard's Christmas gifts--Seasons 1 and 2 of Little House on the Prairie on DVD. She now has a crush on Pa.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine. I'm so cool.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?
Mine. Too bad I'm a loser.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Toward this house. And feeding all of these people that keep telling me they're hungry.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The house getting finished. Around the first of the year, the drywallers were starting their job. It was so cool to see it come together.
16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The Baby loves it.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier.
b) thinner or fatter? fatter.
c) richer or poorer? poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Learning
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Yelling.
20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
Done. We had the neighborhood NYE party here. Ate food, played the M&M game with our Amish neighbors. Played Rook Board with Du and Jen and the Amish neighbors until almost 2 AM
21. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Many times. I love my man.
22. How many one-night stands?
Yeah, right.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Don't have one. We don't have TV reception.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone. There are people who annoy me, but I annoy people, too.
25. What was the best book you read?
Loser by Jerry Spinelli.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My baby girl. She sings a mean Frosty the Snowman.
27. What did you want and get?
Okay, I'll say it again. A house.
28. What did you want and not get?
Out of debt. My 35 MM camera fixed. Letters from my family for Christmas. A great big electric griddle.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Secondhand Lions
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was thirty five, and I can't remember what I did.
31.What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
Lots of money, a maid and a vacation.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Jeans and t-shirts.
33. What kept you sane?
My husband. He's so awesome. And my friends.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Can't really think of any. Isn't this exciting?
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
All of them.
36. Who did you miss?
My friend Kathy. It's been too long. I need to get in touch with her.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
There are way too many. Heather, you're one of them, though we haven't actually met. Ursy-loo and Ashley, I had such a blast with you two this year, I have to include you. I became much closer to my friend Shawna. Love to you, friend.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding...
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Moved into a brand new home. And contrary to what anyone tells you, brand new homes do not stay cleaner than any other kind of home. Five kids are five kids, no matter where you put them.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions that I can remember, but I did make myself a promise sometime during the year to write letters regularly and to not use my credit cards for Christmas. I've done well on both.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few friends, but not anyone extremely close. My sister-in-laws are due soon, though!! Yeah!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Quite a shock.
5. What countries did you visit?
Amish Country. ;-)
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A life free of consumer debt. Organization and normalcy.
7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July and October. Moved into our house for real and had our first Family Gathering with extended family. June, Houdin turned 13.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving in. Actually finishing the biggest project we've ever undertaken aside from having kids--building a home.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Being in debt. Did I mention that I don't like being in debt?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope. Not this year.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well, I'd say my new house, but I think I've worn that one thin...and I didn't actually buy it yet. That's not for another 29 1/2 years. I got a lot of stuff for free from FreeCycle--a black lab puppy, an awesome dishwasher that actually works, a very comfy couch, a fridge and a piano. Oh, and a kitchen table. Stuff I bought...hmmm...a big roaster with buffet compartments, a new frying pan that's actually big enough to make a side dish that will feed my family. Oh! I bought a Corda-Roy's foam thingy and a Landing Pad. Those are really awesome. I know I bought a lot more cool stuff, but it would take too long to write it all out and you'd be bored stiff. The most recent best thing I bought was one of Bard's Christmas gifts--Seasons 1 and 2 of Little House on the Prairie on DVD. She now has a crush on Pa.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine. I'm so cool.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?
Mine. Too bad I'm a loser.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Toward this house. And feeding all of these people that keep telling me they're hungry.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The house getting finished. Around the first of the year, the drywallers were starting their job. It was so cool to see it come together.
16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The Baby loves it.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier.
b) thinner or fatter? fatter.
c) richer or poorer? poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Learning
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Yelling.
20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
Done. We had the neighborhood NYE party here. Ate food, played the M&M game with our Amish neighbors. Played Rook Board with Du and Jen and the Amish neighbors until almost 2 AM
21. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Many times. I love my man.
22. How many one-night stands?
Yeah, right.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Don't have one. We don't have TV reception.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone. There are people who annoy me, but I annoy people, too.
25. What was the best book you read?
Loser by Jerry Spinelli.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My baby girl. She sings a mean Frosty the Snowman.
27. What did you want and get?
Okay, I'll say it again. A house.
28. What did you want and not get?
Out of debt. My 35 MM camera fixed. Letters from my family for Christmas. A great big electric griddle.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Secondhand Lions
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was thirty five, and I can't remember what I did.
31.What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
Lots of money, a maid and a vacation.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Jeans and t-shirts.
33. What kept you sane?
My husband. He's so awesome. And my friends.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Can't really think of any. Isn't this exciting?
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
All of them.
36. Who did you miss?
My friend Kathy. It's been too long. I need to get in touch with her.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
There are way too many. Heather, you're one of them, though we haven't actually met. Ursy-loo and Ashley, I had such a blast with you two this year, I have to include you. I became much closer to my friend Shawna. Love to you, friend.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding...
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
These are days you'll remember. Never before and never since, I promise,
will the whole world be warm as this. And as you feel it, you'll know it's true
that you are blessed and lucky. It's true that you are touched by something that
will grow and bloom in you. These are days you'll remember,when May is rushing
over you with desire to be part of the miracles you see in every hour. You'll
know it's true that you are blessed and lucky. It's true that you are touched by
something that will grow and bloom in you. These are days. These are the
days you might fill with laughter until you break. These days you might feel a
shaft of light make its way across your face. And when you do you'll know how it
was meant to be. See the signs and know their meaning. It's true, you'll know
how it was meant to be. Hear the signs and know they're speaking to you.
What I've Learned About Cheese...
The following are the things I've learned about cheese while working in the Mail Order room of our local cheesehouse:
- Baby Swiss can be kept in the refrigerator indefinitely if it hasn't been opened. No kidding. Six months. Two years. Twenty five years. It will sharpen, but it won't spoil.
- People call from all over the country to order Baby Swiss. People from California seem to really like "our" cheese.
- On December 13th, we shipped out 1500 packages of cheese. Keep in mind that there were only four of us working in the mail order room and only three working in the packing room. 1500 packages. That's a lot of cheese.
- In one day, we ran $14,000 worth of cheese orders through the credit card machine. This was no mistake. I meant to type three zeros. We really sold over $14,000 worth of cheese that day.
- Don't mess with people's cheese. They will hunt you down and kill you with a cheese shaver.
- Baby Swiss cheese can be frozen. Take it out of it's original package and wrap it in newspaper, and then in freezer wrap. The newspaper is to keep it from forming ice crystals.
- A person really can each cheese tidbits for lunch every day. Just ask me.
- When a person finally gets tired of cheese tidbits for lunch, she can eat grilled butter cheese sandwiches.
- When a person finaly gets tired of cheese tidbits and grilled butter cheese sandwiches for lunch, she can eat Patty Melts. There is no getting tired of Patty Melts.
- Some people have no problem paying more for shipping than they do for the cheese. This especially applies to people who can't seem to remember what day Christmas will be. They like to wait until three days before Christmas and then determine that there is a Gift Cheese Emergency, calling us in an urgent voice begging us to charge them $50 for second-day air to ship their cheese to California before Christmas. I guess I don't blame them. It's kind of hard to keep track of when Christmas will come, since it keeps moving around every year. If only they would make it on the same date every year so we could have THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DAYS TO PREPARE!!!
- Some people have to call the mail order department every single day to track their cheese.
- Some people have to call to figure out how two 2-pound wheels of cheese could possibly amount to four pounds of cheese.
- Some people don't understand why they have to return $125 worth of cheese when we accidentally shipped it twice. These same people can't understand why it wasn't okay to go ahead and give it to all of his kids and why he should have to pay for it.
- Some people like to make mail order employees cry.
- It's just cheese.
- People like to send cheese to people who don't like cheese. The people who don't like cheese don't understand why they can't return it to us for cash.
- People believe we can read their minds. When they ask us to send two wheels of cheese to each person on their Christmas list, we're supposed to know that they only meant that they wanted to send one wheel of cheese to each person on their Christmas list. These people want the money refunded, even though they have sent cheese to fifty-two people in locations around the country.
- People don't understand why it takes more than a day for their cheese to get from Ohio to Puerto Rico.
- Some old ladies who order cheese can't remember their own address. They don't understand why we can't send them their cheese anyway.
- Cheese is good food.
Back from Cheeseworld...
Wow! What a wild ride this holiday season has been!
I began working at the local cheesehouse in the mail order department at the beginning of November. It started out that I'd just help for a few hours a couple of days a week. And then, since the previous mail-order department manager had gone on to cheesier pastures, there came the request for me to run the mail order department. Next thing I knew, it was a $1.00 raise, long hours, more long hours, lots and lots of cheese shipped, and my life was a whirlwind!
It really was a lot of fun, but I'm glad to be done with it.
Now, it's January first, and I'm anxious to get back to my blog, back to learning (we take Thanksgiving through the New Year off from regular lessons so that we can focus on the holidays), and back HOME for a change.
So, here I am. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I was just up to my ears in cheese.
Happy New Year, all.
I began working at the local cheesehouse in the mail order department at the beginning of November. It started out that I'd just help for a few hours a couple of days a week. And then, since the previous mail-order department manager had gone on to cheesier pastures, there came the request for me to run the mail order department. Next thing I knew, it was a $1.00 raise, long hours, more long hours, lots and lots of cheese shipped, and my life was a whirlwind!
It really was a lot of fun, but I'm glad to be done with it.
Now, it's January first, and I'm anxious to get back to my blog, back to learning (we take Thanksgiving through the New Year off from regular lessons so that we can focus on the holidays), and back HOME for a change.
So, here I am. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I was just up to my ears in cheese.
Happy New Year, all.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Audioblogger
Well, here it is. My first shot at AudioBlogging. If you have speakers, click below and then tell me what you think!
Subscribe to:
You might like these posts, too.
