A sense of humor is an intelligent person's way to prevent shooting himself.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The trees are down
I got a call at 7:45 am. "Better get your (blank blank) out of bed. My husband is getting the chain saw blades sharpened and will be at your house shortly." This is the husband of a dear friend who we had asked to cut down the dead and dying trees in our back yard. We have been waiting weeks as work and weather had interfered with the plans. We needed some dry weather and availability. He wanted to start early in case the day got hotter.
The sound of a chain woke Tom from his sleep. I had already dressed and greeted my friends and talked about where the trees should fall. He was going to try and fell them across the hill, save us some work dragging the wood up from below,but gravity took over. The first tree was so dead that it snapped three quarters through the cut even with the wedge cut directing it another way. The chain saw went flying as the tree grabbed it, as the tree fell straight down the hill instead of across the hill. My friend jumped out of the way at the first sound of the crack as the trunk gave way before the cut was finished. That tree was going to h ave a mind of its own. It was the reason we were taking the rotting trees out, to control the damage when they fell. Prevent them from killing someone if they went without warning. My friend knew what to do, letting go of the chain saw, so as to not be dragged along, and leaping far out of the danger zone before the tree toppled. It was heart stopping to see the chain saw fly and the tree have a mind of its own. First one down.
The next tree went a little more smoothly and quickly as we opted just to cut for the down hill fall. No longer fighting gravity the next tree went quickly, so dead it was light as a hollow tree when it fell. The third tree wasn't as far gone as the other two so it held on until the cut was complete. You could feel the ground shake when it hit. By the third tree, Tom had dressed and finished his coffee while watching the work from the deck. There were enough trees down to bring out another chain saw to cut the timber up for fire wood. Limb up the branches for access to the logs and begin to clean up the mess.
The boys were called out to help carry the logs up the hill. I had arranged to give the wood away free to speed up the clean up. The guy who was getting the wood would come Monday after work. There was enough down for two to three truck loads or a couple of cords once everything was split.
Trevor tried to use an ax to split the wood. My friend showed him how to slide his hand down the shaft of the ax to keep control until the last moment until the head cut into the edge of the wood log. He gave Trevor an excellent lesson, even showed Tom how to improve his technique. But we didn't want to waist time on splitting wood when the guy collecting it would have that pleasure. We just wanted it out of the yard.
After a large amount had been cleared away, another snag and another dead tree were cut down. The idea was not to have too much berried by cutting down everything at once. Cutting a few trees down then cutting them up and hauling the pieces out of the way before bringing down more. My friend found a piece of wood 17 inches long to use as a measuring stick to get the right lengths between log cuts. He used a machete to mark the trunk the whole length every 17 inches, then came back with his saw and cut. Tom was working one trunk, while he was working the other. The boys were hauling the logs up the hill.
The hill was a bit steep for a truck and the access was narrow, so everything was being hauled up by hand. By noon the men were sitting in chairs having a drink and work had come to a halt. Most of the trees we knew for sure we were removing were down and chopped up. Most of the trunks that had been lying on the fence were removed.
One of my lower neighbors dropped by to check on our work during the morning. The chain saw noises made her nervous, I suppose. She was very pleasant but wanted to make sure we weren't going to clear too much land. She brought a plot map with her so we could know where our boundaries were, also the names and phone numbers of all my neighbors directly bordering my property. I wasn't worried. I hadn't done any work that the neighbors wouldn't be grateful for with the removal of the blackberries. She informed me the house right behind ours was a rental but she was friends with the absentee landlord.
Her concern was we would remove too many trees and in so doing she would lose her privacy in her back yard. I showed her what I had been doing and she was happy with my work. Though she wanted to make sure we knew the fence was not our property line. I told her I would plant a rhodie down towards her corner property, as she said in the winter with the leaves gone, she was a little more exposed.
I would love having the color and the evergreen leaves would fill in the void in the winter. She was grateful, and said I was very thoughtful. As we walked the property she pointed out two dead trees down by her lot. I noted that the trees according to her were on her land. I looked at her inquiringly, she responded that she guessed she would have to deal with them. I hadn't cleared that area other than spraying for the blackberries as I figured I was beyond our land.
I think she was now a little disappointed that she had talked to me, as she realized she had a dead tree hanging over her deck that she would have to deal with, where perhaps I might have helped her out had she just let me continue removing the dead wood. But these trees we have found are tricky, with minds of their own.
My friend with the chain saw had walked around each one to assess their angles and any branches that might pose a danger. We had to leave a tree standing because of a big snag branch that would have been dangerous during the cutting. I am hopeful the snag will eventually fall to the ground so we can tackle the tree later. Other trees we had to pass up because they bent towards the house and we feared during the cutting they would fall the wrong way. Those we will have to have a licensed professional come and limb up. I have been enjoying their shade on the deck during sunny days, so there is no hurry. The trees we removed were only the sickly ones.
We took the dead trunks off the fence at the bottom of the property. The property line is somewhere between the deer path/ sewer easement and the fence, a twenty to twenty five foot gray zone. The fence is not on the property line, but about ten feet below it. I doubt the absentee landlord would mind my killing the blackberries and improving the hillside with some pretty trees and shrubs. If someone ever did come along to remove the fence they would have a nice back yard, thanks to me.
This visiting neighbor asked if I wanted to have the boundaries surveyed. I told her my nice neighbor next door wanted to blend our yards and create a meadow and forest. I saw no reason to get an expensive survey. I told her I planning to plant nothing over twenty to thirty feet, no potentially towering trees that might obscure our beautiful views. She said that was the land lord's concern and will go back to her absent friend and be able to ease her mind with our activities. Maybe my down hill rental neighbors might be inspired to tackle those black berries just on the other side of the fence, by seeing the good works we have been doing.
The Preakness race was on at two. Tom wanted to catch the race, so everyone headed out well before then, to shower and change, to return later for a celebratory BBQ. I invited a girlfriend who is a forester to join the BBQ. She told us the trees close to the house are Cottonwood, not Alder. Cottonwood is fast growing. I really didn't see any significance to the difference. They are both almost weeds.
There are two Maples in the yard. We will leave both of the Maples. One of the Maples had been chopped down once before, but had grown again with multiple trunks from the original, creating a good complicated and vast root system for the hill. We are guessing everything occurred prior to 1989 when the land was cleared for the house.
Trev had a friend over for the weekend. Tom put everyone to work. The boys would work for an hour then get an hour off for games and a break. The weather was perfect, not too hot and beautifully sunny. Riley wanted to try using the ax to split logs. Trevor had got to try. I was arguing with Riley that now was not the time, and that I would give him an opportunity later once all the hauling was done, when Tom interrupted our argument to veto Riley, saying that his number just weren't good enough, in case he did have a serious accident. An ax was nothing to fool with. I wish Tom hadn't said it, as I don't want Riley to be any more cautious than he already is. Given a moment when everything was calm, Tom was going to let Riley have a few swings with the ax, but Riley was being so pissy wanting it right then, with the chain saws going and the kids hauling logs that occasionally got away from them to roll back down the hill, there was just too much going on. Riley needed to be set up on a flat area not on the hillside where Trevor had tried to chop the wood. The end result was we never got around to giving Riley his opportunity. Riley probably never asked again because of what Tom had said about his numbers. It made me sad, because it would have been so nice for Riley to do something so normal and masculine as chopping wood.
We partied late, surprisingly so, after such a physical day. Sunday the rains came again and all I could do is peak out the windows at the wood piles and contemplate clipping up all those downed tree branches. It has been raining heavily every day since. The guy collecting the logs came over and worked in the rain, hauling the logs from the pile the boys made to his truck on the street.
He filled the truck to the brim the first day. The logs left would fill another truck load easily. He hadn't even reached the stuff that hadn't been hauled up from below by the boys. He said he was turning 50 next weekend and having a big Bonn fire on his property. He really appreciated the wood. I really appreciated not having to deal with it and having it gone.
Now all I need are new plants to put in the ground. With this rainy weather perhaps I should get to planting
The sound of a chain woke Tom from his sleep. I had already dressed and greeted my friends and talked about where the trees should fall. He was going to try and fell them across the hill, save us some work dragging the wood up from below,but gravity took over. The first tree was so dead that it snapped three quarters through the cut even with the wedge cut directing it another way. The chain saw went flying as the tree grabbed it, as the tree fell straight down the hill instead of across the hill. My friend jumped out of the way at the first sound of the crack as the trunk gave way before the cut was finished. That tree was going to h ave a mind of its own. It was the reason we were taking the rotting trees out, to control the damage when they fell. Prevent them from killing someone if they went without warning. My friend knew what to do, letting go of the chain saw, so as to not be dragged along, and leaping far out of the danger zone before the tree toppled. It was heart stopping to see the chain saw fly and the tree have a mind of its own. First one down.
The next tree went a little more smoothly and quickly as we opted just to cut for the down hill fall. No longer fighting gravity the next tree went quickly, so dead it was light as a hollow tree when it fell. The third tree wasn't as far gone as the other two so it held on until the cut was complete. You could feel the ground shake when it hit. By the third tree, Tom had dressed and finished his coffee while watching the work from the deck. There were enough trees down to bring out another chain saw to cut the timber up for fire wood. Limb up the branches for access to the logs and begin to clean up the mess.
The boys were called out to help carry the logs up the hill. I had arranged to give the wood away free to speed up the clean up. The guy who was getting the wood would come Monday after work. There was enough down for two to three truck loads or a couple of cords once everything was split.
Trevor tried to use an ax to split the wood. My friend showed him how to slide his hand down the shaft of the ax to keep control until the last moment until the head cut into the edge of the wood log. He gave Trevor an excellent lesson, even showed Tom how to improve his technique. But we didn't want to waist time on splitting wood when the guy collecting it would have that pleasure. We just wanted it out of the yard.
After a large amount had been cleared away, another snag and another dead tree were cut down. The idea was not to have too much berried by cutting down everything at once. Cutting a few trees down then cutting them up and hauling the pieces out of the way before bringing down more. My friend found a piece of wood 17 inches long to use as a measuring stick to get the right lengths between log cuts. He used a machete to mark the trunk the whole length every 17 inches, then came back with his saw and cut. Tom was working one trunk, while he was working the other. The boys were hauling the logs up the hill.
The hill was a bit steep for a truck and the access was narrow, so everything was being hauled up by hand. By noon the men were sitting in chairs having a drink and work had come to a halt. Most of the trees we knew for sure we were removing were down and chopped up. Most of the trunks that had been lying on the fence were removed.
One of my lower neighbors dropped by to check on our work during the morning. The chain saw noises made her nervous, I suppose. She was very pleasant but wanted to make sure we weren't going to clear too much land. She brought a plot map with her so we could know where our boundaries were, also the names and phone numbers of all my neighbors directly bordering my property. I wasn't worried. I hadn't done any work that the neighbors wouldn't be grateful for with the removal of the blackberries. She informed me the house right behind ours was a rental but she was friends with the absentee landlord.
Her concern was we would remove too many trees and in so doing she would lose her privacy in her back yard. I showed her what I had been doing and she was happy with my work. Though she wanted to make sure we knew the fence was not our property line. I told her I would plant a rhodie down towards her corner property, as she said in the winter with the leaves gone, she was a little more exposed.
I would love having the color and the evergreen leaves would fill in the void in the winter. She was grateful, and said I was very thoughtful. As we walked the property she pointed out two dead trees down by her lot. I noted that the trees according to her were on her land. I looked at her inquiringly, she responded that she guessed she would have to deal with them. I hadn't cleared that area other than spraying for the blackberries as I figured I was beyond our land.
I think she was now a little disappointed that she had talked to me, as she realized she had a dead tree hanging over her deck that she would have to deal with, where perhaps I might have helped her out had she just let me continue removing the dead wood. But these trees we have found are tricky, with minds of their own.
My friend with the chain saw had walked around each one to assess their angles and any branches that might pose a danger. We had to leave a tree standing because of a big snag branch that would have been dangerous during the cutting. I am hopeful the snag will eventually fall to the ground so we can tackle the tree later. Other trees we had to pass up because they bent towards the house and we feared during the cutting they would fall the wrong way. Those we will have to have a licensed professional come and limb up. I have been enjoying their shade on the deck during sunny days, so there is no hurry. The trees we removed were only the sickly ones.
We took the dead trunks off the fence at the bottom of the property. The property line is somewhere between the deer path/ sewer easement and the fence, a twenty to twenty five foot gray zone. The fence is not on the property line, but about ten feet below it. I doubt the absentee landlord would mind my killing the blackberries and improving the hillside with some pretty trees and shrubs. If someone ever did come along to remove the fence they would have a nice back yard, thanks to me.
This visiting neighbor asked if I wanted to have the boundaries surveyed. I told her my nice neighbor next door wanted to blend our yards and create a meadow and forest. I saw no reason to get an expensive survey. I told her I planning to plant nothing over twenty to thirty feet, no potentially towering trees that might obscure our beautiful views. She said that was the land lord's concern and will go back to her absent friend and be able to ease her mind with our activities. Maybe my down hill rental neighbors might be inspired to tackle those black berries just on the other side of the fence, by seeing the good works we have been doing.
The Preakness race was on at two. Tom wanted to catch the race, so everyone headed out well before then, to shower and change, to return later for a celebratory BBQ. I invited a girlfriend who is a forester to join the BBQ. She told us the trees close to the house are Cottonwood, not Alder. Cottonwood is fast growing. I really didn't see any significance to the difference. They are both almost weeds.
There are two Maples in the yard. We will leave both of the Maples. One of the Maples had been chopped down once before, but had grown again with multiple trunks from the original, creating a good complicated and vast root system for the hill. We are guessing everything occurred prior to 1989 when the land was cleared for the house.
Trev had a friend over for the weekend. Tom put everyone to work. The boys would work for an hour then get an hour off for games and a break. The weather was perfect, not too hot and beautifully sunny. Riley wanted to try using the ax to split logs. Trevor had got to try. I was arguing with Riley that now was not the time, and that I would give him an opportunity later once all the hauling was done, when Tom interrupted our argument to veto Riley, saying that his number just weren't good enough, in case he did have a serious accident. An ax was nothing to fool with. I wish Tom hadn't said it, as I don't want Riley to be any more cautious than he already is. Given a moment when everything was calm, Tom was going to let Riley have a few swings with the ax, but Riley was being so pissy wanting it right then, with the chain saws going and the kids hauling logs that occasionally got away from them to roll back down the hill, there was just too much going on. Riley needed to be set up on a flat area not on the hillside where Trevor had tried to chop the wood. The end result was we never got around to giving Riley his opportunity. Riley probably never asked again because of what Tom had said about his numbers. It made me sad, because it would have been so nice for Riley to do something so normal and masculine as chopping wood.
We partied late, surprisingly so, after such a physical day. Sunday the rains came again and all I could do is peak out the windows at the wood piles and contemplate clipping up all those downed tree branches. It has been raining heavily every day since. The guy collecting the logs came over and worked in the rain, hauling the logs from the pile the boys made to his truck on the street.
He filled the truck to the brim the first day. The logs left would fill another truck load easily. He hadn't even reached the stuff that hadn't been hauled up from below by the boys. He said he was turning 50 next weekend and having a big Bonn fire on his property. He really appreciated the wood. I really appreciated not having to deal with it and having it gone.
Now all I need are new plants to put in the ground. With this rainy weather perhaps I should get to planting
Friday, May 18, 2012
The rental nightmare
If I could I would just walk away from this elephant, our old house. The current tenants are finding taking care of the yard an onurous task. They have been doing the spring weeding and trimming, creating enough debris to fill a pick up truck. So they wanted me to clean it all up. I passed the problem on to my property manager, who suggested that they just slowly dispose of it all in the large yard debris can provided over the coarse of weeks. Well, it is too much for the can.
Next thing I know I am billed $61 for yard work and disposal. It is in the contract that the renters maintain the yard. He even has a truck.I am not paying for yard service to maintain the yard. I am not happy with this outcome. Property taxes will be in the fall and it will have to come out of our pockets. Every little bit that gets put into the house means a loss for us.
My week got better with a nasty vulgar text from the evicted tenant. The Gas utility had caught up with her. She wanted to know why I hadn't paid her bill. She wanted me to pay it, as she was under the impression that I had paid all her late utilities. I informed her I had paid the city utilities; garbage, water, and sewer, and street, but the gas and electric would follow her. She sounded almost proud that all her utilities had gone unpaid for so long. I told her to contact the property manager. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I enjoyed the fact that someone had finally caught up with her. I wonder if her next credit report will be so easy to excuse away.
That woman really soured us on being in the rental business. She caused us no end of stress and several months of lost income. I would love to let her know how I feel when I receive her vitriolic texts on my phone, threatening me. Instead I pleasantly send her in the direction of my property manager. If the roperty manager had done her job right in the first place and told the woman she didn't qualify, we would not have had any of this mess we are in now. She wouldn't even be in our lives at all. That woman was a leech. I feel so bad for the next rental she moved into. They didn't call us for a recommendation. I would have warned them away.
These people are supposed to be contacting the property manager. I am paying the property manager to deal with all of this. Why they think that I can solve their problems I don't know. I threatened to terminate my property manager, if she doesn't start doing her job, checking in on the house, dealing with the tenants.
The tenants said a large tree fell over this winter. Tom wanted to know if it fell over or was taken out for convenience, to make another parking space. One of my neighbors called me to ask how many people are living in the house as there is a large number of cars in the drive. Our tenant works for an auto dealership so he has a lot of vehicles available to him, but it does raise eyebrows.
I went to see the house a month ago and everything looked fine, including the tree that supposedly had fallen over for that matter. Well, I could look at the bright side, the house will look good to sell next summer, with these tenants being so on top of the yard. It probably is cheaper to hire these yard men just once, and less work for sure, than my doing this all myself.
We will see what happens next month. Law suit from the evicted tenant? Another problem with the house?. I just need to get to the end of the the lease next March, and then we will sell this huge problem. I am done. Tom was done a year ago. I stilll feel we had to make the effort, try to salvage something from the investment.
I heard that there are 300 forclosures in a high end neighborhood nearby our old neighborhood. These will be beautiful big glamorous houses. The worst may not be over yet. The country could wallow down here for years before the back log of dumped houses are finally caught up. In some cities they are bulldozing the abandoned homes to prevent vagrancy and the decline of the neighborhood. We are trying to do our part by not walking away, but I swear if this gets any more difficult, I will throw in the towel.
Next thing I know I am billed $61 for yard work and disposal. It is in the contract that the renters maintain the yard. He even has a truck.I am not paying for yard service to maintain the yard. I am not happy with this outcome. Property taxes will be in the fall and it will have to come out of our pockets. Every little bit that gets put into the house means a loss for us.
My week got better with a nasty vulgar text from the evicted tenant. The Gas utility had caught up with her. She wanted to know why I hadn't paid her bill. She wanted me to pay it, as she was under the impression that I had paid all her late utilities. I informed her I had paid the city utilities; garbage, water, and sewer, and street, but the gas and electric would follow her. She sounded almost proud that all her utilities had gone unpaid for so long. I told her to contact the property manager. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I enjoyed the fact that someone had finally caught up with her. I wonder if her next credit report will be so easy to excuse away.
That woman really soured us on being in the rental business. She caused us no end of stress and several months of lost income. I would love to let her know how I feel when I receive her vitriolic texts on my phone, threatening me. Instead I pleasantly send her in the direction of my property manager. If the roperty manager had done her job right in the first place and told the woman she didn't qualify, we would not have had any of this mess we are in now. She wouldn't even be in our lives at all. That woman was a leech. I feel so bad for the next rental she moved into. They didn't call us for a recommendation. I would have warned them away.
These people are supposed to be contacting the property manager. I am paying the property manager to deal with all of this. Why they think that I can solve their problems I don't know. I threatened to terminate my property manager, if she doesn't start doing her job, checking in on the house, dealing with the tenants.
The tenants said a large tree fell over this winter. Tom wanted to know if it fell over or was taken out for convenience, to make another parking space. One of my neighbors called me to ask how many people are living in the house as there is a large number of cars in the drive. Our tenant works for an auto dealership so he has a lot of vehicles available to him, but it does raise eyebrows.
I went to see the house a month ago and everything looked fine, including the tree that supposedly had fallen over for that matter. Well, I could look at the bright side, the house will look good to sell next summer, with these tenants being so on top of the yard. It probably is cheaper to hire these yard men just once, and less work for sure, than my doing this all myself.
We will see what happens next month. Law suit from the evicted tenant? Another problem with the house?. I just need to get to the end of the the lease next March, and then we will sell this huge problem. I am done. Tom was done a year ago. I stilll feel we had to make the effort, try to salvage something from the investment.
I heard that there are 300 forclosures in a high end neighborhood nearby our old neighborhood. These will be beautiful big glamorous houses. The worst may not be over yet. The country could wallow down here for years before the back log of dumped houses are finally caught up. In some cities they are bulldozing the abandoned homes to prevent vagrancy and the decline of the neighborhood. We are trying to do our part by not walking away, but I swear if this gets any more difficult, I will throw in the towel.
Candide
Having called my step mom on mothers day, she called me back inviting me to the Opera. She had a spare ticket. I swung into town a little early so I could stop my my mom's house. Mom lives just down the street from step mom. I try to see them both when I come to town, efficient use of time and gas.
My mom had a gift for me a fun bracelet with the saying "It is what it is", my mantra for this portion of my life. Don't seem to have much control over the world at the moment. I just have to be patient and wait it all out. I stayed for an hour chatting before I had to scoot down the street for dinner and the Opera.
Dinner was great. A huge steak and spinach and a delightful rice dish, Ben and Jerrie's Cherries Garcia ice cream and some Dark Chocolate Almonds from Trader Joe's for dessert. Then we were off to the Opera. I haven't been to the Opera in a long time. I really love the Symphony, but the sun has been shining, the days are long so the drive didn't bother me as it would have in the winter months, I came into town for the Opera and to hang with family.
I don't like Opera much. This was a Leonard Bernstein produced Opera. I had high expectations of great songs and in English. There is a mini screen above the stage that prints the words so you can understand what they are saying. In a foreign opera is gives the translations. I still needed it for the English words. The plot did not catch me at all.
Candide is based of a Voltaire novel. A young illegitimate man, Candide, is kicked out of the house having fallen in love with the daughter of the house. He then has all these really depressing experiences trying to survive in the world with no money or connections anymore. He is pressed into the army that then attacks his family home. He finds every one dead upon his arrival. He takes a boat to Spain. The boat sinks and he and a friend are washed up on shore, just as a local volcano erupts.
To give the local community a lift of spirits and a happy fair, having just lost everything to the volcano, Candide and his friend are arrested as Heretics by the local inquisition. His friend is hung while Candide is flogged for the entertainment and enjoyment of the villagers.
Having survived the flogging, Candide goes to Paris after Spain, and discovers his true love is a high class prostitute now that the family home is destroyed and gone in the war. She hadn't really died in the war as he thought. She had survived her mortal wounds. She must have been just unconscious when he held her body in his arms and sang of her death.
Candide accidentally kills her two very powerful lovers when they arrive at her home for liaisons. One is the City Bishop and the other a Jewish banker that the church uses for their funds. The two must run away, with her box of jewelry that she has earned. Her Madam goes with them, the woman helped Candide's lover achieve her success in Paris as a paramour. Somewhere along the way the box is stolen and they are all broke again. The Madam goes back into the business of prostitution to raise money for them all.
They are about to head to the New World by ship for a fresh start, when intermission happens,
and we were able to diplomatically escape with the audience. We were not the only ones that just walked right out of the Theater.
Candide was not well received when it first came out in the 50's. Nore has it had popular acclaim since then. It was part of the Opera season this year. I enjoyed the company of my family, but I think I might stick to symphony, where I can make up my own visions of what the music tells me. This had too much rape, torture, death and prostitution, which is what many Operas portray, the pain and suffering of life. Often the women have to prostitute themselves to survive and die in the end. We didn't stick around for any more of that.
I didn't need an Opera to tell me how little control we have on our lives anymore, how whacked the world still is. None of the tunes really captured me. There was one aria the lead soprano had that was fun, when she sings of her bright life in Paris, before her true love finds her again and they have to flee. Otherwise there was no spark.
I was home by a decent time. Had we stayed for the second half, which was another hour and a half, I would have been really late getting home. The family was already well asleep when I snuck in, but Tom woke enough to acknowledge my safe return. Even the dog didn't bark or raise his head from the foot of the bed.
My mom had a gift for me a fun bracelet with the saying "It is what it is", my mantra for this portion of my life. Don't seem to have much control over the world at the moment. I just have to be patient and wait it all out. I stayed for an hour chatting before I had to scoot down the street for dinner and the Opera.
Dinner was great. A huge steak and spinach and a delightful rice dish, Ben and Jerrie's Cherries Garcia ice cream and some Dark Chocolate Almonds from Trader Joe's for dessert. Then we were off to the Opera. I haven't been to the Opera in a long time. I really love the Symphony, but the sun has been shining, the days are long so the drive didn't bother me as it would have in the winter months, I came into town for the Opera and to hang with family.
I don't like Opera much. This was a Leonard Bernstein produced Opera. I had high expectations of great songs and in English. There is a mini screen above the stage that prints the words so you can understand what they are saying. In a foreign opera is gives the translations. I still needed it for the English words. The plot did not catch me at all.
Candide is based of a Voltaire novel. A young illegitimate man, Candide, is kicked out of the house having fallen in love with the daughter of the house. He then has all these really depressing experiences trying to survive in the world with no money or connections anymore. He is pressed into the army that then attacks his family home. He finds every one dead upon his arrival. He takes a boat to Spain. The boat sinks and he and a friend are washed up on shore, just as a local volcano erupts.
To give the local community a lift of spirits and a happy fair, having just lost everything to the volcano, Candide and his friend are arrested as Heretics by the local inquisition. His friend is hung while Candide is flogged for the entertainment and enjoyment of the villagers.
Having survived the flogging, Candide goes to Paris after Spain, and discovers his true love is a high class prostitute now that the family home is destroyed and gone in the war. She hadn't really died in the war as he thought. She had survived her mortal wounds. She must have been just unconscious when he held her body in his arms and sang of her death.
Candide accidentally kills her two very powerful lovers when they arrive at her home for liaisons. One is the City Bishop and the other a Jewish banker that the church uses for their funds. The two must run away, with her box of jewelry that she has earned. Her Madam goes with them, the woman helped Candide's lover achieve her success in Paris as a paramour. Somewhere along the way the box is stolen and they are all broke again. The Madam goes back into the business of prostitution to raise money for them all.
They are about to head to the New World by ship for a fresh start, when intermission happens,
and we were able to diplomatically escape with the audience. We were not the only ones that just walked right out of the Theater.
Candide was not well received when it first came out in the 50's. Nore has it had popular acclaim since then. It was part of the Opera season this year. I enjoyed the company of my family, but I think I might stick to symphony, where I can make up my own visions of what the music tells me. This had too much rape, torture, death and prostitution, which is what many Operas portray, the pain and suffering of life. Often the women have to prostitute themselves to survive and die in the end. We didn't stick around for any more of that.
I didn't need an Opera to tell me how little control we have on our lives anymore, how whacked the world still is. None of the tunes really captured me. There was one aria the lead soprano had that was fun, when she sings of her bright life in Paris, before her true love finds her again and they have to flee. Otherwise there was no spark.
I was home by a decent time. Had we stayed for the second half, which was another hour and a half, I would have been really late getting home. The family was already well asleep when I snuck in, but Tom woke enough to acknowledge my safe return. Even the dog didn't bark or raise his head from the foot of the bed.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sleep
The dentist told me my teeth are being ground down. I should wear a night guard. I haven't been sleeping well for a while, restlessly tossing and turning all night. I have been getting up with Tom at 4:00 am to make him lunch then going back to bed until 6:00am to wake the boys for school, then going back to bed until 8:00am, when I finally motivate. I feel incredably guilty that Tom is off to work by 5:00 am and I am officially rolling out of bed around 8:00am.
On the other hand I feel totally exhausted in the mornings because I hear everything in the night, the cats fighting, the dog getting up to wander the house, a child going to the bathroom. I took a sleeping pill the other night. Still heard the dog leave the bedroom. Woke up at 4:00 am out of habit. Got up to go to the bathroom, then was able to go back to sleep until it was time to wake the boys. I didn't feel all there, after the sleeping pill the night before. It was hard to roll out of bed in the morning.
I can hear the boys get ready. I have to call out to Trevor several times before he finally does roll out of his bed to get up to shower. I have to tell him to shower or he would just wear cologne to mask his odors. I don't go back to sleep until after they leave for fear they will miss the bus. They have the timing down to a literal minute for leaving the house to when the bus drives by. They don't leave a lot of time for errors or missing shoes. They have learned to be completely ready well before their own alarm clocks go off to send them scurring out the door. When I come downstairs I find the dishes waiting for me and the laundry waiting for me.
I really want to get a good night's sleep. Tom has been on the road for work. You would think I would sleep better without his snoring or tossing. I was mentioning my sleeping issues to a friend or lack of solid sleep. She suggested adding magnesium to my vitimin regime. It may help with restless leg syndrom.
I have bought a new bottle of D and some more multi vitimins. Last night I added magnesium before bed time. I think it helped. I did not take a sleeping pill but this morning I felt like I had not tossed and turned as much as usual. I rolled out of bed looking forward to the day. May have been the sun shine helping. I felt my sleep was sounder than usual even though I still awoke at 4:00am, but went right back to sleep until 6:00am. I am going to take the magnesium again.
I can tell the difference with the vitimins and when I forget to take them. I bought some prenatals, not that I need them being almost 50, but when I take prenatals my nails are stronger and my hair is thicker. I will take the help where I find it.
More and more of my friends are going healthy food, vegetarian. That is a lost battle in this house of beef eaters. Tom is not going to give up red meat and potatoes. I don't know that I could get all the dietary needs covered for the boys' health. Vitimins help cover the gaps. I will keep you posted on the magnesium and better sleep.
On the other hand I feel totally exhausted in the mornings because I hear everything in the night, the cats fighting, the dog getting up to wander the house, a child going to the bathroom. I took a sleeping pill the other night. Still heard the dog leave the bedroom. Woke up at 4:00 am out of habit. Got up to go to the bathroom, then was able to go back to sleep until it was time to wake the boys. I didn't feel all there, after the sleeping pill the night before. It was hard to roll out of bed in the morning.
I can hear the boys get ready. I have to call out to Trevor several times before he finally does roll out of his bed to get up to shower. I have to tell him to shower or he would just wear cologne to mask his odors. I don't go back to sleep until after they leave for fear they will miss the bus. They have the timing down to a literal minute for leaving the house to when the bus drives by. They don't leave a lot of time for errors or missing shoes. They have learned to be completely ready well before their own alarm clocks go off to send them scurring out the door. When I come downstairs I find the dishes waiting for me and the laundry waiting for me.
I really want to get a good night's sleep. Tom has been on the road for work. You would think I would sleep better without his snoring or tossing. I was mentioning my sleeping issues to a friend or lack of solid sleep. She suggested adding magnesium to my vitimin regime. It may help with restless leg syndrom.
I have bought a new bottle of D and some more multi vitimins. Last night I added magnesium before bed time. I think it helped. I did not take a sleeping pill but this morning I felt like I had not tossed and turned as much as usual. I rolled out of bed looking forward to the day. May have been the sun shine helping. I felt my sleep was sounder than usual even though I still awoke at 4:00am, but went right back to sleep until 6:00am. I am going to take the magnesium again.
I can tell the difference with the vitimins and when I forget to take them. I bought some prenatals, not that I need them being almost 50, but when I take prenatals my nails are stronger and my hair is thicker. I will take the help where I find it.
More and more of my friends are going healthy food, vegetarian. That is a lost battle in this house of beef eaters. Tom is not going to give up red meat and potatoes. I don't know that I could get all the dietary needs covered for the boys' health. Vitimins help cover the gaps. I will keep you posted on the magnesium and better sleep.
cheerful plans
The sun is finally making a regular appearance. I went golfing with my Wednesday nine holers. Shot an 80 for nine holes. To be clear, I was pleased with that score. That is the difference with nine holers compared to other golfers. I remember when I used to shoot over 100 for nine holes. My next Wednesday round I shot a 69, also a happy score for me. Nine holers are all over the place. Last time I played was in December. I couldn't get a shot off the tee, ever, the whole round.
I was making great contact with the ball off the Tee and on the fairway, between the not so good shots. My distance was great. I figure all that yard work clipping berries with my hand shears has paid off. Upper body strength has improved. Just like when I was doing the free weights to muscle up. Tom's loving comment was that I was putting my weight behind my swing to improve my game. A reference to the fact I am getting heavier. I laughed and swatted at him. He was at the other end of the phone staying at the work, so the swat didn't hurt. The golf should help with the weight gain. I walk the course.
I am a rotten putter. If I could get consistently 2 putts, that would account for nine strokes or more right there.
Coming in for lunch and hanging with the ladies is as much fun as the round. We get to hear about new babies in the family, or graduations of grand children. I love the continuity of life through the generations. It makes me happy. Sometimes I think of my Dad who passed away and how he isn't really gone as his gene pool still goes on in our children and eventually in their children. I look at the women around the table at lunch and know that they also feel that joy in life knowing that their children and grand children and great grand children keep them alive, that dead spouses still have a connection in this life with family. The women plan trips to see family, have children visit. They are kept busy with family interests, proud of all those small accomplishments of their children and their children's children.
The rounds of golf are motivating me to take the boys out. It has been a while. They are older and supposedly wiser now. Less likely to attack each other with a club or walk in front of a swing, or fight over who's turn it is. Golf when they were younger was about as challenging for me as a parent as when I made the mistake of taking them both up the chair lift with me skiing. It was the bunny hill, but disastrous anyway, since I could not get them both down the hill at the same time between my legs, which was how I got Trevor down the hill. Riley hitched a ride on the back of a ski patrol snow mobile before I could get back to him. We have never been a patient family.
Golf is a lot about manners on the course. Waiting patiently for your turn, yet also knowing when to take a shot to keep the pace of the game going, not to hold up the field. When to talk and when to be silent, something I have to remind myself of when I play, being the chatty kind.
I was getting distance on my Tee shots and my fairway shots, only to land in the sand by the green or four putt within three feet of the hole. I could see, with practice, that I could have a good game on this summer. Taking the boys out would get me another round in during the week. The boys have less than a month left of school. Golf might be just the ticket to get them out of the house and away from that TV game center in the basement.
We have lots of fun plans for this summer. Our friends from Utah are coming to stay in July. We are going to go to the beach. We are planning that fun family trip to the mountain when my Sister arrives from back East. Tom keeps saying how its all his own fault for introducing that vacation site to us, when he can't stand it, and we all think it is the coolest destination. I am looking forward to swimming in the lake and rowing a boat with all my nieces and nephews with us.
I will need to stock up on hot dogs for the summer. Trevor has become picky as to the hot dogs he eats. He wants pure beef, not the cheap 89 cent blended meat package he has been living on forever. He has started to read the packaging labels. Pretty soon I will be buying those really expensive gourmet dogs my sisters buy for their families. Problem is Trevor eats twice as much as everyone else. Keeping within the budget is challenging. Luckily the boys like soup. I can cook Tom something just for him as he doesn't like just soup for dinner. Feeding the boys soup goes a long way to feeding Trevor.
I had to buy two roasted chickens last time I went to the store. One for the first dinner, and one for the soup dinner. A couple of years ago, one roast chicken would have been enough for both meals. Now there is no meat left on the bone for the soup with just one chicken.
Riley bakes a cake every other night or so. I tried not to buy the box mixes for a while but then he started using the random ingredients of flour and chocolate and eggs and making up a recipe. Only half would get eaten because it was OK but not great. Enough to stave off the sugar cravings for an evening but not good enough to be eaten as left overs. Use the box mix and there was no waste. The boys would fight at breakfast the next day for the final slices. I try to let Riley have the last slice as he made the cake or brownies and Trevor doesn't need it.
Trevor is over the weight limit for scouts by two pounds. They have a comfort margin. they feel to participate in some of the more athletic activities the scouts need to be within a certain weight range. A little exercise would not go amiss with the boys.
For Mothers day the boys gave me hugs and got a lecture from their father. Trevor gave me back a $20 bill I had given him for a scouting activity and told me to go treat myself to a spa. I broke the news that $20 would not even cover a manicure. A day at the spa would run easily $200. Ahhh, the thought was delightful if only the budget was willing.
The next day I took the boys, after school, to a plant nursery and made them assist me in picking out a rhodedendron from each of them, which is what I had asked for. I had said no jewelry as I had been to plenty of parties recently for jewelry. I wanted garden plants for my yard. The boys were bored with the activity of plant hunting and reading labels since I was really picking it out, not them. but I wanted the muscle, as the plants were heavy and I was ordering the bag of bone meal, the chicken manure, and the play dirt to help transplant them in good health. Those bags are heavy. Riley and I together had to pick up the bag of dirt. When we got home, I dug the holes where I wanted the plants to go in the back yard and enjoyed fussing over the plants. I got exactly what I wanted for mother's day, just a day late.
I had called my own mom to wish her a good mother's day. I invited her over for a BBQ, but she had been working with the election board this week counting votes. Exhausting late nights had worn her out. She wanted to just have a quiet weekend and enjoy her own gardening. Gardening can be a very soothing and relaxing activity, as nurturing in its own way as raising children. The garden only talks back if it is neglected.
I added bone meal and chicken manure to those boxwoods I put in last month. I am giving them lots of love in hopes that they all take to their new home after being ripped from the ground by a tractor at their old home. They are looking subtly better, but it will be a couple of years before I know for sure that they will survive and flourish. Meanwhile I spoil them with good nutrients and pampering.
This morning I awoke and looked out the window to see four deer in my back yard. I watched them with both enjoyment and caution. I didn't want them eating my newly planted rhodes or Dogwood. The Rhodes should be safe. Deer don't like to eat their tough leaves, but I am not so sure about my new Dogwood with it's pretty white flowers. As soon as I thought they were getting too close to the new plants, I let the dog outside to chase them off. The moment the door opened, the deer leaped away. I have sprinkled the plants with the stinky chicken manure. I am hopeful the odor will be a deterrent. The dog on the other hand loves manure. Fresh deer manure is his new favorite thing to roll in. I had to bath him in the sink after his adventure of chasing the deer and discovering fresh green deer poop in the yard. If he keeps the deer away from my garden, I can't complain.
I was making great contact with the ball off the Tee and on the fairway, between the not so good shots. My distance was great. I figure all that yard work clipping berries with my hand shears has paid off. Upper body strength has improved. Just like when I was doing the free weights to muscle up. Tom's loving comment was that I was putting my weight behind my swing to improve my game. A reference to the fact I am getting heavier. I laughed and swatted at him. He was at the other end of the phone staying at the work, so the swat didn't hurt. The golf should help with the weight gain. I walk the course.
I am a rotten putter. If I could get consistently 2 putts, that would account for nine strokes or more right there.
Coming in for lunch and hanging with the ladies is as much fun as the round. We get to hear about new babies in the family, or graduations of grand children. I love the continuity of life through the generations. It makes me happy. Sometimes I think of my Dad who passed away and how he isn't really gone as his gene pool still goes on in our children and eventually in their children. I look at the women around the table at lunch and know that they also feel that joy in life knowing that their children and grand children and great grand children keep them alive, that dead spouses still have a connection in this life with family. The women plan trips to see family, have children visit. They are kept busy with family interests, proud of all those small accomplishments of their children and their children's children.
The rounds of golf are motivating me to take the boys out. It has been a while. They are older and supposedly wiser now. Less likely to attack each other with a club or walk in front of a swing, or fight over who's turn it is. Golf when they were younger was about as challenging for me as a parent as when I made the mistake of taking them both up the chair lift with me skiing. It was the bunny hill, but disastrous anyway, since I could not get them both down the hill at the same time between my legs, which was how I got Trevor down the hill. Riley hitched a ride on the back of a ski patrol snow mobile before I could get back to him. We have never been a patient family.
Golf is a lot about manners on the course. Waiting patiently for your turn, yet also knowing when to take a shot to keep the pace of the game going, not to hold up the field. When to talk and when to be silent, something I have to remind myself of when I play, being the chatty kind.
I was getting distance on my Tee shots and my fairway shots, only to land in the sand by the green or four putt within three feet of the hole. I could see, with practice, that I could have a good game on this summer. Taking the boys out would get me another round in during the week. The boys have less than a month left of school. Golf might be just the ticket to get them out of the house and away from that TV game center in the basement.
We have lots of fun plans for this summer. Our friends from Utah are coming to stay in July. We are going to go to the beach. We are planning that fun family trip to the mountain when my Sister arrives from back East. Tom keeps saying how its all his own fault for introducing that vacation site to us, when he can't stand it, and we all think it is the coolest destination. I am looking forward to swimming in the lake and rowing a boat with all my nieces and nephews with us.
I will need to stock up on hot dogs for the summer. Trevor has become picky as to the hot dogs he eats. He wants pure beef, not the cheap 89 cent blended meat package he has been living on forever. He has started to read the packaging labels. Pretty soon I will be buying those really expensive gourmet dogs my sisters buy for their families. Problem is Trevor eats twice as much as everyone else. Keeping within the budget is challenging. Luckily the boys like soup. I can cook Tom something just for him as he doesn't like just soup for dinner. Feeding the boys soup goes a long way to feeding Trevor.
I had to buy two roasted chickens last time I went to the store. One for the first dinner, and one for the soup dinner. A couple of years ago, one roast chicken would have been enough for both meals. Now there is no meat left on the bone for the soup with just one chicken.
Riley bakes a cake every other night or so. I tried not to buy the box mixes for a while but then he started using the random ingredients of flour and chocolate and eggs and making up a recipe. Only half would get eaten because it was OK but not great. Enough to stave off the sugar cravings for an evening but not good enough to be eaten as left overs. Use the box mix and there was no waste. The boys would fight at breakfast the next day for the final slices. I try to let Riley have the last slice as he made the cake or brownies and Trevor doesn't need it.
Trevor is over the weight limit for scouts by two pounds. They have a comfort margin. they feel to participate in some of the more athletic activities the scouts need to be within a certain weight range. A little exercise would not go amiss with the boys.
For Mothers day the boys gave me hugs and got a lecture from their father. Trevor gave me back a $20 bill I had given him for a scouting activity and told me to go treat myself to a spa. I broke the news that $20 would not even cover a manicure. A day at the spa would run easily $200. Ahhh, the thought was delightful if only the budget was willing.
The next day I took the boys, after school, to a plant nursery and made them assist me in picking out a rhodedendron from each of them, which is what I had asked for. I had said no jewelry as I had been to plenty of parties recently for jewelry. I wanted garden plants for my yard. The boys were bored with the activity of plant hunting and reading labels since I was really picking it out, not them. but I wanted the muscle, as the plants were heavy and I was ordering the bag of bone meal, the chicken manure, and the play dirt to help transplant them in good health. Those bags are heavy. Riley and I together had to pick up the bag of dirt. When we got home, I dug the holes where I wanted the plants to go in the back yard and enjoyed fussing over the plants. I got exactly what I wanted for mother's day, just a day late.
I had called my own mom to wish her a good mother's day. I invited her over for a BBQ, but she had been working with the election board this week counting votes. Exhausting late nights had worn her out. She wanted to just have a quiet weekend and enjoy her own gardening. Gardening can be a very soothing and relaxing activity, as nurturing in its own way as raising children. The garden only talks back if it is neglected.
I added bone meal and chicken manure to those boxwoods I put in last month. I am giving them lots of love in hopes that they all take to their new home after being ripped from the ground by a tractor at their old home. They are looking subtly better, but it will be a couple of years before I know for sure that they will survive and flourish. Meanwhile I spoil them with good nutrients and pampering.
This morning I awoke and looked out the window to see four deer in my back yard. I watched them with both enjoyment and caution. I didn't want them eating my newly planted rhodes or Dogwood. The Rhodes should be safe. Deer don't like to eat their tough leaves, but I am not so sure about my new Dogwood with it's pretty white flowers. As soon as I thought they were getting too close to the new plants, I let the dog outside to chase them off. The moment the door opened, the deer leaped away. I have sprinkled the plants with the stinky chicken manure. I am hopeful the odor will be a deterrent. The dog on the other hand loves manure. Fresh deer manure is his new favorite thing to roll in. I had to bath him in the sink after his adventure of chasing the deer and discovering fresh green deer poop in the yard. If he keeps the deer away from my garden, I can't complain.
Friday, May 11, 2012
More interferances
We found this great pharmacy on line that can get a medication that costs $200 a shot here in America for $700 for 25 shots. It is a headache med that instantly relieves the pain. The pharmacy is in Canada, the manufacturer is in Turkey. We have used this source successfully before.
I placed my order using our HSA, Health Savings Account debit card. The next day Tom received a call from the pharmacy that the credit card had been denied.
I made a couple of calls. One to the HSA to find out what happened, why the card had been denied. I was informed that the US Government does not allow the HSA to be used for any medical expenses outside the USA. Don't get sick while on vacation someplace exotic.
I called my insurance company to find out how I can get reimbursed the $700 after charging the meds to another regular credit card. I was told I could submit the receipt to be put towards the deductible. Maybe someone will end up in the ER this year and we can get all the family coverage taken care of, then we can go hog wild with tests, colonoscopies, MRI, visits to the doctor for any lame reason. After all they seem to be making us pay for every little item the hard way.
I placed my order using our HSA, Health Savings Account debit card. The next day Tom received a call from the pharmacy that the credit card had been denied.
I made a couple of calls. One to the HSA to find out what happened, why the card had been denied. I was informed that the US Government does not allow the HSA to be used for any medical expenses outside the USA. Don't get sick while on vacation someplace exotic.
I called my insurance company to find out how I can get reimbursed the $700 after charging the meds to another regular credit card. I was told I could submit the receipt to be put towards the deductible. Maybe someone will end up in the ER this year and we can get all the family coverage taken care of, then we can go hog wild with tests, colonoscopies, MRI, visits to the doctor for any lame reason. After all they seem to be making us pay for every little item the hard way.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Irritants
Trev's one year is about up on his last physical. Scouts require one every year for their camping experiences. The school only needs one every two years for sports. I thought I would cover both in one stop. Trevor has been seen several times in the last few months for his toe. He was weighed and prodded. His lungs were checked. I figured I could get the doctor that saw him sign off. No such luck. Bureaucracy is strong in the medical world. They want every cent.
Because Trevor was seen not by his primary physician , but by a physician's assistant, the PA can not sign off on the forms. The primary doctor has not seen Trevor. She was out on maturity leave when we were assigned her. No one else can sign.
I had just stopped in at the clinic after picking Trevor up at school, thinking I could drop the forms off at the clinic to be signed and mailed back to me or called when they were signed for me to come back for the forms. It wasn't that easy of course. After arguing with the front desk clerk that the last Doctor to see Trevor could sign off only to find out that since that was only a PA, though we call them doctors, that Doctor can't sign the forms. Trevor has to make an appointment with his primary physician, who he has never met, to get the forms signed. I make the appointment for an hour later as Trevor is with me at the moment, only to find out that that was a 15 minute slot and since Trevor is not an established patient, even though he has been seen numerous times by other doctors in the clinic, His primary Doctor needs a half hour slot. A half hour is not available until Friday.
As you know, for insurance, the first $5000 on each of us is out of our own pockets, until the family max is met. I have to pay for a Doctor's visit to get these forms signed, even though Trevor has been seen multiple times by physicians for his foot recently, already. Just paid almost $500 towards his medical bills. To say the least I was not happy. I was pretty peeved. But without this form Trevor can't go on the next scouting overnight, when it comes up. His medical form says he was last seen May 18, of last year. A year is up. It is all a bunch of BS.
I had also been a little frustrated with Trevor as he had called today and asked me to bring his football camp forms to school, as today was the last day, and they were mailing in the registrations. The forms had been sitting for a month on the dining room table for him to take to school.
When I got to school I talked to one of his teachers who informed me that though I have been dropping Trevor an hour early in the mornings for him to do work to keep up in her class, he has been leaving before the time was over, to catch breakfast with his friends in the cafeteria. He eats breakfast at home. Riley makes waffles almost every day for them. He has been getting second breakfasts like a hobbit.
I was not in a good mood after that conversation with Trevor's teacher, to then be told by the Doctor's office that I needed to pay for an appointment and schedule a visit so Trevor could get a couple of forms signed to participate in camp.
Life was not meant to be this difficult. The boy is healthy. He has been inspected several times. Our old clinic would have just passed the form back to the Doctor who last saw him and be signed off. I could have moved on to my next project, what ever that might be. Instead, on Friday, since he needs extra new patient time, we will be back in the waiting room for our appointment. How irritating.
The nice moment came though when the Doctor's office called me back after having to cancel the appointment for today. The woman at the front desk had received the brunt of my frustration. She wanted to tell me that the school district physical was good for two years. I told her I did know that but scouts needs one every year. I appreciated the fact she checked though, in hopes of saving me some time and wasted energy. I wish it had been that easy. It cheered me up that she had made that extra effort to at least check my son's chart. I appreciated the gesture. Still wont save me from the Doctor's bill.
Because Trevor was seen not by his primary physician , but by a physician's assistant, the PA can not sign off on the forms. The primary doctor has not seen Trevor. She was out on maturity leave when we were assigned her. No one else can sign.
I had just stopped in at the clinic after picking Trevor up at school, thinking I could drop the forms off at the clinic to be signed and mailed back to me or called when they were signed for me to come back for the forms. It wasn't that easy of course. After arguing with the front desk clerk that the last Doctor to see Trevor could sign off only to find out that since that was only a PA, though we call them doctors, that Doctor can't sign the forms. Trevor has to make an appointment with his primary physician, who he has never met, to get the forms signed. I make the appointment for an hour later as Trevor is with me at the moment, only to find out that that was a 15 minute slot and since Trevor is not an established patient, even though he has been seen numerous times by other doctors in the clinic, His primary Doctor needs a half hour slot. A half hour is not available until Friday.
As you know, for insurance, the first $5000 on each of us is out of our own pockets, until the family max is met. I have to pay for a Doctor's visit to get these forms signed, even though Trevor has been seen multiple times by physicians for his foot recently, already. Just paid almost $500 towards his medical bills. To say the least I was not happy. I was pretty peeved. But without this form Trevor can't go on the next scouting overnight, when it comes up. His medical form says he was last seen May 18, of last year. A year is up. It is all a bunch of BS.
I had also been a little frustrated with Trevor as he had called today and asked me to bring his football camp forms to school, as today was the last day, and they were mailing in the registrations. The forms had been sitting for a month on the dining room table for him to take to school.
When I got to school I talked to one of his teachers who informed me that though I have been dropping Trevor an hour early in the mornings for him to do work to keep up in her class, he has been leaving before the time was over, to catch breakfast with his friends in the cafeteria. He eats breakfast at home. Riley makes waffles almost every day for them. He has been getting second breakfasts like a hobbit.
I was not in a good mood after that conversation with Trevor's teacher, to then be told by the Doctor's office that I needed to pay for an appointment and schedule a visit so Trevor could get a couple of forms signed to participate in camp.
Life was not meant to be this difficult. The boy is healthy. He has been inspected several times. Our old clinic would have just passed the form back to the Doctor who last saw him and be signed off. I could have moved on to my next project, what ever that might be. Instead, on Friday, since he needs extra new patient time, we will be back in the waiting room for our appointment. How irritating.
The nice moment came though when the Doctor's office called me back after having to cancel the appointment for today. The woman at the front desk had received the brunt of my frustration. She wanted to tell me that the school district physical was good for two years. I told her I did know that but scouts needs one every year. I appreciated the fact she checked though, in hopes of saving me some time and wasted energy. I wish it had been that easy. It cheered me up that she had made that extra effort to at least check my son's chart. I appreciated the gesture. Still wont save me from the Doctor's bill.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Mothers Day
Trevor arrived home from camping with big plans to go see the new movie Avengers, new out this weekend . He said he wanted to work for an hour in the yard for the movie money. I kind of wasn't too happy about only an hour as he owes me 3 hours still of back money. I am going to have to tighten my purse stings until I get the work out of him. Pay in advance isn't working for me.
Tom comes downstairs and asks the boys what are they doing for me for mothers day. I look at him in surprise. It is not Mother's day today I didn't think. Tom thought it was Mother's day. Trevor and I go out to work in the yard for his hour.
Every five minutes for the first twenty Trevor keeps asking what time it is. I finally tell him that if I have to stop work to look at the time I will add 15 minutes to his hour. I barely get the work out of him before he heads back inside having done just enough to get his movie money. He goes inside to take a shower having not showered since last Thursday, I didn't argue the need. I had told him to do the hour first before showering as he would just get hot sweaty and stinky doing yard work.
He still has mud on his ankle when he comes downstairs again. His shower was a little short, but the time to go has arrived. As we head out the door Tom offers to BBQ. The weather is lovely. I tell him I will stop and pick up some meat and wine. I make a couple of phone calls while at the store, and soon arrange for an impromptu party to celebrate "Mother's Day". Everyone is pretty much available for the BBQ as it is not really Mothers Day. I am able to catch everyone before they get going with dinner plans at home.
We end up having a great party with good company. The kids all hang out in the basement playing games. Their cheering and laughing voices drift up to the deck where the adults are hanging out enjoying the most beautiful day with warm weather we have seen in a while. I don't know how Tom and the boys are going to top that lovely party next weekend when it really is Mother's Day.
Tom comes downstairs and asks the boys what are they doing for me for mothers day. I look at him in surprise. It is not Mother's day today I didn't think. Tom thought it was Mother's day. Trevor and I go out to work in the yard for his hour.
Every five minutes for the first twenty Trevor keeps asking what time it is. I finally tell him that if I have to stop work to look at the time I will add 15 minutes to his hour. I barely get the work out of him before he heads back inside having done just enough to get his movie money. He goes inside to take a shower having not showered since last Thursday, I didn't argue the need. I had told him to do the hour first before showering as he would just get hot sweaty and stinky doing yard work.
He still has mud on his ankle when he comes downstairs again. His shower was a little short, but the time to go has arrived. As we head out the door Tom offers to BBQ. The weather is lovely. I tell him I will stop and pick up some meat and wine. I make a couple of phone calls while at the store, and soon arrange for an impromptu party to celebrate "Mother's Day". Everyone is pretty much available for the BBQ as it is not really Mothers Day. I am able to catch everyone before they get going with dinner plans at home.
We end up having a great party with good company. The kids all hang out in the basement playing games. Their cheering and laughing voices drift up to the deck where the adults are hanging out enjoying the most beautiful day with warm weather we have seen in a while. I don't know how Tom and the boys are going to top that lovely party next weekend when it really is Mother's Day.
Camping
This was the overnight with the scouts. I arrived at the parking lot at the school where we were to "gather the troops". The Dad that was going got tied up at work so the boys played Frisbee in the parking lot while we waited for him to arrive. Seven boys were going. They proceeded to get the frisbee stuck in a tree a couple of times, but one of the boys used a tent pole to knock it out of the tree as I forbid them to climb the tree to retrieve the stuck frisbee.
After the last trip where only Trevor brought food, this time everyone had packed food to eat. There was a lot of stuff. The van arrived and I open the door in the back to start loading, it is already pretty full with camping gear. With all the stuff everyone is bringing, there isn't enough room for all the boys. I say I can take three in my jeep. I will have to rearrange as I have brought a lot of stuff for my own comfort.
I brought my big tent, a five gallon water bucket, my camp chairs and my new camp cots, my sleeping bag, an umbrella, and food for Trev and the troop and myself. I also have Trevor's gear and sleeping bag. I open up the roof box and start loading anything I can into the top. We make room but it is tight, with the tent sitting between the two boys in the back seat.
I follow the leader in my car to the camp. Our sight is way back as far from the bathrooms as they could have possibly put us, a hike up a hill to the main road junction, then down another road to the main lodge. The boys can just go in the woods, which they announce regularly. "I am going to go pee". I think it has to do with the buddy system they are supposed to have. They don't need company behind a bush. Meanwhile I have to hold it for as long as possible before making the hike to the ladies room. The facilities weren't bad clean and bright.
The other chaperon tells the boys to help set up my tent. They all have these little tents for two. I open up my tent and it is a two room suite. One boy peaks in after we get the tent up and says it is as big as his room at home. I say "Yes, it is as big as Trevor's room at home also". My camping girlfriend said to get a tent that you can stand comfortably in and as large as you can find. I had picked up this tent on an off season sale. I usually have it set up at the beach for the children, so the adults can have their own space. For once I am really camping.
the tent works for car camping, but I can see if they were hiking into a camp sight, it is a bit heavy to carry. But it looks impressive compared to the little tents the boys all have. Not only that but I have a camp cot and a chair set up inside for my comfort. It looks quite roomy for one person. The drizzle had stopped at just the right time for set up so we could get the tents up. the weather was overcast and questionable. I kept my coat on and wore a wool hat.
I snacked on our food, we had been told to bring a bag dinner for the first night. I had made a turkey sandwich. The boys all had brought treat that they shared with their best buddy, showing off who had brought the most interesting snacks; chocolate milk, pop tarts, candy bars.
The night was cold. I found out later it was freezing temperatures. I was so cold I didn't want to take off my clothes to put on my long johns for bed. I kept my jacket and hat on as I crawled into my sleeping bag. I could feel the cold air seeping up under the cot during the night. I put a blanket on top of my sleeping bag for extra warmth, but I could still feel the cold even with my head tucked in. I would have to come up for air periodically. The only warm moment was the mid life hot flash I had. It felt so good to be warm. It lasted about five minutes. I kept hoping I would have another hot flash.
In the morning the boys got the fire going and cooked the eggs I had brought on the propane cook top. I put water from my water cooler in my cast iron pot and stuck it on the fire with a few eggs to boil. I used that water for a warm drink and when the eggs were done I offered them up as egg warmers for the boys hands. We were so cold that we could hold those hot eggs in our hands without needing to juggle them. They soon cooled off for eating.
The boys went off to do their thing. There were stations to visit, learn how to throw a hatchet, carry and injured person with a tarp, set up the fastest tent and fire, play capture the flag, and other fun boy activities. I stayed and watched the fire at our camp sight. We had been instructed to put our cars at the parking area when we first arrived, but had decided we needed our cars near us. I had not packed the food in closed containers. Animals would have gotten it all during the night if we hadn't been able to lock it in our cars. Since we kept our car with us at our camp sight, I noticed other campers brought their cars back. It is just so much easier.
The Dads in the camp sight across from ours brought out a chain saw and sawed a slab off a stump in their camp sight. They started to cut it up for fire wood. That brought the forest ranger and a reprimand. He came by a couple of times to check on the "trouble makers" after that. You aren't supposed to cut up things in the park. The chain saw was a loud irritating noise, but I eyed that great pile of fire wood for a couple of hours before I finally went over and asked them if they could share a few pieces with me for my dinky little stick fire the boys had built. We had brought wood but were trying to be good about using it to make it go as far as possible. I was grateful for the contribution as I sat wrapped in my blanket in my camp chair with my coat buttoned up and my wool hat pulled down over my ears, when it drizzled I also used my umbrella to keep the rain off my book.
Lunch was Hobo stew. We had all brought cans of soup to donate. The camp cooks had made up a beef stew, a chili, a chicken noodle, a clam chowder, and a cream soup for the boys to choose from. Originally the boys had feared it all would have been put in one pot for a nasty mix, but it wasn't that bad. By the time I got mine though the soup was only luke warm. The cold weather had sapped all the heat.
I had fun. It was a novel experience. I wouldn't mind going again, if only Tom would get over his anxieties. Car camping isn't that strenuous. Next time I will bring even warmer gear, use two sleeping bags. Mine are original to my child hood camping, with lovely flannel lining but not quite up to freezing temperatures. Trevor had one of the new sleeping bags we got in our survival kit, handles temperatures to 32 degrees.
I had plenty of food and good company. The kids tried hard. there were a couple of glitches. The boys tended all to want to do their own thing rather than be a group together, all leaders. They liked to not share their special foods with everyone.I finally said "if you show it, you share it". I also had to tell them that when everyone got back from where ever they were scattered, everyone had to be included in the game in the tent, no exclusions. I heard a heavy sigh from inside the tent when I gave those instructions. I called out to who ever sighed that I had heard him, and the boys all went round the room naming someone else for sighing until everyone had taken the blame. It lightened up the mood and helped when all the boys finally made it back, they all got to climb into the big tent for a gaming afternoon including everyone. All I need is a little propane heater like Tom had on his old golf cart to make that tent the perfect room.
The Dad who was to replace me pulled in around 3:00pm. The boys had found waiting in lines for their activities boring so they had asked if they could use my tent to play games after lunch. They asked if I could leave my great big roomy tent for their use. I crossed my fingers that all the parts would come back to me and said yes.
I was home by 4:30pm but Tom had beat me home by about an hour. I asked him if he was still mad at me and he said a little. I kissed him then headed to the other end of the house. He was watching horse racing anyway. I went to watch the shows I had recorded. I went to bed early and loved sleeping on my soft warm mattress.
Trevor called for pick up the next morning an hour earlier than schedule. They had not wasted any time breaking camp in the morning. I asked the dad who had replaced me if he had enjoyed his over night. I had to ask twice as he didn't answer me at first, just gave me a look. He turned and told me he likes camping about as much as my husband does. He just does it for his kids.
After the last trip where only Trevor brought food, this time everyone had packed food to eat. There was a lot of stuff. The van arrived and I open the door in the back to start loading, it is already pretty full with camping gear. With all the stuff everyone is bringing, there isn't enough room for all the boys. I say I can take three in my jeep. I will have to rearrange as I have brought a lot of stuff for my own comfort.
I brought my big tent, a five gallon water bucket, my camp chairs and my new camp cots, my sleeping bag, an umbrella, and food for Trev and the troop and myself. I also have Trevor's gear and sleeping bag. I open up the roof box and start loading anything I can into the top. We make room but it is tight, with the tent sitting between the two boys in the back seat.
I follow the leader in my car to the camp. Our sight is way back as far from the bathrooms as they could have possibly put us, a hike up a hill to the main road junction, then down another road to the main lodge. The boys can just go in the woods, which they announce regularly. "I am going to go pee". I think it has to do with the buddy system they are supposed to have. They don't need company behind a bush. Meanwhile I have to hold it for as long as possible before making the hike to the ladies room. The facilities weren't bad clean and bright.
The other chaperon tells the boys to help set up my tent. They all have these little tents for two. I open up my tent and it is a two room suite. One boy peaks in after we get the tent up and says it is as big as his room at home. I say "Yes, it is as big as Trevor's room at home also". My camping girlfriend said to get a tent that you can stand comfortably in and as large as you can find. I had picked up this tent on an off season sale. I usually have it set up at the beach for the children, so the adults can have their own space. For once I am really camping.
the tent works for car camping, but I can see if they were hiking into a camp sight, it is a bit heavy to carry. But it looks impressive compared to the little tents the boys all have. Not only that but I have a camp cot and a chair set up inside for my comfort. It looks quite roomy for one person. The drizzle had stopped at just the right time for set up so we could get the tents up. the weather was overcast and questionable. I kept my coat on and wore a wool hat.
I snacked on our food, we had been told to bring a bag dinner for the first night. I had made a turkey sandwich. The boys all had brought treat that they shared with their best buddy, showing off who had brought the most interesting snacks; chocolate milk, pop tarts, candy bars.
The night was cold. I found out later it was freezing temperatures. I was so cold I didn't want to take off my clothes to put on my long johns for bed. I kept my jacket and hat on as I crawled into my sleeping bag. I could feel the cold air seeping up under the cot during the night. I put a blanket on top of my sleeping bag for extra warmth, but I could still feel the cold even with my head tucked in. I would have to come up for air periodically. The only warm moment was the mid life hot flash I had. It felt so good to be warm. It lasted about five minutes. I kept hoping I would have another hot flash.
In the morning the boys got the fire going and cooked the eggs I had brought on the propane cook top. I put water from my water cooler in my cast iron pot and stuck it on the fire with a few eggs to boil. I used that water for a warm drink and when the eggs were done I offered them up as egg warmers for the boys hands. We were so cold that we could hold those hot eggs in our hands without needing to juggle them. They soon cooled off for eating.
The boys went off to do their thing. There were stations to visit, learn how to throw a hatchet, carry and injured person with a tarp, set up the fastest tent and fire, play capture the flag, and other fun boy activities. I stayed and watched the fire at our camp sight. We had been instructed to put our cars at the parking area when we first arrived, but had decided we needed our cars near us. I had not packed the food in closed containers. Animals would have gotten it all during the night if we hadn't been able to lock it in our cars. Since we kept our car with us at our camp sight, I noticed other campers brought their cars back. It is just so much easier.
The Dads in the camp sight across from ours brought out a chain saw and sawed a slab off a stump in their camp sight. They started to cut it up for fire wood. That brought the forest ranger and a reprimand. He came by a couple of times to check on the "trouble makers" after that. You aren't supposed to cut up things in the park. The chain saw was a loud irritating noise, but I eyed that great pile of fire wood for a couple of hours before I finally went over and asked them if they could share a few pieces with me for my dinky little stick fire the boys had built. We had brought wood but were trying to be good about using it to make it go as far as possible. I was grateful for the contribution as I sat wrapped in my blanket in my camp chair with my coat buttoned up and my wool hat pulled down over my ears, when it drizzled I also used my umbrella to keep the rain off my book.
Lunch was Hobo stew. We had all brought cans of soup to donate. The camp cooks had made up a beef stew, a chili, a chicken noodle, a clam chowder, and a cream soup for the boys to choose from. Originally the boys had feared it all would have been put in one pot for a nasty mix, but it wasn't that bad. By the time I got mine though the soup was only luke warm. The cold weather had sapped all the heat.
I had fun. It was a novel experience. I wouldn't mind going again, if only Tom would get over his anxieties. Car camping isn't that strenuous. Next time I will bring even warmer gear, use two sleeping bags. Mine are original to my child hood camping, with lovely flannel lining but not quite up to freezing temperatures. Trevor had one of the new sleeping bags we got in our survival kit, handles temperatures to 32 degrees.
I had plenty of food and good company. The kids tried hard. there were a couple of glitches. The boys tended all to want to do their own thing rather than be a group together, all leaders. They liked to not share their special foods with everyone.I finally said "if you show it, you share it". I also had to tell them that when everyone got back from where ever they were scattered, everyone had to be included in the game in the tent, no exclusions. I heard a heavy sigh from inside the tent when I gave those instructions. I called out to who ever sighed that I had heard him, and the boys all went round the room naming someone else for sighing until everyone had taken the blame. It lightened up the mood and helped when all the boys finally made it back, they all got to climb into the big tent for a gaming afternoon including everyone. All I need is a little propane heater like Tom had on his old golf cart to make that tent the perfect room.
The Dad who was to replace me pulled in around 3:00pm. The boys had found waiting in lines for their activities boring so they had asked if they could use my tent to play games after lunch. They asked if I could leave my great big roomy tent for their use. I crossed my fingers that all the parts would come back to me and said yes.
I was home by 4:30pm but Tom had beat me home by about an hour. I asked him if he was still mad at me and he said a little. I kissed him then headed to the other end of the house. He was watching horse racing anyway. I went to watch the shows I had recorded. I went to bed early and loved sleeping on my soft warm mattress.
Trevor called for pick up the next morning an hour earlier than schedule. They had not wasted any time breaking camp in the morning. I asked the dad who had replaced me if he had enjoyed his over night. I had to ask twice as he didn't answer me at first, just gave me a look. He turned and told me he likes camping about as much as my husband does. He just does it for his kids.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Glider Plane
Riley is taking a computer class. He has been telling me the details of his work. The computers are linked to drills and lasers in another room in the school. The students design something, most of the students Riley tells me are designing cribbage boards, then take the design to the equipment and build it.
Riley said he didn't play cribbage and that making a cribbage board did not thrill him. He finally figured out the class assignment was to build something, anything, using the cool equipment in the other room. The light bulb went on in his head. He opted to design a glider plane.
His first design, he cut out of paper with a laser, after designing it in the program and saving it to the laser. The paper was way too thin. I asked why not use card board, but he said the ends are open and the surface rippled so it wouldn't be air dynamic. His teacher will get balsa wood for him, once the design is firm. He had a few details that needed to be worked out, like marking the center of the wings for connecting the body of the plane and figuring out how to make the cone shape for the nose. It was good to practice with the inexpensive paper first. I was pleased that Riley was choosing to make a glider plane rather than a cribbage board like the rest of the class. The teacher is encouraging him. I think the teacher is finally seeing the Riley I know, the smart independent student, rather than the sick kid always missing school that he saw the first half of the year, forgetting to make up missing work.
Riley talked about his classes. He is finding the regular English class to be pretty easy. He admitted to not applying himself in his honors class.He said he felt really smart for the regular class. It is boosting his confidence. He is finding a lot of the honors science to be a repeat of what he had at his old school so he is acing science effortlessly. It reminds me a bit of DG. When DG would take a hard class, first he would take it at the community college, so he had had some exposure to the material, then he would retake the class at the college and ace it, having already had the class once.
Riley misses the organized style of his last math teacher. His last math teacher handed out at the beginning of the semester the assignments and the due dates. As the due dates approached the teacher would remind the students. You had the option of getting all the work done at once or as it fit your schedule as long as it was in a couple of weeks before the end of grading period. Riley worked well with that style. He likes to know what is coming. Work ahead when appropriate or applicable.
This math teacher he has now assigns work the day of the lesson. Riley is struggling. He doesn't know where to look ahead, to get ahead of the lessons. I suggested he stay after school for the tutoring sessions. A friend of ours is already taking advantage of the free tutoring. I would need to pick him up after school since he wouldn't be able to ride the bus home.
At our old school it was mandatory tutoring for any grades below a C. I miss that attention and purpose the school had to keep the students progressing. There was even busing to bring the mandatory tutoring students home, a second round of after school busing that also covered the middle school students in the same program. I bet it also handled the sports kids when they were done with practice around the same time. That would open the door of opportunity to many students who otherwise would have to decline due to transportation issues. There was just such focus and purpose. For a school district in Oregon, with the horrible funding that they have, the use of assets and facilities and dedication to student success was impressive. The success and graduation rate of the students was proof.
Half of what Riley says rolls over my head with the technical details, but I can see he is finally enjoying something, bragging about his science tests, and describing the glider plane plans. He is still struggling with Spanish class. Too bad I don't have a trip planned to Mexico this summer. He needs some immersion.
Learning the teacher's style is so important. It is a game. You have to play by the teacher's rules. I am hopeful that next year Riley will be even more comfortable and healthy that he can make up for the slips he had this year. Next year really counts for a lot, Junior Year.
I signed Riley up for his first SAT in June. I wanted him to have exposure to the test. Have fun with it, not stress. Next October he will take the PSAT, then another SAT in the spring. Hopefully he will get some names and phone numbers into his cell and have friends to contact this summer. Of course he has his trip to New York to look forward to right after school lets out. Lets hope his year end grades look good so I feel generous with spending money.
It was nice to hear Riley excited about something in school.
Riley said he didn't play cribbage and that making a cribbage board did not thrill him. He finally figured out the class assignment was to build something, anything, using the cool equipment in the other room. The light bulb went on in his head. He opted to design a glider plane.
His first design, he cut out of paper with a laser, after designing it in the program and saving it to the laser. The paper was way too thin. I asked why not use card board, but he said the ends are open and the surface rippled so it wouldn't be air dynamic. His teacher will get balsa wood for him, once the design is firm. He had a few details that needed to be worked out, like marking the center of the wings for connecting the body of the plane and figuring out how to make the cone shape for the nose. It was good to practice with the inexpensive paper first. I was pleased that Riley was choosing to make a glider plane rather than a cribbage board like the rest of the class. The teacher is encouraging him. I think the teacher is finally seeing the Riley I know, the smart independent student, rather than the sick kid always missing school that he saw the first half of the year, forgetting to make up missing work.
Riley talked about his classes. He is finding the regular English class to be pretty easy. He admitted to not applying himself in his honors class.He said he felt really smart for the regular class. It is boosting his confidence. He is finding a lot of the honors science to be a repeat of what he had at his old school so he is acing science effortlessly. It reminds me a bit of DG. When DG would take a hard class, first he would take it at the community college, so he had had some exposure to the material, then he would retake the class at the college and ace it, having already had the class once.
Riley misses the organized style of his last math teacher. His last math teacher handed out at the beginning of the semester the assignments and the due dates. As the due dates approached the teacher would remind the students. You had the option of getting all the work done at once or as it fit your schedule as long as it was in a couple of weeks before the end of grading period. Riley worked well with that style. He likes to know what is coming. Work ahead when appropriate or applicable.
This math teacher he has now assigns work the day of the lesson. Riley is struggling. He doesn't know where to look ahead, to get ahead of the lessons. I suggested he stay after school for the tutoring sessions. A friend of ours is already taking advantage of the free tutoring. I would need to pick him up after school since he wouldn't be able to ride the bus home.
At our old school it was mandatory tutoring for any grades below a C. I miss that attention and purpose the school had to keep the students progressing. There was even busing to bring the mandatory tutoring students home, a second round of after school busing that also covered the middle school students in the same program. I bet it also handled the sports kids when they were done with practice around the same time. That would open the door of opportunity to many students who otherwise would have to decline due to transportation issues. There was just such focus and purpose. For a school district in Oregon, with the horrible funding that they have, the use of assets and facilities and dedication to student success was impressive. The success and graduation rate of the students was proof.
Half of what Riley says rolls over my head with the technical details, but I can see he is finally enjoying something, bragging about his science tests, and describing the glider plane plans. He is still struggling with Spanish class. Too bad I don't have a trip planned to Mexico this summer. He needs some immersion.
Learning the teacher's style is so important. It is a game. You have to play by the teacher's rules. I am hopeful that next year Riley will be even more comfortable and healthy that he can make up for the slips he had this year. Next year really counts for a lot, Junior Year.
I signed Riley up for his first SAT in June. I wanted him to have exposure to the test. Have fun with it, not stress. Next October he will take the PSAT, then another SAT in the spring. Hopefully he will get some names and phone numbers into his cell and have friends to contact this summer. Of course he has his trip to New York to look forward to right after school lets out. Lets hope his year end grades look good so I feel generous with spending money.
It was nice to hear Riley excited about something in school.
Track
Trevor had his last home track meet. I told him I would come. I wanted to see him do his thing at least once. The weather was cruddie, raining off and on and cold. Trevor only was participating in one event, the shot put.
At first I couldn't find the "Pit". I brought a blanket and chair, two umbrellas, and a book to read. I set up on the wrong side of the track. I saw everyone gathered on the other side so packed up my chair and moved to the right side by the bleachers. I still didn't see Trevor. I texted him asking where he was. He texted back the directions to the far end of the field "where the big boys are throwing big rocks". I walked down in the direction he instructed and finally located where he was waiting. He waved at me. He had the job of collecting the shot puts and drying them off for his team mates. He had volunteered his sweatshirt for the job of drying. The sweatshirt was covered in mud. The team seemed to like him though and said thank you appreciatively. If you don't dry off the shot put, it can slip from your hand while throwing.
I got to watch Trevor throw a couple of times. His wrist was hurting him so he didn't like the throws and they weren't as far as he has thrown in the past, but I was proud to be there. I didn't know anyone. A couple familiar looking moms said hello to me. Most of the parents had runners and were at the other end of the field by the finish line. I was down at the end with the big boys. When Shot put was done, Trevor wanted to stay and support the team.
I offered to take him shopping and bring him back, but he wanted to stay with his friends. I went shopping by myself. I loaded up on groceries. $263 but that should last us for a week or so plus I bought some things for Trevor's camping trip. I got back to the field an hour later to pick up Trevor. He had yet to call me, but the last event was being run. The He Man 4x4. I had hoped Trevor would be in it again but he is the sub and everyone was healthy. He came up to me to tell me there was a pot luck after the meet, as it was the last home meet and he wasn't competing in the last away meet. I asked if he wanted me to go and he said it was OK if I didn't go. It was totally up to me.
I had all these groceries in the car that needed to get home. Plus I didn't have anything to contribute. I was also going to cook Tom a great dinner he had requested in hopes of softening up his unhappiness at my plans for camping on his birthday and camping with the scouts this weekend.
Trevor said he had forgotten all about the pot luck until someone mentioned it at the meet. It was to happen right after the meet ended. He said he only told me about it so I wouldn't feel left out or excluded, but not to feel that I had to attend. There would probably be plenty of food.
I opted to go cook Tom his dinner and get the groceries put away. Trevor called me for a pick up later. I asked for details, if there had been speeches. No speeches, plenty of food. The coaches had made the big boys go last and there was still plenty of food. I had thought if I went I would bring KFC. Trevor said there were four buckets of KFC. He was disappointed not to get any Yakisoba, as that dish was all gone by the time he got his turn.
He said he had a big plate full of ravioli and put two slices of Pizza on top of that for his first plate. His second plate he had two more slices of pizza and a bunch of cookies and other desserts. There was still food left. I should not feel guilty. He handed me his certificate for Junior Varsity Track. He said they were handed out during dinner with no fan faire what so ever. Unlike Football where each player is acknowledged, track is more of an independent, individual sport. Like golf, you compete against your last score to improve performance, as well as against the competition. I wouldn't have known anyone there anyway. I am glad Trevor enjoyed Track.
Now that the resistance trainer is up and fixed in the boys' game room, Trevor can work on strengthening his upper and lower body for both football and track. Yes, I finally figured out how to get the weights attached. Trevor had to lift all two hundred pounds, tilting the whole contraption so I could slip the rods into place and attach everything together properly. Now I am hopeful the boys will use the resistance trainer between bouts of Halo and other war games.
At first I couldn't find the "Pit". I brought a blanket and chair, two umbrellas, and a book to read. I set up on the wrong side of the track. I saw everyone gathered on the other side so packed up my chair and moved to the right side by the bleachers. I still didn't see Trevor. I texted him asking where he was. He texted back the directions to the far end of the field "where the big boys are throwing big rocks". I walked down in the direction he instructed and finally located where he was waiting. He waved at me. He had the job of collecting the shot puts and drying them off for his team mates. He had volunteered his sweatshirt for the job of drying. The sweatshirt was covered in mud. The team seemed to like him though and said thank you appreciatively. If you don't dry off the shot put, it can slip from your hand while throwing.
I got to watch Trevor throw a couple of times. His wrist was hurting him so he didn't like the throws and they weren't as far as he has thrown in the past, but I was proud to be there. I didn't know anyone. A couple familiar looking moms said hello to me. Most of the parents had runners and were at the other end of the field by the finish line. I was down at the end with the big boys. When Shot put was done, Trevor wanted to stay and support the team.
I offered to take him shopping and bring him back, but he wanted to stay with his friends. I went shopping by myself. I loaded up on groceries. $263 but that should last us for a week or so plus I bought some things for Trevor's camping trip. I got back to the field an hour later to pick up Trevor. He had yet to call me, but the last event was being run. The He Man 4x4. I had hoped Trevor would be in it again but he is the sub and everyone was healthy. He came up to me to tell me there was a pot luck after the meet, as it was the last home meet and he wasn't competing in the last away meet. I asked if he wanted me to go and he said it was OK if I didn't go. It was totally up to me.
I had all these groceries in the car that needed to get home. Plus I didn't have anything to contribute. I was also going to cook Tom a great dinner he had requested in hopes of softening up his unhappiness at my plans for camping on his birthday and camping with the scouts this weekend.
Trevor said he had forgotten all about the pot luck until someone mentioned it at the meet. It was to happen right after the meet ended. He said he only told me about it so I wouldn't feel left out or excluded, but not to feel that I had to attend. There would probably be plenty of food.
I opted to go cook Tom his dinner and get the groceries put away. Trevor called me for a pick up later. I asked for details, if there had been speeches. No speeches, plenty of food. The coaches had made the big boys go last and there was still plenty of food. I had thought if I went I would bring KFC. Trevor said there were four buckets of KFC. He was disappointed not to get any Yakisoba, as that dish was all gone by the time he got his turn.
He said he had a big plate full of ravioli and put two slices of Pizza on top of that for his first plate. His second plate he had two more slices of pizza and a bunch of cookies and other desserts. There was still food left. I should not feel guilty. He handed me his certificate for Junior Varsity Track. He said they were handed out during dinner with no fan faire what so ever. Unlike Football where each player is acknowledged, track is more of an independent, individual sport. Like golf, you compete against your last score to improve performance, as well as against the competition. I wouldn't have known anyone there anyway. I am glad Trevor enjoyed Track.
Now that the resistance trainer is up and fixed in the boys' game room, Trevor can work on strengthening his upper and lower body for both football and track. Yes, I finally figured out how to get the weights attached. Trevor had to lift all two hundred pounds, tilting the whole contraption so I could slip the rods into place and attach everything together properly. Now I am hopeful the boys will use the resistance trainer between bouts of Halo and other war games.
Boundaries
I am in trouble with Tom. Two things have gone wrong. First I volunteered to go camping one night with the scouts as the boys couldn't go without two adults and only one Dad had been able to go the first night. Finally after hearing the two night camp out was to be canceled due to no one being available Friday night, I said I would go. I sent Tom a text letting him know I would be gone Friday night and all day Saturday with the Scouts. He called right back.
I have over stepped my femal boundaries. Moms do not go camping with the big boys. I explained it was my going or the trip gets canceled. He would have preferred the trip to be canceled. He asked how I would feel if he went on a girl scout overnight. If we had girls and that was the only option, it is the reason the two adult parent requirement is there. I don't plan on throwing myself at some teen age boy with my son right there.
The boys tell me the last camp was run by a woman, and there are plenty of moms that go, because sometimes there are not enough involved dads or they have to work, like Tom. I will keep in the background. I will be circumspect. I will not throw myself at some male camper just because I am chaperoning for the first time.
I had a dear friend that I worked with in Cub scouts. She has five boys of varying ages. She and her husband always went on the over night camping trips. I would loan her my mini van for the weekend so she could get everyone there. She had a big van but sometimes that wasn't enough. I even gave her my car for the week long trips. Anything to avoid having to go camping myself with all those children without their own parents with them to disciplin them. She was an angel and a Saint. Soft spoken and calm, She had a way about her that was so soothing. I loved shipping my children off to camp with her. She was always going or her husband was, since they had five boys in scouts. Two of her boys were my boy's ages so I could count on her and her husband being chaperons.
Another Dear friend also had a boy in Trevor's troop. She and her husband were regular campers in their normal lives. She was incredibly organized and had all the required camping gear. She would cook the meals ahead of time so all that was needed was to warm it up over the camp fire. I send hot dogs and made the kids cook their own food. I loved bringing this friend to the beach with me on my vacations, as I knew I could put my feet up and relax, she would take command and organize the food and activities. I think she liked going with me because I could show her how to sit still and relax for a while, let the children entertain themselves. Keep the meals simple.
In boy scouts the boys are supposed to organize everything themselves, be responsible for the food and gear. The parents are peripheral, just in case there is a need for an adult. At least that is my understanding.
Tom would rather I not go. I would rather I not go. Trevor has been so wonderful recently with all his good grades and trying so hard and being a participant in track, even though he didn't get to compete much. I wanted to award that good behavior. Trevor doesn't mind my going. I get the impression he is pleased with the opportunity to show me what big boy scout camp is all about. He likes the idea of my going despite Tom's displeasure.
That was my first oops, volunteering for an overnight camping trip with the teen boys, as a chaperon. I tried to find another girlfriend to go with me to be my chaperon, to appease Tom, but no one was available. I am bringing my big tent in case it rains so I have a room to hang in all day, dry, while I wait for the Dad that can spell me for the second night to arrive. I was sad to hear the delay was a night baseball game Saturday, so he probably wont be arriving until late Saturday, which will only exacerbate Tom's displeasure. I know Trevor appreciates my sacrifice. I let Trevor know his father's concerns. Trevor said not to worry there would be plenty of Chaperoning Moms. This day and age the kids are grateful for the time any parent will give them. I wish Tom saw it that way.
My second big oops of the week was the arrangements we have made for when my sister in New York comes out this summer. Her husband and extra child will be coming out the first week in August. Tom's birthday is in the first week in August. Traditionally we host a giant party. I still thought we would do that, but on the second weekend in August, not the first weekend. The first weekend the whole extended family with all the cousins are planning to go camping at Lost Lake. Tom informs me he hates Lost Lake. Why of all places did we choose Lost Lake? Why not the Beach?
We wanted to take the cousins sudo camping. J likes to give her big city boys the taste of the west coast and the childhood we had growing up. We get the cabins in the woods, so it is not full on camping. There is some protection from the elements, some comfort with real beds. You bring your own bedding and sleeping bags. But if the weather is bad it is not a complete disaster. You don't have to worry about bears or things at night while you sleep.
Staying in a house at the beach wouldn't work as there are too many of us. The accommodations wouldn't be as easy to come by for the experience we were after. We have one nephew that needs a lot of supervision and care. A hotel didn't provide quite the same experience. The cabin my sister rented will hold all the cousins. The adults could stay elsewhere. The cousins will be able to stay up all night talking if they want. My sister will be downstairs chaperoning with her big city husband.
I booked Tom and myself into the newly remodeled lodge rooms with their own bathrooms with showers. I knew Tom would prefer that to the port o potty shared with the other cabins the cousins will have to use. I know I prefer the private bathroom. It was an easy decision. I thought Tom would appreciate it, but he is not happy at all with the destination.
Finances played a big role in our decision making process. Ashland was also on our list of destinations along with Newport. But those trips are much more expensive and involve long long car rides. We didn't want to spend that much time in the car driving to a destination and the expense of hotels. Not that these cabins in the woods are cheap mind you. The lodge rooms cost as much a a hotel room. The cabin J has sleeps 10 for the same price, so that is a deal for the kids.
One of my nephews is a challenge. He wakes at 5 am with the sun. He doesn't sleep well in different environments, and he has some serious issues that need constant supervision. He has food allergies that make it imperative that he be watched constantly so he doesn't get into things he shouldn't. We wanted to make sure all the cousins had a good time without having to worry about one. This multiple cabins arrangement worked for everyone. This one nephew will be able to play during the day with everyone but stay with his own parent at night.
Everyone except Tom is excited. His birthday is a big deal for him. Camping with no TV doesn't apeal to him. I am hopeful that we can do a big party in a restaurant the day of his birthday. It is the day we check out and are headed home. There are plenty of really great places to eat in the nearest town. We wont neglect Tom's Birthday. I think he will be happy in the lodge room. It is just the initial idea of our destination that disappointed him. He is not an outdoors man.
Last time we went to Lost Lake with Tom he couldn't sleep for all the forest noises. It was like that scene in my cousin Vinni, when the New York Lawyer gets tossed in jail on purpose, so he can sleep to the familiar sounds of people yelling. Tom slept with his I pod plugged into his ears that weekend in the woods. He kept his I pod on most of the weekend to calm his nerves. The sound of nature is not his thing.
The lake doesn't allow motorized boats, only canoes and row boats. Tom was disappointed when the row boat we rented had a broken oar hole and made it difficult to paddle. This time we will check out the equipment better or find a boat to borrow and bring. My car does have a full sized hitch. I will look into that option.
We can still have our big party the next weekend. Tom just has to let the idea settle in a little. He does like these in-laws. He likes to party with the family. What he doesn't like is not having a TV for forty eight hours and potentially missing his birthday. I'll keep him busy.
I have over stepped my femal boundaries. Moms do not go camping with the big boys. I explained it was my going or the trip gets canceled. He would have preferred the trip to be canceled. He asked how I would feel if he went on a girl scout overnight. If we had girls and that was the only option, it is the reason the two adult parent requirement is there. I don't plan on throwing myself at some teen age boy with my son right there.
The boys tell me the last camp was run by a woman, and there are plenty of moms that go, because sometimes there are not enough involved dads or they have to work, like Tom. I will keep in the background. I will be circumspect. I will not throw myself at some male camper just because I am chaperoning for the first time.
I had a dear friend that I worked with in Cub scouts. She has five boys of varying ages. She and her husband always went on the over night camping trips. I would loan her my mini van for the weekend so she could get everyone there. She had a big van but sometimes that wasn't enough. I even gave her my car for the week long trips. Anything to avoid having to go camping myself with all those children without their own parents with them to disciplin them. She was an angel and a Saint. Soft spoken and calm, She had a way about her that was so soothing. I loved shipping my children off to camp with her. She was always going or her husband was, since they had five boys in scouts. Two of her boys were my boy's ages so I could count on her and her husband being chaperons.
Another Dear friend also had a boy in Trevor's troop. She and her husband were regular campers in their normal lives. She was incredibly organized and had all the required camping gear. She would cook the meals ahead of time so all that was needed was to warm it up over the camp fire. I send hot dogs and made the kids cook their own food. I loved bringing this friend to the beach with me on my vacations, as I knew I could put my feet up and relax, she would take command and organize the food and activities. I think she liked going with me because I could show her how to sit still and relax for a while, let the children entertain themselves. Keep the meals simple.
In boy scouts the boys are supposed to organize everything themselves, be responsible for the food and gear. The parents are peripheral, just in case there is a need for an adult. At least that is my understanding.
Tom would rather I not go. I would rather I not go. Trevor has been so wonderful recently with all his good grades and trying so hard and being a participant in track, even though he didn't get to compete much. I wanted to award that good behavior. Trevor doesn't mind my going. I get the impression he is pleased with the opportunity to show me what big boy scout camp is all about. He likes the idea of my going despite Tom's displeasure.
That was my first oops, volunteering for an overnight camping trip with the teen boys, as a chaperon. I tried to find another girlfriend to go with me to be my chaperon, to appease Tom, but no one was available. I am bringing my big tent in case it rains so I have a room to hang in all day, dry, while I wait for the Dad that can spell me for the second night to arrive. I was sad to hear the delay was a night baseball game Saturday, so he probably wont be arriving until late Saturday, which will only exacerbate Tom's displeasure. I know Trevor appreciates my sacrifice. I let Trevor know his father's concerns. Trevor said not to worry there would be plenty of Chaperoning Moms. This day and age the kids are grateful for the time any parent will give them. I wish Tom saw it that way.
My second big oops of the week was the arrangements we have made for when my sister in New York comes out this summer. Her husband and extra child will be coming out the first week in August. Tom's birthday is in the first week in August. Traditionally we host a giant party. I still thought we would do that, but on the second weekend in August, not the first weekend. The first weekend the whole extended family with all the cousins are planning to go camping at Lost Lake. Tom informs me he hates Lost Lake. Why of all places did we choose Lost Lake? Why not the Beach?
We wanted to take the cousins sudo camping. J likes to give her big city boys the taste of the west coast and the childhood we had growing up. We get the cabins in the woods, so it is not full on camping. There is some protection from the elements, some comfort with real beds. You bring your own bedding and sleeping bags. But if the weather is bad it is not a complete disaster. You don't have to worry about bears or things at night while you sleep.
Staying in a house at the beach wouldn't work as there are too many of us. The accommodations wouldn't be as easy to come by for the experience we were after. We have one nephew that needs a lot of supervision and care. A hotel didn't provide quite the same experience. The cabin my sister rented will hold all the cousins. The adults could stay elsewhere. The cousins will be able to stay up all night talking if they want. My sister will be downstairs chaperoning with her big city husband.
I booked Tom and myself into the newly remodeled lodge rooms with their own bathrooms with showers. I knew Tom would prefer that to the port o potty shared with the other cabins the cousins will have to use. I know I prefer the private bathroom. It was an easy decision. I thought Tom would appreciate it, but he is not happy at all with the destination.
Finances played a big role in our decision making process. Ashland was also on our list of destinations along with Newport. But those trips are much more expensive and involve long long car rides. We didn't want to spend that much time in the car driving to a destination and the expense of hotels. Not that these cabins in the woods are cheap mind you. The lodge rooms cost as much a a hotel room. The cabin J has sleeps 10 for the same price, so that is a deal for the kids.
One of my nephews is a challenge. He wakes at 5 am with the sun. He doesn't sleep well in different environments, and he has some serious issues that need constant supervision. He has food allergies that make it imperative that he be watched constantly so he doesn't get into things he shouldn't. We wanted to make sure all the cousins had a good time without having to worry about one. This multiple cabins arrangement worked for everyone. This one nephew will be able to play during the day with everyone but stay with his own parent at night.
Everyone except Tom is excited. His birthday is a big deal for him. Camping with no TV doesn't apeal to him. I am hopeful that we can do a big party in a restaurant the day of his birthday. It is the day we check out and are headed home. There are plenty of really great places to eat in the nearest town. We wont neglect Tom's Birthday. I think he will be happy in the lodge room. It is just the initial idea of our destination that disappointed him. He is not an outdoors man.
Last time we went to Lost Lake with Tom he couldn't sleep for all the forest noises. It was like that scene in my cousin Vinni, when the New York Lawyer gets tossed in jail on purpose, so he can sleep to the familiar sounds of people yelling. Tom slept with his I pod plugged into his ears that weekend in the woods. He kept his I pod on most of the weekend to calm his nerves. The sound of nature is not his thing.
The lake doesn't allow motorized boats, only canoes and row boats. Tom was disappointed when the row boat we rented had a broken oar hole and made it difficult to paddle. This time we will check out the equipment better or find a boat to borrow and bring. My car does have a full sized hitch. I will look into that option.
We can still have our big party the next weekend. Tom just has to let the idea settle in a little. He does like these in-laws. He likes to party with the family. What he doesn't like is not having a TV for forty eight hours and potentially missing his birthday. I'll keep him busy.
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