Finished the third coat of stain on the last of the stair treads. They will have five coats total including the final polyurethane to give them a glossy finish and protective finish. I spent yesterday hand cutting and gluing the most difficult stair. The stair at the top is triangular and bigger than standard. I had to build out the back of a tread, gluing a triangular piece from scrap, then cut at an angle the right fit for the stair and tread.
It is now so cold outside that when I went to check on yesterday's staining, I found the boards still sticky and damp. I set up my card tables in the laundry area and brought the treads inside for the third coat. Hopefully my laundry room is warm enough to let them dry. I will put number four coat on this evening. I have to decide if I want to go darker with one more coat of the red mahogany or another coat of the lighter cherry. Either way the stairs will look stunning. I am really happy with the work.
Riley says he still feels a little lingering headache. Not much we can do. It is a wait and see kind of deal. His last numbers were not low enough to indicate that he should be getting headaches. I think the headaches are just stress related. We don't want blood transfusions and they wouldn't give them unless the numbers were really bad, which they are not thank goodness. He goes to school and is working hard at making up missing work. Quarter end is today. I don't think he got caught up enough, but that is the way it goes. Missing all that school hurt his grades.
I am all a twitter over the job interview next week. I look forward to working again and being able to replenish my clothes collection. I am going to wear my interview suit to the club today and see what the women think. I went to the mall to buy something new but couldn't find anything I liked better than what I have and that wouldn't break the bank financially before I am even hired. I have a few new pieces of jewelry I bought at a friend's party to dress up my attire.
I am warned my hours will be horrible for the next two months, because I am working the holiday rush. I look forward to the stimulus.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Halloween
Trevor wore his business suit with a white tie. He and his best friend took his best friend's little five year old sister out with another brother trick or treating. I felt the boy was much too big to be trick or treating but since he was really escorting a small child I didn't stop him. It was more a babysitting gig with a friend.
Riley opted to stay home. I did not buy candy. I had one dollar bills to give out. I didn't anticipate many trick or treaters. The neighborhood houses weren't that decorated and many driveways are long and uninviting. The best neighborhoods are densely housed so the children can walk fewer steps for more candy.
I ended up with maybe 15 costumed people. Many looked to be middle school students. Not too many small children. I figured they must be neighborhood kids whose parents didn't want to put up a fuss. Riley recognized one group from the school bus.
I was pleased to hear one child shout to his mother "MOM! SHE GAVE ME A DOLLAR!" It made me feel better about giving out money as Tom had given me a hard time about it and said we would get egged for not having candy. Tom hid and watched football.
I stuck a pumpkin mask on the door and a couple of cute stuffed fuzzy snakes the boys had into the hanging planters by the door. We didn't even have pumpkins this year as I usually plant my own in the yard. With Trevor so busy and Riley not into the gooey carving, neither one pushed me to get pumpkins.
One of my girlfriends stopped by to hang out while she waited for her daughters to finish what they were doing. She wanted to play a game with the kids. Put change, more than a dollar in one hand, and offer them a choice, the dollar bill or the change. No children came by while she was here so she never got the chance. I kept the lights on until 9:00pm. It was an easy night. I will do the money again. I spent less doing the dollars than I would have buying candy and having to eat the left overs.
Of course, another friend posted they had 300 children come by their house, which is more centrally located. I wouldn't be able to give out that kind of money. I can barely imagine how much candy they must have had to buy in preparation. I just loved not having a tone of candy left over.
Trevor came home with a small bag of candy. It will be gone in a couple of days and there wasn't much that I liked in the bucket. He charged me for each piece. It helped keep me from gorging on sugar.
It was a school night and a Monday night so bed time was called with an order for everyone to brush their teeth well. The lights were turned off, the trick or treaters were already long gone.
Riley opted to stay home. I did not buy candy. I had one dollar bills to give out. I didn't anticipate many trick or treaters. The neighborhood houses weren't that decorated and many driveways are long and uninviting. The best neighborhoods are densely housed so the children can walk fewer steps for more candy.
I ended up with maybe 15 costumed people. Many looked to be middle school students. Not too many small children. I figured they must be neighborhood kids whose parents didn't want to put up a fuss. Riley recognized one group from the school bus.
I was pleased to hear one child shout to his mother "MOM! SHE GAVE ME A DOLLAR!" It made me feel better about giving out money as Tom had given me a hard time about it and said we would get egged for not having candy. Tom hid and watched football.
I stuck a pumpkin mask on the door and a couple of cute stuffed fuzzy snakes the boys had into the hanging planters by the door. We didn't even have pumpkins this year as I usually plant my own in the yard. With Trevor so busy and Riley not into the gooey carving, neither one pushed me to get pumpkins.
One of my girlfriends stopped by to hang out while she waited for her daughters to finish what they were doing. She wanted to play a game with the kids. Put change, more than a dollar in one hand, and offer them a choice, the dollar bill or the change. No children came by while she was here so she never got the chance. I kept the lights on until 9:00pm. It was an easy night. I will do the money again. I spent less doing the dollars than I would have buying candy and having to eat the left overs.
Of course, another friend posted they had 300 children come by their house, which is more centrally located. I wouldn't be able to give out that kind of money. I can barely imagine how much candy they must have had to buy in preparation. I just loved not having a tone of candy left over.
Trevor came home with a small bag of candy. It will be gone in a couple of days and there wasn't much that I liked in the bucket. He charged me for each piece. It helped keep me from gorging on sugar.
It was a school night and a Monday night so bed time was called with an order for everyone to brush their teeth well. The lights were turned off, the trick or treaters were already long gone.
Riley had a Headache
Riley said he had a low grade headache all day yesterday. It stayed with him. He tried to call me after school for a lift home but I was playing bridge at the club and didn't pick up. He called his father but Tom was over an hour away. Riley walked home. Trevor called me an hour later and I did pick up. I told him I was playing bridge and to walk home like his brother. I hadn't heard yet that Riley was having a headache.
Tom gave Riley some Ibuprofen when he got home from work. Riley slept all evening. When I got home an hour later, I went in to check on him in his room, only to find the bed empty. I looked in my bed and there he was sprawled out in the middle. He mentioned the other day he wanted a bigger bed. Maybe that is what I will give him for his birthday, a double bed. I could set up the twin beds as guest beds in the basement. If only the basement were finished. This house has project after project. I just keep telling myself that the neighborhood has big houses pricing at over half a million dollars. We wont lose money. Besides we use every inch of space this house provides. There isn't a room that doesn't get full use.
Riley woke this morning saying he could still feel very faintly the headache. I told him his option was to go to school or go to the doctor for a blood draw. He chose going to school. I sent him to school with two Ibuprofen in his pocket, if he needs them. They look like tic tacs. I will stay close to my phone today.
I have been having a hard time getting up out of bed myself. Yesterday, I took vitamins in the morning and another in the evening. Today, I was able to get up out of bed at a reasonable time. I think I just need to stay on top of my vitamins these days. A friend told me she had been having a similar problem and went to the doctor to be told she was anemic. I feel so much better on vitamins. I am going to buy Riley some fresh vitamins also. He still does the chewable. They get hard and dried out over time. He wont take them if they are hard. Makes me a little cranky since they get hard when the lid is left off the bottle. Trevor will eat them. He eats everything.
I should say Trevor eats everything but my cooking when I try something new. I bought some different pasta , penne pasta. I over cooked the noodles and everyone hated the dinner. Tom has given me strict orders to cook something he likes for dinner tonight, no leftovers. I feed the left overs to the dog. He doesn't thumb his nose at my cooking.
Trevor is loving the free lunches at school with working in the kitchen. He says the staff loves him. He is quite the character. He brightens up a room when he is involved. He has invented a new sandwich for himself, two baked chicken patties with a beef patti in the middle with a slice of cheese, no bread, just high protein meats. I told him it probably wouldn't fly for the rest of the school as meat is the expensive part of the lunch meal. I am so grateful I don't have to pay for that lunch meal.
Trevor is even getting As in English. His teacher says she loves having him in her class. He participates these days. The teacher emphasises writing skills, which, other than spelling, Trevor excels at story telling. The computer class is turning him into a faster type. He is allowed to type his homework from English in his typing class as long as he uses the proper techniques. As a result he is up on his homework in both classes. His typing speed is growing by leaps and bounds. I am not helping at all in any of his class work. He is doing his own typing and spell check.
Trevor let me read his latest paper. It was wonderful, about a skier crashing in the woods. He used something in his own life to build the story. I just did a proof read for him, taking out a few "ands" and "buts" to tighten it up. I can't wait to see how the class and the teacher like it. Another student is also going to do a proof read. Having others read the paper for proofing was part of the assignment. I would love for his old English teachers to see how well he is doing. Let them know that he has built on what they taught him and is finally flourishing. He is working hard to achieve these goals. I was impressed that he would miss practices to go work on classwork to maintain his grade and eligibility to play football. I hope he continues to motivate after football ends. I wish they continued after school conditioning all year.
Trevor has been invited to join his best friend at his Boy scout meeting. Trevor is so far behind though, if he decides to rejoin Boy Scouts. His friend already has his star and will probably make Eagle on time at 16. Trevor would be starting over. He hasn't done scouts for five years. He would love it though, regardless.
Trevor needs some sort of winter activity. I wonder if I can find ski boots that would fit Trevor. One of the reasons he switched to snow boarding was the boots didn't pinch his feet as much. He is so big now, he wont bounce as well when he falls. I worry about serious injuries, but skiing would be a great winter conditioning sport for Trevor. I will check it out, see if there is a bus.
Meanwhile, we check Riley, looking for signs, one way or another, that he is healing. I am tempted to try the glutine free diet on him but I know he would fight me. The food is so different from what we are used to eating. If he doesn't do it voluntarily there is no point. He would have access all the time to regular food. He had great numbers when he was staying with friends on that diet this summer.
I just feel like I take a moment to enjoy myself, and the other shoe falls. My job interview is next week. If I get the job, it is at a retail store, I will get paid to be out of the house. I am liking that thought. The hours will probably be awful, as it is holiday temping. It is a foot in the door, and a good start. I am off to buy a dinner my family will like, steak and potatoes.
Tom gave Riley some Ibuprofen when he got home from work. Riley slept all evening. When I got home an hour later, I went in to check on him in his room, only to find the bed empty. I looked in my bed and there he was sprawled out in the middle. He mentioned the other day he wanted a bigger bed. Maybe that is what I will give him for his birthday, a double bed. I could set up the twin beds as guest beds in the basement. If only the basement were finished. This house has project after project. I just keep telling myself that the neighborhood has big houses pricing at over half a million dollars. We wont lose money. Besides we use every inch of space this house provides. There isn't a room that doesn't get full use.
Riley woke this morning saying he could still feel very faintly the headache. I told him his option was to go to school or go to the doctor for a blood draw. He chose going to school. I sent him to school with two Ibuprofen in his pocket, if he needs them. They look like tic tacs. I will stay close to my phone today.
I have been having a hard time getting up out of bed myself. Yesterday, I took vitamins in the morning and another in the evening. Today, I was able to get up out of bed at a reasonable time. I think I just need to stay on top of my vitamins these days. A friend told me she had been having a similar problem and went to the doctor to be told she was anemic. I feel so much better on vitamins. I am going to buy Riley some fresh vitamins also. He still does the chewable. They get hard and dried out over time. He wont take them if they are hard. Makes me a little cranky since they get hard when the lid is left off the bottle. Trevor will eat them. He eats everything.
I should say Trevor eats everything but my cooking when I try something new. I bought some different pasta , penne pasta. I over cooked the noodles and everyone hated the dinner. Tom has given me strict orders to cook something he likes for dinner tonight, no leftovers. I feed the left overs to the dog. He doesn't thumb his nose at my cooking.
Trevor is loving the free lunches at school with working in the kitchen. He says the staff loves him. He is quite the character. He brightens up a room when he is involved. He has invented a new sandwich for himself, two baked chicken patties with a beef patti in the middle with a slice of cheese, no bread, just high protein meats. I told him it probably wouldn't fly for the rest of the school as meat is the expensive part of the lunch meal. I am so grateful I don't have to pay for that lunch meal.
Trevor is even getting As in English. His teacher says she loves having him in her class. He participates these days. The teacher emphasises writing skills, which, other than spelling, Trevor excels at story telling. The computer class is turning him into a faster type. He is allowed to type his homework from English in his typing class as long as he uses the proper techniques. As a result he is up on his homework in both classes. His typing speed is growing by leaps and bounds. I am not helping at all in any of his class work. He is doing his own typing and spell check.
Trevor let me read his latest paper. It was wonderful, about a skier crashing in the woods. He used something in his own life to build the story. I just did a proof read for him, taking out a few "ands" and "buts" to tighten it up. I can't wait to see how the class and the teacher like it. Another student is also going to do a proof read. Having others read the paper for proofing was part of the assignment. I would love for his old English teachers to see how well he is doing. Let them know that he has built on what they taught him and is finally flourishing. He is working hard to achieve these goals. I was impressed that he would miss practices to go work on classwork to maintain his grade and eligibility to play football. I hope he continues to motivate after football ends. I wish they continued after school conditioning all year.
Trevor has been invited to join his best friend at his Boy scout meeting. Trevor is so far behind though, if he decides to rejoin Boy Scouts. His friend already has his star and will probably make Eagle on time at 16. Trevor would be starting over. He hasn't done scouts for five years. He would love it though, regardless.
Trevor needs some sort of winter activity. I wonder if I can find ski boots that would fit Trevor. One of the reasons he switched to snow boarding was the boots didn't pinch his feet as much. He is so big now, he wont bounce as well when he falls. I worry about serious injuries, but skiing would be a great winter conditioning sport for Trevor. I will check it out, see if there is a bus.
Meanwhile, we check Riley, looking for signs, one way or another, that he is healing. I am tempted to try the glutine free diet on him but I know he would fight me. The food is so different from what we are used to eating. If he doesn't do it voluntarily there is no point. He would have access all the time to regular food. He had great numbers when he was staying with friends on that diet this summer.
I just feel like I take a moment to enjoy myself, and the other shoe falls. My job interview is next week. If I get the job, it is at a retail store, I will get paid to be out of the house. I am liking that thought. The hours will probably be awful, as it is holiday temping. It is a foot in the door, and a good start. I am off to buy a dinner my family will like, steak and potatoes.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Went to a party
Saturday night was the big costume party. Tom loves it and spends hours, literally hours getting ready. He had gone to the local costume store to get face paint and wig and other accessories. he told me he ran into several people picking up fancy costumes for the evening. I had gone to the thrift store and found a cute little outfit for $6, a blingie slinky rock star outfit in silver. I don't do gory or gross. At the party I was accused of not having a costume, the sparkle dress was almost ordinary for a costume party.
I hid from Tom for most of the day while he stresses over his rig, which consists of a hunch back and pillow under a black hood and cape, under a Santa robe. He puts a pig nose on with a Santa Beard and wig, calling himself the conflicted Santa. He paints his face all freakish and nasty. Thank goodness the costume is so hot and sweaty, I know he will be ditching it at some point during the evening. Under Santa is the pig from Animal Farm. I ignore him, sitting at the bar by myself, until the costumes are ditched, leaving most of the clothes in the coat room. He goes around snorting at everyone and creeping everyone out. He loves being unrecognizable.
Others come in elaborate costumes. Our host and hostess are dressed from the black swan. She looks gorgeous as a ballerina. Her husband has a mask and cape. There is a phantom of the opera and the whole cast of Gilligan's Island, Alice and the Mad Hatter, Maid Marian and Robin Hood, a few clowns, Las Vegas show girls wander the room. Mickey and Minny Mouse make an appearance, Steve Jobs attended from the dead unblemished. A few wall flies hang at the bar with no costumes. They came up just to see the fun. The DJ and his assistant are dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Adams. The music is fun from Thriller to Hotel California.
It is standing room only and the dance floor is packed. Once Tom ditches the freakish attire I can dance with him. We spin and spin until the end of the night. We are one of the last to leave having been one of the first to arrive. We came in after the dinner crowd. Arriving at seven. Tom left the Beaver game before it was over, but the writing was on the wall for that game. He didn't need to torture himself watching it.
One nice thing about dancing the night away is, no hang over. I wasn't sitting drinking too much at the bar. Every time Tom and I got up to dance my drink was cleared away. I was drinking the Patron again. It is a slow sipping drink. I don't think I quite finished any one glass before we would dance again. By the end of the night I was drinking Shirley Temples and coffee. Too much coffee, as I couldn't sleep well once we got home. I should have been exhausted. It was after 1:00 am, when we pulled into the driveway.
My girlfriend came over to help me with the house on Sunday. Tom was home which made it difficult as he was underfoot where we wanted to work, his man cave. I have finally caved in on the furniture and blew my dream budget away buying new furniture, not used. I picked up a black leather couch set; love seat, chair, and couch, with coordinated 10 x 12 foot rug to keep the new furniture from scratching the floors, plus a couple of coordinated rugs for the exterior doors to the room. I pulled two matching credenzas out of the garage, with the help of my girlfriend, which had been left from the previous owners. Tom joked that those old pieces were the most expensive because we had to buy the house to get them.
The boys had just brought up the futon from the basement on Saturday. I had the boys switch the futon frame with the antique bed frame in the basement. The antique spool bed is probably over two hundred years old. I hadn't had it set up because I wanted it safe, but I need the futon upstairs. Having seen the futon in place in the game room, I realized I need to just get the right furniture for the space, a real couch and chair. Of course Tom wanted a recliner built in to the couch, but not only was that really much more expensive, but they are ugly and heavy, and we are just two women in a mini van.
I remember removing the nasty hide a bed with mice nest, from that room when we first moved in. Those kind of furniture are monstrous heavy. More than I wanted to deal with. One person can sleep on this sofa just fine. We did it when visiting my sister in NY. She had us sleep on her leather couches. It was just right.
The boys had to move the futon again, from the game room to the sitting room facing the kitchen. I called and had them do it before we arrived with the couches. We made two trips to get the couch set home, tying the biggest one to the roof of the minivan, with bungi cords. Tom got the boys to work moving the futon again. I got to miss the running commentary I knew would go with the moving of the futon, having had the boys just bring it up from the basement earlier. None of this furniture is light or easy to maneuver.
We bought sticky backed felt for the bottom of all the furniture to help prevent scratching the floors. For 99 cents, a pack of eight pads can save years of scratched floors, a cheap investment.
I may say that I blew my budget, but I was truly trying to low ball some furniture. Now I have exactly what I wanted, all of it, including rugs, for $1200, which is still much less than what I thought I might have to pay. Tom would still like a poker table. I could bring up the round one from downstairs, temporarily, at least to see how a table would look in the space. With the three piece couch set and the pool table, things are looking good in the man cave. I have to say I think I have an eye and good taste. I bought stuff in a classic style that 15 years from now will still be appropriate. I wont get tired of them, like that perfect little black dress.
The color of course is black for the orange and black theme Tom will eventually create with his accessories. I still have to pick up a futon mattress. One store had them, but I am hoping to get one with a cover I like in a price I like, still looking for the deal.
The weekend was crammed packed again and there is still more to do. I did have a note in my e-mail this morning. I have an interview for a job for the holidays in a week. I am going to see about getting an interview outfit and check out the location. I am all a twitter.
I hid from Tom for most of the day while he stresses over his rig, which consists of a hunch back and pillow under a black hood and cape, under a Santa robe. He puts a pig nose on with a Santa Beard and wig, calling himself the conflicted Santa. He paints his face all freakish and nasty. Thank goodness the costume is so hot and sweaty, I know he will be ditching it at some point during the evening. Under Santa is the pig from Animal Farm. I ignore him, sitting at the bar by myself, until the costumes are ditched, leaving most of the clothes in the coat room. He goes around snorting at everyone and creeping everyone out. He loves being unrecognizable.
Others come in elaborate costumes. Our host and hostess are dressed from the black swan. She looks gorgeous as a ballerina. Her husband has a mask and cape. There is a phantom of the opera and the whole cast of Gilligan's Island, Alice and the Mad Hatter, Maid Marian and Robin Hood, a few clowns, Las Vegas show girls wander the room. Mickey and Minny Mouse make an appearance, Steve Jobs attended from the dead unblemished. A few wall flies hang at the bar with no costumes. They came up just to see the fun. The DJ and his assistant are dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Adams. The music is fun from Thriller to Hotel California.
It is standing room only and the dance floor is packed. Once Tom ditches the freakish attire I can dance with him. We spin and spin until the end of the night. We are one of the last to leave having been one of the first to arrive. We came in after the dinner crowd. Arriving at seven. Tom left the Beaver game before it was over, but the writing was on the wall for that game. He didn't need to torture himself watching it.
One nice thing about dancing the night away is, no hang over. I wasn't sitting drinking too much at the bar. Every time Tom and I got up to dance my drink was cleared away. I was drinking the Patron again. It is a slow sipping drink. I don't think I quite finished any one glass before we would dance again. By the end of the night I was drinking Shirley Temples and coffee. Too much coffee, as I couldn't sleep well once we got home. I should have been exhausted. It was after 1:00 am, when we pulled into the driveway.
My girlfriend came over to help me with the house on Sunday. Tom was home which made it difficult as he was underfoot where we wanted to work, his man cave. I have finally caved in on the furniture and blew my dream budget away buying new furniture, not used. I picked up a black leather couch set; love seat, chair, and couch, with coordinated 10 x 12 foot rug to keep the new furniture from scratching the floors, plus a couple of coordinated rugs for the exterior doors to the room. I pulled two matching credenzas out of the garage, with the help of my girlfriend, which had been left from the previous owners. Tom joked that those old pieces were the most expensive because we had to buy the house to get them.
The boys had just brought up the futon from the basement on Saturday. I had the boys switch the futon frame with the antique bed frame in the basement. The antique spool bed is probably over two hundred years old. I hadn't had it set up because I wanted it safe, but I need the futon upstairs. Having seen the futon in place in the game room, I realized I need to just get the right furniture for the space, a real couch and chair. Of course Tom wanted a recliner built in to the couch, but not only was that really much more expensive, but they are ugly and heavy, and we are just two women in a mini van.
I remember removing the nasty hide a bed with mice nest, from that room when we first moved in. Those kind of furniture are monstrous heavy. More than I wanted to deal with. One person can sleep on this sofa just fine. We did it when visiting my sister in NY. She had us sleep on her leather couches. It was just right.
The boys had to move the futon again, from the game room to the sitting room facing the kitchen. I called and had them do it before we arrived with the couches. We made two trips to get the couch set home, tying the biggest one to the roof of the minivan, with bungi cords. Tom got the boys to work moving the futon again. I got to miss the running commentary I knew would go with the moving of the futon, having had the boys just bring it up from the basement earlier. None of this furniture is light or easy to maneuver.
We bought sticky backed felt for the bottom of all the furniture to help prevent scratching the floors. For 99 cents, a pack of eight pads can save years of scratched floors, a cheap investment.
I may say that I blew my budget, but I was truly trying to low ball some furniture. Now I have exactly what I wanted, all of it, including rugs, for $1200, which is still much less than what I thought I might have to pay. Tom would still like a poker table. I could bring up the round one from downstairs, temporarily, at least to see how a table would look in the space. With the three piece couch set and the pool table, things are looking good in the man cave. I have to say I think I have an eye and good taste. I bought stuff in a classic style that 15 years from now will still be appropriate. I wont get tired of them, like that perfect little black dress.
The color of course is black for the orange and black theme Tom will eventually create with his accessories. I still have to pick up a futon mattress. One store had them, but I am hoping to get one with a cover I like in a price I like, still looking for the deal.
The weekend was crammed packed again and there is still more to do. I did have a note in my e-mail this morning. I have an interview for a job for the holidays in a week. I am going to see about getting an interview outfit and check out the location. I am all a twitter.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Waiting up
Trevor is at the last Varsity game performing in the band. I wait up for the call to come pick him up. The weather was pouring rain and cold. I opted not to attend. This is a big crowded local game. Seats will be at a premium. I am sure there is someone other than me who would appreciate the oportunity to freeze in the wet cold more than I would.
Trev has his new phone with him. A couple of glitches needed to be dealt with. The fourth phone has been my mother in laws, but she never used it. the service for the fourth phone comes up in her name. Trevor called a friend on his new cell and was told Grandma's name appeared on their caller ID. I tried to fix it on line but was unable to receive e mail to get a log in code for our service. I called and found out the e mail was going to Tom instead of to mine. Got that problem fixed at the same time as getting Trevor's name on the account and Grandma's name off the account.
I also got instructions for setting up voice mail. I had started the voice mail, but it didn't thrill Trev to have his mother's voice announcing to his friends that they had reached Trevor's phone. He wanted to get that fixed also, with his own message, but he needed to do it himself on the phone itself. I took notes for him. When he gets back from the game he can fix it.
Coming home from school on the bus, today, the children passed a pick up truck wrapped around a tree. The neighbor children were worried, as the truck looked like their sister's car. They came over to use our phone as they are all cell phones at their house and these two didn't have one. They called their mom to find out it was their sister. Her breaks had gone out. In order not to go careening into the intersection she had turned into the pole. In hind sight it was a good choice, rather than involve others in a wreck.
The truck is parked on the street across from us with the drivers side all dented in. The only draw back is that the utility company has been out to replace the pole. She made a mess of it with wires down and the pole splintered. The workers have brought out a back hoe to dig a new pole into the ground. She will probably be billed for all the damages and repair costs. They have been there all evening six hours and counting, replacing the pole. The pole next to the one she hit had a transformer on it. She probably would have taken out the power to the whole neighborhood.
The whole accident makes me even more leery about letting my teenagers drive. I am hopeful the accident also made an impression on my boys. I wonder what it will do to the neighbor's auto insurance.
Having no gas to the house also points out our own limitations if we did lose power; No heat, no ability to cook, no fire place. This is the first house that we would not be able to self sustain for a while if we lost power. All the more reason to bring in gas or put in a fire place. We will get one eventually, Tom and I are too much survivalists not to be prepared for bad weather and being trapped up here on our hill. Even if I just pick up a camp stove and some propane tanks in the mean time as a back up plan.
Trev has his new phone with him. A couple of glitches needed to be dealt with. The fourth phone has been my mother in laws, but she never used it. the service for the fourth phone comes up in her name. Trevor called a friend on his new cell and was told Grandma's name appeared on their caller ID. I tried to fix it on line but was unable to receive e mail to get a log in code for our service. I called and found out the e mail was going to Tom instead of to mine. Got that problem fixed at the same time as getting Trevor's name on the account and Grandma's name off the account.
I also got instructions for setting up voice mail. I had started the voice mail, but it didn't thrill Trev to have his mother's voice announcing to his friends that they had reached Trevor's phone. He wanted to get that fixed also, with his own message, but he needed to do it himself on the phone itself. I took notes for him. When he gets back from the game he can fix it.
Coming home from school on the bus, today, the children passed a pick up truck wrapped around a tree. The neighbor children were worried, as the truck looked like their sister's car. They came over to use our phone as they are all cell phones at their house and these two didn't have one. They called their mom to find out it was their sister. Her breaks had gone out. In order not to go careening into the intersection she had turned into the pole. In hind sight it was a good choice, rather than involve others in a wreck.
The truck is parked on the street across from us with the drivers side all dented in. The only draw back is that the utility company has been out to replace the pole. She made a mess of it with wires down and the pole splintered. The workers have brought out a back hoe to dig a new pole into the ground. She will probably be billed for all the damages and repair costs. They have been there all evening six hours and counting, replacing the pole. The pole next to the one she hit had a transformer on it. She probably would have taken out the power to the whole neighborhood.
The whole accident makes me even more leery about letting my teenagers drive. I am hopeful the accident also made an impression on my boys. I wonder what it will do to the neighbor's auto insurance.
Having no gas to the house also points out our own limitations if we did lose power; No heat, no ability to cook, no fire place. This is the first house that we would not be able to self sustain for a while if we lost power. All the more reason to bring in gas or put in a fire place. We will get one eventually, Tom and I are too much survivalists not to be prepared for bad weather and being trapped up here on our hill. Even if I just pick up a camp stove and some propane tanks in the mean time as a back up plan.
Numbers
October, 2011, It has been cold and clear, and I mean really cold. It will be a great snow year if this continues and we get some moisture. I pulled Riley out of school at 12:45 pm to do the drive into see the specialist. Riley was hungry. I never argue, much, when Riley is hungry. To keep him in a good mood we stopped at DQ in town. We wait for his order, which they mistake. He orders a classic club and they make him a classic cheese burger. He has them re make it and they do it again. I am in the car waiting to go by this time. I run to the door of the small restaurant to tell Riley we are out of time, we must hit the road. I am worried about traffic. The cashier gives Riley a coupon for a free lunch to take with him and the burger, which didn't even have cheese on it this time. Riley said the lack of cheese was because I rushed them. What ever, next time we get lunch at the other end so I am not stressed about traffic.
Turns out to be a breeze. By the time we reach the hospital we are way ahead of schedule. No traffic issues at all. Riley stops at the lab for the blood work and then I make him come to the cafeteria so I can eat something. I order a great shrimp and veggie roll in rice paper wrap and peanut sauce dip, delicious. Once finished I toss my tray in the garbage along with my cell phone. We take the elevator upstairs to check in at which point I realize I am missing my cell and the last place I saw it was on my tray. I knew right away what I had done, race back to the elevators and head back to the cafeteria, leaving Riley to wait for the appointment.
Luckily we had been a mid afternoon lunch. The garbage had been emptied after lunch and was only half full. I ask one of the cleaning staff to dial my number, but we are deep in the bowls of the hospital and I had no service. I just had to dig. I grabbed a few plates and had to go down a foot into the garbage before I found my phone sitting on the sushi tray from my shrimp wrap. It was unharmed by liquids or the discourteous treatment it had received. I thanked the cleaning crew who offered to help.
I rode the elevator back up to the clinic waiting room, only to find Riley had been called in. I hurried through the doors to locate him. The doctor was already with him, in the room , waiting patiently. We were over an hour early and he knows our pattern of being early, so he fit us in. Its that blood draw. I like to get the blood draw done with enough time so when we see the doctor he has the numbers to discuss, with out waiting around for the numbers to come back from the lab.
The numbers were back. Not so good this time. They had fallen off in one month.
Whites down from 4.13 to 3.9
Red cell 3.84 down from 4.5
Hemoglobin 12.0 down from 13.9 (concerning, this is the one Tom watches)
Hematocrit 34.7 down from 40.3
platelets 137 down from 177 (SH*%)
neutrophils 2.1 from 2.33
six exclamations of change to the negative. We had been so stoked last month at our great numbers. The doctor says at first he wants to see Riley back in a month. Riley had told him everything was fine before I walked into the room. I proceed to tell the Doctor about the missed school with two colds back to back with only a week between. Missing ten days of school. The doctor is pleased, though, with the news of the colds, as that could be the reason for the fall off on the numbers. A round of antibiotics can suppress Riley's immune system. He says to just have the numbers drawn locally instead. Only make an appointment to come see him if the numbers warrant a visit. Otherwise, we see him again in three months, in January.
Riley and I leave the hospital just before 4:00pm. Rush hour is on, with a stall on a freeway bridge. We take the back route home again, making good time not hitting very many lights. It still adds a half hour to the trip. We are able to arrive back in town in time to catch the fourth quarter of Trevor's last game of the season.
Riley sits in the car in the parking lot, as it is cold outside and he has no interest in standing in the cold. Tom is at the game having been directed by Trevor to the wrong stadium and then calling me to be told what stadium Trevor was referring too. It is a glamorous name for the back practice field at the school where the freshmen play ball. This is the second time Tom has gone to the varsity field and been redirected. Maybe next year we will get to play in the big stadium, but not freshmen, not this year. We play on grass. The real stadium has to be saved for the Varsity games.
The game is going well for our team, 24 to 12 or something like that. The score board isn't working. Tom has been impressed with Trevor. He says Trevor is doing really well. He is surprised Trevor doesn't get more play time considering how well he does when he is out there. But missing half the season for grades will put you back on the roster. I have warned Trevor not to get benched for grades again. The coaches first noticed his good playing only three games ago. The starters are already in place and have been for most of the season.
I am not unhappy. He is getting more play time each game. This game, as luck would have it, every time Trevor was put in, someone would call time out, or just before Trevor was to go in we would make some play that put the offence in instead. Coach is working to improve Trevor's speed. That would make Trevor a power house. Sadly Trevor has my legs, bad knees and all. But with practice and strength training, he is getting faster.
A friend said she could see that Trevor has loosened up since August. She said he looked stiff and tight with his muscles. Now he has a lot more flexibility. What ever they are doing with him is working.
Fourth quarter is half over when a boy from Trevor's team makes a hit. He goes down and he doesn't get up. He calls for the coaches and then they call for his Dad on the sidelines. The two teams are on their knees on the field. The coaches tell the boys to go to the sidelines and wait. The injured player is not moved. The refs come over and then approach the opponents team to ask if they want to call the game. An ambulance has been called for the boy. The game may be delayed for a while. The game is called and the two teams subdued shake hands on the 50 yard line, walking by the fallen player surrounded by coaches and parent. The teams disperse and the ambulance arrives.
Trevor is in the locker room changing and showering with the team. The ambulance medical team take their time. Tom had thought it might be a broken clavicle, but it is more serious. They are looking at the boy's neck, trying to stabilize him for transport. Once they do load him into the ambulance, they drive across the field gingerly.
Tom takes Riley home and I wait for Trevor. Pep rally is after the game. It is season end for fall sports so they are holding it after a volley ball game in the gym. Trevor is getting credit for band by being there playing. I am impressed again by his performance. He plays the big drum, you can't miss it. I stop the football coach after the pep rally to inquire how the injured football player is doing. No real news yet.
Tom called the injury to the neck a stinger, compression of the neck causing tingling sensations in arms and fingers. I can only hope and pray it is not serious. Football is the highest injury sport your child can participate in.I just read that in an article at the hospital while waiting for Riley to be finished giving blood. But for the grace of God go any one of us. I can't lock my boys in their rooms, but I worry every time they are out of my sight.
Tom gave Trevor a cell phone. I spent the morning at the AT and T store getting it ready for Trevor. I handed the phone over after the game, when he came out of the locker room. It was a good distraction to the ambulance on the field, across the parking lot. I told Trevor "Bad grades and you lose that phone". "I know, Mom". "OK".
Trevor is ecstatic over the phone. I warned him I will not replace it if it gets lost or damaged. We had a phone for Tom's mom that we paid service on. She never used it so we changed the number and put in a new sim card in the phone and now Trevor is set. It is a good test to see if he can take care of the phone, because if he can't care for a small phone there is no way I am letting him near my cars, which is also on his extreme wish list. I told him "grades" for drivers license, also. After being benched for half the season, I think he gets it.
We'll check grades on line this weekend. See how everyone is doing. Riley has been taking make up tests. He has a lot to make up from missing school. Trevor seems to be on top of his grades. He had better grades than Riley at the half way mark. Riley is all honors classes, which makes it all the more challenging. But he says it is easy so far. Spanish is his only challenge. It is all new and in the details.
So that was just yesterday. Looking back it was quite a day. No wonder I had a hard time getting up this morning. Every day is emotionally exhausting.
Turns out to be a breeze. By the time we reach the hospital we are way ahead of schedule. No traffic issues at all. Riley stops at the lab for the blood work and then I make him come to the cafeteria so I can eat something. I order a great shrimp and veggie roll in rice paper wrap and peanut sauce dip, delicious. Once finished I toss my tray in the garbage along with my cell phone. We take the elevator upstairs to check in at which point I realize I am missing my cell and the last place I saw it was on my tray. I knew right away what I had done, race back to the elevators and head back to the cafeteria, leaving Riley to wait for the appointment.
Luckily we had been a mid afternoon lunch. The garbage had been emptied after lunch and was only half full. I ask one of the cleaning staff to dial my number, but we are deep in the bowls of the hospital and I had no service. I just had to dig. I grabbed a few plates and had to go down a foot into the garbage before I found my phone sitting on the sushi tray from my shrimp wrap. It was unharmed by liquids or the discourteous treatment it had received. I thanked the cleaning crew who offered to help.
I rode the elevator back up to the clinic waiting room, only to find Riley had been called in. I hurried through the doors to locate him. The doctor was already with him, in the room , waiting patiently. We were over an hour early and he knows our pattern of being early, so he fit us in. Its that blood draw. I like to get the blood draw done with enough time so when we see the doctor he has the numbers to discuss, with out waiting around for the numbers to come back from the lab.
The numbers were back. Not so good this time. They had fallen off in one month.
Whites down from 4.13 to 3.9
Red cell 3.84 down from 4.5
Hemoglobin 12.0 down from 13.9 (concerning, this is the one Tom watches)
Hematocrit 34.7 down from 40.3
platelets 137 down from 177 (SH*%)
neutrophils 2.1 from 2.33
six exclamations of change to the negative. We had been so stoked last month at our great numbers. The doctor says at first he wants to see Riley back in a month. Riley had told him everything was fine before I walked into the room. I proceed to tell the Doctor about the missed school with two colds back to back with only a week between. Missing ten days of school. The doctor is pleased, though, with the news of the colds, as that could be the reason for the fall off on the numbers. A round of antibiotics can suppress Riley's immune system. He says to just have the numbers drawn locally instead. Only make an appointment to come see him if the numbers warrant a visit. Otherwise, we see him again in three months, in January.
Riley and I leave the hospital just before 4:00pm. Rush hour is on, with a stall on a freeway bridge. We take the back route home again, making good time not hitting very many lights. It still adds a half hour to the trip. We are able to arrive back in town in time to catch the fourth quarter of Trevor's last game of the season.
Riley sits in the car in the parking lot, as it is cold outside and he has no interest in standing in the cold. Tom is at the game having been directed by Trevor to the wrong stadium and then calling me to be told what stadium Trevor was referring too. It is a glamorous name for the back practice field at the school where the freshmen play ball. This is the second time Tom has gone to the varsity field and been redirected. Maybe next year we will get to play in the big stadium, but not freshmen, not this year. We play on grass. The real stadium has to be saved for the Varsity games.
The game is going well for our team, 24 to 12 or something like that. The score board isn't working. Tom has been impressed with Trevor. He says Trevor is doing really well. He is surprised Trevor doesn't get more play time considering how well he does when he is out there. But missing half the season for grades will put you back on the roster. I have warned Trevor not to get benched for grades again. The coaches first noticed his good playing only three games ago. The starters are already in place and have been for most of the season.
I am not unhappy. He is getting more play time each game. This game, as luck would have it, every time Trevor was put in, someone would call time out, or just before Trevor was to go in we would make some play that put the offence in instead. Coach is working to improve Trevor's speed. That would make Trevor a power house. Sadly Trevor has my legs, bad knees and all. But with practice and strength training, he is getting faster.
A friend said she could see that Trevor has loosened up since August. She said he looked stiff and tight with his muscles. Now he has a lot more flexibility. What ever they are doing with him is working.
Fourth quarter is half over when a boy from Trevor's team makes a hit. He goes down and he doesn't get up. He calls for the coaches and then they call for his Dad on the sidelines. The two teams are on their knees on the field. The coaches tell the boys to go to the sidelines and wait. The injured player is not moved. The refs come over and then approach the opponents team to ask if they want to call the game. An ambulance has been called for the boy. The game may be delayed for a while. The game is called and the two teams subdued shake hands on the 50 yard line, walking by the fallen player surrounded by coaches and parent. The teams disperse and the ambulance arrives.
Trevor is in the locker room changing and showering with the team. The ambulance medical team take their time. Tom had thought it might be a broken clavicle, but it is more serious. They are looking at the boy's neck, trying to stabilize him for transport. Once they do load him into the ambulance, they drive across the field gingerly.
Tom takes Riley home and I wait for Trevor. Pep rally is after the game. It is season end for fall sports so they are holding it after a volley ball game in the gym. Trevor is getting credit for band by being there playing. I am impressed again by his performance. He plays the big drum, you can't miss it. I stop the football coach after the pep rally to inquire how the injured football player is doing. No real news yet.
Tom called the injury to the neck a stinger, compression of the neck causing tingling sensations in arms and fingers. I can only hope and pray it is not serious. Football is the highest injury sport your child can participate in.I just read that in an article at the hospital while waiting for Riley to be finished giving blood. But for the grace of God go any one of us. I can't lock my boys in their rooms, but I worry every time they are out of my sight.
Tom gave Trevor a cell phone. I spent the morning at the AT and T store getting it ready for Trevor. I handed the phone over after the game, when he came out of the locker room. It was a good distraction to the ambulance on the field, across the parking lot. I told Trevor "Bad grades and you lose that phone". "I know, Mom". "OK".
Trevor is ecstatic over the phone. I warned him I will not replace it if it gets lost or damaged. We had a phone for Tom's mom that we paid service on. She never used it so we changed the number and put in a new sim card in the phone and now Trevor is set. It is a good test to see if he can take care of the phone, because if he can't care for a small phone there is no way I am letting him near my cars, which is also on his extreme wish list. I told him "grades" for drivers license, also. After being benched for half the season, I think he gets it.
We'll check grades on line this weekend. See how everyone is doing. Riley has been taking make up tests. He has a lot to make up from missing school. Trevor seems to be on top of his grades. He had better grades than Riley at the half way mark. Riley is all honors classes, which makes it all the more challenging. But he says it is easy so far. Spanish is his only challenge. It is all new and in the details.
So that was just yesterday. Looking back it was quite a day. No wonder I had a hard time getting up this morning. Every day is emotionally exhausting.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Dreary
The cold weather has arrived. It is sunny, but the chill in the air makes me not want to crawl out of my bed in the morning. I was supposed to go golf. I just couldn't get up. The boys went off to school. I could see the fog out my bedroom window. I could also see it is going to be a glorious beautiful day. Why can't I crawl out of my warm and cozy blankets, because they are warm and cozy. I can finally sleep soundly once the house is empty.
Finally the dog gets up. Its a signal to let him out before he decides he can't hold it any more. I let him out and jump in the shower. Too late for the tee time today. Oh well, I will find something to do instead. Plenty to do around this house.
I wait to hear about a job I applied for. Christmas Temp, I applied on line. Haven't heard "No" yet, but haven't heard "yes" either. It is a foot in the door and a foot in the right direction. Looking for work, if anyone knows of anything.
Finally the dog gets up. Its a signal to let him out before he decides he can't hold it any more. I let him out and jump in the shower. Too late for the tee time today. Oh well, I will find something to do instead. Plenty to do around this house.
I wait to hear about a job I applied for. Christmas Temp, I applied on line. Haven't heard "No" yet, but haven't heard "yes" either. It is a foot in the door and a foot in the right direction. Looking for work, if anyone knows of anything.
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