Saturday, December 29, 2007

Magic

Preschool grandson had his first inkling of Santa this year, he actually asked him for something, Buzz Lightyear. There was an array of gifts under the crafty tree designed by Chicago daughter and decorated with finger paintings cut into ornaments embellished with sequins, and other shiny things. There were gifts for each adult and for the only child present. I, of course, am up at 5a.m. (that was a three hour wait) waiting for an unsuspecting preschooler to come downstairs, plus all the adults to see his first look at the display. His eyes caught Buzz Lightyear and that was it, nothing else was necessary, except "where's Santa?" "On to other homes," I say. H was so not interested in anything else except the one desired toy. I work with middle schoolers whose parents had better not make a mistake on all the stuff they think they should have for Christmas and I am sure many of the Moms took a lot of heat for not coming up with WII, or the correct phone, but H was in 3 year old delight. He had to be encouraged to look at anything else and he finally gave the riding toy its due. grampa made him a cubic foot of heavy lumber glued together with nails partially pounded in and a hammer. When he barely peeked into a box and caught sight of the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, he ran in anger and shock to the pounding block and did exactly what it was designed for, relieve stress. It was a long time before the Beast got more than a sideways glance from him. I hear he is now clicking away with his Fisher Price digital camera. Our babies are so photographed with the advent of digital cameras and easy point and shoots that it seems very appropriate for a three year old to have his own camera and enjoy it. It was a peaceful gentle morning of play and I really think our family gift (under the guidance of law-daughter) to the SIL very nearly brought him to tears..I think it will be a dream for him like the time we got together and got Uncle Jimmy a chance to engineer a real train, or when I gave DH his first set of glassblowing classes a few years ago.

At the Table

My law daughter and son-in-law host Christmas dinner each year and, because of their working schedules, we celebrated a day early. Chicago daughter came down on the train and the officially preschool grandson now has an inkling of the magic of Santa Claus. Law-daughter serves a scrumptious meal and I carry in a couple of things. We sat down at the lovely table where I proceeded to ask them how they got their Weed......pause....bugged eyeballs all around, except for the preschooler....well, "you don't have Showtime." Laughter all around. Maybe a story about the crazy mother-in law to tell for years. (That's me) I will separate this anecdote from the rest of the magic of Christmas. By the way we have rented the second season of Weed and watched it over two nights. We have definitely had a lot of endorphins in our brains the past two nights from laughter.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Back Home from Midsize City

Got there so early I thought I'd have to wait in the car for shops to open, I forgot, tis the season to open early so I went into a few shops, bought a few items I just fell in love with. Went to Target's, my city isn't affluent enough to have one, so we have to go over there, found a few more things I wasn't looking for and came on home. DH is still asleep. I guess I'll find out later if he knows I was even gone! Oh, and, secret code to my brother, you can finally prepare to fluff. I have actually taken the long-addressed box and put in on a slow boat to China, well that's the service I asked for anyway. Now I am off to make the third North Carolina Sonker of my whole life, it is fast becoming my new claim to fame. Before that, I was a famous non-baker, although my sibs may remember the many many cookies I baked in their childhood. Lets just say when my own daughter heard me slicing and baking for the 6th grade team a few years ago....well..shock is what you might label her reaction, shock and envy.I soothed her by saying, .."don't worry, it's just slice and bake."

I just want you to know, it took me at least 6 times to successfully complete every step to make a link. I do not have it memorized YET!

5:30a.m. as usual

It is Saturday, I am on break officially, and still got up at 5:30. I am ready to put my first load of the day from the silent washer into the dryer. I must bake and cook a bit, but first I may trek over to next city's shopping center. It has a BORDERS!! and I have a coupon....

Yesterday's program ran over, I was supposed to ride a bike into the gym as a gift to a student, I chose the largest bike, but my legs were still too long and they simply wouldn't bend that far. I have really gotten adjusted to a bike with a frame for the truly tall. Yesterday it felt like me trying to ride a trike. Luckily, there was somebody else. There were 12 happy and shocked children.

la la la the totally mundane.

Friday, December 21, 2007

My Toddler Grandson

Almost cancelled Christmas, but grannie would shed BIG tears over that! Thankfully he gave it some thought and still thinks we should all get together. Whew, dodged a bullet there.

The last day of school before this break is just aa struggle and we need to have a fire drill today!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

About the CoQ 10

I read in "The 24 Hour Pharmacist" that blood pressure meds and statins mug coQ10 and if you take any of those, you should add the coQ10 to your regimen. I am on BP meds and hubby takes both, so we are both adding the coQ10. I got mine at Sam's Club and actually got a bit more of a dose than she recommends. The author says the enzyme may help with the leg pain that might accompany statins and that have driven my hubby mad with pain.

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This is my fourth morning after adding coQ10 to my morning regimen. It is suggested that you not take it at night as it is energizing.. I am here to tell you that combining that with a big slug of black lightning dark roast makes me want to TALK! It makes me want to writeinonelongunseparatedbunchofletters. Man, that is harder than it seems. My super duper 8th graders are so into their painting they are truly self-propelled and not used to seeing a 60 year-old head banging. My daughter over at Accidentally Jewish told me to blog it and I am, at top speed.

Monday, December 10, 2007

XM Radio

We have had it for a while, and it is even on the computer, but I haven't heard it before. Today on artist confidential it is Lyle Lovett--The rest of the world was wondering what Julia Roberts saw in him and we were wondering what he saw in her! I am listening to an amazing show with him talking and singing. Maybe it will be an hour, maybe two, but I will hear it all. I know he has some new music out and it is time for me to buy some. Was that Amazon's ears pricking up?

Saturday, December 8, 2007

I Tried to Write

about this gorgeous book and make a link to it, but I kept leaving out a step. No I remember the step. The book is "Flotsam"
And it is a beautiful book of water colors that will take a child's mind on many trips in their imagination. There are no words and the concept is a combination of science and fantasy. There is so much to talk about and to enjoy with children of many ages. A mid grade teacher could have a lot of fun with this book and probably inspire some quality writing, some quality conversation.

My toddler grandson already has Wiesner's "Hurricane" and I have 'read; it to him many times. This guy is quite an artist.

No Babysitting

An ice storm or freezing rain is heading right for my little family's house. I could have made it over, but possibly not back in time for work on Monday. It is off. I did go shop for a baby gift for a good friend at school and got one of those cool changing pads my daughter has had and has used since the beginning of H's life. It is perfect for granmas and granpas and all kinds of portable situations. Use it on a bed, use it on a counter use it on the floor, use it anywhere and you have a totally safe and comfy changing place. A newborn can even take a nap on it if need be. It is a great invention, just enough of a curve of a side te prevent rool oevers.

I finished reading "The Higher Power of Lucky" in my hangout restaurant this a.m. and found myself unexpectedly with eyes full of tears near the end of the book. I am going to have DH read this one, he'll love it, too, although it is YA literature, it touches in some very familiar areas. I got it, I was forgetting tohighlight the title in the text itself.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Oh My Aching Back

I have had back pain for a few days, then we had the washing machine drama and I washed the clothes from just over a week. I didn't carry every single thing to the laundromat last week. I made a defensive snoring move to the sofa about midnight only to wake up crying at 3. DH applied bio freeze and I got in a couple more hours of napping. I struggled to the shower at 5, blasted the aching area with hot water-- then got DH to put the gel pads from my Dr. Ho's electrocutor. I went from barely walking to fairly normal. I stayed hooked up, am still hooked up, and vibrating all day. I have had a lot of relief, but I think I will sleep in it tonight as well and try to get in for an emergency massage tomorrow after school. I am really, really tired from the lack of sleep and the horrible quality of what I did get. I will soon be drinking some sleepy tea from Celestial Seasonings-- Maybe I should put two tea bags in it instead of one!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Welcome to the Machine

This Whirlpool Cabrio is so quiet and the noises are so different from the noises of my normal old washer, that I am not even sure anything much is happening. I guess I'll find out at the end when the computer control panel goes off and I am permitted to look in. It is all very NASA looking in there. My history of washing machines, laundromats or a little hoover that always broke down in the middle of a load of cloth diapers for twins. Years of laundromats with twins and the rest of us. I had a Maytag wringer washer on the back porch of this place I used for a couple of years also until I got a model that was automatic. It lasted at least 10 years, I think I messed it up, then this last one was at least 15 years or more old maybe more. Could be it was older than the cat who was 18. I actually think my dryer may be the original dryer I got with the first washer. oooh.. hmm. By the way, a rather lot of clothes go into this new thing, you put clothes in it up to the top of the stainless steel tub, and it holds a lot. I don't have the glass lid or I would know what was happening. It is probably just as well that I don't have that.

P.S. In the past couple of hours I learned the downside of keeping the old dryer. It is for a normal sized large washer, not for the large load of a top-loading front-loader. I have a basket waiting to be dried in two steps. Guess I will just have to be adjusting to that. It also seems that I haven't figured out how to get a cold wash. I thought I had that button pushed.

1:15p.m. second day

With much grunting and cursing and dripping of hoses, the BMW of washing machines is installed. I have the manual right here and am going to read it first!! I don't want the thing taking off. I went for deluxe delivery and basically, because of the plumbing, got nothing but the machine dropped off so DH had to break his bad aching back to get the thing installed anyway. I was trying to avoid that with $$. It looks good, ready to rumble. and tumble. and revolute.(I made that word up) something cool for the rpm's. And I must go get some correct detergent. I may hyperventilate.
DH and the dog are off to the country for a big run in freedom for her. All I did was check leaks for all the attempts it took to get the connections right. There will not be a next time, but if there were, I think a plumber might me involved.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Now It Begins

The big wait. And DH has gone glassblowing, a trip I'd like to be on even though I spent all my money and some future monies on this machine. HH called at 7a.m. to tell me they'd be here between 9 and noon. I think they leave from Big City warehouse and that is over an hour away. Suppose I am first on their list? Doubt it. At any rate, the corner is ready for its new washer and so am I.

Another week without toddler grandson--grit my teeth. Next weekend for sure--there is babysitting afoot. I should have some arrivals from Amazon today as well, Uncle Amazon I should say. We have a personal relationship. Uncle Amazon just throws books at me.

By the way, that medicine ball toss has my abs reeling this morning, just proves I have some in there. There was a time when I thought they did not even exist. Don't judge me until you have delivered close to 20 lbs of twins, and that placenta, it had some mass, too.