Good Morning, Christy

Morning Elliott. Bless Mr. ReddHedd, who made me some coffee this morning — although I’ll be switching to tea after this first cuppa. How are you today?

Good morning, ladies, so nice to see you both. Gonna go to bed now, but will read the thread again later this afternoon

Such a nice post, Christy. Thank Goddess you are still here, doing it.

Please say a prayer for Bravo’s safe passage to the rainbow bridge. She had to leave yesterday, but already have felt her energy here at home, checking on us.

So sorry to hear of your loss, jacqrat. Hugs from our house, and lots of good thoughts and prayers for Bravo.

Good morning! I’m actually at work this morning, or I would stil be sleeping. Sorry about the crud Christy, it is no fun when you have a houseful of people.

Good morning, Christy! That chicken stock photo looks yummy even though it isn’t “soup” just yet. I hope this is just a temporary bit of ick that goes quickly for you. Nothing like expecting company when you’re under the weather.

By the way, I forwarded this week’s Muppet clip to my daughter, who just saw a Coldplay concert last week while I stayed with her 6 & 8 year old daughters, both Muppet fans.

Bright and shiny!

Had a delicious sleep, and am being loved by a sweet kitteh while I listen to music and read the online news. In short, I’m having the ideal Saturday morning.

So sorry you have the ick just when you have company coming. But that means there are many warm hearts there to comfort you. Friends and family can make a wonderful tonic.

Many hands make light work, don’t think you have to do it all.

Mercifully, it’s the same people who gave me the crud — so there will be much understanding about it. *g*

Good to see you this morning!

(((jacqrat & Bravo)))

My best friend’s birthday was yesterday, and he only told me yesterday. He’s going through a rough time right now-no job, trying to sell a house, finalize a divorce. So we invited him over for dinner which he initially resisted, until I tempted him with text messages about free steak and red wine. I think he really appreciated the effort.

Sorry about your pet Jacq, my 15 year old Pom may be there soon and it will be tough.

Very sweet of you all to have your pal over. We had a friend in similar circumstances a few years back and offered him a place to stay until he got back on his feet — it was while we were still in law school, but I wouldn’t have done anything differently even though he ended up staying in our house for close to a year.

I always figure what goes around comes around. So I try to keep my “go around” in the nice category so it doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass later. *g*

Good morning all.

Now you have a spirit guide that will protect you the way you protected them.

Hope your daughter enjoys it as much as The Peanut did. She made me play it over and over while she giggled uproariously. She was as funny as Beaker to watch. LOL

Good morning, Christy. Good morning, Firepups.

Ms. Christy, I can’t fathom hosting folks for a week whilst recupeing from the crud. Yikes. You have a very full life. So, like, please take care of yourself, okay?

I’m planning on making use of our copious collection of take-out menus this week. And friends of ours have offered to bring everyone over for a cook-out, so that’s one less meal to worry about for me.

Usually, I cook myself into a frenzy for company. Just isn’t going to happen this week.

Morning all. Seem to have caught the croup from one of the wee bairn myself. I prefer the hot sauce remedy myself (capsaicin) though a “hot sauce” may work later on.

For croup, may I recommend a hot steamy shower followed by some very cold water? Breathing in the steam helps a lot. And then drinking a bit of cold water quickly cools things down.

Had worked for me in the past. Good too see ya!

Oh, no! So much crud making the rounds. Hot sauce. If that were the only remedy, I guess I’d die. I’m a total Swede re peppers and such. Curious about why some can tolerate da hotness while some can’t.

Good morning Christy and everyone. It’s one of the first mornings this year that is warm enough to sit outside & read, so I’m off to do that as soon as I finish checking the news and views. (2 foot thick stone walls, so my wifi doesn’t work outside the house.)

Christy, I wish you were here. It’s strawberry season. Yesterday I bought 7 quarts. Froze 2 whole, froze 2 after pureeing, made frozen strawberry soufle for dessert last night, am gonna make strawberry soup today. If you’re not allergic, that would provide some comfort, no?

Honestly, I think it’s either something you are born liking (liking hot food runs in my family) or a taste you acquire by working your way up the heat scale.

It started for me when I tried some sauces from Mo Hotta, Mo Betta and realized there was an entire world of shades of heat that I never even knew existed.

Nummy — love fresh strawberries. Am hoping to get some freezer jam put by this year, but it will have to wait at least another week.

Good morning, Christy and everyone (special wave to Mr. Reddhedd).

One step…then another. That’s right.

Once we got the house on the foundation, George took apart the front balcony, replaced what needed replacing, put new flooring down and painted it. Now we’re trying to decide on the railing. We have some nice wrought iron (that spelling doesn’t look right), and G is leaning towards that. I had thought I’d whip out my scroll saw and do some pattern work for the center piece of a wooden rail, but after looking at the iron, I’m leaning that way too. Will take photos when we’re done.

Yay for you guys! Can’t wait to see the pics.

Mo Hotta, Mo Betta. LOL. Especially liked the “Pain in the Ass Sampler.” That would be their Michele Bachmann line, right?

Mama loon has brought her twins for a visit this morning. While tossing the ball for Nova, watched the loon trio as mama introduced her babes to this concept called picking the prime spots. That’s kind of the way I feel about this online space…a prime spot for the best nourishment.

That chicken stock looks like it’ll simmer into a fine base, Christy. We’re finding our base today with a little roadtrip to the Mississippi Headwaters. Meeting up with the daughter, s-i-l and grandson. Will we walk the rocks across where the river spills from Lake Itasca to begin its long journey to NOLA? Might happen….

Good morning everyone! The sun is out in Maine this morning. Looooooving it.

Yesterday, the 17 year old son of one of my cleaning customers told me he was gay. He said his parents knew, his friends now know, and that I should also know (since I am officially his “big sister” as I always say!). I am thrilled for this young man for taking his life by the reins now rather than living a life of secrecy & binge drinking/addiction etc. to work through it! He’s a remarkable kid and I feel so fortunate to be part of his life and to have that kind of relationship with him where he trusts me. I told him if he’s ever feeling vulnerable and needs to talk that I am always here for him….ALWAYS!

I am so happy for him. He’s happy which is all that matters really. ;-)

Ignore that inner perfectionist, decide the house is sufficiently straightened, and sit back and watch that movie anyway?

If you’re up to it, there’s always:

“Fuck them. They don’t like it, they don’t have to come.”

Either way, take it easy

Good morning, Christy. Sorry to hear the crud caught you, but as you say, if you got it from the folks who are to be the guests, they certainly will understand. I just got over a short cold, too, and my nose is a bit touchy today because it got bonked by the foal when I was holding her Thursday for the farrier. She was very good, but I just had my face over her once when she decided to toss her head. She’s five months old today and has finished shedding her heavy winter baby hair (except the ears where she looks like Yoda) so it’s probably time for some more photos…

jacqrat: So sorry to hear about Bravo. Remember the good times…

Mother in law just arrived the other day for an extended stay. But she came bearing bagels so she’s welcome for as long as she wants. as long as I’m left alone for the basketball games

HAHAHAHAHA Yoda foal ears. This I gotta see!

They won’t mind a bit — they are the good sort of house guests who don’t mention the pile of books in the corner that didn’t make it back on a shelf.

Thank goodness.

Morning all,
Looking for a little info this AM.
My grandson just got the results from the statewide school exams for FL. He just finished the third grade and has been reading at a HS level for over a year. He was in the top .01 percentile in FL. His folks are looking at putting him in the fifth grade next year to keep him challenged. Has anyone done this? Compounding the question is that they are moving from FL to ND later this month.

know what? I honestly, honestly believe most guests want it kept simple food wise. the basics. no need for a frenzy. ever. although some people klike getting frenzied i guess. whatever. take it easy

and everybody… believe in Magic

My mother and her sister Dot were the neat ones, but it was their sister Arlene who lived on the farm and didn’t care what her house looked like when company showed up. I remember many times walking into the house and having the pet goat come up to me to lick my face! Yes, inside the house! Oh man, there were times when they had piglets warming up behind the stove in a box or days when Kim Dale (old race horse) would put his head through the kitchen window to finish the last of the beer my Uncle left him in the sink or times when the Ivan the Calf would be laying on the livingroom floor while we kids watched cartoons. This kind of fun childhood could explain why my cousin Holly (daughter of Arlene) to this day has written on a chalkboard in her kitchen that reads, “A clean house is the sign of a misspent life”. What a blast it was going to Aunt Arlene’s house! Never a dull moment.

The craptastic follies continues here.

On the good side of things my other aunt who is 92 and under hospice care finally got approved for the state aid to keep her in her house for now. The state requires that you reach this ridiculously low threshold of cash before you can apply, certainly not enough to ride the application process, and then you have to just figure it out on your own until they approve you. Her life savings went, including her funeral money.

Meanwhile, the idiots at Merrill Lynch released money they told was being contested by us, my aunt’s estate, to the pro life groups that my aunt, under questionable circumstances, left a hefty six figure amount of cash to. The letter that our lawyer sent them “never got into the right hands at Merril Lynch.”

Now keep in mind the two above aunts were sisters, and all that cash would’ve went a long to way to helping my 92 aunt who had to quit high school and help raise her siblings.

good to hedar the guests are the good kind, CHS. know what i hate? the kind you THINK are the good kind. You make the usually apology for the house and they brush you off and say they understand and they don’t know how why it isn’t even messier what with all the kids and they’re super understanding. And then they go blabbing to other people “you should have seen Beerfart’s house……………..”

My parents had the opportunity to skip me ahead a couple of grades and didn’t because they worried about social stigma. I was bored frequently, but found ways to fashion my class project work to challenge myself a lot of the time. And I had to deal with social stigma regardless at a school where being a “smart girl” made you stick out like a sore thumb.

My parents didn’t really talk with me about it at the time — and I wish they had because I might have wanted to skip forward frankly, although I don’t know for certain what I would have wanted at that point. A lot of times, I think it depends on the school system and the teachers involved and especially the child. I’ve known people who have done so and done really well — and some who have had serious issues with it, too.

Think it may be one of those “on an individual basis” sorts of things. Which, sadly, doesn’t really help but I hope it’s at least some useful info to think about?

I hope you fell better Christy, and you’re right to try to take care of yourself this week.

Books. Crikey. I have three new humongous bookcases here. Urged friends to just unpack books and shove them any old place. Ms. Anal here has been disturbed by the chaotic feng shui of Moyers books separated from each other, of Naomi Klein somewhere but not sure where, of Janet Evanovich (yes, I read silliness, too) books scattered in different rooms, of classic novels separated crazile from each other, of poetry and backpacking commingled (though really, I can kinda see some sense in that), etc., etc., etc.

My entire life has been in chaos for several years. Still some seriously unpleasant hurdles. But dammit, the books deserve better than this! *g*

I’m certain the lawyers will have something to say to Merrill Lynch about that — especially given that there was correspondence that should have gone up the chain but may have been delayed…why, exactly? Tell them to use the phrase “bad faith” here and there. That’s usually a scary one to throw out with insurers that gets a fast response. At least it does here.

Usually, I think that guests just want to spend time with you — which is why they are coming. If they wanted haute cuisine, they could go out to eat.

But I come from a long line of people who cook too much for guests, and that’s a tough habit to break. Luckily, I love to cook, so it usually isn’t a hardship for me.

Yes they are on it. It just complicates matters so much.

Just think of it as a fun book scavenger hunt — and think of the enjoyment of reading the out of place good ones again before reshelving in their proper location.

I had to do the same thing when we moved a few years ago and still am rearranging. I tried to come up with a way to live with it until I could get time to do something about it — The Peanut was 1 1/2 when we moved in, and careful book placement consideration was at the bottom of my list when compared to big box and pile removal for safety reasons.

And thank you.

to FootHillsMike @32:

Really don’t know about the kid’s situation but not knowing the facts has never stopped me from talking about stuff, so…….

First. From my experience here in the Sunshine State…the education system in FL sucks it. But for the kids doing well and that kid is….. they do fine. As for bumping him past a grade…. the resources for advanced kids at grade levels are almost non-existent in FL. so skipping would be best, in my opinion. But that’s just from… what?.. the educational or academic perspective. there’s all kinds of social issues – leaving friends, fitting in with older kids, etc.,,, that must be considered and the parents (and the kid) would know best. but just in terms of keeping the kid challeneged… skip.

Does all of this not matter if they’re moving? Mute as we lawyers say.

Me, too! Two-faced guests are the WORST!

When I was a kid,they wanted to skip me a grade and my parents said no. I was little for my age and they were worried the older kids would not accept me. Alot depends on the school and how much of a community it is. You also have to think far ahead about middle and high school and if you want a pre-teen in school with teens,it could be a nightmare. Alot depends on the district and how they deal with advanced placement,bullies,etc.

Making the ‘ick’ go away: dancing, good movies, bad movies, books, going out, laughing, chocolate muffins, putting your head on someone’s shoulder.

Waiting for a phone call I hope never comes.

Best of luck on that phone call. And a hug from here.

My folks were offered the possibility of skipping their precocious little darling ahead a couple of times over the years. Like Christy, I was bored sometimes, but also being a titch competitive, enjoyed doing really well in my classes. Okay, Latin not so much. Did well, but really had to work that sucker. They decided not to do it, partly because I started school at age 4 and probably already had some age/social disadvantage. Last one to get my driver’s license, which in the grand scheme of things is no biggie, but it felt huge and punishing to me at the time. Okay, I’m shallow.

There are enrichment programs, advanced placement classes, etc., even in the early grades. For example, my granddaughter was in an AP junior great books program that she loved.

I don’t know much about ND schools (Prairie?).

Thanks. Can’t believe I forgot to put hugs on the list.

Thanks Christy and BFL. Taking his feelings into account should be a big part of it. If he buys off on it whichever decision should be a part of it. Not sure of the quality of ed in ND. In SD it was not that great.

Good Morning Christy and Firedogs,

Barbara –

I’m in the same boat – it’s a genetic predisposition

capsaicin (the heat) sets off the endorphins in the pepperheads, while folks like you and I have some alkaloid blocker (naloxone ?) which brunts the pleasure and instead sends panicky messages to brain

Before they make a decision for their son to skip a grade, they may well want to make sure how he’ll fare in a ND school. No insult meant to FL schools.

Perhaps it’s enough of an adjustment at first to make such a dramatic move…there will be culture shock.

You are so smart! Did you skip a grade or two? *g* Panicky feeling is exactly right. “I’m on fire, no one has an extinguisher, and my tongue is melting!”

Christy, I want to thank you for your continued action on behalf of Dawn Johnsen. I had floated the idea of a hold on Stanley McChrystal until Johnsen was approved, but Harry Reid, in his spineless style, caved in to the Pentagon this week and got McChrystal approved by voice vote. Johnsen still languishes. For me, that whole situation sums up perfectly how far astray from principled beliefs the Obama administration has gone. A war criminal gets approved by voice vote to move his detention and torture of innocent civilians from Iraq to Afghanistan and the person who would restore the Constitution to OLC has no support whatsoever.

Off to hear a cow sing I Will Survive at the children’s show at the theater. I have no idea what play it is, just heard last night about the cow.

ND schools as a rule are excellent, large and small. I’d give the school and your grandchild student a little time to get used to each other before even thinking about skipping a grade.

They are a military family and there are mechanisms that really help with culture shock. They will not be living on base but hopefully the schools in Minot will be OK.

strawberry soup sounds yummy

this is my fave food porn site, her recipes are usually impossible for amaterus like me, but this was one I actually executed

Tartelette

My uncle was military and my cousins graduated from Minot schools. Long time ago, but they went on to lead productive lives!! *g*

Christy speaking of Dawn Johnson etc. will Obama be able to make appointments w/o congressional approval when congress goes on vacation in Aug.

My son (now 43) skipped kindergarten after 2 months — in those days, there weren’t the programs for academically advanced children, so their only solution was to skip grades. We allowed it because we figured the potential to skip a more important grade, like first or second, would be worse academically in the long run.

What we didn’t think about was high school. He was only ahead a year, but socially and physically was noticeably behind his classmates. He was a swimmer, and pretty good, but seeing him on the starting blocks as a skinny 13-year-old up there next to the hairy seniors was quite a sight.

So his parents should consider what it will be like for your grandson to be a couple of years behind his classmates when he gets to Jr. High and High School, especially socially. Nowadays there are more programs for academically advanced kids — my 13-year-old grandson has been going to the High School for math for at least a couple of years. And reading ability may not mean your grandson is equally advanced in math skills or other things. My personal opinion would be for his parents to keep him in his grade if they can find enrichment options, or find a private school for him (if they have the means) that doesn’t confine students to subjects strictly by grade. My grandkids were in such a school until a divorce and business bankruptcy put them in (fortunately good) public schools, which seem to have lots of opportunities for advanced kids.

Just my $0.02.

(((Bravo and jacqrat)))

My little crew at the Rainbow Bridge (Tiye, Blaze, Missy, Yang, Min) will help Bravo get acquainted with those who wait for us.

Hey, that’s where I first became a pepper shopper too!

Jamaican Hellfire was my first buy. Then I moved to the habenero/bonnet stuff. It’s all good.

I am just opening my mail. In it is a notice from my health insurer informing me that our premiums are going up 33.47%! . That brings the my employee’s family benefit up to $1,083.35/month.
Wow, do we need reform!

Travel isn’t all bad. And good guests know to bring lots of wine, food and cheeriness. If they arrive empty-handed, send them out with a list. I suggest a lovely Pouligny-Montrachet and a fresh goat cheese with nice crackers and a bunch of grapes for starters, and a roasted chicken with potatoes and vegetables for day one. A lovely baked jambon ham would be a good start for day two, as it makes sandwiches and excellent omelets thereafter.

This sure caught my attention this morning. I often think of characters strolling around, getting into each other’s plots and conversing through the darkness of the nights. One writing opportunity that my literature students liked was to construct a dinner party for six of the characters from the nine to twelve books we had read during the semester and then write a dialogue for them.

Alas, my characters have gone into new territories. Over the last few years, but particularly throughout the spring months, I’ve reduced my possessions by two thirds at least. Some of it was wrenching, but I almost always found a wistful pleasure in it too. The cedar chest that my father gave to my mother went to a young family; the wife loves old things and I could see that it would be loved. When they came to pick it up, the son (age about 8) was enamoured with my rocks, picked up from all my travels. That set off a series of encounters while he patiently listened to stories of the places the rocks came from – the Saddlerochit mountains of northern Alaska, the Pacific ocean, the northern Rockies of Canada, fossils from the old seabed that is now Kansas. He’s a sweet kid and also was totally absorbed in the geology book that went to him along with the rocks.

But giving away books? That was hard….until I gave out books to my Brit Lit class, individually according to what they had liked. A big squeal went up from my happy goth kid who got the leather bound Tennyson. Absolutely made my day!

So my remnants are somewhere on the ocean, headed to New Zealand. I’m in Kansas with two big duffles, one of summer clothes for here where I’m trying to get the house we’ve owned for twenty years and raised our kids ready for sale, one duffle of winter clothes for arrival in NZ (I’ll probably arrive before the possessions do). And I’m feeling lighter and freer in many ways (my kids better appreciate that they will have far less to deal with when I die).

He is big for his age and is exceptional in math as well as other subjects. They will only be in ND for 2 yrs afterwhich my son will retire from AF. They will then be in WY where my son is buying up ranch properties and putting in wind farms.

OMG!!! I am so sorry. What a horrendous jolt. Aaaaaaagh.

Pull up a chair? I’D RATHER PICK UP A CHAIR! AND SMACK BARRY PREJEAN UPSIDE THE HEAD WITH IT! Metaphorically of course.

As you can see, Christy, I’m FED UP!

Many kids, particularly boys, are held back a year when entering school in this district. My son, with a late July birthday, seemed ready to go intellectually, so despite his tiny size, we sent him. Elementary school was tough because it was, for many, about toughness and size. Many of his classmates were almost two years older. He endured much bullying and was left out of much. Still, he was totally in the swim academically.

He had some neighborhood friends and church friends. He also went to school with many international students (the school had the university town’s ESL program) and that mitigated some of the isolation. But it also contributed to him being the compassionate man he is becoming. He learned to assess his situation realistically. It helped that at age fifteen, he shot up to 6 feet tall.

He is 18 and has finished his first year of college. He says that he feels that even though he was the youngest and the smallest for years, it was the right decision for him to be where he was in school. He’s benefitted from things not being easy; he is confident that he can solve problems that come his way. And now he is a summer RA at the dorm for students much older than him.

It is tempting to find a way to have our children avoid problems, but better to find ways to help them have good problems to learn from.

Good for you. As it so happens, my sissy and I are going over to spend some time at mom’s going through some boxes of stuff she has been keeping for us. My sister found the boxes in a closet in my dad’s room after he died. She said mom kept every card, some artwork from elementary school; letters I sent her from girl scout camp. Like that. We’ll have a good laugh going through that stuff. Better now then waiting until, well you know, later when it will be harder.
Then, I think I’m going to smile, thank her, bring my stuff home and straight to the trash. *g* I’ve already got a garage full of my kids stuff.

This is an absolutely wonderful comment. The goth kid and Tennyson. Awesome! I teared up on that one. The joining of characters from different books in a conversational circle? Wow. Just wow. I wish you’d been my instructor!

I gave away close to half my books before I moved here. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done, because I love them so much. I brought some of David’s books, too, even though I doubt I’ll get around to reading them. I completely sold out and bought a Kindle, because I’ve lived in fear for years that I would fall asleep in bed at night reading a tome and suffer serious injuries when the book tumbles out of my hands. But I can’t stop buying/borrowing “real” books, so now I’ve just compounded the problem.

I am omniverous re books. Well, that’s not strictly true. I’m not much into animé.

New Zealand. Ohmygosh. Forever? Am I remembering (or wishing) that you’re a MN denizen now? Downsizing and simplifying as definitely the way to go. I’m trying. Minimal success, but I’m trying.

“Private school” isn’t always the answer. My sis in ND sent one kid to a highly touted private school for beaucoup bucks, one kid to public school. The public school kid is getting a much more challenging education and being better prepared for college. The private school…well, there is that factor of wanting parents to be happy with kids’ grades so they’ll keep paying future years’ tuition.

Private school/public school…neither is a guarantor of anything.

That’s me “3″ and Im a TX….will never understand about jalapenas…ick..so thanks for the explanation. Makes me feel very bright and well-wired.

Morning, ma’am. I’m just about to head out, but wanted to greet you before I do!

Et tu, Demi.

I am so sorry….that is exactly the kind of outrage that everyone needs to hear. Jeez…I hate that’s happening in your family

Hey, sis…thanks. Have a lovely outing.

Have been trying to get an answer to that question for a while and have, thus far, been given the runaround. Which only makes me want to push harder for an answer. Will let you know if and when I find out anything…

Ouch! We had a similar icky experience this year as well. Looks like its a healthcare premium bonanza year, eh? SIGH

Just a thought, but you might want to give your kids a chance to go through that material and pick out a few things to keep…

Hey Barb & Bev
Wanted to let you girls know I finally got that book store job! Woo Hoo. And, guess who gets 30 % off any book (you cannot be serious!) she wants.
And, I’m gellin’. I had to buy some sensible shoes since I’m on my feet. Ha.

That is how Bolton got to be UN ambassador and why after the Dems got control they did not adjourn for more than 48 hrs.

Nope, I’m in Lawrence, KS. We (my son and I) were hoping for a job offer in Minnesota, so that he would have a home to come to, but that one didn’t pan out and the New Zealand one did. My husband is 65 and not inclined to retire, so we plan on at least five years there. We are permanent residents there, so we can stay there forever, if we choose. And we may not be able to afford to come back.

I’ve been the happiest there. The “no worries” life is a great antidote (it particularly was during the Bush reign); it was always sobering to know that we had arrived in the US by looking at the tense and closed faces of people in the US airports. BUT. My kids are in the US. My son is a mature 18, but still 18, and he and I are relaxed in each other’s presence ( a true gift since the other two in the family are high on the ocd scale). I negotiated a trip to NZ once a year for each kid, a trip to the US for me every June. As long as there aren’t grandchildren, that should work.

So, which characters would you most want at a dinner party? What would you serve? Who would you seat next to each other? Why do I think of Holden Caulfield in an angst-filled gaze across the table at Anna Karenina who is gaily and desperately trying to hold the attention of Thomas Jefferson?

That’s funny…I did some of that very thing and sent stuff to daughter and grandson….I tried to make his include some lessons of places etc where I had taken vacations….NYC, etc. Yep, maybe he pitched it.

You think my kids would want to keep some of my stuff? They don’t even want there stuff. Oh, alright. I suppose some time in the future they might get sentimental.

Don’t know….I loved Holden,but not sure he would be much of a guest. That scene reminds me of reading that Michael Jackson was at K. Hepburn’s for dinner….she was extremely not impressed and he did not have a clue about her movies. Someone had set it all up for him…

It’s very very hot here in NC……have only been lurking of late but wanted to quickly say hi to everyone. Am headed up to the Raleigh area in a few minutes to check out my daughter’s wedding band in an outdoor concert. The bride-to-be has just returned from time out of the country and needs some reassurance of the plans she made before she left.

Turned the big 60 last weekend and today feel every bit of it. I hope the betrothed ones give us all (and themselves!) some time to rest before any grandchildren appear. *g*

Mornin’

I’m with Jim – hold on to some of it if you have the space – my Brownie Pin is now one of my daughter’s prized possessions – who knew ?

good news about the job – I would run buck wild with a 30% discount

I would like to have Owen Meany over for a meal.

It’s only part time and doesn’t pay diddly squat. I’ve already bought three books in four days. I’m supposed to be making money to help pay bills.
I found a cool Code Pink Ladies compilation book. I’m in big trouble. *g*

lol. I practice a form of self hypnosis (used to be called daydreaming) involving a book store and a wheel barrow

I’m enjoying the first Saturday without soccer or gymnastics (moved to Wednesdays for the summer) — an actual unstructured day!

Tough call on moving up a grade. Our son is young in his class — in PA it is fairly common to hold back boys, but his reading tested at the 3rd grade level when he was 4 and it didn’t make sense to hold him back. He just finished 1st grade and even with enrichment classes he was bored enough to cause some trouble. OTOH, he is one of the smallest boys in his class (some boys are two years older) which causes other problems. I think it helps to have outside interests — Suzuki music classes, age-defined sports groups and the like. He makes friends more easily with these groups, and we’re watchful with the school dynamics.

Oh, see how addictive this is? Got dressed to leave for breakfast w/Number One Son, but just had to sneak a peek at what’s going on here. I don’t want to leave!!!

Demi! Job. Books. Fabulous!!!!

Ad Astra, will you still be communicating with us via the Lake? I will work on the guest list for dinner when I get back. But…but…but, you’ll all be gone! (snif!)

Au revoir, mes amis et ma soeur!

Thanks Christy, and a good morning to you and pups.

Yes, it’s high time we paused to absorb the wonderful aroma of… broth. I’ve still got a dozen quarts in the freezer. Plenty to share, folks. Help yourselves. The freezer’s not being moved with us, since it won’t fit through the door. It’s an enduring mystery how we got it down into the basement in the 1st place. *g*

Baseball, on line stuff, scouts and horseback riding, fill that bill.

Heading out gang, thanks for the advice all.

I have limited access to a computer this summer (though I may get a laptop next week or so), but I’ll check in more once I’m in NZ. This is six months of transition (packing moving selling house-hunting settling), but I’m trying to keep the teaching to a minimum for the first year there. I will teach online for Montana Tech from NZ and some subbing in the private language school in NZ where I taught before. But I should have time for more conversation. And you can contact me at erkroeker at yahoo dot com, should you wish.

I felt a real need to watch everything political during the Bush years, to be witness, if nothing else, so I was here a lot. Now, while not all is as I wish, I feel that I can relax a bit. And send money to someone who really watches everything. Not to rest everything on her shoulders, but please send more money to Marcy, the inimitable emptywheel.

Sorry this is so late (not that late here on the west coast). From personal experience, both as a child and a parent. I skipped a year in second grade. I really didn’t have adverse effects until I went to college. 16 years old, away from home for the first time, 1969, the age of Aquarius, sex, free love, etc. Let’s just say I wasn’t socially or emotionally ready.

Flash forward to the 1980’s and we faced the same decision with my son. He was reading at 3rd grade level when tested in kindergarten. The school psychologist recommended against skipping ahead, especially for boys as many don’t mature socially and emotionally as quickly as girls. He said it would become more obvious in junior high and high school. Fortunately we lived in a very progressive school district with split classrooms. The kids worked in small groups of equal academic ability for part of each day. Each group was studying the same subject matter but their reading material, vocabulary and math projects were geared to whatever the individual academic level was.

An Air Force move sent us to another state, schools were way behind and after testing and teacher conferences we decided to opt for a private school. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in retrospect I’m not sure it was. There were too many trade-offs. The school was 23 miles from home, my son’s nearest classmate was 10 miles from us. I spent untold hours in the car for various school activities. The Air Force kept my husband out of town for months at a time, so I had to find a job with very flexible hours. The school was very expensive even though we received financial aid. We were financially strapped the entire time, no matter how frugal I was.

By the fourth year, my son was miserable socially. He didn’t know any of the kids in our own neighborhood, the kids that he did know and like lived 20 miles away. As he got older, he also realized that his school friends came from wealthy families and he did not. They all had big homes with swimming pools and other amenities. He was embarassed to invite them to our home. Fortunately, at that point, the Air Force sent us across the country, just in time for him to start at a public high school.

Not sure it was the best idea, so be sure his parents weigh all options carefully. These days, schools have much better enrichment or gifted programs.

I picked up the dreadful travel ick in Prague two weeks ago. I saw a LOT of old movies, drank gallons of hot lemonade, and “rested” until I thought I’d lose my mind to gathering rust.

A round of antibiotics finally did the trick and now I am enjoying life and people once again.

Good luck. Don’t suffer in silence and do ask your doctor for help if “normal” recovery takes too long.

Feel better, Christy.

what do i do to make the ick go away? when it’s affecting me, http://www.cafecody.com internet radio; when it’s affecting others, i listen, slow the pace of life for folks who are frenzied, offer help where needed. someone once told me he understood why people sought me out when they were upset and knocked on my door. he said “i don’t know what it is, but i feel it when i come here too. I don’t want to leave. I don’t know what it is about your living room, but i don’t want to leave it.”

I know that since i live alone it has a feminine feel to it; and because i had similar feelings in my grandmother’s living room i have deliberately included touches that harken back to the 30’s and 40’s which is when she purchased most of what she had when i was growing up. plus a water fountain. floral and bird prints.

and food. always food.

Then, I think I’m going to smile, thank her, bring my stuff home and straight to the trash. *g* I’ve already got a garage full of my kids stuff.

This is why digital cameras were invented!!!!

Last year we moved from Washington DC to Maui. We had a house full of 30 years-worth of, well, crap. Both my husband & I are packrats. Then we had kids, and I saved all of those art projects, dioramas, etc.

But no f&*^% way was I going to pay to ship it all over here. Voila: digital camera. Took lots of pics, burned onto some disks, then put the “stuff” into the trash.

Well, I did transport son’s diorama of the “Legend of Isis & Osiris” and a ceramic medallion of Cleopatra that my daughter made, but thousands of finger paintings . . . nope.