Trying out Blogthings

Your Theme Song is Back in Black by AC/DC

"Back in black, I hit the sack,I've been too long, I'm glad to be back" Things sometimes get really crazy for you, and sometimes you have to get away from all the chaos.But each time you stage your comeback, it's even better than the last!

What's" Your Theme Song?

I've always kind of liked that song, but I never understood most of the words. Its MY THEME SONG? Really? Hmm. Well, yeah, the woman DOES look a lot like me. ;-)

Dance shoe saga

E needs a pair of black ballet shoes for the musical she is in. So after contacting the niece who's been in dance for many years to ask about borrowing a pair, niece becomes very sick with a kidney stone and is in no shape to go digging through boxes. A week later, my sister-in-law calls to confirm they had looked, but all she has are beige or white shoes, no black ones at all. So unable to buy such things locally, I go online, find a discount-y type of dance supply company and order a pair, and pop for the extravagence of expediated shipping (which more than doubles the cost of the shoes themselves) to insure the shoes are here in time for her first dress rehearsal--tonight.

I've been checking online every day and the order status never changed from "Order received." My credit card got charged though. Still no shoes yesterday, so I called this outfit in Las Vegas. They confirmed they got the order, but they haven't shipped the shoes. Why? No one knows. The first person I talked to blamed UPS. I got an email today from another person apologizing for the delay and said there must have been a "computer glitch that dropped the order." Strange that it hung on to the order long enough to ding my Discovercard, though. Anyway, the good news is that the dumb shoes are somewhere between Des Moines and here after traveling the US throughout the night (LV to Phoenix to Louisville, KY to Des Moines). Fortunately, E hasn't inquired about the shoes and I'm hopeful they will arrive today before her evening rehearsal.

We are winding things up for the school year. My hand bell choir is done after playing for both services on Sunday. We passed the hat so that the bells could be repaired over the summer and raised just over $1800. We needed about $2500 but we have some discretionary funds within the memorial monies so I think we can get the major two octaves fixed.

E's youth group had their last meeting on Wednesday night. They had a picnic supper at the county park. E said it was awful. They left late and returned 45 minutes late (thank you for calling me and letting me know, E!), the fire was too hot and big to roast hot dogs, the bugs were bad, two or three kids got hurt, etc. She was very happy to finally get home and hit the shower.

The last track meet was yesterday. I missed E's first race but I saw her run in the 4x200 relay race. She had the second leg and ran by the stands so I got to cheer for her. She was in 5th place, but passed a girl just as she ran by me. A proud moment. Her handoff wasn't smooth though and her team kept lagging further and further behind and came in 5th out of 5 teams. We left the track meet earlier than I expected since she was done, stopped at McDonald's for supper (Asian chicken salad is quite good!) and got home before 8:00 p.m. An early night for us!

In work news, the VP my boss reports to is leaving for another job, a chancellorship in Minnesota so a step-up for her in terms of rank and a much larger institution to boot. We knew she was looking-the local paper had a story about the four top candidates. I guess the news about her leaving was on the radio before the college released the news. Darn media, anyway! So we face a year without leadership and then another several months of a new dean learning the ropes. Seems like we are without a dean about as much as we have one on board. Recruiting for these top positions has been very difficult lately.

Weekly weigh-in went well. I was down just a little less than a pound so total loss is now 22 pounds. Very good considering how much I ate last weekend. No big soirees planned for this weekend, although K was telling me how wonderful fruit pizza is and could I make it? Yum. I haven't made it for years, but I sure *can* make it.

Down two sizes

I took the day off yesterday to attend K's track and field day. It was a glorious day. I worked outside in the morning and planted a few flowers, but I didn't buy nearly enough potting soil. I also swept all of last fall's leaves out of the garage and washed the van, so I was feeling OH, SO virtuous.

On a lark, I tried on some smaller jeans while I was out getting gardening supplies. Whoo-hoo! This made me so happy. I got a pair that is not one, but TWO sizes smaller. My jeans had been baggy and shapeless for so long I'd forgotten how they were supposed to fit. I haven't purchased a pair of jeans this size since the 80's. I tried on a more "modern" low-cut variety first and while I was able to get them zipped up they just weren't made for me. I went with the more matronly kind and that worked much better. I can wear underwear with these, which is a primary consideration. The other ones? I don't know WHAT you are supposed to wear under those things. And I don't want to know.

K. ran three events and got a 4th place, 5th place, and 6th place ribbons. She was bummed, but I think she did fine. E's last track meet is this afternoon. The weather is overcast, rainy and very windy so we are kind of hoping the sky opens up and pours so it will be postponed to a better afternoon.

Concert

E. had her end of the concert last night. She did fine for having a broken finger. It was quite good and K and I got a front row seat, which made K much more attentive than usual. This is the first time we had seen the jazz band perform. Boy, those kids are GOOD, especially the young man Tyler who played flugelhorn solo throughout the second number. I can't imagine having that much poise as an 8th grader!

The big news is that several 8th grade boys got caught driving around egging houses over the weekend. The driver had "borrowed" his parent's car after play practice? He'd only had his driver's permit a few days? One of the boys caught was the lead in the school musical and had vocal and instrumental solos at last night's concert. He wasn't there and is out of the musical now. They've recruited a high school senior to fill his place. I'll bet the music staff had some nail-biting moments over the weekend. That's a lot of stuff riding on one kid who then basically throws it all away. I guess all the boys are out of all extra-curricular activities for at least two weeks, which basically takes them to the end of year. I wonder what happens to the kids NOT involved in activities?

Above and beyond

Fairly quiet weekend. No one was sick or in pain, which was a refreshing change of pace. E is coping well with her broken finger and is able to write and get dressed and brush her hair by herself.

I went to a cookout Saturday night at a faculty member's house. The kid's stayed home and babysat my coworkers little girl and she went with me. Great food, good conversation, interaction with adults. What's not to like? The girl's spazzed out when I wasn't home at 8:30 as I sort of suggested I might be and called my cell phone about 6 times before they got a hold of me. Here I am well into my 40's and I have a tighter curfew now than I ever did! I think I walked in the door at 8:50.

Our weekend excitment happened Saturday at noon when a neighbor called that his daughter was missing and had we seen her? Yikes. You worry about that when you live a block from a lake. We hadn't seen her and she hadn't called K to play as she often does (to K's distress. The two girls are like oil and water and she doesn't enjoy hanging out with her). We walked down to the lake and met her Dad there. Talked to some neighbors having a garage sale and they hadn't seen her all morning. My girls got on their bikes to check the school playground and did eventually find her, thank goodness. She was at the home of another classmate playing on his trampoline and apparently hadn't called home to let them know her whereabouts. She was a tight leash the rest of the weekend, which made it nice for us!

Just spent 20 minutes in the attic of the music building here, seeking a record cover for the alum who donated the record to us many, many years ago. I'm amazed I even found it! I definitely earned a cold Diet Pepsi for this, doncha think? I didn't even know there WAS an attic to that building, having only been in there maybe twice before. Here's hoping I never have to go back there again. Ick!

Weekly weigh-in

Here's my Friday morning routine:
Teeth flossed? check
Been to the bathroom? check
Nose blown? check
Nail clipped? check
Legs shaved? check

Ok, time to weigh in then. Whoo-hoo. I'm down 1.8 pounds this week and that's WITH eating a piece of cake at the retirement party yesterday. I took it easy on the other goodies, though. Now I've got a another darn bake sake to prepare for and a cookout Saturday night, so this weekend is fraught with stumbling blocks. But I usually cut myself some slack on the weekends. It's much easier to diet when I'm at work and don't have easy access to food.

But I did get an expected compliment about my weight loss today. People aren't really sure if they should mention it or not. I'm getting to the point where I need new pants, then it will be more noticeable. I feel a small shopping spree coming on before the kids get out of school! A few more pounds and I'll be able to buy clothes without a "W" in the size, which means I can shop somewhere other than Wally World without driving for hours and hours.

So I'm about two pounds from being halfway to my goal, three pounds from the 10% mark, and 12 pounds from weighing less than my boss. If I can just keep losing a pound or two a week I'll be in good shape.

The athletic training students came by to take blood pressures yesterday and obviously the exercise is helping. I was 120/71 with a resting pulse of 68.

Niece is better and went back to school for a partial day yesterday. MIL broke her wrist in her fall and is splinted. FIL got a less than rosy prognosis from the heart doctor. One of his major arteries is 50% blocked. At 75% they are taking open heart surgery. He is back on his treadmill, and he should have been all along to try and stave this off, but he is probably a surgery candidate in the next few months.

Just returned from my last Special Friend's day at K's school. The sappy songs always make me teary. Gotto go pick up the little darlin's soon as school is getting out in a few minutes.

Someone watches over me

What an odd afternoon.

E just called me and said, "Come pick me up. The track meet was cancelled."

"Why was it cancelled?" It is beautiful outside, not a cloud in the sky and why else would you cancel a track meet except for weather?

"There was a bomb threat called in," she said.

Oh, I guess that would do it.

So two buses of track girls from other schools, one from over an hour away, had to turn around and go home. At least I only had to drive across town.

E doesn't think the threat was serious. But someone said something and the whole "bomb sequence procedure" kicks in, and some dumb kid who said something thoughtless is in a whole heap of trouble.

So maybe we can't prevent any injuries this evening. My fingers are crossed.

The week that was

Looks like I have one taker for the cabin hideaway. Jen, you bring the wine! I've got a stack of good books and I think we'll be set.

Things are better, I guess. I've barely seen E since Tuesday morning between my work schedule and her activities. She is going to participate in another track meet this afternoon. God help me. She is concerned that her splint will get her disqualified since anything like jewelry is a no-no. Apparently an 8th grader was disqualified from her relay race earlier this week because she had on a bracelet while she ran. I'd be just fine with her disqualification personally.

K is no worse and I'm still undecided about how to proceed. Tomorrow is a half day off from school, so perhaps I'll see if we can see the doctor then. She got to tour the middle school yesterday and meet the 5th grade teachers. Now she is very pumped about 5th grade and has the 6 teachers ranked in order of preference. She seems to be leaning towards the two male teachers.

My niece is better, too. The kidney stone was pulverized by laser on Monday a.m. The anesthesia has made her, "sick as a dog," as my SIL says. She was going to try to go to school for at least part of the day today. SIL also reported that my MIL fell outside and is all bruised and battered. She was outside planting flowers and tripped over a downspout and rolled down their banked front yard. FIL was inside and didn't hear her yell, cars were whizzing by on the road but no one stopped to help. She finally rolled and crawled uphill to the satellite dish where she could pull herself up and hobbled inside. Not easy for a 76 year-old woman with two artificial knees and arthritis in her hands and hips. She's hurt her wrist and busted up her glasses so is off the doctor today to get that all checked out. I'll call her this evening and see how she is.

There is a farewell reception this afternoon for two professor friends who are retiring. I feel very emotional about it. Dr. T has at time's provided me with some valuable advice and more than once has served as a reference for me. I've enjoyed working with Ms. B, too. They are such warm, friendly people. I'll hate to see them leave.

This is Friday for me since my week started on Sunday. I'm going to a cook-out on Saturday night (sans children) and Sunday morning the bells play at both services then there is the TTT auction afterwards, which I should attend since I'm on finance committee. But I've avoided it so far, so why start now? I've got to get my stuff for the auction to the church tomorrow! I'm getting rid of some of Ben's old glassware. Not the depression glass, but some other things that strike me as butt ugly and I would never, ever use. It might be collectible and worth something, I don't know. We'll see if anyone wants the ugly stuff.

The ducks are nibbling

In the book I'm reading (The Year of Magical Thinking) Joan Didion's husband John Dunne tells her, "See, I TOLD you working at Life would be like being nibbled to death by ducks!" I'm not sure why that is, but the phrase has stuck with me.

E. had a track meet on Monday afternoon in a neighboring town. I had never been to the high school before, but we found it and eventually found a place to park and then hiked over to the track. As I came in the gate I scanned the kids wearing the green sweats looking for E. I found her sitting on a grassy bank with her back to me. As I came closer I noticed she had a bag full of ice. Uh, oh! She slipped coming out of the starting blocks on her first race and fell on her right hand and her fingers, particularly her ring finger hurt.

I was checking her out, when the head coach came over and said, "What happened?" Um, hello? I just got here, perhaps you can tell by the folded up blankets and water bottles I am carrying? I said, "I was hoping YOU could tell ME! I just arrived here and found her like this."

He looks at me a beat, and I can see him wondering 'is she trying to be funny?' Then he squats down and looks at E's hand and says, "Did you hurt it doing shotput?" Oh Lord, this man is fulfilling every dumb jock stereotype. I am shocked. She doesn't DO shotput. Never has. Its obvious to me that not only does he not know what happened, he doesn't even know who E. is.

E has another race to run, but she and coach decide to scratch her and I take her home. She seems fine on the way home, except she can't move her fingers on her right hand. No need for ER. We ice, we tape, we find the tylenol and I send her to bed.

Next morning, still not doing well so I make her a doctor's appointment. Sure enough her finger is fractured. It's called an avulsion fracture. What happens is that the tendon pops off and takes a little piece of bone with it. She has a little splint to wear for six weeks to keep the finger straight and immobilized. Now her finger is just swollen and throbby.

What this means is that she do whatever she wants. What she can't do is band. You can't play clarinet with your ring finer wrapped up in hard plastic. The kicker is, she is an excellent clarinetist. She is first chair at her school, sitting ahead of kids a year older than her. She's been in three honor bands this year, playing first clarinet in two of them and now she can't practice for 6 weeks and it may be longer before she gets mobility back. She's not concerned. I am a basket case about it. I need to divest myself and quit living out my old glories through her. My old glories were pretty modest though.

K. woke up yelling that it hurt to pee again. Sigh. We go through this periodically. I take her to the doctor, urine sample is clear, doctor says to drink more, problem goes away. I've been trying to skip the middle man this time. She does not appear to have a UTI and the pain is intermittent, but lessens when she drinks a lot. Spasms? I suppose I need to take her in again, but I am hesitant. This child has absolutely no pain tolerance, but going to the bathroom shouldn't hurt. And sometimes it doesn't. Ah, confusion and indecision are constantly nipping at my heels. At least she slept all night.

So the voices in my head are really hounding me lately. I want to be a hermit in a mountain cabin where no one can come and tell me what ache or pain they are experiencing now. This is not how a concerned mother should act, is it? I told Kate that this was stressful for me because I had no control over how much she drank. SHE had to be responsible for this. Yelling at me about the pain may make her feel better, but it is tearing the heart out of me. I feel guilty and responsible for her pain, and yet we know that the solution is up to her.

The good news the diet is going well this week I think. I'm too stressed out to eat, which is saying something. Two days to weigh-in. I hope I can finally achieve the 20 pound mark and leave it behind me. I've been bouncing around it for a month now. And I must say my hair looks wonderful today.