They won!
the Lincroft Mets stay alive. I think the next game is Tuesday. We play a powerhouse team. Expect the end. More later.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The Visitation
We have been visited by the agency! It was, again, a day of cleaning and readying the house for someone to come and sit at the kitchen table. :-) However, I think I will continue to schedule these visits, as this is really the only time I can enlist everyone's help in cleaning the house.
So we just went through some paperwork, signed one more form, and took some handouts in the form of brochures and a poster she would like me to ask to be hung at the high school. I will wait to see if we're able to get this ball rolling next week before I go shaking any more trees about this. The next step, once she gets a verbal OK from the Assistant Superintendent, which hopefully she will, will be to let the poor girl know who the family is who has had her hanging for so very long. Then she will have the final opportunity to veto or accept. Assuming she accepts, we will be able to correspond.
We were under a tornado watch today! But no sooner did I read that than the sun came out again. Kevin took Brian to get a haircut, and wow! did he. His scar is clearly visible, as no hair grows there. He has a dual-hemisphere back of the head now. And he is off to his playoff baseball game, as no additional precipitation has made its way here just yet. So I ordered a pizza for Megan and a couple of her friends, and I am off to see the game at 6. If they lose, that will be the end of it.
Horrible morning!! Wren, who has taken to escaping, did so when I let Molly out for the morning pee. I fed the others, and left a plate outside the slider for Wren. Then I heard meowing, so I went outside. I didn't see her, and I kept hearing the muffled meow. I thought she was hurt or captured. Suddenly, she jumped up on the deck, and she had a CHIPMUNK in her mouth!! I was horrified; and then I saw her drop it, and it tried to get away! I lunged for her, she lunged for it, and I snatched her up just as she got hold of its tail. So I was shaking her, and the poor little chipmunk was just swinging around by his tail! Just then she dropped it, and I threw her in the house, and by the time I turned around, there was no sign of it. Ugh. I hope it is not mortally wounded. I didn't see any blood.
Well, that is about all for tonight. I don't have much to report. In other news, I got a nice paycheck today, and I expect a nice one again in two weeks. The last couple of days were not that bad at school, and I have the three in a row coming up next week, but they'll be in the last pay period of the year for me, most likely. There is a small black BMW backing up in front of my house. Better go and see if that's the pizza.
So we just went through some paperwork, signed one more form, and took some handouts in the form of brochures and a poster she would like me to ask to be hung at the high school. I will wait to see if we're able to get this ball rolling next week before I go shaking any more trees about this. The next step, once she gets a verbal OK from the Assistant Superintendent, which hopefully she will, will be to let the poor girl know who the family is who has had her hanging for so very long. Then she will have the final opportunity to veto or accept. Assuming she accepts, we will be able to correspond.
We were under a tornado watch today! But no sooner did I read that than the sun came out again. Kevin took Brian to get a haircut, and wow! did he. His scar is clearly visible, as no hair grows there. He has a dual-hemisphere back of the head now. And he is off to his playoff baseball game, as no additional precipitation has made its way here just yet. So I ordered a pizza for Megan and a couple of her friends, and I am off to see the game at 6. If they lose, that will be the end of it.
Horrible morning!! Wren, who has taken to escaping, did so when I let Molly out for the morning pee. I fed the others, and left a plate outside the slider for Wren. Then I heard meowing, so I went outside. I didn't see her, and I kept hearing the muffled meow. I thought she was hurt or captured. Suddenly, she jumped up on the deck, and she had a CHIPMUNK in her mouth!! I was horrified; and then I saw her drop it, and it tried to get away! I lunged for her, she lunged for it, and I snatched her up just as she got hold of its tail. So I was shaking her, and the poor little chipmunk was just swinging around by his tail! Just then she dropped it, and I threw her in the house, and by the time I turned around, there was no sign of it. Ugh. I hope it is not mortally wounded. I didn't see any blood.
Well, that is about all for tonight. I don't have much to report. In other news, I got a nice paycheck today, and I expect a nice one again in two weeks. The last couple of days were not that bad at school, and I have the three in a row coming up next week, but they'll be in the last pay period of the year for me, most likely. There is a small black BMW backing up in front of my house. Better go and see if that's the pizza.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
It's Gotta Be a Strange Twist of Fate
And so I had to work today. I was not so much looking forward to it, four nice days off in a row, and now to go back to a third grade class of which I am not particularly fond. They have a very strict teacher, and they always sort of break down when she isn't there. But, I sucked it up...and for the most part they were glad, or at least not surprised, to see me. Just two major mishaps: the boy who fell backwards in his chair and hit his head on the rolling bookcase, and the girl who got on the bus when she was supposed to be picked up by car; and her bus left before the mom realized it. Oh well. Noone told me she wasn't supposed to get on the bus, or, in fact, what she was supposed to do at all! I am sure they will just say "she had a substitute."
Anyway, the odd thing is that the principal at school has been out quite a bit. Rumor has it she had a hospital stay a couple of weeks ago, when she was out and unreachable for the entire week. Well, when a principal is out, there must be an administrator in the school for arrival and dismissal of the students. I noticed a tall, dapper looking gentleman who I had never seen before, and assumed he must be the substitute principal. I wondered who he was, and thought that perhaps the principal of the high school. So I asked a woman I have seen around for years, who works in the before-care, but also happens to be a board member. Well. Knock me over with a feather. This man was none other than the man we have been trying to reach regarding the exchange student approval! I hurried over.
He was extremely nice and open to the idea. I explained the whole thing to him, and he said that he had grown up as one of six, and they often had exchange students in their home. He even asked if we would give them back one of ours!!! Haha! I should have asked if he had one in mind. But I didn't. He gave me his card, with all of his information on it, again gave me the excuse of how busy the other woman has been with the testing assessments, and we went our separate ways. I called the regional manager, knowing I could get hold of her as the local rep works during the day, and gave her all the info, and the details he had requested. She said she would get on it.
Later in the day, she told me she had spoken again to his secretary, and was again put off, and also that she spoke to the secretary of the woman we keep being pushed onto, and she was quite rude. So, I fell to discouragement again. However...not to be outdone, the local rep scored some victory of her own. Just by chance, she called this guy to follow up, and he actually picked up his own phone!!! So she got him, and he was very kind to her as well, and he told her to go ahead and send the packet, and so she is! It is most exciting. And to think I was on the fence about this whole exchange student thing at first. As soon as they make something difficult to attain, that's when it seems to be the most attractive.
So that was the news of the day. I woke up and the day was not going so well. I let Molly out, and Wren escaped. Damn cat! She's been doing that a lot, but it was 7:45 and it's lawn cutting day. Nobody else would be home until Megan got home at 2:30, and the stupid fool would be out all day. The other night she had some sort of skirmish with another cat, and now noone would be home to protect her. Then I dropped off Brian at school and went to Dunkin Donuts, and it was packed! I was in such a funk! My car was saying "check fuel cap", but I have not even gotten gas since Friday. All was just not well. But then! I came out of Dunkin Donuts, and there on the ground, there it was! It was a heads-up penny!!! I thought, I can use all the luck I can get today! And I grabbed it. So maybe it worked its wonders. Who knows.
Anyway that was that. Today was a hellish sort of day. I had already volunteered to drive both ways for the swimming carpool, which on Wednesdays entails a half-hour drive to the beach. Normally I enjoy this, and I will walk and have myself a nice glass of wine at Stewart's by the boardwalk. However, tonight there was a rescheduled baseball game for Brian's travel team. Well, I didn't realize that this was a playoff game, and a makeup for a game that had gone one inning in a previously rained out event. So here is what I did: picked up the carpool boys at 4:45. Drove them to Long Branch for the 5:30 practice. Drove home, got here at 6. Took Brian to his game by 6:15 (half an hour late for warm-ups). Left him there. No other team at the time. Drove back to beach, got there at 6:45. Waited 15 minutes for the kids, then drove them all back to their homes. Went to see Brian play right field as their team was mercied in only three innings of play (add to the inning played the other time for four innings) of which Brian played exactly ... one. Fun with Jane.
The good news? They're done for the season (the travel team). Little League has their second game on Saturday. They almost won yesterday, in fact. Brian not only had a hit, he also scored! It was most exciting. But the coach switched everyone up the last inning and the other team scored, and they beat us by one. It's double elimination, so if they lose on Saturday, they're out. Ironically, they are called the Mets and they played the Marlins; I heard on the radio that yesterday the Mets beat the Marlins, 5-3. Unfortunately, in our world, the Marlins beat the Mets, 6-5.
In other news, Kevin is still in Denmark. He returns on Friday. I am working again tomorrow (4th grade) and on Friday ('floating' as of now) and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week. After that, it may be done. (heh heh ... one can only hope!) Megan got her classes for next year, and holy God...I could never survive a schedule like that: Geometry, Pre-Calc, Chemistry, English, History, Spanish 4 (all Honors). She is doubling up on the math this year, so she can do something later (I forget what) but she has no electives. However, when you do it this way, you have an easier time your senior year. So let's hope our exchange student (more on her later) is as serious of a student as all of her application answers say she is!
Anyway, the odd thing is that the principal at school has been out quite a bit. Rumor has it she had a hospital stay a couple of weeks ago, when she was out and unreachable for the entire week. Well, when a principal is out, there must be an administrator in the school for arrival and dismissal of the students. I noticed a tall, dapper looking gentleman who I had never seen before, and assumed he must be the substitute principal. I wondered who he was, and thought that perhaps the principal of the high school. So I asked a woman I have seen around for years, who works in the before-care, but also happens to be a board member. Well. Knock me over with a feather. This man was none other than the man we have been trying to reach regarding the exchange student approval! I hurried over.
He was extremely nice and open to the idea. I explained the whole thing to him, and he said that he had grown up as one of six, and they often had exchange students in their home. He even asked if we would give them back one of ours!!! Haha! I should have asked if he had one in mind. But I didn't. He gave me his card, with all of his information on it, again gave me the excuse of how busy the other woman has been with the testing assessments, and we went our separate ways. I called the regional manager, knowing I could get hold of her as the local rep works during the day, and gave her all the info, and the details he had requested. She said she would get on it.
Later in the day, she told me she had spoken again to his secretary, and was again put off, and also that she spoke to the secretary of the woman we keep being pushed onto, and she was quite rude. So, I fell to discouragement again. However...not to be outdone, the local rep scored some victory of her own. Just by chance, she called this guy to follow up, and he actually picked up his own phone!!! So she got him, and he was very kind to her as well, and he told her to go ahead and send the packet, and so she is! It is most exciting. And to think I was on the fence about this whole exchange student thing at first. As soon as they make something difficult to attain, that's when it seems to be the most attractive.
So that was the news of the day. I woke up and the day was not going so well. I let Molly out, and Wren escaped. Damn cat! She's been doing that a lot, but it was 7:45 and it's lawn cutting day. Nobody else would be home until Megan got home at 2:30, and the stupid fool would be out all day. The other night she had some sort of skirmish with another cat, and now noone would be home to protect her. Then I dropped off Brian at school and went to Dunkin Donuts, and it was packed! I was in such a funk! My car was saying "check fuel cap", but I have not even gotten gas since Friday. All was just not well. But then! I came out of Dunkin Donuts, and there on the ground, there it was! It was a heads-up penny!!! I thought, I can use all the luck I can get today! And I grabbed it. So maybe it worked its wonders. Who knows.
Anyway that was that. Today was a hellish sort of day. I had already volunteered to drive both ways for the swimming carpool, which on Wednesdays entails a half-hour drive to the beach. Normally I enjoy this, and I will walk and have myself a nice glass of wine at Stewart's by the boardwalk. However, tonight there was a rescheduled baseball game for Brian's travel team. Well, I didn't realize that this was a playoff game, and a makeup for a game that had gone one inning in a previously rained out event. So here is what I did: picked up the carpool boys at 4:45. Drove them to Long Branch for the 5:30 practice. Drove home, got here at 6. Took Brian to his game by 6:15 (half an hour late for warm-ups). Left him there. No other team at the time. Drove back to beach, got there at 6:45. Waited 15 minutes for the kids, then drove them all back to their homes. Went to see Brian play right field as their team was mercied in only three innings of play (add to the inning played the other time for four innings) of which Brian played exactly ... one. Fun with Jane.
The good news? They're done for the season (the travel team). Little League has their second game on Saturday. They almost won yesterday, in fact. Brian not only had a hit, he also scored! It was most exciting. But the coach switched everyone up the last inning and the other team scored, and they beat us by one. It's double elimination, so if they lose on Saturday, they're out. Ironically, they are called the Mets and they played the Marlins; I heard on the radio that yesterday the Mets beat the Marlins, 5-3. Unfortunately, in our world, the Marlins beat the Mets, 6-5.
In other news, Kevin is still in Denmark. He returns on Friday. I am working again tomorrow (4th grade) and on Friday ('floating' as of now) and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week. After that, it may be done. (heh heh ... one can only hope!) Megan got her classes for next year, and holy God...I could never survive a schedule like that: Geometry, Pre-Calc, Chemistry, English, History, Spanish 4 (all Honors). She is doubling up on the math this year, so she can do something later (I forget what) but she has no electives. However, when you do it this way, you have an easier time your senior year. So let's hope our exchange student (more on her later) is as serious of a student as all of her application answers say she is!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Poolside Post
It's Memorial day weekend! It is summer!!! Currently playing: The Wall (Pink Floyd)
I am sitting out by the pool. I had a headache all day, but I watered my shrubs and it went away significantly, so I had a glass of wine and it is totally gone now. Here is the thing: I went to church, and thought how nice it would be to sit where the sun was coming in the window. So I sat there, and it ended up being too sunny, and the sun made me squint, and by the end of church I had a terrible headache! (plus, I don't think it is 'The Wall' after all, but it is definitely Pink Floyd)
So my funny bloggable story is that when I woke up, I thought, Ok, this exchange student thing is really getting to me, I am going to try to put it out of my mind for the time being. Maybe I'll get some sort of message at church as to whether or not I am meant to do this. So off we go, because Megan was wearing the white robe on the altar today. As I sat down and waited for the service to begin, as I always do, I browsed through the bulletin. Below the listing of all the sick and prayers needed, and birthdays and anniversaries, was a new entry. Guess what it was called? Are you sitting? It was called...THE MESSAGE!!!! =:-O!
So I read it. Well, basically, it said that you can't worship two gods at once, because you will end up hating one. what does that mean? I can't have an exchange student, because I will end up hating either her or my own kids? Anyway, I tried to pay attention to the sermon in between the vibrations of my phone when Kevin would send me a text. It seems that the two gods are God and Money. You can't have them both. However, what I took from this is that it is perfect to want to be like Christ. But I suppose what he was saying is that it is the same thing to want to want to be like Christ. So, like, if you have lots of money, but wish you didn't really have it, because Christ says the rich will be the last and they can't really get into heaven any more easily than they can fit through the eye of a needle, then you are actually OK and it is the same thing.
I was watching this lawyer and his wife, who rarely come to church now that their kids are grown, but who live in a multimillion dollar home in the next town over from us, and I swear that I saw them heave a dual sigh of relief when the priest said that it was just the same to want to want to be like Christ. Anyway, I told Kevin and he said that was good. He wants to give more money to the YMCA. I said, so go ahead. So, we're in.
But, sadly, I was unable to take away any relevance to my exchange student ponderings. I guess on that front I will just have to wait and see what happens over the next couple of weeks. I did find out that the woman who is too busy to call us back works until 4pm and make $126,000 a year. I definitely answered the wrong calling in my college days.
So that was my epiphany for the day. Yesterday we did go to the beach for the opening of Surfrider. It was a little chilly, not too bad. It is, after all, the beach. As long as there are no biting flies and no hypodermic needles on the beach, how bad can it be, right? And there were already two captured kittens! It was so sad. One of them, the one lying inthe litterbox, has yellow coming out of its eyes. I wanted to take it home and cure it. But, no. Four cats is enough and Puff the Beach Cat is the most expensive free kitten I have ever heard of, once we got rid of all the ailments she came with.
Well, Kevin informs me his creation is complete. He bought some unidentifiable hunks at Costco today, and just cooked them on the grill. They looked to me more like something you'd put in the oven, but as long as I didn't have to cook 'em, who really cares. I'll post more on that if I remember, and if I survive.
In other news, Megan is babysitting next door and Brian has been running around pretty much all weekend with random local boys. We had to drag him from the beach yesterday, and he wasn't trailing Megan, so that can only be a good omen for the year to come. Megan has a whole gang to run around with; and he is 'too young' to be included. So thankfully, he is finding himself some other buddies. And anyway, I dropped off her application to work in the extended school year program for the special ed kids, so hopefully she will get that and will work three days a week anyway, as a volunteer. They need 100 hours by their senior year, for the National Honor Society. Oh, yeah. And our phone is broken. It's been broken since Wednesday night. Ridiculous. (Disclaimer: post not proofread)
Currently playing: Burning For You (Blue Oyster Cult) :-)
I am sitting out by the pool. I had a headache all day, but I watered my shrubs and it went away significantly, so I had a glass of wine and it is totally gone now. Here is the thing: I went to church, and thought how nice it would be to sit where the sun was coming in the window. So I sat there, and it ended up being too sunny, and the sun made me squint, and by the end of church I had a terrible headache! (plus, I don't think it is 'The Wall' after all, but it is definitely Pink Floyd)
So my funny bloggable story is that when I woke up, I thought, Ok, this exchange student thing is really getting to me, I am going to try to put it out of my mind for the time being. Maybe I'll get some sort of message at church as to whether or not I am meant to do this. So off we go, because Megan was wearing the white robe on the altar today. As I sat down and waited for the service to begin, as I always do, I browsed through the bulletin. Below the listing of all the sick and prayers needed, and birthdays and anniversaries, was a new entry. Guess what it was called? Are you sitting? It was called...THE MESSAGE!!!! =:-O!
So I read it. Well, basically, it said that you can't worship two gods at once, because you will end up hating one. what does that mean? I can't have an exchange student, because I will end up hating either her or my own kids? Anyway, I tried to pay attention to the sermon in between the vibrations of my phone when Kevin would send me a text. It seems that the two gods are God and Money. You can't have them both. However, what I took from this is that it is perfect to want to be like Christ. But I suppose what he was saying is that it is the same thing to want to want to be like Christ. So, like, if you have lots of money, but wish you didn't really have it, because Christ says the rich will be the last and they can't really get into heaven any more easily than they can fit through the eye of a needle, then you are actually OK and it is the same thing.
I was watching this lawyer and his wife, who rarely come to church now that their kids are grown, but who live in a multimillion dollar home in the next town over from us, and I swear that I saw them heave a dual sigh of relief when the priest said that it was just the same to want to want to be like Christ. Anyway, I told Kevin and he said that was good. He wants to give more money to the YMCA. I said, so go ahead. So, we're in.
But, sadly, I was unable to take away any relevance to my exchange student ponderings. I guess on that front I will just have to wait and see what happens over the next couple of weeks. I did find out that the woman who is too busy to call us back works until 4pm and make $126,000 a year. I definitely answered the wrong calling in my college days.
So that was my epiphany for the day. Yesterday we did go to the beach for the opening of Surfrider. It was a little chilly, not too bad. It is, after all, the beach. As long as there are no biting flies and no hypodermic needles on the beach, how bad can it be, right? And there were already two captured kittens! It was so sad. One of them, the one lying inthe litterbox, has yellow coming out of its eyes. I wanted to take it home and cure it. But, no. Four cats is enough and Puff the Beach Cat is the most expensive free kitten I have ever heard of, once we got rid of all the ailments she came with.
Well, Kevin informs me his creation is complete. He bought some unidentifiable hunks at Costco today, and just cooked them on the grill. They looked to me more like something you'd put in the oven, but as long as I didn't have to cook 'em, who really cares. I'll post more on that if I remember, and if I survive.
In other news, Megan is babysitting next door and Brian has been running around pretty much all weekend with random local boys. We had to drag him from the beach yesterday, and he wasn't trailing Megan, so that can only be a good omen for the year to come. Megan has a whole gang to run around with; and he is 'too young' to be included. So thankfully, he is finding himself some other buddies. And anyway, I dropped off her application to work in the extended school year program for the special ed kids, so hopefully she will get that and will work three days a week anyway, as a volunteer. They need 100 hours by their senior year, for the National Honor Society. Oh, yeah. And our phone is broken. It's been broken since Wednesday night. Ridiculous. (Disclaimer: post not proofread)
Currently playing: Burning For You (Blue Oyster Cult) :-)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Finally Friday!
Well, at long last the week is ending, and it's Memorial Day weekend! (and it's 50 degrees in the sun...) I just finished almost a full week of subbing - although none of the days were bad, they can still get exhausting. And today they had a special luncheon for the teachers and nobody bothered to invite the subs, or at least they didn't invite me. I did enjoy having the teachers' room all to myself, but it's a bit insulting and degrading when they do things like that. In the past, they would always tell me to stop in and have something. But nobody mentioned a word of it. Also, I am picking up on increasing tensions amongst the staff, and I don't really know what's behind it, nor do I want to be involved. As a sub, I really just have to get along with everyone.
One of the teachers came in and had words with another one, right in front of me, today. I don't know what it was all about but she said, "don't you have enough teachers in here to do this now ..." and he said, "first of all one of them is a sub, and one is a para". Guess which one I was? I didn't know I was incapable of performing basic teaching functions; I'm not sure what she wanted done, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't rocket science. I know he didn't mean it against me, he was making excuses, but it pretty much summed up the whole day. Although I must add that some teachers are wonderful and kind all of the time. But some who used to be are not so much anymore, and I fear they're just all getting sucked into this vortex of cosmic dissonance.
So, on my prep, I called the woman at the district offices about the exchange students, and was told that the person I needed to speak to was out and would return my call. I said, well she hasn't returned any calls in over a week, and I got the song and dance of how busy she is. I explained (stretched, if you will) that we had already lost one student due to this delay, and we were hoping not to have to have that happen again. I doubt it made any difference. It's been four hours, and no return call. I did get an email that the cute little Russian girl was placed the same night that I first saw her profile, so at least I don't have to worry that I made the wrong choice, since it appears not to have been mine to make after all. Again, we wait.
Meanwhile, I have to find four photographs to attach to the agency's host family application that make us seem like a fun family that people would want to join. Sadly, I am finding this to be quite an elusive task!!! I can't just send all Cape May pictures, as this person may never come to Cape May. The pictures are supposed to show us with family and friends in places we live or places where we often go...I have so many pictures of brunches and dinners with the Doll, and bad blurry shots of the kids going off the diving board, or standing around holding badminton rackets and looking all scraggly. No good candid winter pictures, and that's the main time that they'd be experiencing. I'm going to have Megan search her facebook pictures. There's a whole section where people tag you in pictures, and they show up on your page. I don't know if she can snag one, but she can always ask to have one sent to her.
Well, on that note, I should go and do something before I lose all motivation and the sun sets. Kevin said he would leave work around 3 today; he is not going in on Tuesday, but he is leaving that day for Denmark. And, in other news, he did call the attorney and she gave him the same answer she gave me a year ago: she would pull the file and get back to him. This time, I think I will follow up in less than a year's time. We have no big plans for the weekend, no baseball, just Kevin's softball on Sunday and Megan is babysitting Sunday morning at church and Sunday night for the boys next door. I guess we will try to get down to the beach at some point, but they are saying it will be a bit chillier by the water. Which should be common sense, so if they're saying it, that must mean significantly cooler. I'm working next week on Wednesday and Thursday, but the way things are going, probably Friday too. Someone always wants their Fridays off!
One of the teachers came in and had words with another one, right in front of me, today. I don't know what it was all about but she said, "don't you have enough teachers in here to do this now ..." and he said, "first of all one of them is a sub, and one is a para". Guess which one I was? I didn't know I was incapable of performing basic teaching functions; I'm not sure what she wanted done, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't rocket science. I know he didn't mean it against me, he was making excuses, but it pretty much summed up the whole day. Although I must add that some teachers are wonderful and kind all of the time. But some who used to be are not so much anymore, and I fear they're just all getting sucked into this vortex of cosmic dissonance.
So, on my prep, I called the woman at the district offices about the exchange students, and was told that the person I needed to speak to was out and would return my call. I said, well she hasn't returned any calls in over a week, and I got the song and dance of how busy she is. I explained (stretched, if you will) that we had already lost one student due to this delay, and we were hoping not to have to have that happen again. I doubt it made any difference. It's been four hours, and no return call. I did get an email that the cute little Russian girl was placed the same night that I first saw her profile, so at least I don't have to worry that I made the wrong choice, since it appears not to have been mine to make after all. Again, we wait.
Meanwhile, I have to find four photographs to attach to the agency's host family application that make us seem like a fun family that people would want to join. Sadly, I am finding this to be quite an elusive task!!! I can't just send all Cape May pictures, as this person may never come to Cape May. The pictures are supposed to show us with family and friends in places we live or places where we often go...I have so many pictures of brunches and dinners with the Doll, and bad blurry shots of the kids going off the diving board, or standing around holding badminton rackets and looking all scraggly. No good candid winter pictures, and that's the main time that they'd be experiencing. I'm going to have Megan search her facebook pictures. There's a whole section where people tag you in pictures, and they show up on your page. I don't know if she can snag one, but she can always ask to have one sent to her.
Well, on that note, I should go and do something before I lose all motivation and the sun sets. Kevin said he would leave work around 3 today; he is not going in on Tuesday, but he is leaving that day for Denmark. And, in other news, he did call the attorney and she gave him the same answer she gave me a year ago: she would pull the file and get back to him. This time, I think I will follow up in less than a year's time. We have no big plans for the weekend, no baseball, just Kevin's softball on Sunday and Megan is babysitting Sunday morning at church and Sunday night for the boys next door. I guess we will try to get down to the beach at some point, but they are saying it will be a bit chillier by the water. Which should be common sense, so if they're saying it, that must mean significantly cooler. I'm working next week on Wednesday and Thursday, but the way things are going, probably Friday too. Someone always wants their Fridays off!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A Little News
Well, there is new news, as you may have guessed. First, the Fresh air lady did get back to me, and she told me that our references had wonderful things to say about us. (I must have paid them well) She said that she has forwarded our info to New York, so we are just awaiting a match.
Second, after spending nearly TWO HOURS on the phone yesterday morning with the woman from PIE, we have put on hold a different girl from CCI instead of the four PIE candidates. I don't know why, but I prefer to work with them. The PIE candidates were Russian and German girls, and two of them appealed to me; one little Russian girl in particular. However, the girl from CCI instantly won over Kevin and Brian. Megan agreed to her as well. She is definitely going to be a good kid - my concern is will she be TOO great? But I suppose it is a chance we take with any of them. I was so set on J2, that I would have had to adjust my thinking anyway, to any new person. This one will fit our lifestyle the best, I think. So now for school approval, hopefully.
A little quick background: this girl, we will call her E, is just six months older than Megan, so she should also be in the same grade, but legitimately, where the others were much older. She is from Denmark, which Kevin likes, and in the "Dear Family" letter, they didn't white out the names of her father's companies, so Kevin was able to see that they are both customers of the bank. Also, for three years when she was younger, her family lived in Connecticut. In her letter, she says that she so didn't want to go at first, that she insisted on getting a new bike and a kitten (she was then 8). It seems she did, because she has two cats, and one is from the U.S. She is attractive, but tall (yikes) and thin. She says she likes sports, music, friends, and lists a bunch of other issues such as debating, politics, social dancing, and ::gasp:: dating. (well, at least she is honest). Like J2, she writes extremely well, even for a natural English speaking person. So we will see if we get te approval. supposedly she is on hold 'pending school approval' so let's see if we can get that before tomorrow. Ha.
So, that is the news. In other news, I am working again today with the special ed second and third graders. I am very excited because we are going to see the play put on by the drama club at the other high school. These kids are really fun to be with, although they can also be a handful with their assorted issues. And tomorrow I have the resource room for the day. I will welcome the three day weekend, although I wasted much of yesterday waiting for email from PIE, which didn't come until 6pm. Brian's rec baseball team won their second game last night, and I am also waiting to hear from my real estate attorney.
This should be an issue for another blog, but I will sum it up quickly: when we bought our house, our seller apparently hadn't been able to prove that she had paid off an old mortgage. I guess she must have refinanced, or consolidated, or something, after her husband died. So she had some paperwork, to prove she had paid off what she knew about, but there was an older loan, and she did not have that dcumentation. I knew nothing about this until I ran into her a year or so ago, and she told me our attorneys were withholding $3000, and she didn't have these documents. Why this falls on me I don't understand. She needs to go to court and get them; but her attorney is not helping her. Mine never followed up with me on that call, although they did tell me this "happens all the time, and is really no big deal", and I forgot about it. Well, this seller also ran a bus company (perhaps into the ground, I get all kinds of odd mail and once a subpoena guy showed up at the door) and the other day there was a letter from the IRS addressed to that company in our box. I have again emailed the attorney to be sure that we get this issue taken care of. I'd hate to try to sell our house, only to find out there is some issue attached to it that doesn't even concern us!
Second, after spending nearly TWO HOURS on the phone yesterday morning with the woman from PIE, we have put on hold a different girl from CCI instead of the four PIE candidates. I don't know why, but I prefer to work with them. The PIE candidates were Russian and German girls, and two of them appealed to me; one little Russian girl in particular. However, the girl from CCI instantly won over Kevin and Brian. Megan agreed to her as well. She is definitely going to be a good kid - my concern is will she be TOO great? But I suppose it is a chance we take with any of them. I was so set on J2, that I would have had to adjust my thinking anyway, to any new person. This one will fit our lifestyle the best, I think. So now for school approval, hopefully.
A little quick background: this girl, we will call her E, is just six months older than Megan, so she should also be in the same grade, but legitimately, where the others were much older. She is from Denmark, which Kevin likes, and in the "Dear Family" letter, they didn't white out the names of her father's companies, so Kevin was able to see that they are both customers of the bank. Also, for three years when she was younger, her family lived in Connecticut. In her letter, she says that she so didn't want to go at first, that she insisted on getting a new bike and a kitten (she was then 8). It seems she did, because she has two cats, and one is from the U.S. She is attractive, but tall (yikes) and thin. She says she likes sports, music, friends, and lists a bunch of other issues such as debating, politics, social dancing, and ::gasp:: dating. (well, at least she is honest). Like J2, she writes extremely well, even for a natural English speaking person. So we will see if we get te approval. supposedly she is on hold 'pending school approval' so let's see if we can get that before tomorrow. Ha.
So, that is the news. In other news, I am working again today with the special ed second and third graders. I am very excited because we are going to see the play put on by the drama club at the other high school. These kids are really fun to be with, although they can also be a handful with their assorted issues. And tomorrow I have the resource room for the day. I will welcome the three day weekend, although I wasted much of yesterday waiting for email from PIE, which didn't come until 6pm. Brian's rec baseball team won their second game last night, and I am also waiting to hear from my real estate attorney.
This should be an issue for another blog, but I will sum it up quickly: when we bought our house, our seller apparently hadn't been able to prove that she had paid off an old mortgage. I guess she must have refinanced, or consolidated, or something, after her husband died. So she had some paperwork, to prove she had paid off what she knew about, but there was an older loan, and she did not have that dcumentation. I knew nothing about this until I ran into her a year or so ago, and she told me our attorneys were withholding $3000, and she didn't have these documents. Why this falls on me I don't understand. She needs to go to court and get them; but her attorney is not helping her. Mine never followed up with me on that call, although they did tell me this "happens all the time, and is really no big deal", and I forgot about it. Well, this seller also ran a bus company (perhaps into the ground, I get all kinds of odd mail and once a subpoena guy showed up at the door) and the other day there was a letter from the IRS addressed to that company in our box. I have again emailed the attorney to be sure that we get this issue taken care of. I'd hate to try to sell our house, only to find out there is some issue attached to it that doesn't even concern us!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
J2 No More
Well, I got an email from the CCI woman saying that J2 was placed last Friday. Strange, since her message on Monday said she was on hold and we could not lose her. I guess we have no more to worry about in that respect. Now we have to decide if we want to go with J1 from Denmark, who likes horses and cooking, or if we would prefer to keep looking, or go back to the more professional agency - they do have someone who sounds perfect - except -- she is 5'9!!!! But she is a swimmer, and would like to join a swim team while she is here. Would that be too much togetherness? What if she is really good, and she swims the distance freestyle events? Or do we drop the whole thing? But once you get onto something...at least, once *I* do ...!
To Bat or Not to Bat
That is the question. I have been hearing about this lawsuit against Little League, Sports Authority, and the maker of the unfortunate bat that delivered the near-fatal and life altering blow to the chest of then-12-year old Steven. I vaguely remembered having heard something about it, but I couldn't remember what had happened to him that he was suing the batmaker. Did he get hit by the bat? What on earth could the bat have done to a kid?
So this morning I decided to review the story. Hit by a batter!!! Hmm. Let me think about that. I read the article and a few things hit very close to home. Particularly the description of the boy's pitching abilities: he didn't throw very fast, but he had good ball control. So what does that mean? It means that he usually throws strikes, but they don't pack much power. That's what it meant to me. Most of the time when I have seen these pitches returned, they don't come back with that much force. Actually, when Brian pitches, the best batters are usually lucky to get a lazy fly ball to centerfield.
I remember a few years ago hearing lots of talk about heartguards, and I think this accident was the impetus; although this is certainly far from the only one. I remember last summer reading about a girl killed by a returned softball she had just pitched. Probably to an aluminum bat. They're lighter, and they're all you see on the fields. Nobody plays with wooden bats.
So what is with the lawsuit? I'm not sure what the parents expect to gain. I understand every time Brian steps out there the risk we all take. In fact, it's the reason I hate to see him pitch, and secretly thank my lucky stars that he is one of the 'alternates' and only has to face those smacked balls in about half the innings on his travel team. At one game, such a batter did smack the ball right to the pitcher. Luckily, he had cat-like refexes and put up his glove to deflect the line drive. I do not believe Brian has this reactive ability.
Should we sue football makers for concussions received when players are tackled after making a reception? Can we sue the maker of a swimming pool, when a child falls in and drowns? How about the maker of a skateboard, when the child rides it down the steps of a large building and ends up in a vegetative state? I understand they are devastated, and of course they should be. It just seems to me that the focus is in the wrong area. I don't see how they can win a thing. Focus on the heartguard rule; focus on safety concerns; make the pitching distance longer if the batters are hitting harder.
But, perhaps I am mistaken. Certainly there are bats that create a more impressive thwack than others. Our Little League has rules regarding the size of the bats that were allowed to be used, no wide bodied models were permitted, at least not at that age. On the other hand, we knew a woman whose eye was permanently damaged as a result of being hit with a wiffle ball when she was a child. Sometimes you're just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Well, that was all I felt like saying. In other news, there is no news on the Fresh Air or the exchange student. The CCI woman sent a letter to the principal at the high school last night, and attached a picture of an unsmiling, rather butch looking chinese girl instead of our smiling blonde Swede. I am not so sure they will be thinking too highly of us by the time this whole thing is resolved. I guess it falls on me to contact the powers that be to see what we have to do to set this process in motion. Right now, I can't assigned until I can get approval to enroll a student. And in the meantime, the poor girl's application is on hold. In order for her to be released, we need an answer, one way or the other. In poring through old meeting minutes, I discovered that they have accepted many students over the years and in 2005 discussed it at a board meeting. However, they have no published policy on their website, which makes it difficult to know from which angle to approach. Our system is so entangled in bureaucracy; and we've been through about four superintendents in the nine years that my kids have been enrolled in the schools.
So this morning I decided to review the story. Hit by a batter!!! Hmm. Let me think about that. I read the article and a few things hit very close to home. Particularly the description of the boy's pitching abilities: he didn't throw very fast, but he had good ball control. So what does that mean? It means that he usually throws strikes, but they don't pack much power. That's what it meant to me. Most of the time when I have seen these pitches returned, they don't come back with that much force. Actually, when Brian pitches, the best batters are usually lucky to get a lazy fly ball to centerfield.
I remember a few years ago hearing lots of talk about heartguards, and I think this accident was the impetus; although this is certainly far from the only one. I remember last summer reading about a girl killed by a returned softball she had just pitched. Probably to an aluminum bat. They're lighter, and they're all you see on the fields. Nobody plays with wooden bats.
So what is with the lawsuit? I'm not sure what the parents expect to gain. I understand every time Brian steps out there the risk we all take. In fact, it's the reason I hate to see him pitch, and secretly thank my lucky stars that he is one of the 'alternates' and only has to face those smacked balls in about half the innings on his travel team. At one game, such a batter did smack the ball right to the pitcher. Luckily, he had cat-like refexes and put up his glove to deflect the line drive. I do not believe Brian has this reactive ability.
Should we sue football makers for concussions received when players are tackled after making a reception? Can we sue the maker of a swimming pool, when a child falls in and drowns? How about the maker of a skateboard, when the child rides it down the steps of a large building and ends up in a vegetative state? I understand they are devastated, and of course they should be. It just seems to me that the focus is in the wrong area. I don't see how they can win a thing. Focus on the heartguard rule; focus on safety concerns; make the pitching distance longer if the batters are hitting harder.
But, perhaps I am mistaken. Certainly there are bats that create a more impressive thwack than others. Our Little League has rules regarding the size of the bats that were allowed to be used, no wide bodied models were permitted, at least not at that age. On the other hand, we knew a woman whose eye was permanently damaged as a result of being hit with a wiffle ball when she was a child. Sometimes you're just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Well, that was all I felt like saying. In other news, there is no news on the Fresh Air or the exchange student. The CCI woman sent a letter to the principal at the high school last night, and attached a picture of an unsmiling, rather butch looking chinese girl instead of our smiling blonde Swede. I am not so sure they will be thinking too highly of us by the time this whole thing is resolved. I guess it falls on me to contact the powers that be to see what we have to do to set this process in motion. Right now, I can't assigned until I can get approval to enroll a student. And in the meantime, the poor girl's application is on hold. In order for her to be released, we need an answer, one way or the other. In poring through old meeting minutes, I discovered that they have accepted many students over the years and in 2005 discussed it at a board meeting. However, they have no published policy on their website, which makes it difficult to know from which angle to approach. Our system is so entangled in bureaucracy; and we've been through about four superintendents in the nine years that my kids have been enrolled in the schools.
Monday, May 19, 2008
No news is ... no news
It was that kind of a day. I got to school, to find I was there from 9 till 3 to cover one meeting at 10:30 and another at 1:30. Great. So I helped out one of the first grade teachers for a while, then took the first group to the computer lab for math. And promptly got a migraine. Luckily someone covered them for me while I got my coke and last two advil from the classroom, and sat it out. After that I took lunch, and then got an ice pack from the nurse for half an hour. The other class also went to the computer lab, so it was an easy-ish day, just long, boring, and migrainey.
Otherwise, I emailed the Fresh Air lady and have not heard back, which troubles and annoys me. Before we put in our application, I could barely think their name in my head without getting an email from them. So I dont' understand why I did nto get so much as a reply saying that it's still in the works, or we are rejected, or whatever. There must be some sort of status assigned to everyone in the pipeline.
When I came home I had an email from the woman at PIE, the agency we did not decide to work with on the exchange student thing. She had, unbeknownst to me, also called the district to find out their policies on exchange students. Meanwhile, CCI has called them twice. They are not returning the calls, this woman who seems to be in charge of these programs, but now we may be badgering them. The CCI woman has asked me, if I don't hear anything by Wednesday, to find out myself. Perhaps they will be more responsive to the actual taxpayer. I don't really see how they can say no, they have taken in a couple each year as far as I can tell - but I am beginning to get nervous, now that we have somewhat committed, that they will not allow us to enroll the girl. I hope not! That would just be mean!
In other news, I am in the market for a new dresser for Brian's room. They are ridiculously expensive. I'm currently unemployd for the week, but someone asked me to work Thursday afternoon and all day Friday for her, but I have to wait for the official call before I consider it a job.
Otherwise, I emailed the Fresh Air lady and have not heard back, which troubles and annoys me. Before we put in our application, I could barely think their name in my head without getting an email from them. So I dont' understand why I did nto get so much as a reply saying that it's still in the works, or we are rejected, or whatever. There must be some sort of status assigned to everyone in the pipeline.
When I came home I had an email from the woman at PIE, the agency we did not decide to work with on the exchange student thing. She had, unbeknownst to me, also called the district to find out their policies on exchange students. Meanwhile, CCI has called them twice. They are not returning the calls, this woman who seems to be in charge of these programs, but now we may be badgering them. The CCI woman has asked me, if I don't hear anything by Wednesday, to find out myself. Perhaps they will be more responsive to the actual taxpayer. I don't really see how they can say no, they have taken in a couple each year as far as I can tell - but I am beginning to get nervous, now that we have somewhat committed, that they will not allow us to enroll the girl. I hope not! That would just be mean!
In other news, I am in the market for a new dresser for Brian's room. They are ridiculously expensive. I'm currently unemployd for the week, but someone asked me to work Thursday afternoon and all day Friday for her, but I have to wait for the official call before I consider it a job.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Through the Haze
Well, with the weather clearing, so did our minds clear over the weekend. After narrowing our exchange student choices down to the two J's, and thereby deciding to stick with CCI, as they did make first contact and I feel somewhat linked to them as a result, we were in great turmoil as to which J would be the best match. Brian, upon being shown the profile sheets, immediately chose J2, the soccer obsessed 16 year old from Sweden, who also lists jogging, friends and music as her top passions. Megan, on the other hand, chose J1, from Denmark, who lists her main hobbies as caring for horses, reading, cooking and crafts. Both have long lists of other hobbies, which include cycling, biking, swimming, and other normal daily activities.
I spoke with the woman from the agency again after my last blog, she called to tell me she had put the girls on hold for the weekend, and after she gets approval from our school district (which I hope won't be a problem, they seem to take a few each year), she will speak to me and I will tell her which one we have opted to pursue. So, by Monday we were to have a selection. I also spoke to a local family who did host a boy from China, and found that he was able to play on the high school soccer team, despite having only been placed over Labor Day weekend. That gave me hope that I would be able to find J2 a place on that team, even if I can't work out anything outside of school, on a travel team.
Mentioning this to Megan brought forth an onslaught of anger. She seemed not to wat J2. I suspect she was afraid J2 might steal some of her spotlight. She was offended by the closing line in the girl's letter, "I am a girl who needs to play soccer." ? Not sure why that would offen Megan, but after speaking to her some more, she gave it some thought and decided that J2 would be fine. So, this is our final decision. Of course, J2 could have changed her mind, or she may not want to come with us, as she did ask not to be the oldest. But hopefully, although she is older than Megan, it won't be a big deal, as I believe they will be in the same grade.
To sum up the J2 characteristics that made me promote her as my candidate: she loves cats, writes extremely well, has a passion for a sport that will hopefully keep her busy and out of trouble, and will allow her to make friends, she is not terribly tall, and all of her reviews were very positive. I think she will fit in and she might even be a good friend for Megan. My only concern is that she will develop a whirlwind social life, as she does seem to be quite pretty, and, of course, she is Swedish and will be a commodity at the high school, and this will leave Megan feeling somewhat slighted, as she has no time, and sometimes not much inclination for a social life.
So there it is, the next installment. If there is any change or any finalized plans tomorrow, I will update. Meanwhile, in other news, yesterday was finally sunny!!! Kevin had promised that we would go out and pick up a dogwood and another small tree to block out the one section of fence that wasn't really screened well from the road. It was quite a successful day! We got a small dogwood for $60, which is happily in the ground directly across from the kitchen window. It looks like it may be a little crowded relative to a small evergreen, but that will have to be moved if they don't complement each other as they grow. The other tree, a white pine, has an absolutely perfect shape. We stuck that in the corner of the yard where my beloved holly was, because the holly didn't really provide much of a screen anyway. We moved the holly to where the fence needed screening, as that's a smaller spot. So everyone seems happy for now, but we will have to watch them for signs of shock at transplantation. I will try to get some pictures and post them. I wish I could figure out how to do them within the post. So far I have only figured out how to link them AS a post, from photobucket. And today is to be a day of softball (Kevin), bottlecapper training (Megan - these are the anti-drug and alcohol high schoolers who travel to the elementary schools and talk about saying no), baseball (Brian), and being a church greeter (me - gah!) More later! (disclaimer: post not proofread)
I spoke with the woman from the agency again after my last blog, she called to tell me she had put the girls on hold for the weekend, and after she gets approval from our school district (which I hope won't be a problem, they seem to take a few each year), she will speak to me and I will tell her which one we have opted to pursue. So, by Monday we were to have a selection. I also spoke to a local family who did host a boy from China, and found that he was able to play on the high school soccer team, despite having only been placed over Labor Day weekend. That gave me hope that I would be able to find J2 a place on that team, even if I can't work out anything outside of school, on a travel team.
Mentioning this to Megan brought forth an onslaught of anger. She seemed not to wat J2. I suspect she was afraid J2 might steal some of her spotlight. She was offended by the closing line in the girl's letter, "I am a girl who needs to play soccer." ? Not sure why that would offen Megan, but after speaking to her some more, she gave it some thought and decided that J2 would be fine. So, this is our final decision. Of course, J2 could have changed her mind, or she may not want to come with us, as she did ask not to be the oldest. But hopefully, although she is older than Megan, it won't be a big deal, as I believe they will be in the same grade.
To sum up the J2 characteristics that made me promote her as my candidate: she loves cats, writes extremely well, has a passion for a sport that will hopefully keep her busy and out of trouble, and will allow her to make friends, she is not terribly tall, and all of her reviews were very positive. I think she will fit in and she might even be a good friend for Megan. My only concern is that she will develop a whirlwind social life, as she does seem to be quite pretty, and, of course, she is Swedish and will be a commodity at the high school, and this will leave Megan feeling somewhat slighted, as she has no time, and sometimes not much inclination for a social life.
So there it is, the next installment. If there is any change or any finalized plans tomorrow, I will update. Meanwhile, in other news, yesterday was finally sunny!!! Kevin had promised that we would go out and pick up a dogwood and another small tree to block out the one section of fence that wasn't really screened well from the road. It was quite a successful day! We got a small dogwood for $60, which is happily in the ground directly across from the kitchen window. It looks like it may be a little crowded relative to a small evergreen, but that will have to be moved if they don't complement each other as they grow. The other tree, a white pine, has an absolutely perfect shape. We stuck that in the corner of the yard where my beloved holly was, because the holly didn't really provide much of a screen anyway. We moved the holly to where the fence needed screening, as that's a smaller spot. So everyone seems happy for now, but we will have to watch them for signs of shock at transplantation. I will try to get some pictures and post them. I wish I could figure out how to do them within the post. So far I have only figured out how to link them AS a post, from photobucket. And today is to be a day of softball (Kevin), bottlecapper training (Megan - these are the anti-drug and alcohol high schoolers who travel to the elementary schools and talk about saying no), baseball (Brian), and being a church greeter (me - gah!) More later! (disclaimer: post not proofread)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Foreign Exchange?
Well, Kevin is not allowing me to get a viable exchange of ideas going, so I have decided to enter the blog for the purpose of free association. I have now been corresponding with two different placement agencies. Neither knows who the other is, I have told one woman that I am talking to another, but since I spoke to the other first, they don't know about the second. The two agencies, for my purposes here, must be named. They are CCI (Center for Intercultural Exchange) and PIE (Pacific Intercultural Exchange). Both seem to operate in almost the exact same fashion, and both are accredited with the watchdog agency, whatever it's called. They both list the reasons they are better, but PIE does it, and many other things, much more eloquently.
So, here are the options. I will start with CCI, since I did start with CCI. I filled in online inquiries for both. CCI called me first, and I spoke for an hour or more with their regional rep. She was nice, very energetic, strong South Jersey accent, four kids of her own. She seemed to be very good, said she would send me some profiles. She sent me three. One Danish girl, one Brazilian, and one Brazilian boy who talks mainly about his girlfriend throughout his "Dear Family" letter, and how much he "loves she". Also, the two Brazilians are here for only five months. The local rep, once I was put in touch with her, says that some schools may not be amenable to the half year students. She was supposed to be checking with our high school today.
Meanwhile, PIE sent me a packet via mail, and tried to call a couple of times. When I finally got through to that woman, by email, she sent me a link and a password to view ALL her students online. That was nice. I've only emailed with her a couple of times, but will try to speak to her in person.
I suppose it will come down to who has the student that seems to be the best match for all of us. Kevin asked me why I am doing this, and I can't even answer. Maybe I am having a midlife crisis, and instead of having another baby, I will get a teenager for ten months. It all came on the heels of the Fresh Air child, about whom we still have not heard. I'll send them an email in a week or two just to be sure we're in their system.
And who will have the best match? That is where the free association comes in. I'll start, again, with CCI. They have only shown me five so far, and I think I would consider their two girls to be the best match for us of that group. I liked the girlfriend-loving Brazilian, but something didn't quite sit right, and with others who don't have that happening, I must dismiss him. So, from CCI, it's J1 from Denmark, who likes books, cooking, and loves to care for horses; or J2 from Sweden, a cute blonde who loves soccer, and wants to join a team when she comes over here. She seems very athletic (in other ways as well) and would probably be well liked. Not that J1 wouldn't, but she seems more subdued. She is also blonde, and they are both in Megan's grade, although they're both older than she.
On to PIE. I have read so many that I get confused. First, I rule them out if they don't eat pork. I rule them out (sorry, but I do) for being Muslim, or Orthodox Jews. Not something I am prepared to take on for the first time. And I rule out all the girls if they want to be cheerleaders (which is almost all from PIE) and if they go on and on about how they love to go out dancing with their friends in all their free time. I like the ones who say they have a few friends, and like to go to movies or shows with their family and friends. Which only left one girl from PIE, J from Germany. But she is 5'9! And she wants to join a swim team. She is also in Megan's grade. I have not ruled her out. There's another girl from PIE who likes to jump rope occasionally to get her heart rate up. She looked nice, but I forget what made me rule her out.
More on PIE, they have a few interesting boys. Mainly there is S, who is from Mexico, which almost doesn't seem like an exchange because he goes to San Diego sometimes on the weekends, to buy clothes and things like that. Then there is a boy from Germany who swims, one who wants to play football, and another, Manuel, whose father died when he was younger, and he now lives with his grandparents because the mom has to work away from home, and his one sister left home to work as well. The sister still at home is severely handicapped and he must help out with her, yet he has already been on an exchange to France. I imagine not for the whole year. Many of the boys speak of woodworking, caring for livestock, and performing. One boy was in a dance troupe, and wants to take break dancing lessons while he is here! He also won a singing competition and plays the electric guitar.
Some of them make great demands in their requests, and I pass those over right away. Anyone who insists that they MUST ski or snowboard gets blown right by - not that it might not be a possibility, and the township also runs a program that takes them on a bus - but we need someone who can fit into our hectic yet humdrum lifestyle and not grow bored. I also wonder how I will keep the house clean for ten whole months. That is perhaps the most troubling. And we'll have to rearrange the office and the computer set-up, but that shouldn't really be a big deal, all that's in there now are a desk, folding card table, and two file cabinets. We can buy a small bed and dresser, move the boxes from the closet to the basement, and we will have a guest room. I also can't take on someone who wants to do an activity that isn't readily available locally. I am not driving an exchange student more places than I drive my own kids. Plus I am just one, and cannot drive three. Someone who will get involved in school activities is ideal...although our schools don't have buses for after school sports and clubs, so I would still have to pick them up. But that isn't far away, so I don't mind.
So, I don't know if this was really helpful to me in getting my thoughts organized. I welcome any suggestions re: boy or girl, comments or concerns. I guess I am not yet to the point where I have the thoughts organized. Mostly I want to get Megan's input on it all, since she would be the one going to the same school as this person.
Anyway, in other news, I worked this morning for the half day kindergarten. It was pouring when I got out, and the pool company was just leaving when I arrived at home. So the pool is open, but being rained into. Kevin is home because he got home late last night and had the appointment to get his blood results. Everything was more or less OK, the cholesterol was 190, which is still OK, but had crept up from the 162 it was a year or so ago, and the doctor said his blood sugar was getting a little higher too. Not high just yet, but high enough to remark that he should watch it. He said that if diabetes doesn't run in his family, he is either eating too many carbs or not getting enough exercise. It was, after all, fasting blood work, so there should have been no abnormal sugars in there. I need a trade-in! Finally, Brian's baseball team got clobbered last night, but he made a great catch in right field. He also got walked twice, but never made it home. And I got socked in the shin with a stray baseball during warm-ups.
So, here are the options. I will start with CCI, since I did start with CCI. I filled in online inquiries for both. CCI called me first, and I spoke for an hour or more with their regional rep. She was nice, very energetic, strong South Jersey accent, four kids of her own. She seemed to be very good, said she would send me some profiles. She sent me three. One Danish girl, one Brazilian, and one Brazilian boy who talks mainly about his girlfriend throughout his "Dear Family" letter, and how much he "loves she". Also, the two Brazilians are here for only five months. The local rep, once I was put in touch with her, says that some schools may not be amenable to the half year students. She was supposed to be checking with our high school today.
Meanwhile, PIE sent me a packet via mail, and tried to call a couple of times. When I finally got through to that woman, by email, she sent me a link and a password to view ALL her students online. That was nice. I've only emailed with her a couple of times, but will try to speak to her in person.
I suppose it will come down to who has the student that seems to be the best match for all of us. Kevin asked me why I am doing this, and I can't even answer. Maybe I am having a midlife crisis, and instead of having another baby, I will get a teenager for ten months. It all came on the heels of the Fresh Air child, about whom we still have not heard. I'll send them an email in a week or two just to be sure we're in their system.
And who will have the best match? That is where the free association comes in. I'll start, again, with CCI. They have only shown me five so far, and I think I would consider their two girls to be the best match for us of that group. I liked the girlfriend-loving Brazilian, but something didn't quite sit right, and with others who don't have that happening, I must dismiss him. So, from CCI, it's J1 from Denmark, who likes books, cooking, and loves to care for horses; or J2 from Sweden, a cute blonde who loves soccer, and wants to join a team when she comes over here. She seems very athletic (in other ways as well) and would probably be well liked. Not that J1 wouldn't, but she seems more subdued. She is also blonde, and they are both in Megan's grade, although they're both older than she.
On to PIE. I have read so many that I get confused. First, I rule them out if they don't eat pork. I rule them out (sorry, but I do) for being Muslim, or Orthodox Jews. Not something I am prepared to take on for the first time. And I rule out all the girls if they want to be cheerleaders (which is almost all from PIE) and if they go on and on about how they love to go out dancing with their friends in all their free time. I like the ones who say they have a few friends, and like to go to movies or shows with their family and friends. Which only left one girl from PIE, J from Germany. But she is 5'9! And she wants to join a swim team. She is also in Megan's grade. I have not ruled her out. There's another girl from PIE who likes to jump rope occasionally to get her heart rate up. She looked nice, but I forget what made me rule her out.
More on PIE, they have a few interesting boys. Mainly there is S, who is from Mexico, which almost doesn't seem like an exchange because he goes to San Diego sometimes on the weekends, to buy clothes and things like that. Then there is a boy from Germany who swims, one who wants to play football, and another, Manuel, whose father died when he was younger, and he now lives with his grandparents because the mom has to work away from home, and his one sister left home to work as well. The sister still at home is severely handicapped and he must help out with her, yet he has already been on an exchange to France. I imagine not for the whole year. Many of the boys speak of woodworking, caring for livestock, and performing. One boy was in a dance troupe, and wants to take break dancing lessons while he is here! He also won a singing competition and plays the electric guitar.
Some of them make great demands in their requests, and I pass those over right away. Anyone who insists that they MUST ski or snowboard gets blown right by - not that it might not be a possibility, and the township also runs a program that takes them on a bus - but we need someone who can fit into our hectic yet humdrum lifestyle and not grow bored. I also wonder how I will keep the house clean for ten whole months. That is perhaps the most troubling. And we'll have to rearrange the office and the computer set-up, but that shouldn't really be a big deal, all that's in there now are a desk, folding card table, and two file cabinets. We can buy a small bed and dresser, move the boxes from the closet to the basement, and we will have a guest room. I also can't take on someone who wants to do an activity that isn't readily available locally. I am not driving an exchange student more places than I drive my own kids. Plus I am just one, and cannot drive three. Someone who will get involved in school activities is ideal...although our schools don't have buses for after school sports and clubs, so I would still have to pick them up. But that isn't far away, so I don't mind.
So, I don't know if this was really helpful to me in getting my thoughts organized. I welcome any suggestions re: boy or girl, comments or concerns. I guess I am not yet to the point where I have the thoughts organized. Mostly I want to get Megan's input on it all, since she would be the one going to the same school as this person.
Anyway, in other news, I worked this morning for the half day kindergarten. It was pouring when I got out, and the pool company was just leaving when I arrived at home. So the pool is open, but being rained into. Kevin is home because he got home late last night and had the appointment to get his blood results. Everything was more or less OK, the cholesterol was 190, which is still OK, but had crept up from the 162 it was a year or so ago, and the doctor said his blood sugar was getting a little higher too. Not high just yet, but high enough to remark that he should watch it. He said that if diabetes doesn't run in his family, he is either eating too many carbs or not getting enough exercise. It was, after all, fasting blood work, so there should have been no abnormal sugars in there. I need a trade-in! Finally, Brian's baseball team got clobbered last night, but he made a great catch in right field. He also got walked twice, but never made it home. And I got socked in the shin with a stray baseball during warm-ups.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Hump Day
Why are the days going by so slowly? It isn't like I am enduring any great hardships, and surely I don't want to wish away time. But with the opening of the beach club just two weeks away, and summer right on its heels - five more weeks of school and all that - it just seems like the days are dragging by! Maybe it's the weather, which just seems to feel like a three month long March, particularly in comparison to the same time last year.
And so last night I got a call to work. I find I am not in the mood to go in, when I go there mostly the teachers all know exactly how many days are left until the end of the year, and they all roll their eyes and go "ugh" at everything that happens. But the class I was asked to be in is one of my favorites, the small special ed class with three paras and the best lesson plans I think I have ever been given. Plus, I had promised myself I would say yes to any calls, so I did it. Of course, it was a beautiful day and I was mostly inside, but we did have recess (only one fight, and one scraped up forehead and elbow) and we went out to release butterflies in the afternoon, although the poor things were much happier to stay in their boxes on their twigs and orange slices. Who can blame them?
After school, Megan had her beach practice down in Long Branch, which was very nice. I took my ipod, dropped off Megan and one boy from the carpool, and drove into the heart of the boardwalk, then went for a 40 minute walk. Then I came back and ate french fries, a chicken sandwich, and drank wine. I bough burgers for everyone, even the carpool boy. (Well, Kevin did - hehe - I used his debit card.) When I got home all my shrubs were crying out for water. I'm still tweaking that layout issue. I told Kevin if he won't show interest I will just go and buy them all myself, now that I have discovered these superhuman plant-lifting powers. Lately I have moved from shrub and perennial to tree obsessions. Particularly, I want a Dogwood and a Japanese Maple.
No more work lined up for the week, but Kevin will be in Texas and I have lots of carpooling to do tomorrow, so hopefully I can have the day off, or at least the afternoon. Kevin is working from home on Friday, because he has an appointment to get his blood test results (first time in quite a while since he takes these mega-vitamins, and then his doctor mysteriously left the practice without telling any of his patients!) and then they are coming to open the pool. Hard to believe, and it will be cool and rainy all weekend. Vacuum practice!
In other news, no news from the Fresh Air people, but I have been sent a few profiles of potential exchange students. I was poring through the help wanted ads, as I do every Sunday, when I happened upon an ad for an exchange student placement agency. I tried to google them, and ended up on some other sites, and I filled out an information form because I was trying to see the profiles of potential students. Then a woman called me, and we talked for a while, and she has been sending me profiles of students! There is one girl from Denmark who sounds intriguing, but it's a ten month program, so that's a big commitment! Plus, she would be in the same grade as Megan; and what if they didn't hit it off? Oh yeah, and Wren. She puked up her breakfast this morning. I must get her in to the vet to see why she is so skinny. Maybe it's just her nature. I hope so.
And so last night I got a call to work. I find I am not in the mood to go in, when I go there mostly the teachers all know exactly how many days are left until the end of the year, and they all roll their eyes and go "ugh" at everything that happens. But the class I was asked to be in is one of my favorites, the small special ed class with three paras and the best lesson plans I think I have ever been given. Plus, I had promised myself I would say yes to any calls, so I did it. Of course, it was a beautiful day and I was mostly inside, but we did have recess (only one fight, and one scraped up forehead and elbow) and we went out to release butterflies in the afternoon, although the poor things were much happier to stay in their boxes on their twigs and orange slices. Who can blame them?
After school, Megan had her beach practice down in Long Branch, which was very nice. I took my ipod, dropped off Megan and one boy from the carpool, and drove into the heart of the boardwalk, then went for a 40 minute walk. Then I came back and ate french fries, a chicken sandwich, and drank wine. I bough burgers for everyone, even the carpool boy. (Well, Kevin did - hehe - I used his debit card.) When I got home all my shrubs were crying out for water. I'm still tweaking that layout issue. I told Kevin if he won't show interest I will just go and buy them all myself, now that I have discovered these superhuman plant-lifting powers. Lately I have moved from shrub and perennial to tree obsessions. Particularly, I want a Dogwood and a Japanese Maple.
No more work lined up for the week, but Kevin will be in Texas and I have lots of carpooling to do tomorrow, so hopefully I can have the day off, or at least the afternoon. Kevin is working from home on Friday, because he has an appointment to get his blood test results (first time in quite a while since he takes these mega-vitamins, and then his doctor mysteriously left the practice without telling any of his patients!) and then they are coming to open the pool. Hard to believe, and it will be cool and rainy all weekend. Vacuum practice!
In other news, no news from the Fresh Air people, but I have been sent a few profiles of potential exchange students. I was poring through the help wanted ads, as I do every Sunday, when I happened upon an ad for an exchange student placement agency. I tried to google them, and ended up on some other sites, and I filled out an information form because I was trying to see the profiles of potential students. Then a woman called me, and we talked for a while, and she has been sending me profiles of students! There is one girl from Denmark who sounds intriguing, but it's a ten month program, so that's a big commitment! Plus, she would be in the same grade as Megan; and what if they didn't hit it off? Oh yeah, and Wren. She puked up her breakfast this morning. I must get her in to the vet to see why she is so skinny. Maybe it's just her nature. I hope so.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
More on Mother's Day
Ok, so I can sit for a few minutes and tell a tale or two. First off, the confirmation story has been pretty much told, so I will fast forward through that. On to the baseball game.
Last year, Brian was on a travel team called the Hilltoppers. They lost every game they played, and most often by the 'mercy rule' which states that if one team is ahead by ten or more runs at the end of the fourth inning, the game is called as an act of mercy to the losing team (and to all the poor parents in attendance.) To make a long story short, the better players on the Hilltoppers all switched to other teams, and Brian found himself a spot on a team called the Knights. The Knights are doing OK, they have lost a few, but they have only been mercied once. The Hilltoppers managed to ressurect without their defectors, but they don't seem to have gained any edge as far as their playing record.
Today, the Hilltoppers faced the Knights. Brian, who usually shares the position of right field with another player in alternating innings, got to be the starting pitcher today! He only gave up one run, and that was on an error! So it was a very exciting game for him, although it was absolutely freezing cold, and he was also thudded in the thigh by a pitch. He has a bruise the size of a small grapefruit already, and it's only been a few hours.
After a brief visit at the home of Christine, Megan's fellow "confirmand', we headed off to our Dinner With the Doll. It was at a (relatively) new restaurant, and it was fairly ok. First, a little background: our neighbor ran over her son's foot on Friday, fracturing one of the bones. In her defense, he got out of a moving car, and she didn't know she was on his foot. But he has this fancy black boot on it now. He showed it off to us yesterday. They're sort of like the neighbors in 'Home Improvement' - they come and talk to us across the fence.
The restaurant in question is a little fancy-ish, and although they have just about 12 parking spots in a tiny lot, they valet park the cars. So we came out, and had them fetch the Doll's car first (our old Volvo, just recently repaired since she crashed it ... and I can see how she did, as we were approaching the lot she rolled across the street in front of us, from a lot across the street, without even looking to see if anyone was coming.) Megan, Brian, and I all stood at the top of the walkway, trying to avoid the chill in the air while Kevin helped the Doll put her flowers in the car. The nice valet, an older-ish middle Eastern-ish man had held onto them while we ate.
As we waited, a stocky man with a wild mane of hair came out of the restaurant on crutches. I looked and he had the same boot as our poor run-over neighbor. I, never have been one to think before I spoke, said to him, "did your mother run over your foot, too?" To that he returned a witty response, and then bantered a little with Brian, asking him his age, grade, and if he is getting out of or going into seventh grade this year. I told him, that remains to be seen.
Once the Doll and her flowers were safely removed, and our car was pulled up, the valet returned. To our humourous new colorful friend, he said, "aren't you on tv?"
=:-O
The gentleman did not want to admit to much, but he eventually did confess to being the owner of one of the most pretigious restaurants in the area. Well, I have since googled him, and have discovered him to be none other than David Burke, Executive Chef. It was quite humorous. He had told us that he was on his way to visit his mother, and then he got into a town car with a driver, and sped away. I still don't really know who he is, but clearly, I am in the minority. I bet James, Pastry Chef, would be impressed.
We ended up behind them for several miles, and just as we came to a spot where the road split, they suddenly peeled off to the right, furthering our impression that they thought we were Star Chef Stalkers!
And that was our brush with greatness for the day. Pictures of the festivites, and maybe even a video, if I can figure out how to do it, may be forthcoming. No pictures of our new friend, alas. He left us as fleetingly as he found us.
In other news, I will stay home tomorrow and await the arrival of the electrical and gas inspectors for the final inspection on the new air conditioner. So far, no sub calls, and I hope that there will be none. I am sad that the forecast is so gloomy, as I would like to see some sunlight if I am to be home all day; but I'll try to get laundry and other chores done. No word on a shed permit yet. Our pool is being opened on Friday! I hope it warms up by then. Of course, the weather must be bad for tomorrow, because Kevin has planned a day trip to Toronto. The last time he went there, they ended up cancelling ALL the flights, and he had to spend the night in the airport.
Last year, Brian was on a travel team called the Hilltoppers. They lost every game they played, and most often by the 'mercy rule' which states that if one team is ahead by ten or more runs at the end of the fourth inning, the game is called as an act of mercy to the losing team (and to all the poor parents in attendance.) To make a long story short, the better players on the Hilltoppers all switched to other teams, and Brian found himself a spot on a team called the Knights. The Knights are doing OK, they have lost a few, but they have only been mercied once. The Hilltoppers managed to ressurect without their defectors, but they don't seem to have gained any edge as far as their playing record.
Today, the Hilltoppers faced the Knights. Brian, who usually shares the position of right field with another player in alternating innings, got to be the starting pitcher today! He only gave up one run, and that was on an error! So it was a very exciting game for him, although it was absolutely freezing cold, and he was also thudded in the thigh by a pitch. He has a bruise the size of a small grapefruit already, and it's only been a few hours.
After a brief visit at the home of Christine, Megan's fellow "confirmand', we headed off to our Dinner With the Doll. It was at a (relatively) new restaurant, and it was fairly ok. First, a little background: our neighbor ran over her son's foot on Friday, fracturing one of the bones. In her defense, he got out of a moving car, and she didn't know she was on his foot. But he has this fancy black boot on it now. He showed it off to us yesterday. They're sort of like the neighbors in 'Home Improvement' - they come and talk to us across the fence.
The restaurant in question is a little fancy-ish, and although they have just about 12 parking spots in a tiny lot, they valet park the cars. So we came out, and had them fetch the Doll's car first (our old Volvo, just recently repaired since she crashed it ... and I can see how she did, as we were approaching the lot she rolled across the street in front of us, from a lot across the street, without even looking to see if anyone was coming.) Megan, Brian, and I all stood at the top of the walkway, trying to avoid the chill in the air while Kevin helped the Doll put her flowers in the car. The nice valet, an older-ish middle Eastern-ish man had held onto them while we ate.
As we waited, a stocky man with a wild mane of hair came out of the restaurant on crutches. I looked and he had the same boot as our poor run-over neighbor. I, never have been one to think before I spoke, said to him, "did your mother run over your foot, too?" To that he returned a witty response, and then bantered a little with Brian, asking him his age, grade, and if he is getting out of or going into seventh grade this year. I told him, that remains to be seen.
Once the Doll and her flowers were safely removed, and our car was pulled up, the valet returned. To our humourous new colorful friend, he said, "aren't you on tv?"
=:-O
The gentleman did not want to admit to much, but he eventually did confess to being the owner of one of the most pretigious restaurants in the area. Well, I have since googled him, and have discovered him to be none other than David Burke, Executive Chef. It was quite humorous. He had told us that he was on his way to visit his mother, and then he got into a town car with a driver, and sped away. I still don't really know who he is, but clearly, I am in the minority. I bet James, Pastry Chef, would be impressed.
We ended up behind them for several miles, and just as we came to a spot where the road split, they suddenly peeled off to the right, furthering our impression that they thought we were Star Chef Stalkers!
And that was our brush with greatness for the day. Pictures of the festivites, and maybe even a video, if I can figure out how to do it, may be forthcoming. No pictures of our new friend, alas. He left us as fleetingly as he found us.
In other news, I will stay home tomorrow and await the arrival of the electrical and gas inspectors for the final inspection on the new air conditioner. So far, no sub calls, and I hope that there will be none. I am sad that the forecast is so gloomy, as I would like to see some sunlight if I am to be home all day; but I'll try to get laundry and other chores done. No word on a shed permit yet. Our pool is being opened on Friday! I hope it warms up by then. Of course, the weather must be bad for tomorrow, because Kevin has planned a day trip to Toronto. The last time he went there, they ended up cancelling ALL the flights, and he had to spend the night in the airport.
Bishop Megan and "Big Poppa"
Confirmation! And finally, a nice day. Not much to say right now, as we must get to Brian's baseball game before it starts, which is in ten minutes. More updates later on! The Bishop let Megan wear his hat because our rector chose her final essay as the best of the group to capture the essence of the past eight months of preparation. The Bishop noted in his speech that he had told his wife that he wasn't happy with his sermon, and when she asked why not, he replied that he had read these two pages by one of the girls in the group, and he felt that instead of him, she should have been up there preaching. Haha! So that was funny.
Then, before he confirmed her, he looked to our rector and asked, "is this the one I am supposed to ordain?" Outside, afterwards, he put his Bishop's hat on her.
Following this touching moment, Megan came out into the group during "The Peace" and squeezed Brian's hand with a vengeance and growled at him, because he had put up the right hand instead of the left during a prayer.
After a bit, the confirmation ended, and the Doll left for 'real' church.
More later.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Blog Strike
My blog is on strike. My brain won't cooperate. I attribute this to four days with the same resource kids, which is now, thankfully, blissfully over. Unfortunately I fell for the same trick where the sub caller calls from the central office and I think it's one of my kids. She asked me to work tomorrow, but at least only for the afternoon. It's in a third grade class. I'll have to suffer through 2 1/2 hours, but at least then it will be Friday night.
In other news: Kevin's moles are not malignant, but now he looks like someone speared him with a skewer and then stitched it back up - one in front, one in back, and they each have about eight gruesome stitches apiece. No landscaping news, nothing else much to report. Megan has her confirmation on Mother's Day; the Doll is going to attend her church first, then come to ours. We're going to a new restaurant for dinner, because Brian has a baseball game at 1.
In other news: Kevin's moles are not malignant, but now he looks like someone speared him with a skewer and then stitched it back up - one in front, one in back, and they each have about eight gruesome stitches apiece. No landscaping news, nothing else much to report. Megan has her confirmation on Mother's Day; the Doll is going to attend her church first, then come to ours. We're going to a new restaurant for dinner, because Brian has a baseball game at 1.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Fresh Air
The visit is over! After all that, it was nothing much. The woman was very nice, she greeted Molly and tolerated the horror of Rusty marching across the kitchen table while we sat there. I filled in one long form and then Kevin arrived and filled in a short one. I finished and filled in the short one as well. We were asked to provide a "professional" reference as well as a few personal ones, and we were not expecting that, so we went with the swim team coach. Hopefully, after the banquet book debacle, he will still paint us in a favorable light! I made sure I cleaned up the house as much as possible just in case. Good thing I decided to portray us in a realistic rather than idealistic light, since she just came right into the kitchen and never even ventured beyond.
On an aside, I had asked Megan, while upstairs, to clean the downstairs bathroom. She made some grumblings about it, but then agreed. I came downstairs and heard her banging around in the basement. I asked Brian why she was in the basement, when I had asked her to clean the bathroom. Then she came up with a bag of trash and asked where she should put it. It wasn't until the Fresh Air lady had left that I realized Megan had taken me quite literally and had cleaned the BASEMENT bathroom instead of the one on the main level. Thankfully, the woman never asked to use one. I would have been horrified to have had her see the state of the one that I thought had been cleaned, when it hadn't!
Anyway, I was still somewhat wishy washy with regards to the preferences for the child. In the end, I put 11/12 as my first age preference, and 9/10 as the second. The first choice gender was boy, but I would rather have an 11/12 girl than a 9/10 boy. Too many variables! I also had to try to figure out which week and whether or not I would try to have this child included in the camp with Brian, if the guy who runs it will agree to it. And, come to find out they may not let us know until a couple of weeks before the time whether or not we are getting a child, and what the age and gender of the child will be!
They actually start their trips in June, but they send them all over the place, to much farther and more glamorous destinations than Monmouth County, New Jersey. So they go through the applications, and they place the kids for the earlier trips first. Brian, who is beside himself with excitement, actually couldn't think of one thing to say. I feel a little badly that we are not getting a girl for Megan to entertain. I figure if all goes well this year, maybe we can do two next year, and take a girl and a boy at that time. So, that is the latest Fresh Air Update. Now I am having internal conflict as to the age/gender, and if I should call the woman and change it. Please offer any input if you like.
And in other news, Kevin had two ugly moles removed today, so he is carrying on. He just told me that when he left the house this morning, he felt like he might never return. The doctor said that although they look awful to the naked eye, when he looks through the microscope he doesn't think they will turn out to be bad. But he sent them out, and should have the results back in about a week. So this is our current patient to worry about. As for me, I worked today with the resource room fourth graders. They did writing with their class, so I didn't have much to do, but then I had to try to teach area of a rectangle to two of them. This wasn't so bad until the shapes became irregular, sort of like two overlapping rectangles, or only part of a whole, as in the layout of a house. Then another sub came in and tried to help, but she was almost worse than the kids, and confused the poor little girl she was trying to help. I sure hope that isn't how I am! I'll be with these kids for the next three days while their teacher administers the state testing to the fifth graders in their group.
On an aside, I had asked Megan, while upstairs, to clean the downstairs bathroom. She made some grumblings about it, but then agreed. I came downstairs and heard her banging around in the basement. I asked Brian why she was in the basement, when I had asked her to clean the bathroom. Then she came up with a bag of trash and asked where she should put it. It wasn't until the Fresh Air lady had left that I realized Megan had taken me quite literally and had cleaned the BASEMENT bathroom instead of the one on the main level. Thankfully, the woman never asked to use one. I would have been horrified to have had her see the state of the one that I thought had been cleaned, when it hadn't!
Anyway, I was still somewhat wishy washy with regards to the preferences for the child. In the end, I put 11/12 as my first age preference, and 9/10 as the second. The first choice gender was boy, but I would rather have an 11/12 girl than a 9/10 boy. Too many variables! I also had to try to figure out which week and whether or not I would try to have this child included in the camp with Brian, if the guy who runs it will agree to it. And, come to find out they may not let us know until a couple of weeks before the time whether or not we are getting a child, and what the age and gender of the child will be!
They actually start their trips in June, but they send them all over the place, to much farther and more glamorous destinations than Monmouth County, New Jersey. So they go through the applications, and they place the kids for the earlier trips first. Brian, who is beside himself with excitement, actually couldn't think of one thing to say. I feel a little badly that we are not getting a girl for Megan to entertain. I figure if all goes well this year, maybe we can do two next year, and take a girl and a boy at that time. So, that is the latest Fresh Air Update. Now I am having internal conflict as to the age/gender, and if I should call the woman and change it. Please offer any input if you like.
And in other news, Kevin had two ugly moles removed today, so he is carrying on. He just told me that when he left the house this morning, he felt like he might never return. The doctor said that although they look awful to the naked eye, when he looks through the microscope he doesn't think they will turn out to be bad. But he sent them out, and should have the results back in about a week. So this is our current patient to worry about. As for me, I worked today with the resource room fourth graders. They did writing with their class, so I didn't have much to do, but then I had to try to teach area of a rectangle to two of them. This wasn't so bad until the shapes became irregular, sort of like two overlapping rectangles, or only part of a whole, as in the layout of a house. Then another sub came in and tried to help, but she was almost worse than the kids, and confused the poor little girl she was trying to help. I sure hope that isn't how I am! I'll be with these kids for the next three days while their teacher administers the state testing to the fifth graders in their group.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Saturday Morning
Megan is off to her beach practice with Kevin, and then she is babysitting two new children, referred by our old neighbor, Judy. She won't be able to steal them as regular customers, but perhaps she can become a first alternate when Judy's two girls are unable to do it. She seems to be a preferred sitter for the kids next door, even though the dad told us he came home and found one in bed naked the last time Megan watched them. (He was complaining that it was too hot, so she said 'so take off your clothes!' and, apparently, the kid did!)
I am waiting at home for the air conditioner company to come and check the charge on the new air conditioner, at any time between 9 and 1. At 10, we have the "landscape architect" coming to look at the front of the house, and I am awaiting a call from another electrician. He did call me yesterday while I was working, but by the time I got home and called him, he didn't pick up the cell.
Yesterday was not such a bad day at work after all. I only had one kid shut down and refuse to work, because the math was so confusing. Sometimes they just make it so irrational that it takes forever to explain the simplest thing. The afternoon para is great, though, and even though he is not her charge, I asked her to sit with him, since she was the only continuity in the room. Eventually he did the work and was fine. And that was only a brief 40 minute period anyway. Oh, and I saw the little boy of ambulance/seizure fame. He looks as good as anything, new haircut and all, but his attitude is multiplied times ten. I asked his para what they did to him in the hospital and she just shook her head. I would have loved to see how he treated the nurses!
When I came home, Brian greeted me with the news that there was puke everywhere. While this turned out to be a bit of an overstatement, it did become clear that Molly had had a seizure during the day. There were a few piles of dog puke, and she had peed twice in the same area. It's been a really long time since she had one, at times she was having them twice in a three or six month period, and I can only recall one in the last two years. She seems fine now, and I threw out the mat that was most affected, and replaced it. Can't have a pukey-peed-on-mat for our Fresh Air visit on Monday! Which reminds me, I must get cleaning for that.
In other news, Brian's friend was suspended yesterday, so he didn't really have anything to do last night. There was a middle school dance, but since he didn't have anyone to go with, and the last time he came home smelling like smoke and claiming not to know why, we just left him home and we went out to the local "inn" for dinner at the bar, before Kevin had to pick up from swimming. Megan went to a party up the block for the last hour after she got home, at 10. She's getting her hair cut at 2, and she has to fry 30 tortillas by Sunday night for her Spanish class. I'm thinking of making her use the basement oven. It's never been used, so if there's no additional post by midweek, call the fire department and inquire about us.
I am waiting at home for the air conditioner company to come and check the charge on the new air conditioner, at any time between 9 and 1. At 10, we have the "landscape architect" coming to look at the front of the house, and I am awaiting a call from another electrician. He did call me yesterday while I was working, but by the time I got home and called him, he didn't pick up the cell.
Yesterday was not such a bad day at work after all. I only had one kid shut down and refuse to work, because the math was so confusing. Sometimes they just make it so irrational that it takes forever to explain the simplest thing. The afternoon para is great, though, and even though he is not her charge, I asked her to sit with him, since she was the only continuity in the room. Eventually he did the work and was fine. And that was only a brief 40 minute period anyway. Oh, and I saw the little boy of ambulance/seizure fame. He looks as good as anything, new haircut and all, but his attitude is multiplied times ten. I asked his para what they did to him in the hospital and she just shook her head. I would have loved to see how he treated the nurses!
When I came home, Brian greeted me with the news that there was puke everywhere. While this turned out to be a bit of an overstatement, it did become clear that Molly had had a seizure during the day. There were a few piles of dog puke, and she had peed twice in the same area. It's been a really long time since she had one, at times she was having them twice in a three or six month period, and I can only recall one in the last two years. She seems fine now, and I threw out the mat that was most affected, and replaced it. Can't have a pukey-peed-on-mat for our Fresh Air visit on Monday! Which reminds me, I must get cleaning for that.
In other news, Brian's friend was suspended yesterday, so he didn't really have anything to do last night. There was a middle school dance, but since he didn't have anyone to go with, and the last time he came home smelling like smoke and claiming not to know why, we just left him home and we went out to the local "inn" for dinner at the bar, before Kevin had to pick up from swimming. Megan went to a party up the block for the last hour after she got home, at 10. She's getting her hair cut at 2, and she has to fry 30 tortillas by Sunday night for her Spanish class. I'm thinking of making her use the basement oven. It's never been used, so if there's no additional post by midweek, call the fire department and inquire about us.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Another Day, Another Dollar
So the electrician came today to tell me about installing the lights. I am feeling a little woozy. First of all, I called another one already. Kevin wants me to return the lights. The first thing the guy said was, "do we want to do this with or without a permit?" Then he proceeded to tell me what he wanted to do, all the while running electrical cable just six inches below ground. He claims that to do it with a permit, it would have to be 18 inches. But then he said something about 16, and then he mentioned that some "guys interpret the code differently, and they just do 12." =:-O
Anyway, those were the options: do it illegally and, well, be illegal, or do it with a permit and have to go down 18", in which case, he can't be responsible for sprinkler lines. Hmm. This is why I think Kevin should always stay home when these people come. Anyway, I found the name of the guy who ran the electrical wiring for the pool filter and heater and left a message for him. I know I will trust him, he's done it before. Also, he works with the pool company, and he'd never jeopardize that. But, will he return the call? We can also ask the opinion of the landscape architect, but he may hesitate to give us too much information for fear we'll use his suggestions and not use the garden center for the job.
I have to work tomorrow. I am not terribly looking forward to it, but at least I know where I'm going. Back to the resource room with the kid who looked at me like I spoke Greek when I said there were 36 inches in a yard. I expect to work most Fridays, if I haven't said that before. All of the teachers are using up their time, and taking three day weekends.
Update: I have returned from a long break on the telephone, so my segue will not be smooth. Also, I finished my glass of wine during this time. Ok, back on track. After working tomorrow, I must spend the weekend preparing the house for the Fresh Air visit. It is a mess right now, but I sort of figure why bother, if I go to too much trouble now, I'll only end up having to do it again. It was a mite embrassing when the electrician came in, but, hey, he was talking about drilling holes in my walls, cutting through my sprinkler lines, and only burying electrical cable six inches below the ground, alongside my pool. He told me that the 5' from the pool rule for lights is just because they don't want you IN the pool CHANGING the lightbulb. I know I am stupid, but I'm not THAT stupid.
Anyway, the only other thing is that the banquet book won't go away. Today I got an email from the printer, and he wants to be paid. I, of course, have nothing to do with this. I asked him if he had sent an invoice, and, if so, to whom. He says he isn't sure, his bookkeeper has sent several. Perhaps to the attention of "Jane or Tim". Huh? I thought we were disorganized! I told him to get me an invoice and I will get it to the proper person. (Who, by the way, is 'Tim', but he does have a last name.)
So, in other news...Brian is done with his standardized testing. Megan is going to make a Spanish delicacy on Sunday night. I don't know what it will be but I hope it won't ruin our chances of being selected as a Friendly Town family. My hair is still cut, and my friend Denise has been offered a job at the Y. I have also told her I will invite her to view the blog, but first I have to go through and make sure I haven't written anything bad about her! Heh heh. Brian's baseball practice was cancelled for tonight, so that was good. And I am trying to get on Megan about writing her essay to volunteer at the school's extended year program for the summer. She needs 100 hours to be in the National Honor Society. And, I am sure, a certain average. Hopefully, she will still have that, now that she has gotten two A's. :-)
Anyway, those were the options: do it illegally and, well, be illegal, or do it with a permit and have to go down 18", in which case, he can't be responsible for sprinkler lines. Hmm. This is why I think Kevin should always stay home when these people come. Anyway, I found the name of the guy who ran the electrical wiring for the pool filter and heater and left a message for him. I know I will trust him, he's done it before. Also, he works with the pool company, and he'd never jeopardize that. But, will he return the call? We can also ask the opinion of the landscape architect, but he may hesitate to give us too much information for fear we'll use his suggestions and not use the garden center for the job.
I have to work tomorrow. I am not terribly looking forward to it, but at least I know where I'm going. Back to the resource room with the kid who looked at me like I spoke Greek when I said there were 36 inches in a yard. I expect to work most Fridays, if I haven't said that before. All of the teachers are using up their time, and taking three day weekends.
Update: I have returned from a long break on the telephone, so my segue will not be smooth. Also, I finished my glass of wine during this time. Ok, back on track. After working tomorrow, I must spend the weekend preparing the house for the Fresh Air visit. It is a mess right now, but I sort of figure why bother, if I go to too much trouble now, I'll only end up having to do it again. It was a mite embrassing when the electrician came in, but, hey, he was talking about drilling holes in my walls, cutting through my sprinkler lines, and only burying electrical cable six inches below the ground, alongside my pool. He told me that the 5' from the pool rule for lights is just because they don't want you IN the pool CHANGING the lightbulb. I know I am stupid, but I'm not THAT stupid.
Anyway, the only other thing is that the banquet book won't go away. Today I got an email from the printer, and he wants to be paid. I, of course, have nothing to do with this. I asked him if he had sent an invoice, and, if so, to whom. He says he isn't sure, his bookkeeper has sent several. Perhaps to the attention of "Jane or Tim". Huh? I thought we were disorganized! I told him to get me an invoice and I will get it to the proper person. (Who, by the way, is 'Tim', but he does have a last name.)
So, in other news...Brian is done with his standardized testing. Megan is going to make a Spanish delicacy on Sunday night. I don't know what it will be but I hope it won't ruin our chances of being selected as a Friendly Town family. My hair is still cut, and my friend Denise has been offered a job at the Y. I have also told her I will invite her to view the blog, but first I have to go through and make sure I haven't written anything bad about her! Heh heh. Brian's baseball practice was cancelled for tonight, so that was good. And I am trying to get on Megan about writing her essay to volunteer at the school's extended year program for the summer. She needs 100 hours to be in the National Honor Society. And, I am sure, a certain average. Hopefully, she will still have that, now that she has gotten two A's. :-)
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