Thursday, July 31, 2008
Quick Note
In the below video, after breaking out your magnifying glass, you must watch the two swimmers who appear to be losing the race. Megan is the one who gets off the block last, but catches up, only to be touched out in the end. Sorry for the very poor quality video and lack of zoom. :/
Monday, July 28, 2008
Link to Live Results
http://www.ymcaswimminganddiving.org/2008LC/ResultsMenu.htm
This is a link to the live results page. Megan is in the 400 freestyle tomorrow and the 200 freestyle on Wednesday, if anyone wants to follow along. She's seeded with a yard time so it's hard to predict where she is truly seeded.
This is a link to the live results page. Megan is in the 400 freestyle tomorrow and the 200 freestyle on Wednesday, if anyone wants to follow along. She's seeded with a yard time so it's hard to predict where she is truly seeded.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bound for Maryland
OK, so enough fun with videos of Megan getting whooped in the IM. The summer swim season is behind us. The team has one more meet, a sure loss, but we will be on our way to Maryland by then, if not already there with Megan, who leaves at 8am tomorrow.
This meet, although a National meet, doesn't carry quite the clout of the spring national short course meet. Not as many teams attend, and the qualifying times are slightly more relaxed. Still, not an easy meet to make, but since we don't train all summer in a long course pool, and Megan has missed practices for swimmers ear, vacation, and beach swim meets, we are just going down and hoping for the best.
Meanwhile, Brian is expressing an interest in being on a swim team again. There is another team around here where most of the swimmers are like him, but the lanes are very crowded and generally the swimmers in the lower groups don't even show improvement. He has said he would like to try the Y again, and he may be doing that. Tryouts are coming up next week. It would be good for him to have something steady, and to have that kind of all-over conditioning year-round. I still believe he got through his chiari surgery recovery as well as he did because he was in the pool up until the week before.
Otherwise, I am in a sort of denial. I'm still sort of in a post-C stupor. We are starting to get the room ready for E, and we have made some decisions as far as that goes. We're going to take apart the bunk beds, but leave the big desk in her room. As long as the beds are being taken apart, I would like to replace his rug, which is a faded, musty old pink thing. We also got him a new dresser yesterday at IKEA when we went to get one for the guest room (which we did). We also got an armchair for Megan's room. We still need a new desk for the computer, since we'll be moving that downstairs. We shopped around a bit today, but alas, to no avail. I really hate when I have Kevin ready and willing to buy buy buy and I can't even find anything I like.
Regarding E, I have heard from her sporadically, but mainly it hits me that when we return from Maryland, she will be due in just three weeks! It seems so soon. That is all the time we have left to get her room ready. Kevin will go back to work for a week or two, but then he has his two weeks vacation in August. He will be off when she arrives, but he goes back the following week. And I heard from the agency rep. She is having her orientation meeting on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Choke. Oh well. Hopefully the weather will be nice for the rest of the weekend. We usually like to go to the beach that Saturday and that Monday, but we can adapt.
Well, in other news, Brian is having his two teeth extracted tomorrow afternoon. He has to see the ortho first to have the wire removed from the brackets, then he gets the teeth pulled at 1. I guess after that it will be milkshakes for a day or two. My plan for Tuesday, weather permitting, is to drive to Cape May, have a chicken salad and lemonade lunch at McGlades, if we can find parking, and then drive onto a ferry to Delaware. Then we'll head on out to Silver Spring. I would like to ride the DC Ducks and visit the Air/Space museum with Brian while we're there, but we will only have two days, so we'll see.
This meet, although a National meet, doesn't carry quite the clout of the spring national short course meet. Not as many teams attend, and the qualifying times are slightly more relaxed. Still, not an easy meet to make, but since we don't train all summer in a long course pool, and Megan has missed practices for swimmers ear, vacation, and beach swim meets, we are just going down and hoping for the best.
Meanwhile, Brian is expressing an interest in being on a swim team again. There is another team around here where most of the swimmers are like him, but the lanes are very crowded and generally the swimmers in the lower groups don't even show improvement. He has said he would like to try the Y again, and he may be doing that. Tryouts are coming up next week. It would be good for him to have something steady, and to have that kind of all-over conditioning year-round. I still believe he got through his chiari surgery recovery as well as he did because he was in the pool up until the week before.
Otherwise, I am in a sort of denial. I'm still sort of in a post-C stupor. We are starting to get the room ready for E, and we have made some decisions as far as that goes. We're going to take apart the bunk beds, but leave the big desk in her room. As long as the beds are being taken apart, I would like to replace his rug, which is a faded, musty old pink thing. We also got him a new dresser yesterday at IKEA when we went to get one for the guest room (which we did). We also got an armchair for Megan's room. We still need a new desk for the computer, since we'll be moving that downstairs. We shopped around a bit today, but alas, to no avail. I really hate when I have Kevin ready and willing to buy buy buy and I can't even find anything I like.
Regarding E, I have heard from her sporadically, but mainly it hits me that when we return from Maryland, she will be due in just three weeks! It seems so soon. That is all the time we have left to get her room ready. Kevin will go back to work for a week or two, but then he has his two weeks vacation in August. He will be off when she arrives, but he goes back the following week. And I heard from the agency rep. She is having her orientation meeting on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Choke. Oh well. Hopefully the weather will be nice for the rest of the weekend. We usually like to go to the beach that Saturday and that Monday, but we can adapt.
Well, in other news, Brian is having his two teeth extracted tomorrow afternoon. He has to see the ortho first to have the wire removed from the brackets, then he gets the teeth pulled at 1. I guess after that it will be milkshakes for a day or two. My plan for Tuesday, weather permitting, is to drive to Cape May, have a chicken salad and lemonade lunch at McGlades, if we can find parking, and then drive onto a ferry to Delaware. Then we'll head on out to Silver Spring. I would like to ride the DC Ducks and visit the Air/Space museum with Brian while we're there, but we will only have two days, so we'll see.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Life After C
Well, life is back to "normal". The house is a mess, and the laundry is always all over the dining room table again. Puff has spent the entire morning outside of her lair for two straight days now. I guess she senses that she has the house back, even though C never troubled her at all, in fact would not have even if he HAD been able to set eyes on her.
Last night we had a swim meet and we LOST! I'll post the video of Megan when I get it uploaded from the camera. It isn't the sort of video she usually likes me to post of her swims ;-) (heehee) Anyway, we really shouldn't have lost this meet. We have not lost to this team in at least the nine years that we have been with the team. It was a combination of the other team having some strong swimmers, and our team making up the meet sheets more to let everyone have a turn to swim than trying to win the meet. I think perhaps we underestimated them; they have never even come close to beating us (or, for that matter, practically anyone else!)
So we will be there for one more meet, tomorrow's, assuming the rains clear before it starts. I hope so, because next week we will be away if they have to make it up. We're also missing the only sure loss of the season (irrelevant, now that we have two additional losses) because of Y Nationals in Maryland.
As I began to type this up, I had a call from the exchange student agency. The rep informed me that she has placed two other students in the area, a boy from Sweden (a senior) and a girl from Germany, who is also 15, like E. She is going to have an orientation at her house for the students and their families, some time in late August, I suppose. So, that should be another interesting experience. One host family has no children, and the other is just a single man. Megan thinks we will be the "coolest" ones there. I said, yeah - as long as you don't act dorky.
But in other news, I am still waiting for the rains to come, but from the boom-boom-booms, I would say they are on their way. Brian is doing a baseball camp this week, which will be cancelled perhaps in case of extreme rains. Wait, strike that, that was way too much booming. I think it might be fireworks. Either that or I'm heading to the basement! More later. Video to follow.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Monday, Monday, So Good to Me ...
And they're off!!!We made it to the park right behind the bus, and waited till all the other Fresh Air Funders arrived, then bid our farewells to C for a year. We will have him back if he would like to come, but I am certainly worn out! It was interesting to talk to the other host families and hear what they had experienced. One was sending their boy back after his fifth visit with them! That's what you hope for, he is like a brother to their son. But we had a medium experience. It was neither great nor awful. But since C is a good kid and deserves a break, we'll give him a shot and hope that he opens up a little more next time. I do think he had fun.
So now I am free. Brian is at baseball camp all week, and Megan has her volunteer job, and this is the last week for swim practice before Nationals, so she'll be busy with that. I don't expect to get to the beach too often other than for the meets on Tuesday and Thursday, but we'll see. She will be disappointed if she has to "lose her tan" ... meanwhile I am trying to keep my face OUT of the sun, due to the appearance of many brown spots that I don't like seeing!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
T Minus 1 Day
So tomorrow is the big day. The day that we put C on the Big Bus back to NYC. Brian starts his baseball camp, he will miss the first morning to send C off. I think I will feel like something is missing for a while, but what I won't miss is the extra daily laundry. I have done more laundry in this past week than I normally do in a month, and none of it has belonged to anyone in my family!
We went to the Fresh Air Fund picnic today. The entertainment was interesting, they had some sort of juggling troupe there giving juggling lessons, and then they put on a little performance, which wound up with a hip hop dancer who followed her dance performance with a thumb wrestling showdown where she beat all the big strong men in the group, as well as the alleged world thumb wrestling champion. After that, a Fresh Air child beat her.
They also had two chess experts there, each with two or three games going at a time. Brian gave it his best shot, playing each of them several times. Allegedly, they complimented his mad chess skills, but they seem not to have been mad good enough.
They had a few boats, which had sounded lovely in the description, but in reality, they were out on a lake that had no breeze and was in the direct sunlight. There was just one small dock, and in order to get to it, you had to pass people who were fishing with small boys who didn't really pay attention to the loading boats when they cast their lines in any direction they pleased. Kevin and C went in a paddle boat, and Megan and Brian went in a kayak, then Kevin and Megan went in one as well. By the time I was ready, the dock was overcrowded and there was a line for the boats, so I never got to go. I do have some photos and video I can put up, but tonight I am tired, and must go to bed in anticipation of Departure Day.
In other news, one more week and then Megan leaves for Maryland, for Y long course nationals. She has not taken the summer season nearly as seriously as the regular season, so I don't know what expectations we can have for this meet. But it's a good experience anyway, and hopefully none of the practices this week will be cancelled due to weather! That is the problem with the summer season. And now that C is gone, I must focus some of my energies on making sure Brian does his summer reading and readers response. I found another failed test from the school year today, an English test on a story that must have been in his reader. He had gotten a 65 and stuffed it in his gym bag so I wouldn't find it. I read through and it was pretty clear that he either hadn't read or hadn't paid attention to the story, the questions looked pretty basic.
We went to the Fresh Air Fund picnic today. The entertainment was interesting, they had some sort of juggling troupe there giving juggling lessons, and then they put on a little performance, which wound up with a hip hop dancer who followed her dance performance with a thumb wrestling showdown where she beat all the big strong men in the group, as well as the alleged world thumb wrestling champion. After that, a Fresh Air child beat her.
They also had two chess experts there, each with two or three games going at a time. Brian gave it his best shot, playing each of them several times. Allegedly, they complimented his mad chess skills, but they seem not to have been mad good enough.
They had a few boats, which had sounded lovely in the description, but in reality, they were out on a lake that had no breeze and was in the direct sunlight. There was just one small dock, and in order to get to it, you had to pass people who were fishing with small boys who didn't really pay attention to the loading boats when they cast their lines in any direction they pleased. Kevin and C went in a paddle boat, and Megan and Brian went in a kayak, then Kevin and Megan went in one as well. By the time I was ready, the dock was overcrowded and there was a line for the boats, so I never got to go. I do have some photos and video I can put up, but tonight I am tired, and must go to bed in anticipation of Departure Day.
In other news, one more week and then Megan leaves for Maryland, for Y long course nationals. She has not taken the summer season nearly as seriously as the regular season, so I don't know what expectations we can have for this meet. But it's a good experience anyway, and hopefully none of the practices this week will be cancelled due to weather! That is the problem with the summer season. And now that C is gone, I must focus some of my energies on making sure Brian does his summer reading and readers response. I found another failed test from the school year today, an English test on a story that must have been in his reader. He had gotten a 65 and stuffed it in his gym bag so I wouldn't find it. I read through and it was pretty clear that he either hadn't read or hadn't paid attention to the story, the questions looked pretty basic.
Friday, July 18, 2008
T.G.I.F.
Well, the end is in sight. This whole experience has been both rewarding and exhausting, and, at times, exasperating. I will say that C is well behaved. He never complains, and he usually does what we ask of him. If he doesn't, it's usually typical boy things, like telling him to change his pants for bed and he doesn't do it. But although I think he has had a lot of fun, I think he is also ready to go back to his family. He called them twice yesterday, although I think he only got to speak to them once.
He came to the swim meet again last night and watched the whole thing. Either he is incredibly patient, or he really found it interesting. He behaves himself very well under circumstances like those. Better than Brian ever did when I dragged him to the ones he wasn't swimming in!
In fact, he is still asleep today, and it is nearly noon. He went to bed before ten last night, but I had woken him up at 8. Maybe this sleep is a coping mechanism, so he doesn't have to deal with homesickness for a while longer. He'll need the rest, though, if he is to do the beach sleepover tonight! I am making Kevin stay with them, so they'll camp out in the tent, and come home in the morning. They have to clear the beach by 8am; so he should go to bed early again tomorrow!
The exasperation comes, still, from the lack of communication. I do see him talking a lot to boys, and I know when he is alone with Brian, he talks a lot more. Megan got frustrated because yesterday she played a whole game of pool with him and he never said a word. Again, he relates better to boys his own age and younger.
So tomorrow morning they will be tired, maybe I'll take them to an early movie, then have dinner at home. On Sunday, we have the Fresh Air Fund picnic from 2 till 6, then we'll have dinner and help C pack up. Monday morning, bright and early, we head back to the bus. I have to make sure Kevin pays him the $34 he won at the track!
In other news, the electrician is certainly blowing off my calls. That makes me so mad. Why are so many service people like that? I hope the place will still let me return the lights for store credit, now that I have lost over a month waiting for this jerk to get back to me. If he didn't want to do it, I have to wonder why he told me three times that he did. Idiot. At least it saves the $850. Oh, C is up! I hear footsteps. Just in time for me to go get Megan. Then I plan to drag him around to some stores, buying things we will need for tonight when it gets dark at the beach.
He came to the swim meet again last night and watched the whole thing. Either he is incredibly patient, or he really found it interesting. He behaves himself very well under circumstances like those. Better than Brian ever did when I dragged him to the ones he wasn't swimming in!
In fact, he is still asleep today, and it is nearly noon. He went to bed before ten last night, but I had woken him up at 8. Maybe this sleep is a coping mechanism, so he doesn't have to deal with homesickness for a while longer. He'll need the rest, though, if he is to do the beach sleepover tonight! I am making Kevin stay with them, so they'll camp out in the tent, and come home in the morning. They have to clear the beach by 8am; so he should go to bed early again tomorrow!
The exasperation comes, still, from the lack of communication. I do see him talking a lot to boys, and I know when he is alone with Brian, he talks a lot more. Megan got frustrated because yesterday she played a whole game of pool with him and he never said a word. Again, he relates better to boys his own age and younger.
So tomorrow morning they will be tired, maybe I'll take them to an early movie, then have dinner at home. On Sunday, we have the Fresh Air Fund picnic from 2 till 6, then we'll have dinner and help C pack up. Monday morning, bright and early, we head back to the bus. I have to make sure Kevin pays him the $34 he won at the track!
In other news, the electrician is certainly blowing off my calls. That makes me so mad. Why are so many service people like that? I hope the place will still let me return the lights for store credit, now that I have lost over a month waiting for this jerk to get back to me. If he didn't want to do it, I have to wonder why he told me three times that he did. Idiot. At least it saves the $850. Oh, C is up! I hear footsteps. Just in time for me to go get Megan. Then I plan to drag him around to some stores, buying things we will need for tonight when it gets dark at the beach.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Just Checking In
Well, I think we have passed the pinnacle of our visit, and we are on the downward slope. Nothing is bad per se, I am just getting tired of trying to come up with innovative ways of entertaining. Plus, out of money! I think the remainder of the activities will revolve around the beach and our pool. The problem has become that home time is starting to mean video games for hours, and I'm pretty sure noone signs their kid up for this program to have them play video games, even if it is in a nice big house with central air. And I still have the problem with the hair. I guess I am sending the poor kid back without braids.
Yesterday we just went to the beach for practice but C decided the team is too much for him. So we came home right after and hung out until Megan was done with her school job. With two vidiots to manage, I dragged them all out to a local park. It didn't really go so well. It was only a little hot, but I don't think that anyone was awed by a bunch of battered looking chickens and a few overheating sheep. So we went to watch a swim meet at the pool club, so the boys could run around and play on the handball wall, and swim in the spare pool. So that went very well. Then we went to Friendly's for ice cream and, as usual, C was completely wiped out.
Now I have to wake them up for practice again this morning, but today we will stay down for lunch, at least. It is going to be 90 degrees today, and our meet tonight is at a camp and not a beach club, meaning we won't be by a beach; just in a cramped pool area in the blazing heat. But we'll get our beach time in in the morning, then come home and recoup, before heading down to Long Branch for the meet. I expect this day will pass pretty quickly. At least I finally remembered to take my umbrella back down to the beach club. I have been hating the sun on my already-discolored and blotchy face. I am starting to panic about my upcoming dermatologist visit!
In other news, I still have not received Brian's standardized test scores! I think this is crazy, he took the tests three months ago, right after we got back from Florida. In some ways, I am glad not to see them, but I don't want to settle into complacency and have them suddenly arrive and punch me in the stomach. Kevin is in a tizzy because there is talk at the office of taking their blackberries away when they have to take their mandatory two consecutive week vacation. They have always cut off their emails, but now they want to take the whole phone. Obviously this makes sense, they can easily be reached, and people are always calling him during that time, not realizing he is out of the office.
Yesterday we just went to the beach for practice but C decided the team is too much for him. So we came home right after and hung out until Megan was done with her school job. With two vidiots to manage, I dragged them all out to a local park. It didn't really go so well. It was only a little hot, but I don't think that anyone was awed by a bunch of battered looking chickens and a few overheating sheep. So we went to watch a swim meet at the pool club, so the boys could run around and play on the handball wall, and swim in the spare pool. So that went very well. Then we went to Friendly's for ice cream and, as usual, C was completely wiped out.
Now I have to wake them up for practice again this morning, but today we will stay down for lunch, at least. It is going to be 90 degrees today, and our meet tonight is at a camp and not a beach club, meaning we won't be by a beach; just in a cramped pool area in the blazing heat. But we'll get our beach time in in the morning, then come home and recoup, before heading down to Long Branch for the meet. I expect this day will pass pretty quickly. At least I finally remembered to take my umbrella back down to the beach club. I have been hating the sun on my already-discolored and blotchy face. I am starting to panic about my upcoming dermatologist visit!
In other news, I still have not received Brian's standardized test scores! I think this is crazy, he took the tests three months ago, right after we got back from Florida. In some ways, I am glad not to see them, but I don't want to settle into complacency and have them suddenly arrive and punch me in the stomach. Kevin is in a tizzy because there is talk at the office of taking their blackberries away when they have to take their mandatory two consecutive week vacation. They have always cut off their emails, but now they want to take the whole phone. Obviously this makes sense, they can easily be reached, and people are always calling him during that time, not realizing he is out of the office.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Talking, and the Time of Your Life
He talked! He screamed! He danced around!
The day did not start out so well. I was discouraged and counting the days. Then we had a turning point (which I won't go into here) and C came out of his shell a bit. He also called home, which seemed to cheer him up. I would expect he would ask if he wanted to do this, but I guess if you don't talk, you don't ask. And then the rains left and I got an idea to try the waterpark, despite the questionable forecast. I couldn't see any more clouds on the radar and thought we'd at least be good or an hour or two of the three hour session; and surely any camps would have rescheduled their trips if they had planned them for the day.
The plan could not have gone better. Patrick et al ended up coming along with us as well, and although C says he has been to a waterpark before, I am not really sure if he has. He went with Brian up all the big slides, and coming down he'd just be a huge display of teeth. They ran from slide to slide, climbing billions of steep staircases with barely a wait at all, and then C split his time playing in the back on the gentler rides with Patrick. The park, which was practically empty to begin with, was closing at 5:30 for a private party, so although our wristbands were for 3 hours only, and should have expired at 5, they didn't bother to throw us out until they closed the park at 5:30. And then we did the go-karts again. I even let Brian go on this time, and he loved it too. It was much tamer than the other time, only the four of our kids, and then one man with a small child in his car.
Megan had practice, so we came home and C and Brian played video games while I made baked ziti. Now they are still asleep, of course, but I must wake them all up, because today is the day that C is going to try swim team practice at the beach club; and, perhaps, a race in the meet tonight. Megan is not going to the meet. She is going to a concert with four Chinese girls. But, says the mom of one, don't worry. They don't speak Chinese ALL the time ... more later.
In other news, E has left for a ten day vacation, so we won't be hearing from her for a while. I left a message at the school, trying to find out what they want me to do as far as bringing her in in August. Also, an electrician I had spoken to in June, who insisted he wanted to do the job of installing back yard post lighting for us, seems to now be avoiding my calls, and I have lost his cell phone number. I left him another message on the work phone yesterday. I am really annoyed, not because we can't get the work done, but because I would have returned the lights I bought for $300, had I known there wasn't anyone interested in doing the job. Oh, and we are getting a new roof. I don't know when that is, either, but there is a big sign out on the lawn. I asked Kevin not to schedule it for this week. That's all I would have needed, roof tiles flying everywhere while trying to manage having C in the house for ten days!
The day did not start out so well. I was discouraged and counting the days. Then we had a turning point (which I won't go into here) and C came out of his shell a bit. He also called home, which seemed to cheer him up. I would expect he would ask if he wanted to do this, but I guess if you don't talk, you don't ask. And then the rains left and I got an idea to try the waterpark, despite the questionable forecast. I couldn't see any more clouds on the radar and thought we'd at least be good or an hour or two of the three hour session; and surely any camps would have rescheduled their trips if they had planned them for the day.
The plan could not have gone better. Patrick et al ended up coming along with us as well, and although C says he has been to a waterpark before, I am not really sure if he has. He went with Brian up all the big slides, and coming down he'd just be a huge display of teeth. They ran from slide to slide, climbing billions of steep staircases with barely a wait at all, and then C split his time playing in the back on the gentler rides with Patrick. The park, which was practically empty to begin with, was closing at 5:30 for a private party, so although our wristbands were for 3 hours only, and should have expired at 5, they didn't bother to throw us out until they closed the park at 5:30. And then we did the go-karts again. I even let Brian go on this time, and he loved it too. It was much tamer than the other time, only the four of our kids, and then one man with a small child in his car.
Megan had practice, so we came home and C and Brian played video games while I made baked ziti. Now they are still asleep, of course, but I must wake them all up, because today is the day that C is going to try swim team practice at the beach club; and, perhaps, a race in the meet tonight. Megan is not going to the meet. She is going to a concert with four Chinese girls. But, says the mom of one, don't worry. They don't speak Chinese ALL the time ... more later.
In other news, E has left for a ten day vacation, so we won't be hearing from her for a while. I left a message at the school, trying to find out what they want me to do as far as bringing her in in August. Also, an electrician I had spoken to in June, who insisted he wanted to do the job of installing back yard post lighting for us, seems to now be avoiding my calls, and I have lost his cell phone number. I left him another message on the work phone yesterday. I am really annoyed, not because we can't get the work done, but because I would have returned the lights I bought for $300, had I known there wasn't anyone interested in doing the job. Oh, and we are getting a new roof. I don't know when that is, either, but there is a big sign out on the lawn. I asked Kevin not to schedule it for this week. That's all I would have needed, roof tiles flying everywhere while trying to manage having C in the house for ten days!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Beginners Luck?
So yesterday I tried to cram a lot into one day. Since C had asked to ride a go-kart, I figured we could take him down to ride one. Just in case, we brought along our waterpark bag as well, but it was starting to get crowded with long lines, so we left. I think we will save that for this afternoon if it clears up, or for tomorrow after swim practice.
The go-karts were fun, I didn't let Brian on, but I probably could have. There were a couple of idiots on the ride, two guys in particular who seemed drunk or something, they kept trying to ram each other and one of them kept getting stuck on the wall, which caused the operator to cut the cars all to about half power, and walk out and fix the guy's car. After that, Brian and C played some games in the arcade, and then we went to the race track. Here is a picture of the board after C's first bet:
He had #7 to win. Brian had him to place. When the horse walked out for the race, he looked deranged, with his eyes all wild, and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, on the wrong side of the bit.
Then we had friends over for dinner, again Patrick, the one who C really got along with the other night at dinner. I saw C talking a lot more, and laughing and clapping his hands during basketball games in the driveway. He also does love his video games, and spiderman. At the end of the night, he and Patrick were standing side by side wrapped in their spiderman towels. It was cute. I suggested to my friend that maybe they should host C next year!!! I am still not sure of the cause for the not talking. I may never be able to figure it out. He smiles and looks happy pretty often, but he just barely speaks unless spoken to, and even then, he is a boy of few words.
Megan is off to her day at the school, and I am heading up to wake the boys. Brian has to see the orthodontist, who's going to order the two eyeteeth to be pulled within a couple of weeks from now. Afterwards we will see what the weather says. Either I'll take them to the Y to play basketball, or to the water park, or maybe to the beach; although that's where I plan on spending most of the week, in this predicted heatwave. I didn't really want C there with riptides and the giant waves sent ashore by Bertha.
In other news, Megan won two events at the meet she went to yesterday, although her times were not impressive. It was a small and fairly non-competitive meet, and she had missed most of the recent two weeks of practices, between her ear problem and then our trip. Now she has just this week and next of practices, before heading off for long course nationals in Maryland.
The go-karts were fun, I didn't let Brian on, but I probably could have. There were a couple of idiots on the ride, two guys in particular who seemed drunk or something, they kept trying to ram each other and one of them kept getting stuck on the wall, which caused the operator to cut the cars all to about half power, and walk out and fix the guy's car. After that, Brian and C played some games in the arcade, and then we went to the race track. Here is a picture of the board after C's first bet:
He had #7 to win. Brian had him to place. When the horse walked out for the race, he looked deranged, with his eyes all wild, and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, on the wrong side of the bit.
Then we had friends over for dinner, again Patrick, the one who C really got along with the other night at dinner. I saw C talking a lot more, and laughing and clapping his hands during basketball games in the driveway. He also does love his video games, and spiderman. At the end of the night, he and Patrick were standing side by side wrapped in their spiderman towels. It was cute. I suggested to my friend that maybe they should host C next year!!! I am still not sure of the cause for the not talking. I may never be able to figure it out. He smiles and looks happy pretty often, but he just barely speaks unless spoken to, and even then, he is a boy of few words.
Megan is off to her day at the school, and I am heading up to wake the boys. Brian has to see the orthodontist, who's going to order the two eyeteeth to be pulled within a couple of weeks from now. Afterwards we will see what the weather says. Either I'll take them to the Y to play basketball, or to the water park, or maybe to the beach; although that's where I plan on spending most of the week, in this predicted heatwave. I didn't really want C there with riptides and the giant waves sent ashore by Bertha.
In other news, Megan won two events at the meet she went to yesterday, although her times were not impressive. It was a small and fairly non-competitive meet, and she had missed most of the recent two weeks of practices, between her ear problem and then our trip. Now she has just this week and next of practices, before heading off for long course nationals in Maryland.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Just Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
So it was a late-ish night last night, what with the bad service we had at Bahr's, my favorite restaurant; and then I stayed up to finish my book, until probably 3am. Megan had to be at a swim meet for a 6:30 warm-up, so she and Kevin were gone, and the cats and I settled in for a good Sunday "lie-in". Until, that is, the phone rang at 6am.
It seems that Megan had grown bored of being left in the running truck while Kevin got the coffee and bagels, so she decided to join him in Dunkin Donuts. Safety-minded and well-taught, she locked the door behind her. The door of the running car, with the key in the ignition.
But of course, all's well that ends well, and another family happened to be there at that very same Dunkin donuts, 15 minutes from home, and they took her in time for warm-ups, while Kevin waited by the newspaper box for me to come with a spare key (thank goodness I knew where one was!)
Last I heard she had still not swum, but she was the top seed in both her freestyle events, the 200 and the 400; she was seeded fifth in the 100 back, which used to be her best event before swimming endless laps of freestle took over her life. I am sorry I won't be able to go to watch the races, hopefully Kevin took the video camera up and will capture the moments. Brian and C are still sound asleep, worn out again, I guess, from all the 'Fresh Air'.
We really have been lucky with the weather so far, and the forecast remains pleasant. Tomorrow is not supposed to be nice, but that works perfectly because Brian has to go to the orthodontist in the morning anyway. C can come along, they have a room full of free arcade games for him. Maybe afterwards we can bowl or see a movie. And then, on Tuesday, I plan to bring him to the swim practice down at the beach and see how he does. If he likes, he can swim in the meet that evening. And I still owe them all a trip to the water park - I'll have to coordinate that with weather and swimming.
Last night we were really lucky, we even did see the poor dolphins that are stuck in the rivers. They were swimming around just as happy as they could be. C said he had never seen a dolphin, so I wish they had come closer to our boat, but they were close enough. All the boats were hovering around and looking at them. At one point, they came really close to a group on a jet-ski. Afterwards we went to Bahr's, and C ordered lobster! It was the most expensive thing of any of our dinners, but we figured it's his vacation and his birthday, so we sucked it up and took a picture of him in his plastic bib. He was wearing a sweatshirt I grabbed from Brian's closet, and when I brought it in later, I found the bib all rolled up in its pocket, and also a broken up crab claw. He must not have known what he was supposed to do with them, although he sure knew how he was supposed to eat that lobster!
In other news, we are still thinking of what to do today. It is St. Patrick's Day in July at the race track, and we will get free grandstand admission for wearing green. Also, it seems to be a beautiful beach day. I guess I'll see what happens when the boys wake up. I hate to have to pay the $20 guest fee for the beach club, so I am trying to avoid it for the weekend. I had asked if they'd let C in for half-price, but they agreed so reluctantly that I just paid the whole thing, to avoid controversy.
It seems that Megan had grown bored of being left in the running truck while Kevin got the coffee and bagels, so she decided to join him in Dunkin Donuts. Safety-minded and well-taught, she locked the door behind her. The door of the running car, with the key in the ignition.
But of course, all's well that ends well, and another family happened to be there at that very same Dunkin donuts, 15 minutes from home, and they took her in time for warm-ups, while Kevin waited by the newspaper box for me to come with a spare key (thank goodness I knew where one was!)
Last I heard she had still not swum, but she was the top seed in both her freestyle events, the 200 and the 400; she was seeded fifth in the 100 back, which used to be her best event before swimming endless laps of freestle took over her life. I am sorry I won't be able to go to watch the races, hopefully Kevin took the video camera up and will capture the moments. Brian and C are still sound asleep, worn out again, I guess, from all the 'Fresh Air'.
We really have been lucky with the weather so far, and the forecast remains pleasant. Tomorrow is not supposed to be nice, but that works perfectly because Brian has to go to the orthodontist in the morning anyway. C can come along, they have a room full of free arcade games for him. Maybe afterwards we can bowl or see a movie. And then, on Tuesday, I plan to bring him to the swim practice down at the beach and see how he does. If he likes, he can swim in the meet that evening. And I still owe them all a trip to the water park - I'll have to coordinate that with weather and swimming.
Last night we were really lucky, we even did see the poor dolphins that are stuck in the rivers. They were swimming around just as happy as they could be. C said he had never seen a dolphin, so I wish they had come closer to our boat, but they were close enough. All the boats were hovering around and looking at them. At one point, they came really close to a group on a jet-ski. Afterwards we went to Bahr's, and C ordered lobster! It was the most expensive thing of any of our dinners, but we figured it's his vacation and his birthday, so we sucked it up and took a picture of him in his plastic bib. He was wearing a sweatshirt I grabbed from Brian's closet, and when I brought it in later, I found the bib all rolled up in its pocket, and also a broken up crab claw. He must not have known what he was supposed to do with them, although he sure knew how he was supposed to eat that lobster!
In other news, we are still thinking of what to do today. It is St. Patrick's Day in July at the race track, and we will get free grandstand admission for wearing green. Also, it seems to be a beautiful beach day. I guess I'll see what happens when the boys wake up. I hate to have to pay the $20 guest fee for the beach club, so I am trying to avoid it for the weekend. I had asked if they'd let C in for half-price, but they agreed so reluctantly that I just paid the whole thing, to avoid controversy.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Crime Solvers
So today we took C to the beach and kept him there for several hours. Again, he seemed to have fun, and was quite a novelty. He loves the sand, and comes home covered in it. So far he has gotten through the day without falling asleep. Hehe.
Anyway, on our way home from the beach, we passed an ambulance out on the main road. On the ground on the side of the road, some people had spread out a blanket, and there was a small girl sitting on it, and another standing nearby. There was an ambulance there, too, with its lights flashing and the back open. I wondered about it, and thought, well maybe she had a seizure or something and they brought her out and called 911? Still, it didn't make sense.
So we came home and started showering and getting ready. Kevin came home and my friend dropped off her son (who thankfully chatters enough to make up for C's selective muteness), and we headed out for dinner. As we were driving up the road, a Chinese woman flagged us down. She was carrying an infant and asked if we had seen two small blonde girls walking. She didn't make a lot of sense, but said she was living in her friend's house and they had gone looking for their mother. We said no, but went to drive around to look for them.
Suddenly I said, hey! Weren't those two little girls by the ambulance blonde? So we turned back and went to the Chinese woman. She had said they had left half an hour earlier, but we had seen them twice that long before. Kevin then called the police station with the woman outside the car, and sure enough, they had the girls. So we told the woman they would bring them to the house, and she told us she was the nanny. Then she asked us if she would get in trouble. :X (Ya think?) Anyway, it was bizarre. The police told her to go back to the house, and they would come.
In other news, so this was my second post of the day. I still hope C is having a nice time, although it is sometimes tough to tell. He was certainly worn out yesterday, but he slept till after 10 today, I think it was about 10:45 when he finally came downstairs. Brian is now all worked up because apparently C plays terribly violent games on his playstation at home, and I made Brian put the violent games away. I'm just a little disappointed that he is not giving anything back -- he smiles once in a while and is surely still polite, but he conserves his words to the point where he may be bordering on rude if he keeps it up. Hopefully he is just uncomfortable in a strange world; but I think I may know why his last years' family didn't sign back up ...
Anyway, on our way home from the beach, we passed an ambulance out on the main road. On the ground on the side of the road, some people had spread out a blanket, and there was a small girl sitting on it, and another standing nearby. There was an ambulance there, too, with its lights flashing and the back open. I wondered about it, and thought, well maybe she had a seizure or something and they brought her out and called 911? Still, it didn't make sense.
So we came home and started showering and getting ready. Kevin came home and my friend dropped off her son (who thankfully chatters enough to make up for C's selective muteness), and we headed out for dinner. As we were driving up the road, a Chinese woman flagged us down. She was carrying an infant and asked if we had seen two small blonde girls walking. She didn't make a lot of sense, but said she was living in her friend's house and they had gone looking for their mother. We said no, but went to drive around to look for them.
Suddenly I said, hey! Weren't those two little girls by the ambulance blonde? So we turned back and went to the Chinese woman. She had said they had left half an hour earlier, but we had seen them twice that long before. Kevin then called the police station with the woman outside the car, and sure enough, they had the girls. So we told the woman they would bring them to the house, and she told us she was the nanny. Then she asked us if she would get in trouble. :X (Ya think?) Anyway, it was bizarre. The police told her to go back to the house, and they would come.
In other news, so this was my second post of the day. I still hope C is having a nice time, although it is sometimes tough to tell. He was certainly worn out yesterday, but he slept till after 10 today, I think it was about 10:45 when he finally came downstairs. Brian is now all worked up because apparently C plays terribly violent games on his playstation at home, and I made Brian put the violent games away. I'm just a little disappointed that he is not giving anything back -- he smiles once in a while and is surely still polite, but he conserves his words to the point where he may be bordering on rude if he keeps it up. Hopefully he is just uncomfortable in a strange world; but I think I may know why his last years' family didn't sign back up ...
quick Update
I must run to get Megan, but a quick update on C's arrival.
We got early enough to the pickup spot, and it was emotional when the bus pulled up. One woman was getting her girl and keeping her for the summer, and it turned out the mom was living in shelters. The girl was the cutest one on the bus!
The first girl to get off the bus was a little black girl with a huge doll, half the size of her body, and she looked all scared and brave. Then came ours. He is cute, small and thin, with his hair braided like half the NY Jets.
We dragged him back onto the parkway, and the kids showed him everything there is to do in the house. He didn't tell much about anything, in fact, he doesn't talk much, although he will say what he needs to if you ask him. We took him down for the swim meet (we LOST!) last night and then out for pizza afterwards. He fell asleep both there and back in the car! But he did seem to have fun hanging out with all the boys. They were down on the beach most of the time, just sitting and digging in the sand.
Today is his birthday and he says he wants to wait until Megan is done with her job, and then go to the beach. I think this will be his favorite thing to do. We have to get to the water park one day, and also he said he would like to ride go-karts. I think they have some at the amusement park in Keansburg.
Well, I must run. Megan is at practice and may be let out early, since there is a meet this Sunday. In other news, Molly has come through her Cape May trip and is well and happy. The cats have adjusted to our return, although Wren, with her bizarre habit of trying to bury food when she is done, knocked her bowl off the counter and snapped it in two. And we are back in talks with E, who survived her weeklong music fest trip. Next project is to get her room ready. (disclaimer: post not proofread!)
We got early enough to the pickup spot, and it was emotional when the bus pulled up. One woman was getting her girl and keeping her for the summer, and it turned out the mom was living in shelters. The girl was the cutest one on the bus!
The first girl to get off the bus was a little black girl with a huge doll, half the size of her body, and she looked all scared and brave. Then came ours. He is cute, small and thin, with his hair braided like half the NY Jets.
We dragged him back onto the parkway, and the kids showed him everything there is to do in the house. He didn't tell much about anything, in fact, he doesn't talk much, although he will say what he needs to if you ask him. We took him down for the swim meet (we LOST!) last night and then out for pizza afterwards. He fell asleep both there and back in the car! But he did seem to have fun hanging out with all the boys. They were down on the beach most of the time, just sitting and digging in the sand.
Today is his birthday and he says he wants to wait until Megan is done with her job, and then go to the beach. I think this will be his favorite thing to do. We have to get to the water park one day, and also he said he would like to ride go-karts. I think they have some at the amusement park in Keansburg.
Well, I must run. Megan is at practice and may be let out early, since there is a meet this Sunday. In other news, Molly has come through her Cape May trip and is well and happy. The cats have adjusted to our return, although Wren, with her bizarre habit of trying to bury food when she is done, knocked her bowl off the counter and snapped it in two. And we are back in talks with E, who survived her weeklong music fest trip. Next project is to get her room ready. (disclaimer: post not proofread!)
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Doobies and Chicago
The concert was OK. They didn't play What a Fool Believes, at least not while we were there. We left a little early to beat the rush, but waited in the parking lot, and after Chicago's '25 or 6 to 4', we didn't hear any more music, and people were starting to pour out of the arts center. So we left. I wanted to attempt to post pictures here, since I haven't been able to swing that within a post yet.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Summer Blues
Yes, every summer Megan has to come up with a malady. You would think that with all of the different pools to which she is exposed all winter long, she would not have such issues with pools in summer. But each year, once she's been in them for a while, she gets something weird. Twice it was skin rashes. Thankfully, it has never again been the oral thrush, THAT was bad. Last year it was a bad sinus infection and ear infection. Now it is swimmers ear.
Imagine she's been swimming since she was 3 and this is her first true swimmers ear. Last year they gave us drops for it but I think that was really her sinus/ear infection. So she is miserable. I used the drops yesterday morning and she felt better, so she spent the day in the ocean, then went to practice. After practice, she was quite uncomfortable. I think we have kept it at bay by treating it, so the pain hasn't become agonizing, but she holds it constantly. She doesn't want to miss the beach club time trials tomorrow, and the doctor actually said she could go as long as she wore earplugs and a bathing cap :/.
Otherwise, nothing is too exciting. We're probably going to get a new roof any day now. There is a big obnoxious sign on the lawn that says Chuck's Custom Roofing, it popped up while I was out driving around this morning. I bought some crab cakes for dinner tonight, and Brian, who is punished for saying, "oh my God!" when I told him that he had to sit on something other than just his towel in my car, is resisting the meal. His punishment is that he is not allowed to go down and play Call of duty. You know that I love to punish him from this, because technically, since it is rated 'M', he is not supposed to be playing it anyway!
In other news, Megan had her training for her volunteer summer job today. It turns out there are just two volunteers per class, so I guess sometimes there is just one or none, since Megan is only doing if three days a week, and some kids do it even less. The session begins on the 7th, and since we'll be away, she needs to email the teacher of her room to let her know this. Oh, and we got tickets to the Chicago/Doobie Brothers concert tomorrow night!! I had seen it online, and then Kevin saw it advertised, but we didn't do anything about it. This morning I got an email that tickets would be $10 apiece starting at 9am (lawn seats). So we got four. We're all going. Of course, they really cost $21 per ticket, when you added in the $6 for parking (we should go in four separate cars) and the other service charges. But still, that's pretty cheap for a concert. Even if we have to sit on the lawn. I think. But we'll see. The weather should be nice, and if nothing else, I will get to hear 'What a Fool Believes'.
Imagine she's been swimming since she was 3 and this is her first true swimmers ear. Last year they gave us drops for it but I think that was really her sinus/ear infection. So she is miserable. I used the drops yesterday morning and she felt better, so she spent the day in the ocean, then went to practice. After practice, she was quite uncomfortable. I think we have kept it at bay by treating it, so the pain hasn't become agonizing, but she holds it constantly. She doesn't want to miss the beach club time trials tomorrow, and the doctor actually said she could go as long as she wore earplugs and a bathing cap :/.
Otherwise, nothing is too exciting. We're probably going to get a new roof any day now. There is a big obnoxious sign on the lawn that says Chuck's Custom Roofing, it popped up while I was out driving around this morning. I bought some crab cakes for dinner tonight, and Brian, who is punished for saying, "oh my God!" when I told him that he had to sit on something other than just his towel in my car, is resisting the meal. His punishment is that he is not allowed to go down and play Call of duty. You know that I love to punish him from this, because technically, since it is rated 'M', he is not supposed to be playing it anyway!
In other news, Megan had her training for her volunteer summer job today. It turns out there are just two volunteers per class, so I guess sometimes there is just one or none, since Megan is only doing if three days a week, and some kids do it even less. The session begins on the 7th, and since we'll be away, she needs to email the teacher of her room to let her know this. Oh, and we got tickets to the Chicago/Doobie Brothers concert tomorrow night!! I had seen it online, and then Kevin saw it advertised, but we didn't do anything about it. This morning I got an email that tickets would be $10 apiece starting at 9am (lawn seats). So we got four. We're all going. Of course, they really cost $21 per ticket, when you added in the $6 for parking (we should go in four separate cars) and the other service charges. But still, that's pretty cheap for a concert. Even if we have to sit on the lawn. I think. But we'll see. The weather should be nice, and if nothing else, I will get to hear 'What a Fool Believes'.
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