Sickie

Jacky's sick. Headache and temp. Poor guy. Because it's Jack we're very careful to make sure he's not "playing" us. :-) But he actually turned OFF wrestling this morning and laid down. Hes' sick.

But that doesn't stop Sal. She's still picking on him. She finally went to my room (after her life being threatened) and watched George Monkey (Curios George for the rest of you). :-)

I've got quarterly payroll reports due so Bill is coming home at 12 and I'm going in. Why do they always tend to get sick at the most inopportune times. :-)

Weather

Dang! What BEAUTIFUL weather it's been lately. Not too hot - cools off nice at night for GREAT sleeping weather. And best of all --- NO air conditioning! Now THAT'S summer to me.

Growing up we didn't use our air a lot - take that back - we didn't HAVE air. Well, not central air. AFter it became apparent that I was most definitely suffering with allergies and that it was NOT in my head - they put a window air conditioner in my room. But for the most part it's not really NEEDED down south. The houses aren't SO close together and the builders of the homes 100+ years ago knew a little something about cross breezes. These tract homes, I swear, trap the heat.

Plus, as a kid we were never home that much - or at least not INdoors. Jack is a LOT like that. He's begging at 7 to go "knock on doors". We hold him off till 9 - 10 on Sundays - and then he's gone till it gets dark. Well, he checks in once in a while and of course he comes home all ticked off at whoever he's playing with every once in a while - complains about them - and then goes back out to play with them. The joys of being a kid. :-)

Sally has taken "certain" Little People out to the pool this year - they sit on the fence and watch while they each get a turn on the floaty that Sal pushes around. She is obviously the counselor at Camp Davidek and tells them when they've been bad and what their punishment will be. It is very comical.

Jack is on day number 2 of headache. Personally, I didn't think kids GOT headaches - but this boy has had them on and off for a long time. Sometimes they're to the point that he throws up and then feels much better. Honestly, I think the not eating and the lack of sleep is starting to catch up with him. School can't come soon enough for me.

Being a Kennedy

I watched a thing on the Kennedys last night (Hist Channel) and they went on and on about how to be a Kennedy was all about "appearances". It occurred to me that this is NOT a elite thing. We ALL do this. We appear to the public how we WANT to be - not who we really are. Some do more so than others.

For instance - *I* go to work in a skirt and heels. This is NOT who I *really* am. Some people lie on their resume' - this is NOT who they are. So for us to gasp at how the Kennedy's put on airs is kind of funny. Esp in today's world of web pages and such. SO many people lie there.

I wonder about that with Sal. Am I trying to make her fit some kind of "mold" that really isn't *her*. I walk a fine line on that, I have to admit.

Maybe that is something we should all take from these kids. They really don't do ANYTHING for appearances. Sal's hair is now short because she HATES to have her hair combed. Period. She couldn't care less how it looks. She takes you as YOU - not how you look, not how much money you have (or say you have) not what you drive, not where you live, and not by who you are, but by how you treat her. And she's very aware of those things. She can spot bs a mile away (well, all kids can, really). It's as an adult you get sucked in more and more to bs.

So, we have a new resident in Golden IL. When you're a town of only 500 you tend to notice new residents. :-) Mike moved into Golden Good Shepard Home on Friday. From what my sister says he's happy. Has a private room, a nice view and I'm SURE he'll have a LOT of visitors.

Mom said he was received very well by everyone. I bet - it's kind of unusual for them to get someone that young. :-)

Sal and I are starting our walk today. I asked her if she wanted to walk with me every day. You know Sal, she's up for anything. :-)

Time Machine

I obviously entered some kind of time machine over the weekend - it took me back almost 17 years into the same ol' crap. It's amazing how old people can get but still never "grow up". And I'm ashamed to say - I'm right there with them. Or I was. Since it's the month of independence I gave myself permission to be independent from all the bs! Bill and I talked a LOT about it and he thought it best for me to just be done. So I am. And that's all I'll say about that. Confused? Me too.


So, since I've got a renewed spirit I have been doing a little reading and have discovered that the Native Americans had people like Sally too. They considered these people to be 'godlike' and realized they had a true gift.


She continues to amaze me with the connection she has to things that aren't said. I'm also discovering *my* connection. I know, it's a little woo-woo but that's where life is going right now.


Mike comes "home" for a visit this weekend. Talked to Aunt Jill over the weekend (it was her birthday). She had a GREAT time on her quilt trip. It was really good to hear her sound SO much better. I really really worry about her sometimes - someone has to. So he is going to Golden Good Shep and my Mother is busy busy making preparations. :-) I have a feeling he may very well know that "be careful what you wish for" phrase. :-)

I talked to Sally about it this morning and you could just see the wheels turning in her head. She's very familiar with the nursing home due to my mother. She's helped my Mom direct the games and church services there. My Mom is out there a lot. I say "out there" - it's right down the street from my parents' house.

Sal got her last shot yesterday. She is all ready for school and now all I have to do is make copies of everything and then send it in. Can you believe school is right around the corner. In some sense I'm glad and then again it's bitter sweet.

My sister has rented out her pasture and now has cows across the driveway. She was telling me that the weeds are so tall you can't see the cows till they get right up to the fence. This disturbed her dogs because all you could see was weeds moving and you couldn't tell why. She said they barked and paced until finally the cows came wandering up to the fence and then Tiny decided that they were ok. It is such a zoo out there. She said when she came home the other day the dogs had found a hide and had drug it up to the front yard and took turns rolling in it. Ottie - who normally stays inside had to sleep outside that night.

We (the kids and I) went to see Mrs Berg and her daughter play softball on Monday. Mrs Berg coaches . Mrs Berg was Sal's aid last year . You know there should be a different title for that - not that I'm a big title fan but aid just doesn't do her justice. Anyway - Sal had said when we sat down that the blue team was going to win - and they did. Happened that Mrs Berg's team was the blue team! :-) They played REALLY well!!! They're 14u so it was really fun to watch. And dang, the girls' must have had dates afterward because they were done with 7 innings in an hour and a half!!!! We didn't even have time for popcorn! :-)

Works in Progress

What a weekend. I was planning a trip south but Sal's infection put a stop to that. On the 4th we woke up to rain that kept up just enough to make things wet enough to be miserable. We headed to our usual fireworks watching place only to find it blocked off and GUARDED no less, by Bbk's finest. There's good use of tax dollars. We went to the round barn location and watched from there. We were joined by a BUNCH of people who were out of their way nice. Passing soda and cupcakes - mmm - my kind of people.

We had brought a TON of glow sticks and Sally had a BALL passing those out. We had a REALLY nice time.

Today we just took it easy and worked around home. Bill put up the pool again (only to find holes in it). Holes that look a little *too* much like dog teeth. :-( So it looks like we're in for another pool purchase.

Mabel has been pretty good - for Mabel. She's managed not to rush the door every time someone came in (namely Sally) and to reward her, Daddy bought her a swimming pool full of sand. I hid treats all through the sand and tomorrow she will get to find them. :-)

Mabel is scared of fireworks. Pulls an Ottie and sits and shivers the whole time under our bed. It's kind of funny when you know how big and bad she acts whenever anyone walks by .

So all in all it's been a really nice 4th. Tonight is especially nice sitting on the deck and just relaxing.

Have Drs appts tomorrow for the kids to get their school physicals. I think Sally will need shots. I think Jack's ok. Should be interesting.

Trip South Cancelled

I was to leave this a.m. to go to my sister's and then her and I were planning on going to MO - watching Brad ump a Caveman game (MO farm team) , getting a motel room and watching fireworks with Mike and coming back on Sunday - me coming back to my home on Monday.

On Wed I got a call at work that Sally had had an "accident" at the Kane Co Cougar game and would I be at the Park Dist as soon as the bus came. Sure. I'm thinking "accident" of #2 (to spare you gory details).

When I pick her up - she's fine - she had peed her pants. She had used the bathroom like 5 times in an hour and still peed her pants. The smell was distinct - she had a urine infection - I was positive. Dr Wilk and I had discussed this a couple years ago that her having the bowel accidents could very well make infections down there - so I was to be on the look out.

Thurs we got into the Dr and sure enough she has a UTI. The only thing was she was running a temp and Dr is a little concerned that it may mean the infection is in the kidneys. She gave us the antibiotic (5 bottles!!!) and we headed home.

Sal was content to play inside all day - we laid down and watched Blues Clues and then a marathon COPS.

Today she was better - I did send her to camp because she was really pushing to go and it was all day swim - but instructed her aide - to call for ANYTHING. Thus - I'm home this weekend. I just didn't feel comfortable leaving her. You know she'll be fine - but if I had left it would have been in her kidneys - that's just the way things seem to work sometimes.

So my sister is bummed - and I am too. I really wish I could do something for her -but there's really nothing. It's just a LONG rough journey and boy do *I* know it.

The tale from the Dr's appt - you can't go anywhere with Sal that something out of the ordinary doesn't happen. 1st - she wanted to know what the light was for - I'm sure there's a tech name - but she was talking about the light the Dr saddles up to your private area when you're getting a pap smear. When I *delicately* told her what it was for - she gave me a look like I had just told her that for dinner we would be dining on her brother. It was hysterical! I tried to rationalize it with "all women have to go through it". I still think there's some question about her mother's mental health now.

On the way out we got her Rx and the receptionist said "so this is Sally". I had not seen her before and since Wilk left we really hadn't been to the Dr as much. Turned out it was Mrs Einhorn's (teacher at Salk) daughter. I'm not kidding when I say every place you go with Sal - someone knows her. :-)

Bill and I tagged teamed the house today and made a lot of headway. That way we can "play" all weekend and not feel *that* guilty. We need to re-do the pool because *someone* put it up inside out! :-)

Jack is outside for the 2nd night selling stuff in the street. :-) He sold Popsicles last night and tonight it's lemon-aid. He came in all ticked off at Tommy because "he was getting lemon-aide free and he wasn't even working". Those kids play outside from the time they get home till the time they go to bed. We decided tonight we'd run for ice-cream before bed and maybe take a drive.

My Dad's good friend Squirt died yesterday. Dad's kind of down. Even though Squirt had been pretty sick at the end - it's still sad. He was 86. Six weeks ago he was still playing golf. Don't you hope you can go out like that.