Catch Up

So, it's been a while again. Sometimes life gets a little too fast for me. The transition between school and camp is one of those times. I'm never quite prepared, plus this year, they threw in Summer school for Sal. So far it's working quite well. She gets on the bus around 7:10 and then I take Jack to camp around 8:30.

Oh yeah - I was laid off. I had to take too much time for Sally and it resulted in me being let go. Just as well. I really need a lot of time off this summer because of Summer school. Strange, but the older Sal gets the more I'm needed. Kind of the other way around from a "typical" child.

Speaking of typical child. He's done with baseball - we think. We thought he was done last week but the Hot Rods had other ideas. :-) We had dentist appointments on Saturday and after we were done I suggested we stop by the ball field on the way home and see how the Hot Rods were doing in the play offs. As we got out of the car Karen yelled over for Jack to get his glove - they needed a 9th player. Brought back memories of stories of Swisegood that tooled around the tri-state area with his glove and bat looking for a game. :-) So, we bribed him and I ran home and got a cup and pants and cleats and he took the field. :-) They lost so now it's the Aeros and the Blue Claws to play for the title. The two nastiest teams. Well, not the kids - but the coaches. Seems they really get their identity from how many times their teams can win. Sad. Adults really ruin a LOT of fun things for kids because they put THEIR agenda into it.

Sally is having bathroom issues again. It's SO frustrating! I'm trying VERY hard to keep it together and not get upset and put stress on her.

We've had a lot of storms lately and Mabel has spent the majority of time under the couch. She is hardly small enough to get under there. She has to slide in on her side and when she moves even a little you can feel it when you're on the couch. She's also figured out how to open the pantry door, and get into the trash. We keep (we used to) old empty grocery plastics hung on the door and she figured out that if the door isn't closed tight a Mabel can pull on those bags and the door will pop open. :-) Sometimes I see such glimmers of intelligence but most of the time she just seems dumb as dirt. :-)

My sister is up to her eyeballs in stress, as usual. The Nursing Home, in all their "wisdom" has decided - I have a feeling it's a state thing - that Mike should "go home". He still can't open the door to get out in case of fire - but that doesn't seem to matter. There's a lot of things that make no sense in this decision. He now is across the street from his Dr's office - he can - and has literally rolled his chair across the street for appointments. When he has his UTI's - which are darned near every month - it's MUCH easier for an ambulance to get to the Nursing Home (on County roads) than down a one lane dirt road to Missy's. Not to mention he has a whole bunch of people to talk to now. And if he doesn't care for one of the staff members he has 4 others to choose from. If he doesn't care for a particular at home nurse - he's stuck. I don't know. Like most everything - it's CRAZY. So anyway, it's up to my sister to get equipment brought in to move him and then hire 24 hour care and then see to him at home too - not to mention the insurance and finance etc - that has been almost a 40 hr a week job - oh and yeah - she has a full time job also. Which is the one thing keeping her sane - and that ain't saying much. I wish I could help - but how?

I'm really enjoying being home full time. I don't get as much accomplished as I thought I would - but I'm getting there.

Blah......

It's been a little tough here lately. Seems I'm just a little stuck. You know how you kind of get in a funk - for really no reason - just kind of zone out of life for a while. I think I tend to do this more than most.

I worry about Sal. Almost every transition brings these kinds of feelings. I *know* she's going to be ok - but I'm always wondering what I could have done better, different.

So, school's out and Sal starts summer school on Tuesday. They both go to camp on Monday. I think both Sal and I are a little anxious about summer school. It's the whole school - camp thing. Once we do it a couple times we'll be ok.

Our baseball team is now 2-10. That sure doesn't show the progress of this team and their heart. They are really starting to play well and they've always been SO good at helping each other through tears and celebrating the success'. They are a really cool bunch of kids. They really crack me up while we sit in the dug out together.

Mabel has been extra crazy lately. She refuses to believe that she cannot chew gum. I find her with some every once in a while and then plying it out of her mouth is a real joke. She tried to hang herself outside one night. We came home from baseball and found she had somehow wound herself around things, jumped down through the deck and when she tried to jump back she got hung up. Her little feet just BARELY hitting the ground. Ugghh - she had me really worried that night - until we all started to get ready for bed and she beat me into mine. Until then she was all panty and laying down and howling if you picked her up. ughh - what a pain.

We have acquired a hot tub - or should I say hot pool. The thing is HUGE. Jeremy found it and we were #3 on the hot tub list. :-) We're getting elec hooked up today. Jeremy's guys made a very nice brick patio for it and we also bricked up the front hill. Things are *starting* to look nice around here - but it's a slow process. When all is done we hope to have a FLAT backyard too. Jeremy is gong to use our yard to dump dirt he doesn't need or can't sell and then we'll buy bricks to make a retaining wall back there. By the time it's done - maybe we can roll our wheelchairs back there . :-) It really would be nice to play horse shoes or something back there.