Last Sunday seems so very long ago, it was such a full week. It has been determined that a week this full is detrimental to one's health. One needs must have some down time, especially at my stage of life. This week that didn't really happen. Highlights:
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Sunday: Richard had his friend, Bryant over after church. We actually played Castle Risk! Rule # 1 states, "Do not play with Vinnie or Erica." We played with Erica. The unwritten rule is to avoid Mom playing this game as it usually results in a meltdown because I really, truely do NOT "get" this game. But I played. Our home teacher came over. [For our non-LDS friends...see Sariah's blog about visiting teachers. Home teachers are men, and are responsible to visit certain assigned families in our congregation each month--in lieu of pastor visits as we do not have a full-time paid ministry. They are to report any needs to the Bishop--the current leader of our ward--kinda like a priest in a parish, except that he is married and has his own family to care and provide for as well as seeing to the spiritual needs of the congregation.]
Anyway, he presented his lesson, and was happy, I think, to escape--it was just a little silly around here... As soon as he left, I deserted the game and kids to go with 'hubby' [that's for you, Erica!] to visit one of the families for which he is responsible. I asked Erica to play my turns, but they decided to let my armies build up while I was gone, so upon return, I was not only still in the game, but at a level I had never before reached. Two turns later I was out. I really do not understand that game--nor do I want to--I'll leave the world domination to FF! It gives me a headache!
But I did learn how to place my armies. So ha! and they say you can't teach an old dog... After dinner, the boys left for Bryant's house where Richard spent the night. It quieted down here rapidly.
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Monday was Memorial Day. Our ward had a pancake breakfast at a pretty good park. The kids really enjoyed it. Richard was on hand early to set up etc. Erica and I got there in time to eat, and after a brief but poignant program, the teens disbursed to play ball, the little children had a wonderful playground, and the adults visited. It felt like Memorial Day. Growing up, my family and most of the "crowd" of St. Hyacinth's families [my grade school] gathered at the Lypps' Farm for the anual Memorial Day picnic. When I was single and returned to live in my hometown with three children, we went the next Memorial Day to "The Picnic" and I knew I was a grown-up because I had my own children there.
One year--I was probably about 15 or so--Dr. Zhivago was playing at the drive-in movie theater. We teens decided that we all wanted to go. It was a very big deal to get permission from both parents. We all piled into a car with a maybe 17/18 yr old driver. As we got down the road a few miles towards town, we came upon a young couple with a gas can walking along the road. Of course we stopped. After mashing them in somehow, we took them to get gas. I remember them asking us, "What is this? A family reunion or something?" And we all answered "yes--or something" At that moment I recognized that the group of families had, over the years, become a family, my family, not by blood, but by choice. We knew each other better than many of us knew our own cousins. One of the other Dads was my Dad's "best friend" and they even traveled to Italy together! Another Mom was my Mom's "best friend" and it was she who really helped me through Sariah's "Starving Time" when I learned that my milk didn't have enough calories to keep her alive! Another of the Moms was the one who helped me through the birth and death of my youngest sibling--my Dad was totally enwrapped in Mom, and she was hospitalized. Yet another Mom helped my sister. We were all "family."
As we've gone our seperate ways, I miss that I can't take my kids to "The Picnic" but we are much too far away. Yet when I was home when my mother died... it was the members of this "family" who were there. I see them seldom, but I know that if I needed their help, or if they needed mine, we, the St. Hyacinth's Academy Family, would pull together.
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Mon continued after the breakfast, so we 3 went to a cavern. Not only was it cool [we saw lots of fossils etc.] but it was cool [I happily needed my jacket!] on a very hot day.
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>>>>Monday's lessons:
Always keep a jacket in the car
and take a flashlight when you go to caves. <<<<< *** Tues. I went to the Bishop's Storehouse. [non-LDS aside: it is a church-run welfare program, and the storehouse is like a grocery store, but volunteers fill the orders and a truck delivers them to the individual congregations. The orders are coded, so those who are volunteering have no idea who the recipient is to preserve privacy.] As always, it was a lot of fun. This time, though, I got to learn something new--I got to help someone do some drypack canning. It was easy and fun. I am no longer afraid to go do it! >>>>Tues. Lessons:
How to drypack/can <<<<< *** Wed. I went back to being Paul Revere on a bike. We now had a meeting date with ODOT and needed to spread the word. So I did. Until it started really raining--and I hurried home to get dry! >>>>Wed Lessons:
I should have printed more signs up sooner.
Manufactoring businesses are also anxious about the light
--and have lots of people to sign petitions.
Keep a poncho in my bag in case it rains. <<<<< *** Thurs. a.m. I was so exhausted from the previous days that I missed my class at church--I just plain forgot it was this week. I continued phone calls, picked up petition sheets and tried to prepare as best I could for the 5:00 traffic light meeting. It really went fairly well, I think. A great turn-out, and lots of big wigs with ODOT who were even taking notes! Arrived home a few minutes after 7:00 to find 3 people waiting on the porch--in the rain. Richard had missed hearing the doorbell no less than 3 times! So they were waiting for me--it was book club night. We had a great discussion [more another time on the book] and everyone else arrived after me, so it all worked out. >>>>Thurs. lessons:
When the first of the month falls on Thurs, it means that it is the first Thurs and we have class [Duh!]
The squeaky wheel really does get the grease--we got ODOT's attention!
I only have "teacher" clothes, not "business" but that's OK.
Never leave a teenage boy to answer the doorbell, and allow him to be on the computer!
Book Club is really worth while when you are pushed out of your comfort zone and read something you would not otherwise have chosen.<<< *** Fri. I collapsed. I figured I deserved to sleep in [Didn't know about missing class on Thurs yet! But I did need to clean the house and do lots of laundry! Erica has a new job and had to have black dress pants. I needed summer jeans [clamdiggers] for cooler bike riding--shorter, but covering my knees for the inevitable falls. I had success on the first try, Erica took three stores. >>>>>Fri lessons:
Even when you are busy doing good and important stuff, the house needs attention, too.
For every teen added into the household, the attendant mess multiplies expotentially!
Shopping is lots less onerous when clothes fit decently <<<<< *** Sat. I overslept, so missed hockey [sorry, Richard, but I cannot get out the door that fast anymore!] After showers & food, Erica took me to check with the pharmacy because one of the meds I picked up the night before looked different. It was made by a different company. We also picked up some stationary for a girl I visit teach who had a graduation reception. After dinner, we went to the reception--it was very nice, but almost as soon as we arrived, so did another family, and it hit me that not only did I not get their daughter a gift, but I completely forgot her reception the previous evening!! After leaving the reception, we went directly back to the store and I got the missed gift and gave it to her with apologies today at church.
>>>>Sat. lessons:
Set my clock on Fri nights so as not to disappoint my son by missing hockey.
Always check your meds--but different companies do use the same name for the same med and they can look different.
You can look up your meds online and see pictures to check, but you have to know that there may be another company...
Look at the calendar during the week so as not to miss other stuff!
Buy gifts all at once so as not to have to return repeatedly to the store. <<<<
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At least I do continue to learn :)
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