October Gloom

Not gloomy like the weather because it's been lovely and red and yellow with blue skies.  But gloomy like my mood.  I'm trying to keep my spirits up over the state of the country and try not to think about it so much, but I sometimes can't sleep for worrying about the evilness of people and how hopeless it seems that our government will ever straighten out.  Emily keeps telling me to stop Facebook, and I do want to in a way, but then I feel like I'll lose touch with the few people I enjoy just because of the ignorance of some.  I've just unfollowed loads of people and kept the ones I really care about, the ones who give me things to smile about and make me laugh and keep me up with their families.  Maybe that will help.

So, on to important things.  Yesterday, Emily came in from work with a cup of water, like she usually does and asked me to try it. It was nice.  Sparkling water.  She said that it was plain water put through a Sodastream machine (or something similar).  That was all that was said about it.  Just now, I went to Facebook, and the first thing to greet me was an ad for Sodastream.  How?  I had forgotten about it and certainly didn't do a search.  My computer was nowhere near us.  It had to be my phone eavesdropping.  Pretty scary stuff.

Halloween is creeping up and can now commence since Katherine has her Skye costume.  She was going to be a purple cat this year since that's her favorite animal and favorite color but then, no, she didn't want to be that.  Then a black cat or a purple fairy or SKYE from Paw Patrol.  We realized on Wednesday that her Halloween parade was yesterday at school, so I ordered an Amazon next-day delivery of a toddler Skye costume.  It came hours before the parade, but she had been feeling bad that morning, it was pouring rain, and we just didn't want to do it.  Katherine knew nothing about it, so that was no problem.  We came home and unpacked the costume and got busy making a little girl happy.  Graysen was about as excited as Katherine was.  Emily always wants to make their costumes or put them together and never considered how happy a store-bought one would make this girl.

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That helmet gave us all kinds of trouble because it wouldn't stay on, and she was resorting to lying on the floor whining and kicking furniture.  Luckily, my excellent sewing skills came into play, and I ran home and found a piece of pink elastic to sew under the chin to hold it on.  On the Double - Mimi saved the day.  

Emily had planned a tea party for the afternoon after she got home, and that was nice.  It's a sneaky way for us to have a cup of tea with little fuss.  They had lots of guests and used their sweetest and most polite voices - except when Katherine was yelling for more jelly beans.

 Only the most special friends were invited.  That pink bear was recently rescued from a donation box in the garage and has not been out of Kate's sight.  He waits in her car seat while she's in school and then sleeps with her and is just always there.  Also, the sister dolls were gifts from Debby when Katherine was was just a baby.  I think the hair bothered them a while, but now "the girls" are right there in the middle of it all.

Emily finished Graysen's woodland fairy costumes this afternoon just in time for a party up the street.  The glitter that doesn't fall off the leaves tonight can go to school and decorate Ms. Boyle's classroom Wednesday.   Then it's trick or treat Wednesday night and Pajama Day at school Friday.  Pajama and Technology Day.  I don't know what that is.  They already do computers and coding as part of their classwork.  I'm counting on Graysen to teach me to code.  I remember it as being really, really hard in 1995 or so.

After all the blue skies and beautiful leaves, it started raining this afternoon, and now the wind is blowing really hard.  I got out for a few minutes and took this picture.  I think the leaves will be mostly gone this weekend.

I love the sound of the rain and wind.  It's a good night to snuggle in bed and read.  I went to bed last night about 7:00.  Friday nights, I've about had it.  I woke up at 1:00, thinking it was morning and just stayed up and worked and read with a couple of short naps during the day.  I love Saturdays and being able to do what I want to.

Sick

Ugh.  Got flu shot but whatever the girls are bringing home from school is more powerful.  I had a vague sore throat earlier this week, but it was bad along with my ears yesterday and hardly any voice.  It worries me that I have to travel Monday night.  I'm hoping it's a lot better.  I'm taking some over-the-counter stuff, and my throat feels better.  Since I want to sleep on the plane Monday night, maybe I'll get some of the regular Nyquil.  I've heard that will put you out.  I have to find a happy medium between being alert when I get to Atlanta and getting some sleep.  Not a fun thing to add to my anxiety already.

When I feel bad, I don't want hovering, but this morning I welcomed it.  Elise got her Dad's empathy gene and - well - hovers.  I had coffee, a pill, blueberry waffle, and a fire.  When I got up to get ready to go get the girls off to school, she informed me she was taking over this morning.  She doesn't go into work until 3:00, so she's free most mornings.

I did protest a little bit, but she overrode every protest.  I made a whole page list of what to do to get them both out the door and where to take Graysen.  Katherine stays home today, so I hope Elise is going to be available for the nonstop talking she does.

I think I like it, a little hovering.  I've just learned to cope by myself the past few years - and all those years when Mike was working in Texas, but it's nice to have responsibility taken over by someone else.

When Elise looked at the list, I figured she would be offended that I didn't trust her to know what to do, but she didn't, and what she said made me have tears.  She said, "There's so much love in this list.  So much that you do for them."  I don't think of it like that.  Some mornings, I feel like a drill sergeant barking out commands.  Socks.  Teeth.  High pony tail, low pony tail, barrette?  Which shoes?  Which coat?  Check the weather.  Watch the clock.

Let's see how it works out with Katherine here today.  Tomorrow is Friday, and Emily is off early - and then the weekend.  I'll just concentrate on getting better before Monday night.

Leaves and Slugs

Kate was fascinated by this brown slug we saw.  She watched him going as fast as he could, and she said she was going to help him so he wouldn't get stepped on.

When she touched him, he turned into a turtle.  She said.

It was blustery all day but not cold until about 5:00 when Graysen showed me she could see her breath.  It's pouring and 44 degrees.  I'm going nowhere.

Tomorrow Graysen is going on her FIRST EVER SCHOOL BUS RIDE and is so excited.  They're going to Seattle to see The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Emily is a parent volunteer.  If the timing works out for Emily to take Katherine to school, I'm going to snuggle in for the morning.

I'm making progress on cleaning out my garage and have been hauling around boxes and boxes of stuff to donate.  Yesterday I finally got to the YMCA where the Good Will truck parks Saturday through Monday.  What a relief to unload all that.  I've enjoyed talking to the drivers.  It can't be much fun sitting there hour after hour hoping someone will come by - or maybe hoping they won't.  I don't know.  The last one asked me if I were Australian because of my accent.  That's a first, I believe.  Yesterday there was a really nice young guy who was stationed in Savannah for awhile and then lived in Pensacola.  He and his wife are renting and trying to buy a house but running into the same problem as most people here.  Sky-high prices.  The median price per square foot of King County homes is $325.

This is what a million dollars will get you.  Three bedrooms, one bath, 1600 sq ft.  One million!  I think it's on the water - but still.



Just fascinated by statistics for this area.  There are 255,000 children ages 1 to 9 in the county.  The median income for Snoqualmie is twice the rest of the country.  I probably really bring down the average!

Just rambling and enjoying being dry for the moment.