We Have to Work Hard for Spring

 

Thursday:  Snow.  Friday:  Rain.  Saturday:  Snow, rain, AND an earthquake.  But the next 10 days promise sunshine and warm days.

I missed the snow because it happened before I got out both days, but I think I noticed the earthquake.  With my crazy sleep schedule, I was in my awake period during the early morning hours and did hear some strange sounds.  I figured it was the cats in the laundry room.  They sometimes chase each other and jump behind the dryer.  Either that, or they just sensed something different and were running around.

It's been almost a whole month since I've wanted to write anything here.  I'm still not where I want to be anxiety-wise and tend to worry about a lot of things, but life is getting back near where we left off in the spring of 2020.  Not surprisingly, I don't have as much energy and enjoyment of life as I had then.

I've finally reached the point of having physical therapy only once a week but for another two months.  Laura was more upbeat about my range of motion and mainly wants to work on strength now.  I can tell a difference.  There is hardly ever any pain any more, but I just can't raise my arm as high as I want to or leave it there for any length of time.  

Other than that, I feel really tired and lethargic a lot and get sleepy in the early evening, which causes me to have two sleeps - 7 or 8 to 3 or 4 and then again around 6 until I have to get up. 

My bright spots are my girls and the sunshine we've been seeing.  

I'm enjoying my car more and more as I get used to it, although I'm still not taking the time to read the manual like I should.  Ryan took it to a Toyota dealer in Bellevue yesterday for some brake stuff that needed to be done.  That was so nice of him to do, but I was more excited that he went by and got it washed.  Black cars - ugh.  We have the carseat/booster seat installed, so the girls and I can just take off and go anywhere we wish now - within reason.

While he took my car, I kept them here, and we finished up our water globes and a sparkly suncatcher thing that they found from last year.

This was a birthday gift of Graysen's, and it looked a little scary to me with clay and glue and water.

I underestimated them though, and they really got into it.  This was mine, and my snail looked suspiciously like a striking snake, so I recycled it when someone needed more pink.

The clay had to harden, and then the glue had to sit for two hours, so we didn't get to take them home until yesterday, and I forgot to take pictures.  They turned out nicely though, and when you shook them, the glitter floated nicely in the water.  And it hasn't leaked in two days!

Thursday, I kept them at their house for several hours, and we pretty much played school that whole time.  Graysen is always the teacher.  Mrs. Duncan.  "Okay, everybutty."  

She's a no-nonsense teacher and sticks to her lesson plan.  My goal is making her smile, no matter how hard she tries not to!  

I can do it too since I'm always JoJo, the bad kid who causes all kinds of trouble and never gets an answer right and always interrupts.  That day, I took my dog Garbage to school, and he growled at everyone and even bit me.  Katherine accidentally called him Trash, and that caused a fit of giggles, but Mrs. Duncan runs a serious classroom.

Katherine played two students, Sophia and Hazel, and didn't like it when Garbage growled at them.  She is so embarrassed at how JoJo acts in school.

We ended up at the park Tuesday, and Emily was just coming home, so she brought the basketball for Graysen and skates for Katherine, and that was fun.  There were too many falls to suit me, but that's what all those pads are for.  I have some pictures but have run out of time today.

Wednesday, the girls had to go to Seattle for x-rays for their ortho appliances.  It was quick once we got there, but I had no idea where we were - somewhere downtown.

This is the library, but I still don't know where that is.

We parked in a parking garage, but we still had a few streets to cross.  I wish I could relax more and enjoy the experience, but I have a hard time with the crowds and chaos - buses, cars, skate-boarders, bikers, etc.  After leaving downtown headed to the University of Washington to see the cherry blossoms and watching Emily maneuver her way through what seemed like impossible interstate changes and messes, I told her I was glad I was in my "twilight years" and would hopefully never have to be driving there - or anywhere scary.  It's hard enough being a passenger.  Just thinking about my babies driving there - ugh.  Graysen asked if she could dye her hair purple and go to U-Dub.  I think her parents are counting on it!

Katherine wants to have her birthday party in May ON the Space Needle.  Maybe she can see Mimi on the ground waving.

I enjoyed the UW campus.  So many beautiful old buildings.

The famous cherry trees were not on the streets that we were allowed on, and there were signs forbidding parking to see the cherry blossoms.  We could see them between the buildings in the quadrangle, so I volunteered to stay with the car for Emily to park (illegally but just for 5 minutes!) so the girls could see the beautiful trees.

I had a day to myself today and got a lot of housework done and walked to the mailbox.  It was colder than I wanted it to be, so I came in and had a cup of coffee and a small fire.  

While I was walking past Layla, my phone all of a sudden started playing the Kars4Kidz song, and she got this expression.  OH NO.  Those girls are back!

We donated the Rendezvous to Kars4kids, and it was so easy.  They did all the work, and I got a $500 tax deduction.  There's also a vacation voucher, but I doubt we'll go to all that trouble.  

I'll try not to go another month without writing something.  I've listened to two really good books this week and probably watched a few movies if I can remember what they were.