It's Been A Long Time

 I'm sorry I got out of the habit of jotting down some of my memories, because it's really hard to get back in the habit.  I know I need to change the title of this blog, but I'm not sure how to keep it concurrent with this one and don't really know what to call it.  Oh, well.  I'm sure not keeping much going in Alabama and doubt I'll ever go back there, but this is familiar.

There's too much to catch up on.  I'll just say that this winter hasn't been any more fun than the last ones.  I'm just not a cold-weather person.  I do know what to expect now, and I'm okay with it, especially since no one much expects me to spend much time outside.

My babysitting responsibilities are much less, and I miss seeing the girls more, but I'm just not getting over whatever is making me so weak and tired.  I have an appointment with my doctor Monday, so we'll once again try to shed some light on it.  

Ryan and sometimes Emily walk the girls to school in the mornings with the pup Woodrow, and I think they all enjoy that but not as much as I enjoy drinking my coffee in my pjs and knowing I don't have to.  

Hopefully after this week, things will perk up some, and we'll start seeing more signs of spring.  When the sun is shining, it's pretty pleasant even in the 40s, but the windy and rainy days are nice only for being inside.  

I'm not sure what I'll remember from the past few days, but I'll check my pictures and texts to Emily where I tell her some of the things the girls say and do after school.

Yesterday was the last day of March and not a pretty one.  Both girls walked to math with their Roy, so I didn't have to pick them up until 3:00 - it was early pickup Friday, so they had math at 2:00.

They were pretty perky and giggly and happy as we walked home.  I just love it when one or both of them will throw back their head and just laugh and laugh at something the other one says.  

It was better than the day before.  Here are two ways Graysen has handled injuries from Thirsdau amd yesterday.  

Thursday was "kind of a bad day" she said on the way home.  Nothing seemed to go right.  She spilled chocolate milk on her favorite fleece jacket and was not sure it would come out.  She wouldn't have been so worried if she hadn't lost its twin a few months ago and was told to PLEASE be careful with the new one.  It's washable, we found out.  Then she jammed her finger playing Four Square at PE.  I think this injury would have been nothing on a normal day but 1) her math exit exam was harder than she thought,  2) it was her left hand she hurt, and she's left-handed, and this made it hard to write  AND 3) she felt like two of her friends were purposefully trying to get her out by pushing the ball too hard.  She got sent to the nurse, but the nurse only gave her ice and didn't let her stay (until the math test was over?) and no one seemed very sympathetic about it.  I think it all stemmed from her feeling like she didn't do well on the test.  We had a lot of talking and only a few tears (some of them mine (ha), and she was more cheerful by the time she went home.  

The injury yesterday was narrated in an excited but disgusted voice.  "I FELL today.  Really hard right on my face."  Oh, no, how did that happen.  "I was just running back to line after recess and fell and slid right in front of NICKY" the only boy she's ever admitted she liked - from kindergarten until now.  I asked what he said when he saw her.  She laughed and said, "He said What the heck?"  And you?  "I just got up and hopped away" And she showed me how she did it, all the while laughing so hard.  

When life is going along just fine, your little mishaps are easier to take, I guess.  

We jumped in the car and headed to their house because Katherine had a friend coming over at 3:30.  It was good to see Augustus again.  That baby kitty has about doubled in size.  He's still the sweetest, cuddliest thing and so cute, but he is always going to have a grumpy face, it looks like. 

After Makena got there and she and Kate headed upstairs, I asked Graysen if she would like to go to the grocery store with me.  I had a few things to get, and this way I would get it over with and have company too.  She saw this as a good way to be in charge of what snacks I bought, so off we went.

We don't shop together often, especially with just her, and it was so much fun.  We had an order from Ryan to get coffee, so we went first to look for that.  I could only reach one bag on the top shelf, and she had a lot of ideas of ways I could get it, including standing on the side of the shopping cart, which I immediately rejected.  One more big stretch, and I was able to snag it.

She was excited about a few things and asked for them but was okay if I didn't get them.  She got Goldfish and Salt and Vinegar chips (Mimi, we always get the party size!)  We usually get a box of cookies and chose lemon Oreos, but she wanted to try the mint chocolate ones too.  Everything for the cats was next, and she helped with that.  She did ask for some JoJo fries from the deli, which I had never heard of, so we got a bag of those. 

By the time we checked out, I was wilting, and she loved emptying the cart for me.  The person in front of us was hoping she got by with less than $100, and Graysen asked if we would too.  I asked her to guess, and the checker went along with us.  After eying all the cat stuff, she said, "I don't think you're going to make it."  Their soft food, hard food, and litter were over $60.  I was excited to see less than $200, and Gray was excited to see that we saved $40 by using the Safeway Club card.

It took us just a few minutes to get home, but we halved a Jojo, and she had a couple of the mint Oreos.  We had a near disaster just as we got home because her little animal - dog, cow? - that she keeps with her always was missing.  She looked and looked, but it was pouring, so I told her I would look at home.  I could tell she was sad, and I did a good job of looking but no cow/dog.  I then remembered that she didn't have on her coat when I let her out, so I called to see if she had it.  I did NOT want to go back to the grocery store to look for the jacket and the toy.  Emily asked Gray if she had her coat, and she said she did, and - guess what? - her beloved pet was in the pocket.  Smart Mimi!

With just that little effort, I was so tired when I got home I could hardly get the groceries put up and left a few things in the car.  It was nice to snuggle in and get some coffee and relax, but it was a good day.   

I see why I don't write more.  Just this much has taken a big chunk out of my afternoon when I could have been listening to a book and doing a computer puzzle.  I'm resisting any naps since I'm not able to sleep all night if I do.  I don't mind waking up in the middle of the night and staying up a while.  No one cares, and I feel like I've been gifted a few extra hours.  But the cats want it to be morning and pester me for food.  

I really need to get those taxes done, but I just realized I didn't received a 1099-R that I need because it went to the wrong address and got sent back.  So now I have a good excuse to wait until the deadline while I wait for it to get here.  If they had made their website user friendly, I could have printed it, but no such luck.  They refused to take the phone number that hasn't been changed in 20+ years.