Finally, a Sleepover

 Once thing I've missed in this past year of being so isolated is the chance to have sleepovers.  We didn't do it enough that it became routine, so it was always a big deal.  There was much thought this week that went into what was packed and brought over in their little luggage set that belonged to their great-grandmother Bindert.  PJs and toothbrushes take second place after blankets and stuffie friends.

Last week was Spring Break, so we planned for them to spend the night on Tuesday night last week.  They had already eaten when they got here, so that was one thing I didn't have to worry about.  They're not eating meat and embracing mostly plant-based foods with enthusiasm, so I'm going to try not to interfere with that.  I'm trying to learn all about it, although I'm not sure I could do it myself.

I think this is the lunch I gave them the next day.  Not half bad for what I had around.  As long as peanut butter and jelly are allowed, we've always got a meal.

I can't even remember what we did for fun.  I guess that's when we started our snow globes and made some jewelry from a kit.  They didn't want to play Go Fish or any other games.  I think they were just too excited to have a few hours to explore all their old toys and play with the cats.

Once they got their sleeping bags and pillows arranged to their satisfaction and got their teeth brushed, they went and found a stack of books to read.  We started with A Terrible Thing Happened at Our House by Marge Blaine.  "Our mother used to be a REAL mother."   Published in 1975.

I'm not sure if the girls like it more because of the story or the pictures of the awful 70s clothing.  It's about a stay-at-home Mom who starts working and throws their lives into upheaval until they all compromise and work together for a happy ending.  

We then read a couple of chapters of Ramona the Brave.  I was sorry to hear that the author, Beverly Cleary, died on March 25th at 104!  She certainly left a wonderful legacy in her books.  At one point, Graysen interrupted to say that she really, really, really missed her mommy.  Emily and I were a little afraid of that happening since she has not been away from her in a year.  

We called mom and talked and thought about a few solutions, but nothing worked but a visit from Mom and Dad to bring brave shirts and hugs.  Luckily they're only 5 minutes away.  She also downloaded a podcast called Sparkle Stories to my phone, and that was magic.  I was already sleepy, so it didn't take much for me.  

The girls chose a story that I can't remember and then Stone Soup.

Katherine made it halfway through Stone Soup, and then she was out.  Face-washing is optional on sleepovers!

Graysen and I finished Stone Soup, and she was more content but still not quite ready to sleep.  I asked her if she wanted to sleep with me, and she hopped right up and tucked herself in.

It didn't take long, thank goodness, and she was out.  Nothing in this world sweeter right now than these babies.  They're growing so fast, but right now I'm enjoying every minute I can get.

The next morning, Katherine (who had had to sleep on the floor) was up by 7:30, so we went off in search of breakfast and conversation.  Lots of conversation.  She is pretty chatty anyway, especially when she is the only child and has blueberry bagels.   

Over the weekend, there was a making of Stone Soup, and I got a bowl delivered to my door.  Delicious.

It seems the girls made this by themselves, included the cutting of the vegetables.  I have to admit that their learning to use a knife scares me to death, but they have calm and reasonable parents, so that was a good lesson for them.

Great-grandmother Eleanor's apron.

It's going to be another warm day, and Noreen and I are taking our coffee and tea to the pool area to visit in the sunshine this morning.  Both of us have shady porches/balconies, so we need to get out there and bask in the warmth.  

It's nice not having PT for a full week.  I'll have to do my exercises faithfully so I can keep the once-a-week visits.  I'll miss Laura - the conversation and laughs but not the pain.  When she brings out that measuring instrument, I know I'm in for a rough time.  

I'll keep the girls this afternoon and probably walk to a park - or drive.  Whatever they want to do.  Sunshine and freedom!

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.  

Books, Movies, and Sunshine

 I had run out of books to read this week and went to my available audio list on our library website.  I picked two to read.  The first one was Too Much And Never Enough:  How My Family created the World' Most Dangerous Man by Mary Trump, a cousin of Donald.  It was, as expected, disturbing and disgusting but explains a lot.  I don't even want to talk about it.

What is interesting is that the former book was about a person who tried his best to destroy our country's democracy, and the second was about what real life was like for many people after a dictator actually gained his power and did his best to destroy the world.

I have read much about the Holocaust and know what to expect when I read about it and usually avoid the subject, especially when I'm in a vulnerable spot emotionally - like the past year!

Something drew me to this book, though, and I figured I could always stop listening if it got too much for me.  From the very first page, it drew me in.  The story, the reader's voice, the almost poetic cadence of it.  It is a beautiful story in spite of the horrible subject matter.  The fact that it was based on a real person's memories made it more real to me than just facts.  I finished the book in two days.

This is a review that goes into more detail and explains the confusion between what's real and what's not real in the story - or what's unknown.  The basic story is there, however, with all its horror, and it makes me wonder how people can turn into such monsters.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/books/tattooist-of-auschwitz-heather-morris-facts.html

I can't remember if I've mentioned the movies I've watched, but my favorite has to be the British series Last Tango in Halifax.  I did some binge watching on that because I started to miss the families of Alan and Celia and all the chaos they created.  Such a sweet love story.  I did have to leave the English subtitles on or risk missing some of the conversation.  

I had not heard of Derek Jacobi, but after seeing him in this series, I want to watch other things he's been in.  I do that.  I find an actor or actress I enjoy and get obsessed with watching everything I can with them in it.  Along with Jacobi, I'm looking up some more Maggie Smith and Ian McKellan things.  I'm not sure they can beat Colin Firth though for watchability.  

I don't have time to go back and remember the other movies I've watched - or tried to watch and rejected.  

It has been a nice week with lots of sunshine and warm-ish weather.  I got my two PT sessions over with early this week, on Monday and Wednesday, and I believe I'm improving.  The cardiologist visit was yesterday, and he wasn't too upset about my lack of being in rhythm and said we would keep on watching the way I felt and discuss a few more options in a couple of months.  I don't feel great when I first wake up, not a lot of energy, but I think I'm doing okay.  I want to get my arm completely healed and then attack these heart issues.

I walked across the street to the hospital from the PT building and found this lovely place for waiting.  I wouldn't have minded waiting a little bit longer.

I got my dentist visit out of the way today and just heard, "We'll watch this place and that place but don't think anything needs to be done now."  This is a new dentist for me, and I think I like him, as well as the hygienist.  I like a wait-and-see dentist at my age. If nothing hurts, then I'm okay.  

Another pretty drive to North Bend.

I can't wait for the day when I wake up on Monday morning and realize I don't have any medical appointments.  

I got to see the girls a little bit yesterday.  Graysen was about to have her piano lesson.  They're still a little excited about Harry Potter.

We sat on a bench in the front yard and soaked up that sunshine.  Katherine hung a bunch of Barbies on a little tree, and we caught up on our week.  Once that sun went behind the cloud, we were all scurrying back inside to stay warm.

They were off for a playdate when Emily got home with two more sisters, Noelle and Cora.  I'm glad they remembered their coats and hope there's some Ugg cleaner at home.  

While we're waiting for blooms, my neglected amaryllis bloomed for the second time.  Elise keeps us in tulips lately, and this pink arrangement in my bedroom is pretty springy and cheery today.

Memories:  

7 years ago today, I was having to wait for pictures from Emily to see this baby.

And I've just been threatened that if I don't go out for a walk right now, the family will be by to walk me.  So I'm outa here.