News
Saturday
Saturday was another sleeping disorder day. I slept at 7pm the night before, slept through till 5am Saturday, and got up to make split pea soup for this week’s lunches for Aaron and myself. Then I slept till 9:30. Back to sleep at 10:30, and so on with breaks in sleep until about 4:30, when IL5 woke from his super-long nap. I then felt refreshed, and salvaged a bit of productivity at the end of the day.
Sunday
I managed to stay alert all day Sunday, which was a great change from Saturday. I worked, then we cancelled “family day” because D14 was sick.
Monday
Monday, dad had another cardiologist appointment. This one specialized in heart rhythm, and the appointment was made in October when dad was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. He said that what the hospitalists saw in dad’s EKG in October was NOT atrial fibrillation. He was misdiagnosed. He could go off the Eliquis (which is super expensive). So…yay! Good news on dad’s health finally!
Dad had cardiac rehabilitation later in the day. Then I took D14 to get a strep and COVID test, because she was sick (both were negative). I did some housework and then took IL5 to swim lessons.
Tuesday
Tuesday started with a run to Perkins with my dad. Then I took D14 to an appointment, and I got to pace around the building to get my steps in while she was in the appointment.
Following on the heels of that, I took her to a pediatrician appointment for her well-child visit. There, we discussed whether to take her to OT for eating…she says she’s willing to try introducing new food into her diet, but seems to feel anxiety about doing it on her own. I am not sure if I want a third kid in eating therapy, but Aaron and D14’s mom are on board, so I guess that’s three against my waffle. Also, the pediatrician pointed out that D14 has scoliosis. It isn’t very much, but enough that I need to take her for an X-ray so they can measure the bend in the spine and decide if she needs a spine specialist. 😱
Later in the day, I went through some old stuff of my grandpa’s. I found the hospital bill for my dad’s birth and the first letter my grandma sent to my grandpa, as well as the first letter from her sister Alice.
You see, Alice found my grandpa in a Boy Scout (or some such) magazine for pen pals. She started writing him. At some point a couple of years later, she culled her pen pals, and grandpa didn’t make the cut. However, my grandma (Elizabeth) started writing my grandpa (Robert) instead. My grandpa almost didn’t write back, but figured “oh well, might as well.” They fell in love and got married.
I set aside the letters and bill so I could take them to Oregon in case my mother-in-law wanted to scan them and put them in her genealogy stuff for IL5.
My grandma’s letter
Dear Bob,
Before reading this letter you had better turn to the last page and see who it is from. Now that that is over you will want to know why I am writing to you. Well here is my reason. My sister Alice is writing to several boys and decided she would have to stop writing to one of them and as you were the least important (to her, not to me) of them she decided she could no longer waste her time, ink, paper and last but not least her stamps on you. Of course I know that you will be sorely disappointed to get this letter from me instead of her, but I sincerely hope to get an answer from you.
First I suppose you will want to know a little about me. I don’t know how old my sister told you she was and I doubt if she remembers but I am almost two years older, so figure it up. I am five feet three inches tall and weigh 95 pounds. I am neither fair nor dark complected and have dark brown or almost black curly hair. I don’t suppose you can get much out of this description but if you will write real soon I will send you a picture of myself in my next letter. I have the picture now but I will wait and see if you are going to write to me. Also send me a picture of yourself.
I hope my picture will add another to your rogues gallery of which I am sure your own picture heads the collection. If it doesn’t it certainly should.
Last night my sister, my brother, and I gave a watch party and I didn’t go to bed until well after 3 o’clock. I am rather sleepy now so I will close, but will write you a long letter next time. Hoping to hear from you real soon.
Your friend,
Elizabeth M-
PS if I never hear from you I will know that it is because you are in the deep, dark, depths of despair because you didn’t hear from my sister.
Wednesday
Wednesday morning I went straight from my overnight job to ushering dad quickly out the door (actually he ate breakfast and we were late) to cardiac rehab. Then I went to my day job. I had a short break, followed by an evening appointment for D14. Then I took her to Mary Poppins rehearsal and participated in M11’s parent teacher conference via phone while driving home.
Thursday
Thursday, I started a new D&D campaign. I jumped in on the second session, so I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, but it was still interesting. I’ll pick it up eventually. In the evening we had parent-teacher conferences for D14 and IL5. Both are doing great. D14 has A’s and A-‘s. (M11 was too, though he was missing more assignments. I forgot to mention that yesterday.) IL5 is ready to end up in a regular classroom, and the teachers agree with me that he can understand what people are saying…he just has difficulty speaking.
Friday
Friday, IL5 had an appointment in the morning. It was his psychologist who is working with him to encourage him to poop in the toilet. It was good timing, because IL5 was claiming he had pooped in the toilet at school and the teacher denied it. The psychologist was able to talk him through the frustration of not being believed.
Then I took D14 to get an x-ray of her back to see if she does, indeed, have scoliosis. As of the end of that day, there was no news. D14 and I also went to Red Lobster. I had intended it as quality time, but she watched a video on her tablet, so I read.
In the evening, IL5 had a playdate in an indoor park. He enjoyed the date for about an hour, then suddenly said “Let’s go!” And he proceeded to push open the exit door. I had to chase after him before he got himself locked out.
Week’s Photos
Letters Written
- 1 letter Pennsylvania
- 1 letter Texas
Reading to myself
- The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair
- Maleficent Seven, by Cameron Johnston
- Jesus and the Gospels, by Luke Timothy Johnson
- Dopesick, by Beth Macy
- Great World Religions: Christianity, by Luke Timothy Johnson
- Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams
Reading to IL5
- Super Rabbit Boy World, by Thomas Flintham
- The school is Alive!, by Jack Chabert
- Robo-Rabbit Boy, Go!, by Thomas Flintham
- Super Rabbit Boy Powers Up, by Thomas Flintham
- Super Rabbit Boy’s Team-up Trouble, by Thomas Flintham
- Super Rabbit Boy vs Super Rabbit Boss, by Thomas Flintham
M10 reading
- Forest of Wonders, by Linda Sue Park
D14 reading
- A Good Kind of Trouble, by Lisa Moore Ramee
- The Dragon’s Legacy, by Deborah A Wolf
Aaron reading
The Burning God, by R F Kuang
Media Completed
When Sam finds out Eerie Elementary is alive, and wanting to eat people, his friends won’t believe him. But he tries to save everyone anyway. Very cute and funny. My 5 year old and I both loved it.
The Jungle follows Jurgis Rudkis over several years of miserable existence as a working man. This book went into great detail about the horrors that take place in a slaughterhouse and meat packing company. It ends as a lecture on socialism. The middle contained more of a story though.
Hibernator's Library 