get a life?

I am writing this in anticipation of the month of January. I have mentioned my little 3 to 6 pm job each afternoon, and now I am planning to go to work full time in 2008. But first, I'll beef up my skills and my resume, and research what kind of job I want. I love working with kids...maybe I'll look into working with younger kids or something. Starting January 3rd I'll be taking computer classes at the local state university from 9 to 3, then heading off to work. Not sure when I'll find time to breathe, much less write. Part of the program is kind of an internship or "job shadowing" as they call it. That could be fun.
Speaking of fun, I'll be on the same campus as my beloved son-most of his classes are on the opposite side of the campus, so we may not see much of each other, but I can try...I just know the dear boy is happily anticipating Mom's presence on campus!

Christmas morning

My 16 year old just informed me he wants to sleep in on Christmas morning. Oh my heart! It's not right, just not right! He and his friend went on to reminisce on the "good old days", when they could hardly sleep on Christmas eve, but that's all over now-they know the stuff will be there at 11 am just like it is there at 5 am. Sleep is more important. I think I'm putting the dog in his room-no later than 6 am, for sure-then I think I'll call his friend's house and have his parents rouse him up. It's only right...we'll call it pay back.

parking spots

D [who took me to see the Nutcracker] works with my #2 brother in a building about a block from the theater-so when we parked in the building's secured parking, I asked to see my brother's parking place. I was shocked to find out he doesn't have one! Someone as important as my brother, and no reserved parking spot...shocker. I told D that she might be able to convince ME that my brother didn't have his own space, but no one could ever convince my mother of that. As far as she is concerned, all of her kids run the places they work at, or they should. Sure enough, I told Mother that brother doesn't have his name on a parking spot-and she ignored me. She started some trouble by telling brother #1 all about the alleged parking spot, so he went out and got his own personalized space. We are all relieved that he was not caught...I guess the black sweats and face mask were good enough cover. Not sure what color spray paint he used...but I'm certain he used his best handwriting.
When brother #3 heard about #1's parking spot, he had his own story to tell. He was so shocked and surprised when his boss offered him a reserved parking space, he turned it down. He's sorry now, but it does give him a one up on his brothers-he's soooo good, he was offered a spot but he didn't even take it!
Then there is me-the rose among the thorns. What I was given, when I started my job was a map of the parking lot with 90% of the spaces blocked out-kind of like a reverse reserved parking place, you know? At least I know where I CAN'T park!

A few weeks ago I had a nice holiday surprise-an unexpected invitation to the Nutcracker ballet. Seems a friend[D] had 4 tickets and her husband had decided he wasn't going-unless they served beer-which seemed unlikely, it being a cultural thing and all. So, I had two hours to leave the scouts' fundraising booth[we were selling wreaths and decorations for our spring trip], get cleaned up and back down the hill to my friend's house. You bet I did it, with time to spare. The fun began almost immediately, as we headed out the door to the car and D's daughter mentioned to her boyfriend that it was a BALLET we were headed to-such a look on his face! To his credit, he did go on and get into the car anyway.
The ballet was enjoyable and the historical theater was a treat to see. There was a little girl in our section with handfuls of bling-sometimes she wore it, sometimes she had it all in her hands and played with it. At one point, she had to be reined in because she was dancing in her seat, following the movements of the sugar plum fairies. I figured she was part of the entertainment. Oh, and by the way, Dave, they do serve beer at the ballet!

the energizer bunny

My Father recently was hospitalized as a result of two heart attacks and a stroke. You are probably thinking this blog entry is going to be a little darker than my normal stuff, and you’d probably be right. But knowing me, I will inject a bit of humor and a lot of irony into the entry.
Way back in the early 1960’s my Father received his first death sentence-no more than six months left of his life, two years if he got a miracle. Don’t father anymore children, you won’t live to see them grow up. [I was the one and only at that point] But by the way, you might get the whole two years, and we’d gain knowledge to help others, if you’d try this experimental treatment. Always a gambler, he gave it a go.
Fast forward 44 years, here we are in the present. Not only have four of his five children grown to adulthood, a few of his seven grandchildren are approaching that threshold [note to the wee darlings-be aware that I said merely APPROACHING…you have not arrived at adulthood even at the ripe old ages of 19...16...and ESPECIALLY not 12...no matter how mature you think you are. Oh…and I love you muchly!]
Now you know how my father got the nickname "the energizer bunny".
So, after two ambulance rides, my father arrived at his hospital home for the rest of October and the beginning of November.
My mother and I moved in with my Aunt [near the hospital] and began a round of commuting-hospital, Aunt’s, home for a day or two, and work for me. Having a school related job meant I had several already-scheduled days off, which helped greatly. Over the next 16 days we learned just how much we have to be thankful for. A steady stream of visitors broke up the days for both of my parents and myself, those who couldn’t visit much gave us gas money [how about those prices, ay?], and we know there were a lot of prayers sent heavenward on our behalf.

holidays are for kids-of all ages

By Thanksgiving we may have two new babies among us-the second is due the day before the big event. My nieces and nephews, ages 3 to 12, and at least one other young cousin will be there to liven things up, too. The 4 teens [my own sons included] just aren’t as much fun as they used to be. They just sit there and talk [maybe]. I’m making a note to bring a craft, puzzles, coloring books, and a game or two. The adults just need a little excuse to get right into these activities. After all, it’s for the kids!
Another activity the kids love is the annual Christmas present at Thanksgiving for all attendees under 18. Nail polish, chap stick, lip-gloss, candy and flashlights for the teens and all kinds of fun things for the wee ones. One year an Aunt found a really cool fighter jet for my son, within the $3 price limit. When you pressed the nose, it screamed like a real jet. That item got jammed under the driver’s seat of our van for a month, and Daddy drove well within the speed limit the whole time. Then we figured out that police officers with sirens were NOT following us everywhere we went-it was the jet. My son was not the only one relieved to find and retrieve his favorite toy.

Traditionally, my first annual taste of eggnog is at a gas station on the way to Thanksgiving dinner. We stop for gas [it’s usually cheaper in that county than closer to home] and the clerks are offering samples. This year I have ruined my tradition…I’ve had eggnog at least three times already. Sigh. Well, if you get too locked into tradition it can become meaningless-I’ll just congratulate myself for being flexible and trying something new.
There are plenty of other traditions I will uphold this year-I am always very careful not to eat too much dinner, for instance. Don’t mistake this as a righteous and healthy choice. I’m saving myself for pecan pie and strawberry shortcake-served on angel food cake for this occasion. I think my dear sister-in-law may even make a homemade angel food cake for this purpose. [hint hint] The trick to putting together a serving of this delicacy is to get lots of juice-it soaks into the cake so nicely! The pecan pie is traditionally brought by my Aunt, the family Matriarch. I have to make room in my tummy for this one. I am so thankful there are nuts on the tables at dessert time, to eat between sweet bites-I’d never be able to get through the day otherwise. Sometimes we have potato fudge, too. My Aunt, Uncles, and Mother remember this fondly as a Sunday night staple back at the “old homestead”. It certainly is delicious.

let the holidays begin

My loyal fan is disappointed because I have not blogged in so long so I dedicate this essay to him. Vacation is over and here I come!
Next week is the 24th annual family Thanksgiving gathering at my Uncle's garage. Perhaps I am a little conceited, but I like to believe Uncle built that garage just for these little soirees. This year we expect all 16 of my Mother's branch of the family [Uncle recognizes her as his beloved little sister, in spite of the incident with his bicycle and the blue paint...] and at least 16 from the other siblings' families.
The garage has room for several tables and includes a furnace and stove, and a bathroom with a light outside the door, to alert everyone, in case they didn't notice you sneaking in there. We were all relieved to see the furnace replace the woodstove-we were wearing our lightest summer clothing in order to avoid baking ourselves, and Uncle had a habit of feeding books into the stove with the wood-granted they were Condensed Reader's Digests that NO ONE would take from him, but I cringed. Not that I was willing to take home more than a box or two myself.
One thing I greatly miss is the annual slide show-Uncle installed a screen for that purpose on one end of the garage. I could watch that for hours-me in my new Easter dress, me coming home from the hospital in the brand new Studebaker, me playing with my only cousin at that time...I was just soooo sweet. Some silly people got tired of this entertainment. Hey it wasn't my fault that the next birth after me was 3 cousins in rapid succession and things just got too hectic for anyone to film the events...or perhaps my younger cousins and siblings just weren't as photogenic as I. I certainly was a hard act to follow.
Well, I will write more about our Thanksgiving gathering later. Much to do following my little break.

Projects

I have three brothers, every one of them a computer geek. For the past few weekends they have been branching out, doing a remodeling project at The Parents’ house. To be perfectly fair, “the boys” [who range in age from 30 to 42] all have some experience with this kind of project-when we were kids my father used to move a certain wall back and forth in our house at intervals, and we all got to be included in this edifying experience. And more recently, each of them owns and lives in an older house, and fun projects like this are a fairly regular experience.
Now they are passing the torch to the next generation. My sons, 16 and 19, my two oldest nieces, who are 12, my only nephew who recently turned 9, my niece who will soon be 8, and the baby, my 3 year old niece, have all gotten their time in on this project. Of course, the best part was when they got to completely destroy a wall in Grandma’s house. We sat on the floor and picked up nails and staples for quite some time after that stage, and the 3 year old ran the vacuum for about an hour.
Last Sunday, my boys carried subfloor from the garage to the protected deck. That was fun to watch-especially when they decided that it was quicker to just load a sheet on each of their backs, then they could carry a sheet apiece of the heavy 3/4 inch plywood. My youngest had just come back from a Boy Scout camp-out and was a little punchy, he was staggering a bit just walking around- suddenly he hurtled past the living room window, looking like a large out of control wooden shelled turtle. Well, all the subflooring was moved, with no damage to property or human. But it was sort of like watching my brother lawn surf on the tractor/mower--scary stuff.

trying to figure out the system

I am trying to figure out the system. I am posting a second blog today, just to see if I understand what I am doing here. Art mimics life? After all these years of homeschooling, when I started thinking about life after we all grow up, it was just logical to consider entering the field of education. I realized one of my main obstacles was the fact that working 13 years "outside the box" means I have little practical understanding of our educational system. I'll tell more later about my foray into the life of a student-again, in a nonconventional manner-which made me eager to be a professional student.
But if I'm taking up that habit, I'll need to find a way to support it. I found the perfect job for me! I'm working in an afterschool enrichment program, learning about the education system from the inside edges. I get to work with a great bunch of kids, and have finally mastered monkey bars duty. My co-workers seem nice, and are all doing interesting things outside of work hours that I am enjoying learning about. One is working on her Master's degree, another is a journalist, one is a one-on-one aid in the school, a fourth works at a day care center. A couple go to the same college my son is attending.

what I want to be when I grow up

So, for 13 years I have been homeschooling my sons. One morning in August[my eldest's 19th birthday, no less] I woke up to find I was no longer responsible for my elder son's education! Such a shock it was. The good news is, my son is proving himself capable of being responsible for his own education-he is on time to class, assignments are turned in in a timely manner, when he has trouble he talks to his teacher or advisor.
Well, this means it's me and the "little guy" in our home school now. The aforementioned "little guy" is almost 17 and stands at least 7 inches taller than me and is going through his final school work at a great pace...soon I will be all alone. With my husband and the dog and cat, of course. So, this brings up the question in my title...What DO I want to be when I grow up???