There is snow on the ground today! Not a complete covering, but snow. Yesterday morning I had to drive to the Girl Scout council office for our delegate meeting and there were snow flakes mixed in with the rain. It was even snowing fairly hard during our meeting. But none of it stuck to the ground. I get up this morning and look out the window and see white!
Meanwhile the daffodils are about to pop open any time now.
Violet is at my folk's house this weekend. They are doing the postponed overnight. Last night they went to KFC for dinner. Today they are going to a big greenhouse and Cracker Barrel. I gave her some homeschool petty cash to pick out something at the greenhouse to grow for school, or a bird house or whatever she sees.
Mr. Incredible and I are going out to dinner tonight, our postponed dinner out. We just can't decide where. We both have piles of work to do. I'm still not hopeful I will actually get this project done on time. I've told them as much, but get no answers. They haven't even gotten me back any of the work I've submitted as drafts. I'm supposed to get some of it on Monday. That's what they said last week.
Mr. Incredible's grandmother passed away yesterday. She had a daughter and grandson with her at the nursing home. She went peacefully to go join her husband again. Since he died ten years ago I really think that's just what she's been waiting for. I'm sure by the end of the week he'll be driving her nuts again.
We don't know when the services will be yet. There are family members in Wisconsin, Virginia, California and Georgia that might be coming in, so I'm guessing later in the week. When I go pick up Violet on Monday we need to stop by Wal-Mart and see if we can get her a nicer pair of shoes to wear.
Or if the snow keeps up she can wear her boots.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I may already be a winner
We've had a couple of busy days. Yesterday was Narnia Group. Violet didn't want to go at first, but I asked the mom who runs it if Violet could do a little less participating and more chilling out and absorbing. I said she was just coming off a stomach bug and still out of sorts a bit. The mom was cool with that. Violet did fine.
Last night the Girl Scout product sales committee met. They LOVED Violet's pictures especially the tiger made out of Caramel Delites (you may call them Samoas if you buy them from the other bakers). We got to see the incentives for next year's Fall Product Sale and pick out what the girls will earn. Violet will love, love, love them. We also got to sample all the candies and nuts and decide what the girls will sell. There was a heated debate between Fruit Slices and Gummi Berries. The sell for the same price, but Fruit Slices are less expensive for the Council to buy. Fruit Slices have also seen higher sales than Gummi Berries. But there were some big time Gummi Berry lovers on the committee (and I had strict instructions from Violet to try to bring back Gummi Berries and lose the Fruit Slices). We had to have a secret vote and the Director of Product Sales abstained from voting to count. Gummi Berries won. Those girls have to push Gummi Berries next fall!
I did check about Violet's missing dog and it is set to ship later this week. I found out some girls are still waiting for their T-shirts from last fall's sale!
Today Violet was in a Girl Scout workshop for Juniors (4th, 5th and 6th graders) and bridging Brownies (3rd graders), they earned a science badge (Be a Science Sleuth). I was expecting more younger girls, but it was mostly 5th and 6th graders. Violet held her own and completed it. She was the youngest girl there and I think the only 3rd grader. I helped match her up with one other girl who had come on her own to sit next to. I don't know if it helped or not. But once the program started, Violet had me leave (I sat in the next room reading Secular Homeschooling Magazine and talking with the Girl Scout staff person running the program - well the lady from Mad Science was doing the actual presentation of the program).
Afterwards Violet was starving (it went from 4 - 6 pm) so we stopped at McDonald's on the way home. It was a few towns away and pouring rain, so I was glad to fill her up while we drove back. I had put soup in the crock pot for Mr. Incredible and me.
And now, why I am a winner. The yearly Girl Scout Volunteer Dinner is coming up and I had sent in my reservation form. The cost of the dinner is $25. You get $5 off for having nominated a volunteer for an award, I had nominated my friend from daycamp and delegates. And you get $5 off for booking a table of 8, our service unit has booked 2 tables. So I mailed in a check for $15.
I got a message this afternoon saying I owed $5. I called the lady back and left her a message of how I arrived at my calculation, but that I'd be happy to send in another $5. I got a call back, not from her but another lady, saying she was sending my check back to me. What? I got kicked out of the banquet? No, I am an award recipient and my dinner is free! How cool is that? Being the generous volunteer that I am (who knows it is tax deductible) I asked them to keep my check and apply it to sponsorship of the dinner.
I have no idea what my award is, but it is pretty cool that I've been nominated by my service unit buddies for one. See, I keep saying that although they are a few rotten apples in the bunch, over all they are a great group of ladies and I enjoy working with them.
p.s This is one of those dinners where we all sit around and clap for ourselves all night long saying how great we all are. Feel free to make fun of us. It will be a good time. Kool-Aid will be served. (And we are great! clap, clap, clap, clap, pass the Kool-Aid.)
Last night the Girl Scout product sales committee met. They LOVED Violet's pictures especially the tiger made out of Caramel Delites (you may call them Samoas if you buy them from the other bakers). We got to see the incentives for next year's Fall Product Sale and pick out what the girls will earn. Violet will love, love, love them. We also got to sample all the candies and nuts and decide what the girls will sell. There was a heated debate between Fruit Slices and Gummi Berries. The sell for the same price, but Fruit Slices are less expensive for the Council to buy. Fruit Slices have also seen higher sales than Gummi Berries. But there were some big time Gummi Berry lovers on the committee (and I had strict instructions from Violet to try to bring back Gummi Berries and lose the Fruit Slices). We had to have a secret vote and the Director of Product Sales abstained from voting to count. Gummi Berries won. Those girls have to push Gummi Berries next fall!
I did check about Violet's missing dog and it is set to ship later this week. I found out some girls are still waiting for their T-shirts from last fall's sale!
Today Violet was in a Girl Scout workshop for Juniors (4th, 5th and 6th graders) and bridging Brownies (3rd graders), they earned a science badge (Be a Science Sleuth). I was expecting more younger girls, but it was mostly 5th and 6th graders. Violet held her own and completed it. She was the youngest girl there and I think the only 3rd grader. I helped match her up with one other girl who had come on her own to sit next to. I don't know if it helped or not. But once the program started, Violet had me leave (I sat in the next room reading Secular Homeschooling Magazine and talking with the Girl Scout staff person running the program - well the lady from Mad Science was doing the actual presentation of the program).
Afterwards Violet was starving (it went from 4 - 6 pm) so we stopped at McDonald's on the way home. It was a few towns away and pouring rain, so I was glad to fill her up while we drove back. I had put soup in the crock pot for Mr. Incredible and me.
And now, why I am a winner. The yearly Girl Scout Volunteer Dinner is coming up and I had sent in my reservation form. The cost of the dinner is $25. You get $5 off for having nominated a volunteer for an award, I had nominated my friend from daycamp and delegates. And you get $5 off for booking a table of 8, our service unit has booked 2 tables. So I mailed in a check for $15.
I got a message this afternoon saying I owed $5. I called the lady back and left her a message of how I arrived at my calculation, but that I'd be happy to send in another $5. I got a call back, not from her but another lady, saying she was sending my check back to me. What? I got kicked out of the banquet? No, I am an award recipient and my dinner is free! How cool is that? Being the generous volunteer that I am (who knows it is tax deductible) I asked them to keep my check and apply it to sponsorship of the dinner.
I have no idea what my award is, but it is pretty cool that I've been nominated by my service unit buddies for one. See, I keep saying that although they are a few rotten apples in the bunch, over all they are a great group of ladies and I enjoy working with them.
p.s This is one of those dinners where we all sit around and clap for ourselves all night long saying how great we all are. Feel free to make fun of us. It will be a good time. Kool-Aid will be served. (And we are great! clap, clap, clap, clap, pass the Kool-Aid.)
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Apple Dumpling Gang
Last night in an effort to cheer up Violet for missing out on her overnight, I checked out "The Apple Dumpling Gang" from the library. She really enjoys the silly old Disney comedies from the 60's and 70's. We have a long list of favorites to work our way through like "The Absent-Minded Professor," "The Shaggy Dog," and "That Darn Cat." After watching it we got her a scoop of ice cream from the freezer, she ate less than half of it and said she was tired. We made the right decision.
I am feeling tremendously better today. In addition to the antibiotic, I'm sure not having to spend the day going to the film festival when I'm so behind helped too. I've gotten a lot done here. Violet's finished up some projects too. I'm on the product sales committee of our Girl Scout council and we are working on some educational materials for young girls just selling cookies for the first time. One fun idea I came up with was having them make pictures using Girl Scout cookies in them. Violet and her friend Red each did some samples for me. Here are Violet's samples:
Red's turned out equally terrific (but I don't really have her permission to post her pictures). Some of the adult committee members wanted to do the samples, but I thought ones done by other girls would be far better. Violet loves to see art work by other kids much more than adults. The meeting is tomorrow night so we'll see what they use.
Still no stuffed dog from the cookie sale, but I am speaking to the Product Sales Director about it tomorrow.
Our weather was beautiful this weekend, wish we would have gotten out to enjoy it more. But between feeling tired and loads of work to do, we just had the doors open.
I'm dodging a meeting tonight. This is so unlike me. I had originally said I couldn't go because Mr. Incredible had the tickets for the film festival. Well, I'm not in Madison. But I'm not taking Violet with me. She's still cranky and shouldn't have to sit through a boring adults only meeting. If anyone asks the festival was great.
Finally, Mr. Incredible's step-grandmother (who he pretty much considers a grandmother even though he was 20 before he met her) is going downhill fast. She's 93 and in a nursing home. She's been put on hospice care and has had her feeding tube removed. She's been in very little pain the last 2 years and we all think she is ready to go join her husband who died 10 years ago. Her mental state has been gone for some time now (she thinks she's in the hospital and until a few weeks ago every day she'd go "down the street to another party," also known as, going down the hall to the activity room).
For the last few years Violet has been periodically sending her pictures she's drawn. None of the other great-grandkids have done anything like that and she's the only one who's a "step". I told her great-grandma was really sick and not going to get better. She did another picture to mail tomorrow. Most likely the last. A dog and cat in love:
I honestly don't think Great-Grandma will be able to understand she got another picture, but Violet's grandma (MIL) and great-aunt will know Violet sent it and it will mean a lot to them. That's what is important.
I am feeling tremendously better today. In addition to the antibiotic, I'm sure not having to spend the day going to the film festival when I'm so behind helped too. I've gotten a lot done here. Violet's finished up some projects too. I'm on the product sales committee of our Girl Scout council and we are working on some educational materials for young girls just selling cookies for the first time. One fun idea I came up with was having them make pictures using Girl Scout cookies in them. Violet and her friend Red each did some samples for me. Here are Violet's samples:
Red's turned out equally terrific (but I don't really have her permission to post her pictures). Some of the adult committee members wanted to do the samples, but I thought ones done by other girls would be far better. Violet loves to see art work by other kids much more than adults. The meeting is tomorrow night so we'll see what they use.
Still no stuffed dog from the cookie sale, but I am speaking to the Product Sales Director about it tomorrow.
Our weather was beautiful this weekend, wish we would have gotten out to enjoy it more. But between feeling tired and loads of work to do, we just had the doors open.
I'm dodging a meeting tonight. This is so unlike me. I had originally said I couldn't go because Mr. Incredible had the tickets for the film festival. Well, I'm not in Madison. But I'm not taking Violet with me. She's still cranky and shouldn't have to sit through a boring adults only meeting. If anyone asks the festival was great.
Finally, Mr. Incredible's step-grandmother (who he pretty much considers a grandmother even though he was 20 before he met her) is going downhill fast. She's 93 and in a nursing home. She's been put on hospice care and has had her feeding tube removed. She's been in very little pain the last 2 years and we all think she is ready to go join her husband who died 10 years ago. Her mental state has been gone for some time now (she thinks she's in the hospital and until a few weeks ago every day she'd go "down the street to another party," also known as, going down the hall to the activity room).
For the last few years Violet has been periodically sending her pictures she's drawn. None of the other great-grandkids have done anything like that and she's the only one who's a "step". I told her great-grandma was really sick and not going to get better. She did another picture to mail tomorrow. Most likely the last. A dog and cat in love:
I honestly don't think Great-Grandma will be able to understand she got another picture, but Violet's grandma (MIL) and great-aunt will know Violet sent it and it will mean a lot to them. That's what is important.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Feeling better
Violet is definitely feeling better after the poppy seeds. Who knew? But she is still dragging around. She was supposed to go to my folk's house tonight to sleep over and spend the day tomorrow while Mr. Incredible and I went to a film at the Wisconsin Film Festival. Violet really wanted to go, but she's still not eating much and isn't herself yet. So the sleepover was pushed back to next weekend and the ante has been upped to 2 nights at Grandma's.
Mr. Incredible called his dad, and he is going to meet him in Madison for the film tomorrow. It is a film about the history of the Mac (yes, the computer). I wasn't very thrilled about going, so I don't mind missing out. And Grandpa Incredible was excited to spend the day with his son. I'm still skipping my Girl Scout service team meeting tomorrow night. I'll have Violet here and the meeting is being held at a restaurant, not the place you want to take a kid getting over a stomach bug.
I'm feeling a ton better than yesterday. I'm still a little oogy in the stomach, but nothing like yesterday. I am hopeful that yesterday was the worst and that this antibiotic really is getting rid of infection that's been dragging me down.
Mr. Incredible called his dad, and he is going to meet him in Madison for the film tomorrow. It is a film about the history of the Mac (yes, the computer). I wasn't very thrilled about going, so I don't mind missing out. And Grandpa Incredible was excited to spend the day with his son. I'm still skipping my Girl Scout service team meeting tomorrow night. I'll have Violet here and the meeting is being held at a restaurant, not the place you want to take a kid getting over a stomach bug.
I'm feeling a ton better than yesterday. I'm still a little oogy in the stomach, but nothing like yesterday. I am hopeful that yesterday was the worst and that this antibiotic really is getting rid of infection that's been dragging me down.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The poppy seed cure
In the book series The Warriors, the medicine cats often use poppy seeds to cure sick cats in their clan. Violet is a huge fan of the series. So when I suggested she should try poppy seed rolls to eat she was all over it.
She went from throwing up again, to having shoes and a coat on in no time flat. We had to go out to get the poppy seed rolls, and while we were there got some ginger ale and 7-Up too. Of course our local little store had no poppy seed rolls of any sort in their bakery, freezer or bread aisle. So we bought poppy seeds in the spice aisle. Violet felt good enough to help prepare the rolls when we got home (although I made her wash her hands a lot).
The dough is almost done rising, then we'll make the rolls and dip them in our poppy seeds and bake them. We'll see if these cats know what they are talking about!
She went from throwing up again, to having shoes and a coat on in no time flat. We had to go out to get the poppy seed rolls, and while we were there got some ginger ale and 7-Up too. Of course our local little store had no poppy seed rolls of any sort in their bakery, freezer or bread aisle. So we bought poppy seeds in the spice aisle. Violet felt good enough to help prepare the rolls when we got home (although I made her wash her hands a lot).
The dough is almost done rising, then we'll make the rolls and dip them in our poppy seeds and bake them. We'll see if these cats know what they are talking about!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Quick update
I'm starting to feel better. I finally tried working today. Got a little done. I've come to terms with the fact that I just might not complete this project as assigned on time. Oh well. Not sure how the bosses will feel about that. But maybe they should have asked more questions about my availability prior to assuming I'd be able to do it.
Violet has been sick now too. Yesterday she woke up with a sore throat. I thought it was just allergies what with all the leaves starting to bud. But it got worse during the day and by evening she was throwing up. Today she had no energy whatsoever and a fever. Just sat on the couch and read books. Finally agreed to have me read to her in the afternoon.
She didn't eat much all day, although her stomach was better. She had plain cooked noodles for lunch. For dinner plain cooked chicken, white rice and green beans. And water. Her choice. I kept trying to get her to try other stuff, but nothing sounded good.
She was supposed to have a play date tomorrow afternoon, but we pushed it back a week. I told the family that Violet wouldn't be much fun if she was anything like today. She just kept sitting and staring at me. I expect she'll feel a lot better tomorrow. But another day off will be needed.
Violet has been sick now too. Yesterday she woke up with a sore throat. I thought it was just allergies what with all the leaves starting to bud. But it got worse during the day and by evening she was throwing up. Today she had no energy whatsoever and a fever. Just sat on the couch and read books. Finally agreed to have me read to her in the afternoon.
She didn't eat much all day, although her stomach was better. She had plain cooked noodles for lunch. For dinner plain cooked chicken, white rice and green beans. And water. Her choice. I kept trying to get her to try other stuff, but nothing sounded good.
She was supposed to have a play date tomorrow afternoon, but we pushed it back a week. I told the family that Violet wouldn't be much fun if she was anything like today. She just kept sitting and staring at me. I expect she'll feel a lot better tomorrow. But another day off will be needed.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
tired
I think it must be the antibiotic doing battle with the bacteria I didn't even know I was harboring in my tooth, but I am wiped out today. I'm falling further behind in work. But I'm hoping to feel a lot better in just a few days, so I'm not forcing myself to do anything. The tooth itself hurts more than it did, so I'm guessing it is the battle raging under it.
Thanks for all the root canal encouragement! I'm still not looking forward to it, but it doesn't sound as bad now.
And thanks for the California book suggestions. I'll be looking those up any day now. When I have more energy.
We did do a full school day today. And I took Violet to the homeschool session at Pump it up. We met a new family there today. They live quite close and Violet and their 7 year old daughter seemed to hit it off. I'm going to try to set up something for the girls sometime soon. Violet is at her best at one on one play dates, so I'm definitely on the look out for those.
For now, I'm going to go veg out on the couch before bed.
Thanks for all the root canal encouragement! I'm still not looking forward to it, but it doesn't sound as bad now.
And thanks for the California book suggestions. I'll be looking those up any day now. When I have more energy.
We did do a full school day today. And I took Violet to the homeschool session at Pump it up. We met a new family there today. They live quite close and Violet and their 7 year old daughter seemed to hit it off. I'm going to try to set up something for the girls sometime soon. Violet is at her best at one on one play dates, so I'm definitely on the look out for those.
For now, I'm going to go veg out on the couch before bed.
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