The Week in Bullet Points

Labor Day today. My life seems to be about a lot of that. But it could be worse. I could be a widow living in the Sudan, worried out of my mind about my sons being kidnapped as child soldiers, being raped on my way to get water, having to carry said water on my head (ouch), and oh, having to scratch out a living so we don’t all starve to death. I’ve got it pretty good here.

Last week was a rough, rough week. In bullet points:

• · I got sick – like sinus infection sick. Finally went to Urgent Care and got antibiotics. Doing better now, still feel like I have green goo stuck to my insides, slowing down every movement

• · The kids got sick, but not as sick as me. Made a one hour round trip with a couple of them to the dr one day, only to be told, “Oh, they’re at the tail end of this – they’ll be fine in a couple of days!” Grrr...if I put out that kind of effort, I had better get antibiotics in return…

• · Ben started his new job. He loves it. I had trouble communicating with his boss, however, and finally had to stop in the store Friday to see if Ben had to work today on Labor Day (he didn’t). Turned out I had the wrong email address for her. She had given me the wrong address

• · The kids started school – it’s going well. They like their teachers. Ellie doesn’t even want me to walk her to her classroom door anymore. I do it anyway.

• · David started his construction and woodworking classes. So far, he’s not impressed. Says the kids are foul mouthed and watch dirty videos on their phones. His teacher commented wryly, “Welcome to public school!”

• · I started my class, Written Communication and Physical Geography. I am over my head with the Geography class. I was thinking Geography, as in different regions. This class is all about math. I’m dying. I am suddenly transported to 9th grade Physical Science when, I also felt like an absolute failure at life. Will is helping me. It’s the only way I’ll pass. My writing class is more challenging than I expected. But my professor is one I’ve had twice before – I love her.

• · Cat still has a UTI, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. She’s been very cuddly and affectionate. I’m still slipping otc meds and apple cider vinegar in her food. She’s still going bloody potty in spots around my house. I’m doing a lot of cleaning. Maybe I should take her to the vet. Don’t want to, though.

• · A friend asked for my help in planning a surprise birthday party for a mutual friend – in 9 days. I unloaded on her, telling her all that was going on last week . She said, “Oh, no, I’m so, so sorry for asking you.” I felt bad. I told her, “No, I’m good now that I’ve written it all out!” The party is this Thursday. And the restaurant where we are having it sent me a $5 coupon. I think it’s a sign from God.

• · Decided to try all the Littles’ winter clothes on them over the last week – lots of mess and tubs all over my basement

•   Dreamed of Paul twice last week - highly unusual.  Made me sadder than normal.

• · Got the urge, while sick, to repaint my upstairs landing with my enamel paint. Looks nice. Ellie decided she needed to mess with the paint and now all the door trim is painted white. A brand new bath towel was ruined when she tried to cover up what she had done. Lizzie went upstairs, not knowing the floor was now wet again and stepped and slid in the paint. It’s enamel. It does not come off like latex. Her feet are still white – shows up very visibly against her brown skin. I was very angry with Ellie who knew better. My plan is to paint the girls’ bedroom sometime soon (t was supposed to be today, but that’s not happening – I’m too worn out). I had told the girls they could help me. I informed Ellie she will now NOT be helping me. She became very angry and proceeded to rip all the covers and sheets off her bed in response, telling me I had “lied” to her. Sigh…

Ok, so what else is there to report?

David said it was cute one day when he picked the Littles up from school. They all came out of the building holding hands. I am enjoying this not-having-them-ride-the-bus thing. Every morning last week we left early enough so that when we arrived at school we didn’t have to rush over to the building. Then, still in the van,  we went over our memory verse for the week and I prayed for the kids and their school day. I think it makes a nice start to a day that, in some ways, is filled with a lot of godlessness.

I think my house is done – really and truly done. Well, the basement floors need to be painted but that’s a “sometime” job. Not a priority. Will had a few weeks between when his on-line summer classes ended and the new ones began so he put himself to work. He built himself this really, really nice cabinet to store all his hunting gear. He barely got it down the basement steps, but now it takes up a section of the basement. Hopefully, someday he’ll own his own house and can move it. In the meantime, it’s better than having all his tubs of hunting stuff sitting around. He got handles on all my basement doors. And, he dismantled my piano. I felt horrible, but that thing was NOT going out the house in even two or three chunks like we had hoped. I did some research before he took the thing apart. Fully restored, my piano might have been worth $12,000 – if you can find a buyer. And there aren’t a whole lot of those out there anymore. There are hundreds of pianos for sale on ebay, I found. So, it was kind of brutal process, but my piano is no more. One of these days, I’m going to start looking for a keyboard – and a piano teacher for the kids.


Sam’s stuttering is still just terrible – as bad as it has ever been. It doesn’t seem to bother him. Last week, prior to the start of school I tried to gently warn him that the stuttering may make him a target of teasing kids. He seemed genuinely shocked when I said that. A few days into the school year I talked to his teacher about it, letting her know that we’re on a waiting list for services and of my fear that Sam may end up getting teased. She told me that there are actually several students in her class that have this problem, so Sam is definitely not alone. I’ve asked Sam several times since school began if anyone has said anything to him about his stuttering and he’s said no – nobody has said anything. So, I guess that’s good. I probably had better be quiet about it before he thinks I have a problem with it!


Last Friday was the first home game for the Trojans. Will is attending all the games this season, home and away, because he learning more of the coaching ropes. Right now he sits up in the press box, marking plays, which seems like it must be a terribly complicated job. We got to school Friday and all the football players were flanking the elementary doors. The kids were to run through the players, giving them high fives. Well, Ellie was going to have none of that! First, she tried to go around them, but quickly discovered that wouldn’t work, as the players were on either side of the doorway. So, she hunched up her shoulders and began to shuffle through the gauntlet. She refused to give any of the teens high fives or smile at them or acknowledge them in any way. I had to keep my hand on her back in order to keep her from stopping altogether. This was one ticked-off kindergartener! I pushed her through and kept telling the boys, “Sorry, sorry!” Good grief…


Well, I think this is all I know. I need to sit down with Will soon and work on my Geography. Ugh. I hate that class.


Oh, and on a happy note, Nathanael and his wife became parents yesterday morning, to a great big baby boy born at home. I’m going to make them a meal one day and try to get up there to meet this newest inhabitant of the world.


I think this week will be a much better one than last week. It’s bound to be. Last week was pretty horrible!