Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Good to the Last Drop

 

Late Friday:  Katie texted me late this afternoon because the Women's Wellness Center had called her back due to low iron labs.  It has dropped by about .8 points though she is taking a supplement.  However, when she looked up her symptoms, they perfectly align with all of her various ailments, aches, and pains.  However, no one seems to be in a great hurry to do much of anything about it.  Nor did they when they tested her as low iron several weeks ago.  She started taking the supplement on her own...

I'm honestly not one to say that this or that medical professional isn't paying attention to their patient's labs and needs but I'm beginning to think that is the case in this instance.  I've certainly experienced it with a a medical professional myself.  I suppose others have, too.  But it makes me very leery at this stage of a pregnancy.  Just saying.

John and I went for a lovely long drive along the backroads.  It took us about an hour, and we rode slowly with the windows down.  We got off the highways (still country highway but we did hold up a person or two) so I guided him to some of the true backroads of the county that are paved, and we made our way slowly home.  It was so nice out and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  

I'd watched several coveys of dove fly up out of the fields and the egrets and cranes slowly fly to their roosting spots, ribbons of white across the blue and pink sky.  When we came up the driveway the deer were grazing on the front lawn.   

I got a text from Sam announcing Josh's Grandparents Day...Doggone it!  It's at the same time as Caleb's and we'd already registered to go to his school which is an hour away.  Since Josh's date and times weren't announced early this week like Caleb, Millie, and Isaac's I'd thought perhaps they were no longer having those days for his grade.  Last year, due to a misread on my part, I missed Josh's grandparent's luncheon.  I felt like such a heel and sat in the car and cried when I realized I'd messed up.  I'd seen clearly how disappointed he was and had vowed I wouldn't disappoint him again like that.  And here we are.  I told Sam the situation and asked him to let me talk to Josh about it today while I had the children out.

I thought and thought about what I might do to make it up to him this year and asked Sam if it would be alright for me to check Josh out of school this coming Friday and take him to lunch in the town where his school is located.  It's all local restaurants but on Friday's Chick fil-A brings in a food truck.  I thought it might be a treat for him to go there for lunch.  Sam said it was fine with him as long as he missed no tests.  So next step is to email his teacher and make sure it gels with her schedule for the class.

Saturday:  I took the children to the library this morning.  Josh decided to get on the computer and play a game.  Isaac wandered around playing with toys and then decided he really wanted to do the craft after all.  Millie had a grand time with the craft part.  There were origami instructions and paper to fold into a shape.  There was a little cardboard mask to color and decorate.  But the one the kids liked the best was a sand art kit that came with a card that had a design etched into it.  You peeled back sections and spread sand on them and then peeled back more sections to add more colored sands.  It was pretty neat.  And messy...

We went to the grocery and picked up our Lunchables and drinks, then headed to the park.  Lunch ...wasn't.  The kids, rather than eat, wanted to play, which was fine.  I'd chosen to sit up on the hill in the shade rather than in the sun.  Josh went running across the asphalt to the playground, took a tumble and came up with a bloody knee, deep raspberries on his elbows and other knee, a bruised side and deep scrapes in the palms of both hands.  The scrapes were bad enough but he panicked, just plain panicked and I had to coach him to breathe.  He wanted to go home and go home right away.  I had to calm him to get him to understand that I was agreeing to take him home.

On the other hand, the other two children were the sort of callus that children often are.  When Josh wailed that he didn't want ice cream, Millie wailed because she did and Isaac said, "Well I didn't want it anyway."  Then Millie wanted me to open her lunch so she could eat though I was packing stuff up so I could take them home.  Josh in the meantime, panicked because gnats began buzzing about his sores.  I explained that while they were aggravating, they wouldn't do any harm.  

Wasps last time and scrapes this time...Sigh.  I definitely need to put a first aid kit in the car.  Fortunately, I did have a fresh bottle of water and a roll of paper towels which sufficed until I got him home.

Sunday:  It was Team Jersey Sunday at church.  I don't have a team jersey, nor any team I actually root for, so I didn't wear anything special today.  

After church we drove out to another small town to get our hair cut.  I stuck to my vow to just get mine trimmed.  I really am letting it grow out a bit.  Right now, it doesn't look like much of anything but that's the price paid for letting one style go and working towards another.

Oh! I just have to share what happened at the salon.  My favorite stylist had just finished cutting a little boy's hair.  He must have been all of 3, possibly 4.  He did seem a bit younger than Caleb.  His daddy had just apparently just gotten his hair cut too and the two came to the front counter.  As the dad was paying, the little boy said, "This is for you..." and he slid 36c up on the counter.  Naomi stood there with her finger on top of the money and quietly said, "Thank you.  Would you like some candy?"  The little boy helped himself to a lollipop and thanked her for cutting his hair.  

As he and his daddy walked out Naomi and I looked at each other and smiled.  She had sparkles in her eyes.  "I guess that is about the sweetest tip you'll earn this week..." I said and she nodded.  "Last time he gave me four brand new pennies."  I think it's just incredibly sweet that this little boy has already learned the courteous art of tipping.

We picked up sandwiches for lunch and then headed back to Katie's home.  John and I both have been missing Caleb and Bella.  We were rewarded with lots of hugs and kisses and both children yelling "Grampa!  Gramma!"   Katie came out of her room to sit with us for a little while.  Poor love continues to have contractions and is very uncomfortable.  Due date is still stuck at 2 weeks and 2 days.  

Caleb informed us he has two friends, Emma and Archer.  Emma "makes noises" he said.  I don't know what kind of noises Emma makes but apparently, it's interesting enough to earn her Caleb's friendship.  He likes his teacher but she 'treats him like a baby.'  

Bella can't tell us if she likes school or not but that she's come out of her shell enough to hug and clamber on our laps and greet us with joy makes us feel good.  I hope that her very delayed language skills kick in soon.  I know she can talk because she parrots nursery rhymes and songs, but she's not talking to anyone.  

After we'd had lunch and a visit, we left their house and drove around the block to see where Caleb's school is located.  We accidentally found out way out of the neighborhood once we'd found the school.  Now we know where to go next week when he has Grits with Grandparents Day.  

What we didn't do today: take that load of stuff in the trunk to donate.  Darn it!  I'll have to go out again this week to get lettuce and eggs and I can just run over and drop it off then.

Monday:  I went to bed early last night and went to sleep early, too.  I woke extra early this morning, somewhere around 4:15.  I tried to go back to sleep but at 5:30 I gave up.  I got up and started loading the dishwasher, made coffee, watered plants, set out breakfast items, and a couple of the meats I'd planned to use this week.  

By 9am, we'd had a big breakfast, and all the housework was done.  By 10, I had dusted the living room and cleaned, organized and culled one whole bookcase.  Then I made lunch and here I am, debating whether I want to tackle another task or give in to the nagging headache and take a nap.

Katie called to announce that baby Henry is weighing in at about 7 pounds at this point.  It is expected he will be over 8 pounds by the time she's ready to deliver.  She and Cody headed out to shop for something for the baby.  They came home with glass pumpkins.

I need to start a list or two.  I have a list of shopping needs (foil, toilet paper, razors for John) that I need to get made out, then I want to make a list of things too that I need to have done (3 frames for 3 photos for instance) and a list of things to improve the living room and dining room. 

Katie wants oatmeal cookies...I want to make a lemon cake before summer is done.  I don't have old fashioned rolled oats, so onto the list that goes.

Tuesday:  It's not been a stellar day for doing much of anything.  We had a long chatty visit with Sam this morning, which I refuse to fuss about since he's now busy with school on top of his usual home duties.  I'll take these chatty mornings where they will come. 

Amused when I was asked to take the kids for a long day on a weekend in September.  I looked at my calendar and September weekends are booked up already!  Sam was a little surprised.  I guess he doesn't realize that retired folks stay fairly busy...

I went over the other two bookcases while Sam was here.  Mostly I just shifted and rearranged books trying to make them look neater.  I probably could cull a handful of books more and I may look them over again later with an eye towards doing that, but this round was more about organizing by author or stacking according to size which made the shelves look neater.

After he'd left, we ate lunch then I went over the two cabinets.  There was nothing to be gotten rid of there.  I have fully decluttered those long ago apparently.  I need only to continue to read through the Grace Livingston Hill novels I haven't yet read and determined if they were keepers or needed a new home based only on my personal tastes.

So to all intents and purpose there is the kitchen fully attended to, and save deep vacuuming around the room edges, the main living area is done, and my closet and drawers are done.  I went through the trunk in my room a couple of months ago.  I sorted out my makeup drawer yesterday morning and tossed all the old stuff.  Now I'm wondering 'What's next?' 

I'm satisfied the bathrooms are free of junk (both done a few months ago).  I sorted out the guest room hard in May when I knew Lily would be visiting.  I do need to go through the toy box in the guest room, but I think I'm down to working in my shed.  Frankly, it's far too hot to even consider going out there. So... What now?!

I could sort out paperwork and genealogy stuff I suppose.  Likely I'd find loads of unnecessary things in the paperwork and could better organize the genealogy things.  later:  And this is what I chose to do.  I got all the family stuff organized by the side of the family the stuff came from, found loads of stuff for the church that I attended for 32 years of my life , etc.  Now that everything is organized, the trash is sorted out, etc. I'm ready to get back to work on genealogy once more.  Now to start going through the multiples of notebooks of notes I've written out over the years when I did nothing but research.

Wednesday:  Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel irritable for no good reason?  Here I am.

John and I woke late this morning and dragged around but I'd planned to go take the donations off, run by the grocery etc.  John knew those were my plans and I sort of thought he'd go with me, but as it got nearer and nearer noon, and he was making no move to go anywhere I asked if he has planned to go.

These conversations never go well.  I should likely have just gone out on my own, but I admit I really wanted him to go along with me for the company.  We played that tug of war game of "Do you want me to go?"  "Do you want to go?"  "What do you want?"  "I want what you want..."  It's so tiring and unsatisfactory because obviously someone is going to end up less happy than the other and then it spills over to the other.  

The conversation later in the car was not a happy one.  John has anxiety.  I feed off his anxiety.  I fight hard to control it, but my little antennae go nuts picking up on his prickly feelings.  He confessed that he's dreading our vacation trip. Not the stay itself but the travel down and back again.  I listened to him tell me all the reasons why.  When he was done talking, I pointed out that we've been going to St. Augustine for 18 years, we know multiples of ways to go in and get out that are low traffic and straightforward driving.    He acknowledged that all this was true.  But nevertheless, he's nervous about traveling.  "Too much can happen..."  "Yes, things can happen.  Yet in 18 years NOTHING has happened.  So the odds are with us rather than against us."

However, it was in those moments of conversation that I realized here's where our lack of ability to cough up funds to travel is likely going to be a blessing in disguise.  We won't be traveling much as I've always wanted to travel because we can't afford to, but I HOPED anyway that we'd do something here and there...  We will perhaps go to St. Augustine and that's going to be about it.  We can use the excuse of no money but in the end it's just as much about his level of anxiety and his unwillingness to use medication to overcome it.  So, there we are.

I felt like weeping as I kissed goodbye and packed away yet another long-held dream.  It is what it is. We will go on vacation this year and we may go next year but any other hopes of travel are not likely going to happen.

If ever there was something that isn't a cure for anxiety (and mine was now running warmer than when we left home) walking through the grocery these days is that thing.  Prices were up everywhere.  In the bakery, in the deli, in produce, in meats (LORDY!).  Packaging is smaller on those items that are at least near in price to what they used to be...I thought long and hard about purchases, used coupons, checked for additional savings (Ibotta and Fetch), said no to items...And still felt a distinct sinking feeling in my stomach as the total came up.  UGH.

At the register I found the clerk was antsy. The man bagging groceries was doing a great job, but this woman wanted him to pack them her way and kept taking things out of one bag and putting them in another one.  I think she wanted about two or three items per bag...I finally couldn't take it anymore as she had seven bags running and was about to put bread in one and the sticky buns in another.  "Please don't...Don't put the bread in another bag.  I know you're trying to prevent it from being squished but we'll just take it out of the store as it is..."  She looked upset with me.  I apologized to her and said, "I know you were trying to be careful.  I appreciate it.  It's just not necessary."  When we got to the car, we repacked the whole lot back the way the guy had done them.  So, we had only two bags plus a cold bag instead of eight bags and a cold bag.

On our way home, John asked about lunch, suggesting we stop at the local place.  I glanced at the clock and told him, "They'll be closed...And for the same money we could go up the road here and eat at the Mexican place."  Nope he didn't want to eat out.  He wanted to get food to go. I told him that was fine, we had food at home, and I hadn't planned to eat out today.  

But then he decided he wanted to treat me to fish which I'd mentioned getting when he goes to lunch with his friend on Friday.  For some reason he failed to order anything for himself...and that became a point of contention, but he wouldn't simply correct his order.  He was determined to just go without.  We had slight words, nothing major, and I offered him up options for what he might have at home or even share my dinner with me, but he just snipped and snapped.  I let it upset me because doggone it all I'd just had enough of the day already and it wasn't his fault but me, myself and I who was out of sorts.  John was upset that he'd messed up ordering, but he wasn't half as bothered by it as I was.  

My anxiety hasn't eased much since we've been home...I'm throwing in the towel and taking something for it.  I did urge John to add the natural supplement Niacinamide to his daily medications.  It's a B vitamin and is good for fighting anxiety.  I do take one every day and I know when I've missed it!  I don't know why the anxiety ramped up today unless it truly is just the antennae picked up on John's.

Truthfully this day had the potential to be better and it just wasn't.  I had the opportunity to be better than I was but here I am.  Then I'm going to either put my nose in a book or sink into genealogy for a few hours.  Tomorrow will be a much better day!!

Thursday:  Yesterday evening I took a small dose of anti-anxiety, then settled myself with the Genealogy stuff and worked away for hours.  John knew I was out of sorts and after checking that I didn't have an issue with him personally, told me he'd leave me alone and he did.  It was as good as time all to myself and I felt much better by 9pm.  I read a bit, then went to bed to watch YouTube videos I'd gotten behind on.

Before I had coffee this morning, I had a text from Katie asking me to call her.

Katie had more news this morning, with new developments in her pregnancy.  She was rather upset about them as this week she'd actually started feeling good once more and now she's on medical alert all over again with swelling and blood pressure and even lower iron than two weeks ago.   We're on standby waiting to see if it shall be next week or the week after as planned that Henry enters the world.  She decided she'd rather take Caleb out of school for three days and have him just stay with us than have her father-in-law try to do all the school runs and nighttime baby-sitting as they originally planned.  She was very sweet in her why.  "He's really good with Caleb but Mama...he's a MAN and he's prone to not watch as closely as he should.  Bella carried water to the bedroom in her tea set this past week and poured it all over the bed and floor.  And you know how quick Caleb can decide to get into something if he's not closely supervised...".    

I had noted in the time I cared for Caleb that my watching Caleb was far less relaxed than John's watching.  John and Gary both are of the mind that if they're in the room or the vicinity of the children they are supervising.  With a four-year-old, that's not quite enough, lol.  

I spent this morning puttering in the kitchen, making a few things ahead as well as lunch.  I took breaks at the dining table with the genealogy notebooks.  Right now, I'm going through each page and making notes of missing information, questions I have about various things, reminders of things to look up, etc.  I'm about halfway through with the largest family group.  I think I'm going to have to create a new notebook for the maternal side of that family group.  This is a four-inch binder and it's very full!  I've no room to add any information.

later:  I've worked far too hard at genealogy today.  And this is why I don't pick it up often.  I get carried away and there I stay.  I need to block out a time frame to work on it as I do with my computer play time.

Friday:  This morning when I got up, I walked to the door of my bedroom and looked into the living room.  The morning sun slanted in from the kitchen, highlighting the corner of one of my Turkish pillows and the Imari plate with its gold and copper, red, blue and rust tones...My heart pitter pattered with happiness as I looked at the mantle with its dark and moody decorations highlighted by sunlight.  "That's GOOD!" I said to myself.  I smiled my way into the kitchen where I made myself coffee.

We are so close to the end of this summer month now and I am chomping at the bits for fall weather and fall things and a new month.  

Just the thought of going into September fills me with such a sense of anticipation and ambition.  Meteorological autumn starts September 1, did you know that?  Which may make far more sense in some places than it does in the south.  We won't see actual autumn-like weather for quite a few weeks, though if wishes could make it happen, then the 3 or 4 times a day I check the weather app and extended forecasts to see if anything has changed, would certainly turn the tide.  However, I believe I respond to the meteorological season on a deeper level than I do the equinoctial season.  I'm ready to embrace this new month, this new season, and squeeze all I can from it.

...But I have truly enjoyed August this year.  I have indeed.  

It's been a good month.    It's been hot, as it ought to be.  And sunny which has been welcome.  We were busy but not too busy.  That's always nice because some months are just unbalanced with busyness.  I've enjoyed seeing the season start to turn towards fall but I've appreciated the bounty that this last month of summer offers us.  I've enjoyed the few flowers I coaxed into blooming and the peaches and vegetables.  I've enjoyed the sun and yes, while I don't particularly like to sweat, I do love being outdoors.

I accidentally stumbled on the fact that sweating is actually good for our lymphatic system...Did you know that?  Here I was reading up on all things lymphatic and how to go about draining the system properly to release built up fluids and toxins with dry brushing and diet and massages and such and then I stumbled on the information that sweating is the very best way of all to drain the system.   

Well in the summer, that is not an issue at all.  One has only to step outdoors and breathe deeply to start the glandular floods!   And while I do believe it's good to know to do all these other things, in the end, it's the least invasive, most natural thing that I am drawn to employ most frequently.    It's suggested that in winter one use a sauna.  We just happen to have one handy right outdoors every day of summer.  So, I count it as good that I stood outdoors this morning and watered plants.  I drained my lymphatic system very well...

Seriously though, happy as I am to welcome a new month, I am sad to see summer go.  It really has been a most pleasant one this year!  It was truly good the last drop..

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