Vets and haircuts....

As you may have guessed from the pic (although Percy's doc is a woman and Percy himself is big), I am taking the dog to the vet today. We have a 9:30 appointment....his eye is still, well, icky....and his skin is very itchy. He is prone to some sort of dermatitis and when it gets really bad he needs an antibiotic. (Hence, my need for a powerful vacuum!) Our vets office is such fun to deal with (*sarcasm), as they have the usual tile floors and Percy can't navigate them. His arthritic hips make it almost impossible to walk across shiny, slippery tile. Every time we go, I end up pulling him across on his leash whilst the assistang pushes from behind. It's a riot. He's such a good boy though. As soon as we get in the room, he gets right up onto the scale....like he knows the drill. I think it's because it has the only rubber surface in the entire place and he knows he won't fall!

I have been thinking about where he is going to stay while we are gone. I found this place right near us that is, in a word, unbelieveable. I am telling you, it looks like a resort....only for dogs. It has a huge built in pool with palm trees all around, along with lounge chairs for the dogs. There is a nature trail which, for $6.00 a trip, they will walk your dog along. There is daily play time and for an additional $6.00 per day, there is one on one "cuddle time" provided by a loving assistant. OH, and there are no crates here....the dogs get "suites" that are both air conditioned and heated, along with hammocks for their sleeping pleasure! It's part of a local animal hospital so there is a vet on duty at all times. I tell ya, I wouldn't mind staying there! LOL....only $24 per day, which I don't think is outrageous for what they get. I guess Sir Percy will be stylin' for a while!

Okay, back from the vet. I got distracted and couldn't finish my entry....lol. Eye infection and skin thing....$153 and she forgot to charge me for the eye medicine! Sheesh. This dog is gonna break the bank.

Anyhoo....now I wait till 12 for the haircut. I should get off my butt and go clean up the house. I don't feel like it though. I'm tired and my tummy hurts. (pathetic cry for sympathy....).

Okay, I must go and put drops in the dog's eye and wrap some antibiotics in cheese....no one ever takes care of me like that! ::whine::

Today is the day....

Well, today is the beginning of wee one's week of testing. I offered her whatever she wanted for breakfast and she chose a bagel with cream cheese and oj. She didn't seem nervous at all....which I am thankful for. Yesterday she worked on the online testing site for a while, then I got out the workbooks and chose a page for her to work on. She was NOT happy with me. She grabbed the book, went into her room and slammed the door. When she came back out, she handed me the book and left the room. I had to laugh because after the last question she wrote, "This is the LAST one I am doing because I will have enough of this crap tomorrow!!!!" Well, she told me, didn't she? LOL....I didn't make her do any more. I figured she is as ready as she is going to be, and I don't want to stress her out the day before the real test. Testing lasts for two hours each day, Mon-Thurs. I have to share this tidbit from the newsletter the school sent home on Friday. Oh so typical....(I promise, this is the last I will say on the subject!)

"Testing time is important, but please do not over-emphasize. Putting too much emphasis on test scores can upset a child and may cause excessive worry about doing well. Each day is important in our children's lives. Reassure your child that he or she is doing their best. Praise them for the things they do well. If they feel good about themselves, they will do there best."

Can you believe that sh%#? In other words, please try and undo everything we have put your children through for the past few weeks. Aaarrrggghhhh!

ANYWAY....

The weekend was just gorgeous. Sunny, blue skies, warm breezes....beautiful. Yesterday we went to church and heard a minister from Canton, OH speak. He was absolutely wonderful. Even my husband, who has been known to catch up on his sleep during a sermon, stayed awake and alert through the whole thing. He even mentioned how he enjoyed the service. After church we went home and spent the day doing odds and ends. I cleaned, relaxed, made phone calls, did some sewing. Around 3 my mom came over and picked up John. They were going to pick out a suit for my father. John told me that he wanted to be the one to go with her and help her pick something out....I thought it was really sweet. I have to give my mom credit, she is taking care of business, all the while taking care of my dad. She is such a wonderful and loving wife.

Things are progressing as expected with dad. I am happy to report, however, that he did say hi to me yesterday! My mom held the phone to him and said, "Honey, Sherry is on the phone. Do you want to say hi?" and he said in his gravely voice, "Hi Sherry." It was slow and hard to understand, but I heard him!

Today I am spending the day cleaning. I know some people think I am crazy with all my dusting and mopping....but for me, the act of cleaning is theraputic to me. I feel so calm and happy when I am doing it. I love the look and feel of a freshly cleaned room, or an organized closet. It calms my soul. And you know what they say cleanliness is next to!!!!

Nuttin honey....

Hmmmm, I put "Saturday" in the search box at animationfactory.com and this is what came up. I wasn't sure what it was until I read the title which was "Saturday Night Hampster Fever". Who knew....I thought it was a mouse!

As you can see from the pics, wee one did a great job on both her spelling and science vocabulary test! She was so happy when she brought those home to show me. She also said that the actual science chapter test they had taken that day went very well and she thinks she got an A.

Right now I can hear her in her sister's room laughing and singing. They have been in there for hours. Betsy has to paint the pot that she made in ceramics over the weekend, as it is due on Monday. She did a great job too....I'll take a pic of it when she is finished. It's a short, squatty pot but it was supposed to be taller with a longer neck. I can't help but laugh every time I see it because my daughter, who can ace a geometry test and get through chemistry barely cracking a book, had to stay after school because she couldn't get the hang of making a clay pot! She laughs about it too....I'm not being mean! LOL. She said she had to start it over a few times because the neck kept breaking.

Today the girls went downtown to a big library book sale. My aunt took them in her brand spankin new Subaru....when she came in she said, "I'm letting Betsy drive!" Now, a million thoughts came into my head at this point like....ARE YOU NUTS? and, well, ARE YOU NUTS? Betsy has driven once with my husband, twice with my sister (although I did not know this!), and once with me. All the previous excursions have been on side streets and in mild traffic. Today she was to drive downtown, in Saturday traffic, across a HUGE bridge.

 Here's the bridge....so, you can see why I was a bit nervous! My aunt said, "Do you think she can drive over a bridge? Or should we stop and switch drivers before we get there?" I said, oh, I think stopping would be a good idea. Betsy heard this and said, "Awwwww!" so my aunt says, "Well, we will keep going until I get scared!" LOLOL....then she says, "Don't worry, I have airbags." LOLOL....kind of....

Anyway, they made it there, and Betsy drove the entire way! She said it was "cool" driving over the bridge. Wee one said, "Don't worry mom, she did good. I mean, I wasn't even nervous this time!" Sheesh. They had a great time, buying books and then going out to lunch.

John and I used the time to take a motorcycle ride over to my parents house. The day was just perfect for a ride....62 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. There was a slight breeze as well. It just felt so good to get out and ride....it's so freeing. We visited for an hour and today was the first time I have cried. I couldn't help it....I have been trying to be so strong for my mom and dad. I've done a great job up until now....but today was different. I have watched my dad go from a slurring kind of talk, to a quiet voice, to barely a word here and there. Lately it's been a combination of one word answers and hand squeezing. But today....I asked him questions and talked to him, held his hand and there was no response. Just those silent eyes staring ahead. It hit me, like a ton of bricks, that I will never hear my father speak to me again. I stood with his hand in mine and cried. I think I spooked John when he realized how upset I was. But....I got a handle on it. I went to the bathroom, dried the tears and came out smiling. By that time mom was in the room and was trying to talk to him. She asked me to hold his hand and tell him to squeeze my hand for yes. He didn't respond to anything until I said, "Well gee dad....how about....do you love me?" You know what he did? He raised his eyebrows as high as he could. I just laughed and said, "Dad, I'm taking that as a yes!" (Thank you God....I needed that!)

We have been vegging out for most of the evening since then. I actually just got up from the couch and came in here....what a lazy butt! LOL....I've been so tired lately. I'm going tohave to get the dog to the vet on Monday. Can dogs get pink eye? I tell ya, Percy's eye is definately pink and he's got some interesting stuff collecting in the corner....I've been putting warm cloths on it and keeping it as clean as I can until I can get him in. Jeez....that dog is getting more expensive with age! I've got a hair appointment on Tuesday and who knows what else will pop up. That's okay though, I do better when I'm busy!

OKay.....I'm off to fold some clothes and, well, sit on my butt again probably! Have a great Saturday!

Testing my nerves!!!!

Wow, what a response to the previous entry! I am so glad to know that I am not the only one out there frustrated beyond belief! And thank you all so much for your well wishes toward wee one.

I thought I might add this one bit of information that I neglected to say....these standardized tests decide weather or not the kids are PROMOTED to the next grade! "These ain't your mamma's standardized tests!" When we were growing up, we had the tests, and were given the "Get plenty of sleep and eat a good breakfast" speech....now they add in "And don't forget if you don't pass the test, you don't pass the grade, and if you do poorly our school will not receive the funds it needs and the teachers will get a cut in pay and it will be ALL YOUR FAULT!" So you can see my frustration.

I would love nothing better than to go in there and tell them exactly what they can do with their #2 pencils....Last year over 200 senior students got unsigned diplomas because they didn't pass the FCATS and had to take summer school then retest...and retest until they passed! You've got all A's and B's? Wow, that's great....too bad you didn't pass the test....see you next year!

Of course, the amount of money a school recieves as a "bonus" rides on the performance of the kids as well....along with the grade of the school (we are an "A" school or we are an "F" school). And the lower the grade, the less money the school gets....where is the logic in that???? It seems to me that the schools with the lower scores need the money more than the higher scoring schools. They need the programs to help the kids. There was one county who's A schools donated their money to the F schools to help them out....but that is not the case everywhere.

Someone asked me about recess....HA! They are lucky if they get 20 minutes at the end of the day before the busses come to unwind. They are pushing and pushing these kids. And yes, they do repeat over and over to them that if they don't do well, they fail.  What ever happened to positive reinforcement? I am shifting into happy mode until these tests are over. I am telling wee one that I am so proud of her for working so hard, and that she will do just fine. I'm going to tell her to relax and not to worry....that trying her best is all she can do and that I love her....

Tomorrow morning she is going to a book fair with my aunt. She just loves doing things like that. They will have a ball as they usually do. They love going out together taking bike rides or cooking together. Whenever my aunt wants to do something with her, she will call and ask if she can come out and play....lol. She also sent home a print out of the art camps that are being offered at the museum this summer, and told her to pick out the one she wants to go to. Wee one was so excited. She loved going last year. It's right downtown, across from a pretty courtyard with fountains....she thought that was pretty cool.

I am so sick of pecan pie. I bought one the other day and have been picking at it here and there. I had never had it until five years ago, and since then I get it on Christmas or Thanksgiving. Well, they had them on sale the other day at the store and I thought what the heck....so I bought it. Silly, silly me. I've bee picking at pecans all week! LOL....I just threw the thing away.

Okay, I've got to get working around here....have a good one!

My poor baby....

I am so upset right now I can barely see straight. I just spent a half hour consoling wee one as she cried and cried over school.

As you know, she is going through the final week of preparations for the FCAT (Florida standardized testing). She is having great difficulty with reading comprehension. We have been working every night for 2 hours, doing exercises from workbooks that I have purchased, and using the online site provided by the state. She is at her breaking point and I don't know what to do for her. This is what she told me....

"Mom, I can't take it anymore. They are putting too much on us. We have to work all day on these exercises and when I got a wrong answer my teacher said 'No, no no!' in front of the class and I was so embarassed that I put my head down and cried!" She went on to say that the teachers promised they would only work on preparing for the test two days a week, but that they do it every day and her hand actually hurts from filling in so many circles. She said that the other classes get to watch movies at the end of the day for a break from the studying, and when she sees them come out of the classes they are all smiling. "My class comes out frowning because we work so hard, and I just don't feel like talking. The teacher even yelled at us for saying "awwww, another one?" when she wanted us to work some more....but mom, I don't blame them....it's too much!" While she was telling me all of this she was crying....not a whiny I-don't-want-to-work cry but a sobbing type....

I have never seen such a mess as this state and it's school system in my entire life. She entered 4th grade with a 2nd grade education....why? Becuase last year due to overcrowding, she was forced into a class taught by the school's science teacher who had never taught anything but science. The first few days the freaking teacher was crying because she didn't know what to do!!!! Wee one learned 1/4 of what she should have last year. And the teacher? Well, she was offered the position of a 5th grade teacher this year! You can bet your butt wee one will NOT get her next year....I will see to that. But I digress....

I can not believe the stress that is being put on these little shoulders. You just don't know what it did to me to watch my child sit and sob because of a test. I don't know what to do. If I go in and talk to the teacher, she will single her out and it will only be worse for wee one. Salaries are at stake here....if the school doesn't get a good rating, money gets taken away....it isn't about the kids anymore. Wee one asked me if they had FCAT's in NC. I told her no and she said "Let's move there tomorrow...." No child should have to feel this way. Not to mention that the kids education is being short changed....they are learning to pass a test while real subjects and learning are being pushed aside. 

When my husband and I decided on accepting the job down here, we wanted it to make a better life for our kids. We are making more money, living easier, and enjoying many of the advantages of living in a warmer climate and being able to enjoy the beach, trying new and interesting things....but I feel so guilty. Although there are good things that have happened, when something like this comes along, I can't help but feel totally at fault. In our haste to make a "better" life for our kids, did we make a mistake? And while Betsy is excelling at school, she has had her fair share of problems....different from the ones her sister is having.

I don't know what to do....I don't know what to say. I told her that I loved her and that I was so proud of her for working so hard to improve. I praised her for sticking to it and told her to do her best....that is all she can do. I reinforced my faith in her and told her that after next week it will all be over and she can go back to having fun. I just pray I'm right. I pray I haven't ruined or stifled my precious, fun loving, free wheeling child. She is the very essence of a free spirit....and I don't want her to lose that quality. I want her to shine.

And on that note....I'm going to bed!

You have all wormed your way into my heart!!!!

I just want to say a very heartfelt "thank you" to everyone who has commented and sent prayers and cards my way. I can't tell you what it has meant to me. It is so comforting to know that I have so many wonderful and caring friends out there! Thank you all....

 

Blah....

Unfortunately since my last entry, things with my father have been declining. The hospice nurse says that it seems as though the "natural progression" of things is happening, and that we should notify the family. Mom is doing so well, making decisions left and right, getting things in order....yet staying right by my dad's side, to comfort him and to just "be". I'm so proud of her. This disease has not just taken a toll on my dad, but on her as well. There is an unbelieveable amount of physical care that she has had to provide, let alone the emotional care. She is, truly, the strongest woman I know. I only hope that I am able to help her get through the next few weeks.

It's funny what you think of during times like these. Today I couldn't think of anything except that I had to get to the store and buy some luggage so that we would be ready if something should happen. I bought it and now I'm thinking I need to get to the store to get some dress clothes for the girls, make sure prescriptions are filled, find someone to watch the dog....I was feeling guilty that I wasn't more emotional or crying....but I know that I need to do these things while I can, before I'm too upset to think straight. I suppose everyone deals with grief in different ways. I need to sit down and talk with the girls too. I'm so proud of them as well. They are so loving toward my dad. Wee one sat on the bed with him and just held his hand the last time we were there.

We are going over when John gets home from work. I remember when my best friend was dying, and she started getting a lot of visitors. She said to me, "Gee, I must be getting worse!" It's true though. As soon as people find out someone is sick, they come visit regularly. Then they seem to taper off but start back up when they get the news that things aren't looking so good. I guess it's just the nature of human beings. No matter what kind of pain you are in, or who you are losing in your life....it goes on. Delieveries continue to be made, stores continue to open, restaurants continue to serve. Nothing stops....it just keeps going, and drags you along even when you don't feel like participating.

Anyhoo....I must be going. I have a pile of laundry that is a mile high that I should be working on, and it's almost time to pick up wee one from the bus stop.

BTW, I'm rather behind on my commenting....I'll catch up soon!