Quite weekend

TJ and his parents went to visit a friend overnight. I'm home ALONE; enjoying the quiet. Next week is a doozy for Ann. Her place of employment has a major client to get 'online' by July 1st and ALL employees will 'live' at work stating Monday. Now I'm going to put down on paper [computer] some of the things that TJ is doing at 14 months old. If I don't write them down, I will forget. TJ talks very well. He says ball, heavy ball, up, down, highchair, please, Lily, Speedy, heehaw, pretty, strawberry, PB&J, chicken, catch, vroom, bump [speed bump], exit, difficult, [he repeats everything] two, three, upstairs, light, downstairs, more [with ASL] and please [with ASL], all done [with ASL], baby, outside, home, car, truck, blue, purple, [letter] O,M, B and G, book, tea, iced tea, hot coffee, top, bowl, soft, bed, blanket, 'Move your Body' [Beyonce] chair, bathroom, juice, milk, window, Barney, trash, cookie, black pepper, pepper, cheese, hat, mirror, airplane, door, shut, open, bird, ice, yoga, and lots more. First he luvd 'River Dance' then 'Barrage - Old Joe Clark' then 'Move your Body'. He can climb in and out of his 'car seat'. Not too fond of baths. Hugs and kisses Lily and climbs on her for cuddling. Tries to pet 'Speedy' cat. Eats with a fork. Luvs to be naked. Starting to like puzzles. Enjoys an alphabet video. Walks [well] through the uneven ground in the backyard. Likes to go 'bye-bye'. Drinks a lot of juice, some of it carrot. Takes a milk bottle before bed time only. Watches Mommy and Daddy leave for work, through the open window.

I promised.

Yesterday I said [wrote] that I would list a few things that I disliked. First, I would be remiss to leave my 'like' list finished without the addition of 'indoor plumbing'. Enough said. Top of my 'dislike' list is public smoking, hypocrites, people that call themselves 'Christian' but behave very unChrist like, 99 % of TV, sheets/shirts/pants that are not 100% cotton and adults that have 'melt-downs' [anger] worse than a kid. All done. I'm a live and let live kind of gal, until I see the weak/defenceless downtrodden.

I'm trying to think of something to write.

I guess I'll just write whatever pops into my head. I wish I had a cup of coffee recently. The caffeine makes every thought that enters my head come out my mouth. Just ask Dee & Jay. They have been in a car with me after I drank too much coffee. If I can't think of anything new to write maybe I could think about something in the past. I'm very much NOT an old person who likes to reminisce about the 'glory days'. I like to enjoy the present and look forward to future doings. Maybe my older [15] grandson will be a willing and able travel companion. Since I'm having trouble thinking of something to write, I'll just list some things that I like. Bands [school and parade], cats, dogs, critters, pink, pink and green together, scissors [a pair in every drawer], garage sales, Oldsmobile 98's, pink flowers, gardens, clean sheets, coffee [see above], plays, potatoes [grew my own this year], blue jean and sweater weather, head-hand-foot rubs, heater in the bathroom, air conditioning in my car, non fiction books, real maple syrup, real butter, bread, and water views. Tomorrow -- things that I could live without.

Page 15.) 8-18-98

Jay, were having lunch and I gave you broccoli and you said "muchos grasis". his is the first time you have said 'thank you ' in Spanish. [GG has been saying 'thank you amigo' for a couple of months. Jay "Poka posies'translation 'Ring around the Rosie'.
9-3-98
Today we met a 2 year old boy in the park named 'Mackenzie' ; 'Mac' for short. You asked me to go to 'Greenfield Village'. "I like the big train GG, and the merry go round and the boat". You are very important to me. Yesterday and today you rode your 'Big Bike' to the park and back. About one mile; you are only 2 1/2. "What's your mane?" Jay, "I don't know". We were at a birthday party in August and a woman at the party said. "he [you] has a captivating face. He is gorgeous". I know. They are building GG a new street and you luv 'front loader' steam shovel' dumptrucks, bull dozers and cement trucks. There is another car just like mine in Allen Park and you point it out all the time. I think you are the most precious boy in the whole world. You are very polite and thoughtful. If I forget to say 'your welcome' when someone says thank you' You remind me to say 'your welcome'. YOU ARE A JOY!

Kids,

Yesterday was my first 'day care' job at Yoga for the students w/children. Two hours of 'working' day care, gets me one hour of yoga-free. I have a deeper respect for teachers today. The first hour was just two 'sisters'. The older [6] decided that the chair would make a great toy - in a room filled with TOYS! The younger sister wanted to do everything her older sister did. The second hour also had sisters, and single 6 year old girl who would not tell me her name [I called her teacher because she wanted to 'teach' the 2 year old sister]. The older sister [5] kept correcting my enunciation of her name. "My name is AVA not ADA." Defective hearing I'd say. Goodness, I can say AVA...........my name begins with a 'V'! It's very hard to chase someone if they refuse to run. The 'most' fun was trying to get 'Ellis' [boy 5] to stop running in the playroom. He was being chased by... what else........the older sister. When I asked him to play catch with me, he threw the ball twice before dragging more toys out. Oh......and the little one stubbed her toe [no shoes????? in the playroom] and it bleed a little and 'teacher' insisted on being the 'nurse' and bandaging the boo-boo. Do the parents feed these kids donuts and koolaid BEFORE bringing them to 'playtime?' I hope it will be more fun, when I bring TJ with me. Wish me luck.

Hot, Hot, Hot.

North Carolina is in it's first heat wave of 2011. 98* 5/31/11 and nothing <90* for entire week. I was out in the oven Tuesday. It was HOT but, not a humid hot where you feels like a wet soggy dish rag. We have our 'eye' on the house across the street. It is 'for sale' right now, but if it hasn't sold by November when our lease is up, maybe the owner [who lives right next to us] would be willing to rent it to us. Right now our driveway has a 45* slope up. Hers has a flat driveway. Us, no fence - her, fence for Lily. Us, no backyard grass - her, grass. Us, no deck - her, lovely deck. Same house minus one fireplace. We wouldn't even need a moving truck. It's down hill and across the street!