2017 Review

This year I have knit 6 1/2 pairs of socks; I gave two pairs to Cynthia and kept these for myself.  I really enjoy the feel of these lightweight wool socks and wear them often.  You can see that the unfinished pair uses a different design, one with a basket weave.

I finished two quilts in 2017.  This one is "Soul Searching," the one below is "Fractured."  These are the names of the patterns; perhaps I will give each one a more personal title.








As to my resolutions for this year, I met some but not others.  1.  I continue to try to improve my eating habits and walk more.
2.  I have read more non-fiction; last year 13% of my books were NF, this year 17% are.  Not a huge increase but some.  My goal is still 25%.
3.  Blogging continues on a regular basis.
4.  As to quilting goals, so-so success.  I did finish these two, but still have one top that needs quilting.  And I didn't do Sarah's quilt or one for donation.  Maybe in 2018.
5.  I visited Dad three times.
6.  I visited Sarah and Erik for a bridal shower, then we went to San Diego for their wedding.
7.  Meeting a friend for lunch or another activity has been easy to accomplish.

In summary, 3, 5, 6 and 7 were fully met; the others were only partially met, so I will keep working on them!

Sorting

Cynthia told me the other day that they have already packed 34 boxes as they get ready to move in April or May.  They've made numerous trips to Goodwill, sold (or donated) a couch and chair, cleaned out a closet or two.  What an inspiration she is!  I wish she could come out here and help me!  E encourages me in my effort to de-clutter; she is very good at looking honestly at "things" and marking them as unnecessary.  I'm not sure why it's so hard for me, why I cling to objects don't use any more.  Yesterday afternoon I worked in my sewing room, sorting fabrics and patterns.  But there's a long way to go.

More sorting of fabric happened this afternoon, clearing off the cutting table so I could begin work on the challenge for the quilt guild.  Our house plants are all in my workroom so James won't nibble on them and throw up, so it's even more crowded than usual.  Last night I recycled some quilt patterns, most of them black and white copies not color.  While they apparently appealed to me years ago, seeing them without color leaves me blah.  There are so many quilts on my want-to-make list now, I don't need to go back twenty years and add old ones.

Good dinner tonight:  roast chicken (on sale for 78 cents a pound at Safeway), dressing, gravy and Brussells sprouts.  And I made two loaves of bread this afternoon.  That's one thing I miss when I'm watching the children all day at their house, being able to cook.  Perhaps I could if they were here; after all, I cooked when our girls were little.  I guess I feel ec still needs lots of supervision, and there might be a bit of "they're not mine, so I'd better be careful."  Boy, that sounds strange, but could it be?

Boxing Day

Christmas dinner tasted delicious!  E and es made a lot of Parmesan Breadstick Candy Canes, maybe twenty-four, and we ate all but two.  The lasagna and broccoli were well-received, even by es.  One funny story--after I finished my breakfast early on Christmas, I took out the ingredients for Strawberry Salad, only to discover the bag of frozen fruit was not strawberries as I expected but rather raspberries.  I certainly was not in the mood to go out looking for an open grocery store.  What to do?  For some reason I had a box of sugar-free raspberry Jello in the cupboard, so I took a chance (using my intelligence guided by experience, as Nero Wolf frequently told Archie) and simply substituted raspberries for strawberries.  The result was a bit tart but still very good.  The raspberry seeds added texture.  I think Joann liked seeing the children and interacting with them a little.  She has no grandchildren.

After eating we FaceTimed with Grandpa-Great, then opened the few gifts under the tree.  EKee went home to pack before heading south for "second Christmas."  By 7:00 I was drifting in and out on the couch, so we nixed the idea of watching a new DVD and went to bed early, at least I did.  Randy stayed up a while.

Tuesday morning I practiced a bit and dried clothes at EK's.  Then we went to Dena's for a Boxing Day feast.  I had expected just six of us, but eleven people enjoyed an afternoon of prime rib and Yorkshire pudding with roasted vegetables.  And of course lots of appetizers--cheeses, crab dip, crackers, Brie in puff pastry.  Cheese cake and stollen ended the meal.  Home by seven, and then we did watch the new movie, "Remember the Night," with Fred McMurray and Barbara Stanwyck, an improbable but fun holiday story about a district attorney and a shoplifter.

Merry Christmas!

Saturday morning I went to the church, eager to see if the piano had been fixed.  While it is indeed much much better, it does not sound as good as it did before the damper problem last week, so I will have the technician return.  I practiced organ, preparing for Christmas Eve services, then we met at EK's to discuss layout drawings from our contractor.  After lunch I made my annual Cherry Almond Wreath, a sweet bread full of red and green candied cherries and almonds, and Randy and I have eaten at least half already.  Yesterday I played for three services:  the normal Sunday morning service, the family service at 5:00, and the 9:00 service with choir. EKee and Randy attended the 5:00 which included two songs by the new community children's choir (es is ready to sign up), two short children's sermons, and two saxophone pieces by one of the boys, as well as the traditional carols and candlelight "Silent Night."  The church was not quite packed, but more came than to the later service.   Randy had hoped to sing in the choir but his cold prevented that.  Home by 10:30 or so.

Randy and I are fighting colds; he's been sick a month now, I've had mine less than a week.

This morning we will decorate our tree, I hope, and perhaps put the angels on the piano.  I haven't done much decorating this year, and the box of Christmas cards is still sitting on the table.Why?  I've just had a lot of other things to do, and with Randy not sleeping well I'm not sleeping enough either, so my energy level is low.  EKee and neighbor Joann will join us for lasagna, broccoli, strawberry salad, breadsticks and peppermint ice cream.  Then EK and children will drive down to see K's family and participate in a wedding.  Looks like James will stay with us while they are away.

What was that?

Yesterday morning the Trinity choir presented its special Christmas music.  In the middle of the second piece I heard a loud bang from inside the piano, and the damper pedal stopped working, leaving the dampers off the strings.  What a weird thing!  We finished the song, but a few minutes later we were able to look inside the piano.  I hoped the rod that connects the pedal to the damper bar had come loose and we could just put it back in place, but no such luck.  I played the final piece on the organ, which scared me a bit since I hadn't practiced it that way.  After the service we looked more closely but could find no loose connections.  So we have a call in to the tuner/technician, hoping he can fit us in this week without it costing too much.  Julie and I had planned a couple of flute/piano duets for the Christmas Eve service, but I will choose alternate pieces just in case we can't use the piano.

Play-Doh

For her birthday es received the Play-Doh Toolin' Around Playset, which includes molds, scissors and a pocket knife.  Before you start to worry, these last two items are totally safe for a toddler.  I don't think the scissors will cut anything other than the soft clay.  And the various "blades" on the knife are also just for the play-doh; the can opener tip is perfect for opening the tin of play-doh.  Two of the molds are like cookie presses; you fill a tube with the clay, then use a pusher to press the clay through a shape at the end.  One extrudes skinny spaghetti-like strands which es calls hair.  Yesterday she stood on the stool at the bar in the den for close to an hour playing with this new toy.  Part of the time I played with her.  She directed our activity--she was DaDa and ran a barber shop.  I was Bilbo and came in for a haircut.  For my part I had to mold a figure and put the strands of hair on him, then wait for my turn in the chair.  Once two goblins were in front of me.  I discovered if I rolled out a chunk of the pink clay then cut out Bilbo he was much sturdier than if I shaped the body parts separately.

Standing

He pulls up so easily now that it's hard to remember the days when ec just stayed where I put him.  He crawls quickly and pulls up at the wall, the sliding glass doors, the couch, dining room chairs, even the foot rest under the bar.  Anything not flat on the floor.  He releases his hold and stands unsupported for 5-10 seconds.  He transfers his hold from one thing to another.  It's fun to watch!  And he's getting so strong, able to walk/stumble along holding on to just one of my hands.

This morning when he finished his egg and fruit I dampened a paper towel and began to wipe his face and hands.  I removed the tray from his high chair.  Oops!  More Cheerios and blueberries in his lap!  What a grin as he carefully took those little pieces from my hand.  I expect we will go to Target this morning for a couple of things, maybe to Kohl's.

Cascade colors

This pair was finished in early November; I took the picture at that time, but forgot to post it.  The yarn is Cascade Colors by Patons Kroy.  It's a little heavier than the first sock yarn I used but still very comfortable to wear.

For the next pair I decided to try a new pattern, Cath, that features a basket weave of sorts.  It's rather free in that the leg portion is the "fancy" design, then the directions say to use your favorite heel, then knit the foot, then use your favorite toe.  For the leg I had to follow a chart, a grid of 16 stitches across and 14 rows, to be repeated four or five times (I chose four, that was long enough), so I dug out the magnetic strips and plate I've used for years for cross-stitch projects and laid the chart on that, making it quite easy to keep track of which row I was working.  I have made it past the heel now and am working on the foot, having decided not to continue the curvy pattern on the foot but to do plain stockinette.

Holiday movies

One of my favorite Christmas movies is The Bishop's Wife.  I can't begin to say how many times I've seen it; it's the first holiday movie I watch at the beginning of each December.  Years ago I recorded it on 8mm tape, then more recently I bought the DVD.  It was featured at the local theater as a classic film, so I got to see it on the big screen, which was a lot of fun.  Apparently Cary Grant started as the bishop and David Niven the angel; a new director came on board and realized the two men were in the wrong roles.  He persuaded Cary Grant to drop the title role, which he had wanted, and to play Dudley, which became one of his most praised roles.  After seeing the film I can't imagine the two men in reversed roles.

Yes, Holiday Inn, White Christmas, Elf, Love Actually, One Special Night, La Pastorela, It's a Wonderful Life, and more are on our shelf, but this is the one I pull out first.  There's just something about the premise of being unaware of angels among us, answering prayers.  In 1996 this film was re-made with Denzel Washington as the angel, Courtney B. Vance as the minister, and Whitney Houston as The Preacher's Wife.  I haven't seen it.  Cary vs. Denzel...both are good, but after seeing the older one, it would be hard to like the new version.

Round and around

Round and around the little boy goes, where he stops nobody knows.  This VTech "Touch and Learn Activity Desk" lives in the family room.  Both children play with it, though in different ways.  es uses it as intended, playing the alphabet games, identifying parts of the body and colors, dancing to some of the music.  Her brother loves to push the desk and pull the legs out of the stool.  Sometimes he manages to turn it on, but I imagine it's a total accident.  Today he pulled up by it and cruised around it three or maybe four times.  The fun part came as the desk moved.  It sat against the cupboard, so to get on the back side ec had to push it out a bit, but as he progressed to the front side he pushed it back against the cupboard.  I had to laugh.  And so did he!

Twinkle, twinkle little bug

Sunday I gave es a new book which has two stories about Sesame Street characters.  In the second one Big Bird captures a lightning bug and puts it in a jar with holes punched in the lid, much as I did as a child.  Since fireflies have not crossed the Rockies es has not seen one but she seemed to understand the concept.  The bug twinkled for a couple of Big Bird's friends, then stopped.  So Big Bird tried giving it a cookie, a pillow, various things, but it would not twinkle any more.  Finally Grover asked, "Would you twinkle if you were caught in a jar?"  Big Bird released it and it twinkled brightly once more.

We had fun acting out the story, taking turns being the bug, captured, sad, then set free.  She amazes me with how often she can repeat, with minor variations, the same game.

Future lawyer?

This afternoon a little past 4:00 es asked if I would take her to the park.  I said I didn't have time because I would be going home soon.  She replied that she would ask her dad, which she did when K came in at 4:30 to relieve me.  (E and ec were in the city to visit an old friend.). He said yes, then backtracked because E had left pot roast cooking in the crockpot and he didn't want to go too far from the house.  He suggested they just take a short walk, and she agreed, but said the whole family could go another day.  I wish I had made note of the exact sequence of her dialogue.  It really did sound like  she was organizing her arguments before a judge!

We spent quite a bit of time today acting out stories.  For instance, she had me be the BBW knocking on the serious piggy's door, then when I couldn't blow down his door I climbed up on the roof to go down the chimney.  Lots of details from the story but some additions; after the wolf ran off, she became his mother, comforting him after he fell in the pot of hot water.  Then she was Little Red Riding Hood bringing a basket of treats to her grandma.  She placed little blocks and things in a box with a handle and identified each item--a teether became a slice of raisin bread toast, a cube was a cookie, this was a bowl of soup, this was ice cream.  It was great!  Then she was "sick" and I had to bring treats to her.

Never a dull moment!  And she narrates everything she does.  I enjoyed the time with just her.

Goodbye

Last night Linda's daughters followed her very clear wishes and turned off life support, and this morning she died.  Hers is the fourth death in the last two months of friends or family; she's the person I will miss the most.  I feel wrung out.

Some sad news

I received a call yesterday from the pastor at Trinity passing on some news which led her to change a hymn for today's service.  My friend Linda, whose husband died two years ago and who moved to Chicago last fall to be near a daughter's family, fell on Friday while out walking in her neighborhood.   Someone passing by called 911, but in falling her airway was constricted and she was without oxygen for a while.  Linda is now in critical condition in the ICU and shows little or no brain activity.  She is not expected to live very long.

I am just speechless.  She came out here last month to visit friends for a few days.  She sat in EK's living room, and we talked as ec played.  She was full of enthusiasm at her granddaughter's growth and the new life she was making in Chicago.  She even had started dating, saying she just wanted someone to do things with.  Then she left, walking back to her host's home.

After she moved, I missed having her here in town; it's difficult to accept I may never see her again.

Thanksgiving

We had five guests join us for turkey on Thursday, all of whom were present the last time we hosted Thanksgiving dinner in 2014.  I couldn't help but think of two men who were with us on that day but are now gone, Dave and Barry.  I'm thankful I knew each of them.  And although we no longer share the day with Grohs and Campbells, I think of Jim and miss him.  Joni, Sandy and Yvonne came with their parents for Jim's celebration a couple of weeks ago.

Yesterday I dried sheets at E's and kept James company.  He misses his people when they are away.  When I'm there watching the children, he more or less ignores me.  But this time he wrapped himself around my legs, presented his tummy for rubs, and followed me upstairs when I went to refill his food bowl.  His family returns tonight, I think.

Tonight we are having more supper guests, this time for a simple meal of turkey soup.  The carcass is still simmering in the crock pot, filling the house with a delicious aroma.  I will make a date cake as I do every year for Randy's birthday.  Yes, it's a couple of days late, but this way we can share with EKee tomorrow.

Baby vac

A couple of years ago I went to one of e's doctor's appointments.  The pediatrician mentioned a device called Baby Vac, a plastic tube and reservoir affair that you connect to your vacuum cleaner in order to suction your baby's nasal passages.  E and I laughed, even while grimacing at the thought, but he assured us it worked.  So E bought one and used it on e.  Now it's ec's turn.  The poor guy has had a runny nose for quite a while, so E pulls out the vacuum daily for a treatment, sometimes more than one.  It's a two-person job because ec doesn't just lie still saying," It's OK, Mom, I know this will help me breathe better."  But it is effective.  Someday he will learn to blow his nose by himself and the Baby Vac will not be needed.  Until then he will get relief with this device.

Pre-Thanksgiving dinner

The dinner at EK's gave us plenty of delicious food and sparkling conversation, even Bananagrams!  Little ec has been fighting a cold so he looked pretty pathetic with his red nose and flushed cheeks and droopy eyes, though the plaid shirt and gray sweater vest gave him a preppy air.  E indicated this pre-Thanksgiving dinner may become a tradition for them, since K's mom really likes to have her family present for the actual holiday.  EKee will drive south tomorrow afternoon.

Today was picture day for es at school.  I hope her hair didn't get too fly-away by the time she saw the photographer.

Assessment

Thursday es and I finished the paper chain that shows how many days till her birthday.  She decorated many of the strips, I did a few, and some were blank.  I think we started too soon; she seemed to lose interest, perhaps because we had so many strips.  But it is done and hanging in the family room now, orange, green, yellow and white links against the brown cupboard.

Yesterday E met with her teachers at the daycare center to discuss assessment results.  Soon es will transition to the T2 classroom.  This will occur over a two-week period, with a little more time each day spent with the new teacher, room and class.  Not surprisingly, the biggest challenges for es are sharing and following directions willingly.  I found it interesting to see how her teacher's observations differed from mine regarding sentence length and naming colors and shapes, but I observe just one child and not in a testing situation.  But she seems to be on track, a "normal" three-year-old.

This morning I play for a memorial service, then we go to EK's for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner.  E expects about a dozen guests for turkey and all the trimmings.  I'm taking dressing and cranberry cake.

Water from the sky

Today is wet.  While I wouldn't say it is raining right now, there is definitely moisture in the air.  When ec and I took a walk earlier I put up the hood on my rain jacket and covered him when the mist became sprinkles, but soon it was over.  Heavy rains and wind are due later today.

Lynn took Shelley and me to supper at Acapulco last night.  Randy left early for the monthly session meeting and couldn't join us.  I enjoyed the conversation.  It's always fun to chat with family members who share memories and knowledge of other relatives.  We had dessert at Lynn's, Tuxedo Cake left from the party on Sunday.  Lynn is getting by.  When we left she hugged Shelley and said, "I don't suppose I'll see you again."  I assumed she referred to Shelley going back home; Shelley said later she thought Lynn meant she might not still be alive the next time Shelley visits.

This'n'that

Sleep training has not been as successful as hoped, but ec does seem to be sleeping for longer stretches at night and putting himself back to sleep if he stirs.  On the other hand, es now cries "I miss my mother," even when E is in the next room.  So we are working on that.

Shelley came for uncle Jim's memorial and is staying with us for a few days.  We don't see her often so are enjoying her visit, though we still have choir, childcare, normal activities going on.

Speaking of the memorial, I found it lovely to see all the people who came by to honor Jim and Lynn.  Band members.  Quilters.  Bridge players.  Neighbors.  Friends of the family from the past. Pat and Shirley and three of their daughters.  At one point two young soldiers (Marines?) in their dress blues came by and played taps then presented Lynn with one of those carefully folded American flags, thanking Jim for his service to our country.  Pictures and statements about Jim posted through the house, food set up in the garage, desserts in the living room, people visiting on the front lawn on the warm, sunny fall afternoon...a great way to say farewell to this good man.

Yesterday es spent quite a while in her Peter Pan costume.  We each played several roles from the story.  It was fun!  E bought her some suede boots, like Uggs, which she added to her outfit.

A lot is coming up as we enter the extended holiday season, so perhaps I'll post more often.

Sleepover

Last night es stayed with us so E could work on sleep training with ec and not worry about his crying disturbing es.  We went to their house for supper after the concert at Trinity yesterday afternoon, and es came home with us.  Tonight E brought her over after supper.  We were a bit curious as to how she would respond to sleeping in the crib, but it doesn't seem to bother her; perhaps she figures that's just the way it is at Grandpa and Grandma's house.  She did double-check that I would hear her on the monitor if she called out.  It seems ec is making progress toward sleeping all night.  Hurray!

All Saints' Day

November 1 is All Saints' Day, a time to remember those who have died.  At Trinity and other churches you may find a list in the bulletin of those who've died in the past year; you'll hear prayers thanking God for the lives of these people.  Since last November 1, I've lost several friends and relatives.  Barry, neighbor and friend.  Jay, one of Randy's cousins.  Martin, husband of one of my cousins.  Timothy, son of one of my cousins.  Ron, husband of one of my cousins.  Kiyumi, long-time neighbor.  Neil, husband of a friend.  Jim, one of Randy's uncles.  And there are more I could name, people in the church that I didn't know well but I've played for their memorial services.

Perhaps this is why I was thinking the other day about my mother's death at age 65.  I'm already older than that.  While I know my age, I don't necessarily feel that old, so I can imagine a little about how she felt knowing she was not going to be around to do those things she had planned to do when she retired.  And even more so, Randy's mom must have felt it wasn't right for her to die at 56.  I don't want to be morbid, but I would like to live each day fully.

Goals check-in

In January of this year I posted seven goals toward which I've been working for ten months now.  Here is an accounting of my progress.

1.  Eat less, move more--so so.  I have lost five pounds.

2.  Read more non-fiction, aim for 25% of the total books read.  Currently I'm at 14%.  Last year I ended at 13%.

3.  Continue blogging at least once a week--yes, though occasionally a week slips by without a post, my average is above that.

4.  Quilting--I've quilted two tops, another one is waiting.  I did not make one to donate to a silent auction fundraiser at Trinity.

5.  I was able to visit my dad three times in the spring, once with E and the children.  I knew once I began to do childcare for them, traveling would be more complicated.

6.  I visited Sarah this summer for her bridal shower, then again for her wedding in September.

7.  Meet a friend monthly for lunch or a movie, etc.--I'm doing well with this.

Trick or treat

This morning when I arrived at EK's, E said ec had a fever.  Later we did walk to the Farmers' Market.  He slept most of the time we were out and continued sleeping when we returned home, for a total of 2 3/4 hours.  After a bottle, I changed his diaper and took off his clothes to cool him down.  I've spent most of the afternoon holding him as he sleeps.  Fortunately I had put a couple of new books on my iPad; it's been a treat to just sit and read.  Of course, I've had this little furnace on my chest!  I hope he doesn't have the same virus that his sister had for about a week.

EK went to the Halloween parade at es's school.  She took her wolf costume to wear.  So cute!  The children were to walk around the block.  I had planned to go but decided to stay home with the baby.

Baby's laptop

This device is the VTech Baby's Learning Laptop, one of the many toys passed on from friends to E and K when es was born.  The yellow lid closes, and the buttons on the base enable the child to choose various songs or respond to questions, etc.  While I don't remember es playing with it very much, ec likes it, at least right now.  He can be distracted with it, which can be a good thing!  But he also likes blocks, stacking cups, and other plain, old toys without flashing lights and music.

He is still having trouble sleeping through the night.  I guess we were spoiled by his sister's good sleep habits.

After being sick with a fever for nearly a week, es did return to school yesterday.  Thursday afternoon was a little rough for me, but other than that we three did well with the extra togetherness.

Sick girl

Apparently es has picked up a virus causing upset stomach and fever.  She will miss school tomorrow and possibly another day or two; the school requires children to be fever-free for 24 hours before returning.  Though she was fairly cheerful much of today, she was also sluggish at times.  I thought ec felt a bit hot, so he may be sick, too.

My friend Linda is coming in from Chicago this week.  We plan to get together Thursday afternoon.  It's been two years since her husband died, one year since she moved to the Windy City.  I don't chat with her as often as I would like; I'm not sure why.

New jazz fan and crib conquered

Thursday the children came to our house.  At one point Randy put on a Diana Krall CD, and after a bit es said, " I like that song."  Interesting response.  I doubt she had heard this light jazz singer before, but something in her voice or perhaps the backing instrumentation caught es's attention.  I expect Randy will expose her to more of Krall's recordings.

We walked down to the park, where es was the only child and could choose what to do.  It seemed she missed having other children around so we soon moved on to the library then to Safeway for bananas.  When asked what she would like for a treat, she quickly replied, "M&M's," and said she would eat some on the way home then give the rest to her mom, which she later did.

About forty-five minutes after I put es in her crib for quiet time, I heard her door open.  "Grandma, I climbed out of my crib!"  This was a first at our house; she climbed, or rather fell, out of her crib at home months ago, so her parents converted it to a day-bed then just a mattress on the floor.  But she never complained about still being in a crib at our house.  We haven't discussed what to do now.  We will need the crib for ec as he outgrows the porta-crib, but are we ready to put es by herself in the green room guest bed?  Probably not.  So, thinking caps on!

Eight months

Eight months old already!  When I see what ec can do, it's easy to believe he has been with us that long.  He crawls easily, maneuvers himself into a sitting position, pulls up by the couch or chair, eagerly eats baby oatmeal, and more.   And this means I've been on full-time childcare for four months, since E returned to work.  Some days are harder than others but what fun to see the children grow.

The air is generally cleaner now, though yesterday we had some unhealthy readings in the afternoon.  The firefighters are gaining control of the North Bay fires, but yesterday a fire erupted to the south of us.  October is a bad month for fires.  Lots of dry vegetation just waits for a spark to finite it.

Smoke and Quilts

Yesterday E, ec and I went to the Pacific International Quilt Festival, a huge quilt show down in Santa Clara.  We drove through the haze, wondering how people in Beijing survive even worse air quality conditions daily.  The fires continue burning in the North Bay, with some 9000 firefighters gradually containing them.  I can't imagine how difficult this work must be, how draining.  I just went out for a walk, 8:00 AM.  Blue sky, 50 degrees, little breeze, nice!  But before long I could smell smell smoke even though the sky was pretty clear, so I headed home.  Schools are keeping children inside all day, and many athletic events have been cancelled or postponed, since exertion leads to deeper/heavier breathing which brings more of the nasty particulates into your lungs.

On a cheerier note, we enjoyed the quilt exhibit.  Although E carried ec briefly, he was generally content in his stroller, looking around, charming some of the other quilters.  We met up with Carol and had lunch with her.  I took very few pictures this year.  The definition of "quilt" seems to be changing.  Now many of the pieces use thread painting, embroidery, hand-painted fabrics and details, and other innovations.  I tend to be old-fashioned, I guess, thinking of a quilt as a blanket for the bed or back of the couch, whereas many of the show entries are works of art that I couldn't imagine using to stay warm.  And that's OK.  People are creating, expressing themselves.  I have joined the local quilt guild, and at our recent meeting plenty of people showed what I consider traditional quilts.  The big show just tends to select more art quilts.

Wildfires

We woke up Monday to news of fires about 60 miles north of us in Santa Rosa and surrounding areas.  Many neighborhoods have been evacuated, schools are closed, homes and businesses have burned.  The TV reports are almost unbelievable.  They are hard to watch yet can be hard to turn off.  Here we experience the worst air pollution ever, with unhealthy air.  Yesterday I could see the sun, but no blue sky; everything seemed hazy, a light orange or coral.

I remember the 1991 fire up in the hills, seeing many pine needles fall from trees across the street as we sat in church, noticing flames shoot up in the hills as we drove home on the freeway, riding bikes down to the bay so we could observe the plumes of smoke.  But that lasted only a couple of days.  Now we have multiple fires expected to last many days.  E and Randy and I have talked about what we would do if told to evacuate, how we can prepare now.

Wildfires in wooded areas or open fields is one thing; fire tearing through residential areas is scary.

They're back!

The U. S. Navy's Blue Angels, a precision flight team, are  back in the Bay Area for Fleet Week.  They take off from our airport then fly over our house on their way to an airshow over by the Golden Gate Bridge.  What a powerful sound those jet engines make as they climb into the sky!  Last year I saw them clearly and could read the lettering on the underside of the wings, but I haven't made it outside fast enough yet this weekend.  I expected them just before 3:00 today, but they zoomed over about 1:15.

Just in case they were doing two shows, I went back outside a few minutes before three, hoping to make a video if they returned.  They did!  But I was too slow and couldn't get them in view.  I captured the roar of the engines but not the planes.  Maybe next year I will head down to the park where the open field should allow a longer view of the jets.  Randy and es were at the park Friday afternoon when the jets flew over.  The noise startled es so much she clung to Randy; later he realized that he probably should have covered her ears.

More socks

Last night I finished this pair of socks for my sister.  The color in the photo is not very good; the yarn is called Cadet Colors and is shades of blue and gray.  I think this is the 8th pair I've knit, and I've already begun the next pair.  Yarn for four more pairs is waiting.  But recently I came to the realization that I don't need numerous pairs of wool socks, no matter how much fun they are to knit and to wear.  So I will probably stop making them after I knit up the yarn I have.  Or at least do some quilting before knitting more.

Anybody want a pair?

Yesterday ec's new food was yogurt, and he really liked it.

Remember "Alice, the Camel?"  You should hear es sing it, complete with dancing.  Fun!

Smooth

What a fluid movement ec exhibits as he moves into a sitting position.  From those first awkward tries to "Aw, shucks, this is simple," ec is becoming more adept daily.  Today he pulled himself up to  standing at his walker.  And he is crawling now!  Not across the room yet, but for several feet.

I've been exploring a workbook with es on same and different, with exercises like "Circle the item that is different" or "Circle the two that are the same."  She makes the correct choice probably 99% of the time and enjoys putting a sticker on the finished page.  I usually ask her to explain her choices, and she can.  i find it interesting that when she circles two items that are alike, she usually circles the first thing then draws a line to the second before circling it.  Her circles are not perfect by any means, but they enclose the item.

Forward movement

Last Thursday ec moved himself from lying on his tummy to a sitting position, a first!  He hasn't done it again, though he has come close.  He can make forward progress on his tummy, getting up on his knees and lunging, and sometime he seems to make one "step" crawling, but there's no consistent pattern yet.  He loves to stand...by the couch, behind his walker, at the activity table, by my side.  I believe he is becoming more stable on his feet, but he still wobbles and is not nearly ready to walk.

Yesterday I moved the pack'n'play into the guest room so ec would have a quiet place to nap.  After I saw him yawn several times I took him in there and sat rocking him and singing.  Alas, James came in and ec's eyes followed him around the room, twisting and turning to watch the cat explore.  He didn't nap just then, but later he slept for two hours.  Trying to get him to sleep when his sister is around can be difficult.  He watches her as carefully as he did James.  And, of course, she is often chattering away.  I could take him upstairs to his crib, but there's no baby monitor in EK's room where his crib is right now, and it might be hard to hear him from downstairs.

Crash! Roar!

The other day, when both children came to our house, es was in bed for her quiet time.  And she was quite for an hour, maybe ninety minutes.  Then I heard shrieking from her room.  Not fearful or angry sounds, just loud noise.  So I went up to see if she needed help.  I opened the door to see her smiling. "I'm a thunderstorm," she informed me.  What a girl!

For many years we have had a book about the human body, with some full-size illustrations and pages that fold out.  A while back the word "skeleton" came up as I talked with es, so we googled some pictures then I brought this book over to show her drawings of bones, the heart, digestive system, etc.  When she and ec spent the night, I brought out the Magic Schoolbus book about the body, which intrigued her.  The next day we looked at the Magic Schoolbus at the Waterworks, another winner.  She is curious and can listen very attentively to books like this.  I don't read all the sidebars, but she gets the gist of the story and likes the pictures.  I think we kept six books in this series, so we have some still in reserve.

Recently I pulled out a book of songs, many with actions, geared toward young children, and es and I are working our way through it.  For instance, she likes "Alice the Camel."  Today we tried a new song, "Homes," which mentions a robin, bees, and a bunny.  We've sung one about the bunny and one about bees, so I looked to see if the book also included one about robins.  I didn't see one, but es reminded me we had sung one in the big red book (nursery rhyme songs).  Sure enough, "The north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow, and what will poor robin do then, poor thing?  He'll sit in a barn, and keep himself warm, and hide his head under his wing, poor thing!"  Granted there is a picture of the anthropomorphic wind and a robin, which may have helped her remember it, but I think she just has a wonderful memory for music.

Here comes the bride!

What a lovely weekend we had with our family and Erik's as months of planning and preparations led to a beautiful bride marrying her handsome groom under a huge tree in the outskirts of San Diego, surrounded by family and friends.

We arrived Saturday mid-day and met Dena and Alan at a cafe inside the airport.  They had arrived earlier and picked up a rental car which we shared with them.  Our hotel rooms were not yet available, so we went to a brew pub where Sean and Liz were relaxing and enjoyed visiting with them.  For dinner we treated these four plus Erik's mom and his sister and her husband at Seasons 52, where we had a delicious meal.  We were seated at the chef's table in a glass-walled room, very cozy.

Sunday we joined some of the wedding party at a brewery for lunch and chat.  The rehearsal dinner, hosted by Barbara, was held at the Airbnb where Sarah and her attendants were staying.  I enjoyed chatting with people who had known Erik a long time, and also some of Sarah's friends from high school, as well as newer friends.

The wedding day was sunny and warm.  We met the bride and her attendants at Erin's house to help them dress, then headed to Stelzer Park for the ceremony.  It was so personal!  Little es made it down the aisle with her bubble gun, though I think it may have produced more bubbles at the rehearsal than at the park.  Then our lovely princess Sarah walked in, face glowing, with eyes for only Erik.  I loved sitting on the front row, hearing comments from bride and groom to each other and to the officiant.  The reception also was personal, at a brewery they like.  Pictures, a trivia game (which eleven states have Sarah and Erik visited together?), board games, cupcakes, an event highlighting what the couple likes to do.

The next day we flew home.

Back home again!

These long breaks from blogging are a challenge.  When I don't write every day or two, things pile up.  For instance, last Thursday, both children spent the night with us while their parents attended a wedding at Lake Tahoe.  That morning E called me to make sure we were OK with keeping ec while he had a low- to medium-grade fever.  Of course we were.  But he needed extra holding and attention.    As I gave him Motrin, I remembered giving es her medication each day when she was an infant.  Bedtime went smoothly for the baby, and he woke just once for a bottle.  On the other hand, his sister stalled until finally I put her in the crib.  Weeping and wailing ensued for about ten minutes, at which point I picked her up and sat in the chair holding her close.  She fell asleep almost immediately.  The next morning I got her to school on time, without any problems.

E and K returned early Friday afternoon and faced the decision of whether to travel to San Diego with a sick child.  Since there were no other symptoms and his behavior was more or less normal, they decided to follow their plans.  But it was uncertain for a while.  His fever did disappear sometime Sunday, I think, and we were all glad to have them with us for the Big Event.

Now we are getting back in the routine of daycare, work, laundry, etc.  Yesterday es went to her bed for quiet time, taking six books with her.  After about ninety minutes of quiet she began shrieking.  I went up to see what the problem was.  She informed me she was a thunderstorm!

More about the wedding tomorrow.

Irony

Today, Labor Day, was a day off for me.  Since neither K nor E had to work, they watched the children, and I had free time.  So I took a walk, did a load of laundry, then went shopping at Macy's.  I wanted a new pair of shoes, perhaps dressy sandals that would enhance the dress I plan to wear to Sarah's wedding.  I tried on several pairs, but none of them excited me.  I even looked for a different dress, but nothing suited me.  So I went to DSW, a shoe store located next door to Macy's, and looked at lots of shoes, trying on a few pairs.  As I was about to leave, I saw some flats that looked almost perfect.  They had my size, and these came home with me.  I put on the dress, shoes, jewelry...yes!

After lunch I read a bit, practiced choir music, and worked on a sock (it's almost done).  Then I made supper.  Tomorrow it's back to work.

Heat wave!

Boy, it's hot!  We don't often get temps in the 90's, but we have them now.  Yesterday we even broke 100!   We put the fan in an upstairs window at night to draw in cool(-er) air, then close up everything in the morning.  It's been probably 15-20 degrees cooler inside than out these past couple of days.  Since es's school was closed Friday for staff development training, E took the day off.  She had a slower wake-up with the children but brought them over here by 10 or so.  She took es swimming at our neighborhood pool, then spent the rest of the day here.  Afraid their house would be too hot for comfort, she and the children slept here.  K came over after work.  They had supper while Randy and I went out with our A.S.S. Group.  K's softball team had late games, so he left to play ball then went home to open windows and cool off the house a bit.  They all spent Saturday morning here, but went home after lunch.

While I don't enjoy the heat, I'm thankful we have electricity to run the refrigerator and make ice.  And we don't have to stay upstairs or even leave the house because water is coming in on the ground floor.  And I don't have to put on a suit and go to work.

Sitting by himself

He's sitting up!  Tuesday I sat ec in front of the VTech "Sit to Stand Learning Walker," and he sat there, unassisted, for probably fifteen minutes playing with the various objects on the front panel.  Flashing lights, music, voices, lots to intrigue a curious mind.  Granted, he more or less flails at it since his small motor skills are not well-developed, but he clearly had fun.  (When he's older he'll be able to walk with it.)  I guess my sitting behind him on the floor reading to him or handing him toys wasn't exciting enough to make him want to sit alone.  Or perhaps everything worked together just right all at once.  Wednesday he sat some more, when he was awake; he took two, two-hour naps.

He continues to enjoy his solid food.  So far he's had avocado, yams, peaches, zucchini, pea soup, squash, and banana (not quite in that order).  And he usually finishes his bottle quickly, with steady drinking.

What is this instrument?

Yesterday Trinity and the String Academy (which rents church space for its lessons) co-sponsored a family discovery concert, aimed at introducing the children's choir set to begin in a couple of weeks.  Music is an important part of the ministry at Trinity, and the plan/hope is to use this new choir and similar programs to bring more young families into the church.  So the concert began with group singing, then the director and one artist from the string school introduced the violin and cello with some great playing.  Next Randy did a rap (which he would tell you wasn't really a rap) as I demonstrated what the organ can do.  Phase three was the instrument petting zoo, a chance for the children, with supervision, to touch and play the various stringed instruments and organ.  In the fellowship hall craft stations allowed them to make a shaker or tambourine or to decorate a foam violin.  Or course, cookies added to the festivities.  And prizes for visiting all the stations, as evidenced by collecting a sticker at each one.

E&K brought the children; what fun to see es singing, clapping, running up to sit by the organ.  She has a wonderful sense of music already, much as her aunt Sarah did at an early age.

Meltdown!

We have noticed that when es doesn't nap, she often is cranky in the late afternoon.  Yesterday the lack of a nap, and a not very quiet "quiet time," probably contributed to the meltdown she had when she had an accident in her panties and her mom threw them away.  I accept partial blame because I didn't notice the signs that es had to go.  I was sitting at the table, ec in the pack'n'play nearby, when es asked if I could clean up poopy panties.  I asked if she needed me to do that, and she said yes.  So we went to take care of it, but E heard us and came down to follow up on the consequences she had planned.  I guess the accident wasn't as extreme for me because we used cloth diapers thirty years ago rather than paper, and I swished out diapers and panties without much thought.  Anyway, es cried inconsolably for quite a while.  We'll see if this incident encourages her to use the potty.  She's becoming quite good at staying dry.

This morning ec passed his six-month check-up with flying colors.

Unexpected free time

Friday morning I arrived at E's without my bag of book/iPad/notepad/knitting because I planned to immediately put ec in the van and drive him to our house.  Well, you know the saying about the best-laid plans...E told me she had called the pediatrician's office for an appointment to see if ec had an earache.  She remembered that es had had one with no apparent symptoms, so she thought maybe ec did and that's why his sleep at night is frequently interrupted.  After a while they called back with a slot at noon, and E decided she would take the afternoon off.  So there I was, with nothing to do when he fell asleep.  It was funny, how the fail of my original plan seemingly left me unable to adjust on the fly.  Later I realized we could have taken a walk or gone to my house to get something, but I just read the rest of Harry Potter #1, then started #2.  Randy did wash our sheets and bring them over for me to dry, but he didn't arrive till after E left for the doctor's office, so I was unable to take full advantage of my free afternoon.

The doctor examined him, pronounced him fit as a fiddle, and suggested we may have trained him not to fall asleep unless he's being held.  So I expect change is coming, as E and K decide how to respond.

Show me!

This morning I went to pick up ec to bring him to our house for the day.  E was about to start his six-month photo shoot and his sister was trying to help, so I asked her to show me the Rain Forest, which she happily did (without asking why I didn't remember its location), carrying her Tinkebell balloon and leading me to the living room.  Then she wanted to show me more, so I asked for Uncle Clay's room and a couple other things.  When I asked for a picture of her with her mother, I expected she would show me one of the photos hanging in the living room.  Instead she smilingly picked up her toy cell phone and showed pictures on its screen.  What fun!  Of course, it displayed generic pictures of children and animals, but she knows her mom and dad have pictures on their phones, so why wouldn't she?

Back and forth

Friday morning I went to EK's with my load of wet laundry and put it in the dryer.  When it was done, I loaded it back in the car along with ec and drove home.  I left him sleeping under Randy's watchful eye and did my grocery shopping.  Our neighborhood Safeway is much friendlier, better stocked, in the morning contrasted with the evening, which is when I've shopped lately.  After lunch ec took another nap, then about 3:45 I took him back to his house, where his folks were waiting to pick up es at school and head to the outdoor concert at Crab Cove.

The extra driving was worth it, to be home for most of the day and have Randy's help.

Two thumbs up, Grandma!

The time has come...ec has begun eating solid food, if you can call mashed up avocado mixed with a little milk "solid."  He ate with great enthusiasm just now, his fourth day of avocado after the first bottle in the morning.  No negative reactions yet.  He already seems much more comfortable with the spoon and moving the food around in his mouth.

Along with this new adventure, ec is raising up on his knees with his bottom up in the air, and occasionally his belly is up off the floor with his arms straight, pushing up.  So we think crawling may be near.

Not to be outdone by her little brother, es wore panties to school yesterday for the first time.  Success!

Rain Forest

This is the Rain Forest from Fisher-Price.  The plastic mat has animals, trees, sky, a river.  The cross-bars have fabric loops from which various toys can be suspended.  Both children have enjoyed lying on the mat and batting at the brightly-colored toys, grabbing them as they get older.  The green disk at the top plays music and animal/rain forest sounds, as well as lights that flicker on and off.  I've read criticism of this toy, but our two grandchildren have had fun with it.  And it's a good place to put ec while we're busy in the kitchen.

Not very gracious

Yesterday was hard for me.  I didn't feel very perky at all, so when es acted like a two-year-old saying "No" and wanting things her way, I wasn't the most gracious grandma.  The children were at our house, fortunately, so Randy helped me a couple of times by taking one child while I dealt with the other.  I still haven't decided if it's better to have the two of them at our house or theirs.

After quiet time, we watched a video, "Peter and the Wolf."  es loves the wolf represented by French horns, and told me which instruments played for the other characters, as well.  I'm so glad she enjoys music.  A friend told me her grandson, who's about five I think, doesn't sing at all.  In fact, he will tell her,"No, I don't sing, Grandma. "

Somber toddler

Monday es actually napped!  She had been up late Sunday night. unexpected guests stopped by, and stayed for pizza.  Anyway, when she woke after about 2 1/2 hours, she was crying.  Perhaps she'd had a bad dream?  So I went upstairs to her room, held her awhile, then carried her downstairs.  She stayed on my lap, and I rocked her.  After a bit she slid down onto the floor and lay there, holding Bear.  Finally, probably 30 minutes after she woke, she was ready to walk around and talk with me.  (I was glad ec was asleep so I could focus on her.)  One of her first thoughts was, "Oh, this means I can watch something!"  Her napping allowed her to watch a youtube video of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on a farm.  She carefully reminded me and her mom that some videos were too long for her and might be scary, but this one was OK.

She was fine the rest of the day, so who knows what caused the unusual response.

The Grandma card

Already es knows some things at our house are different than at her house.  For instance, we have not taken the side off her crib to turn it into a toddler bed (as her folks did to her bed at home), but she doesn't complain when I put her in it for quiet time after lunch.  (She may complain about quiet time, but not the bed.)  The few times she has spent the night with us she didn't ask to sleep in our bed with us the way she sleeps in "MommyDaddy bed" at home.    When she plays with the Play-Doh I put the white ceramic cutting board on the coffee table for her to work on, so she knows to ask for it;  at her house she works directly on the table.  On the other hand, when she was here Wednesday she asked for ice cream, which she does not do at her house, and I gave her a tiny spoonful with chocolate on top as she requested.  Since I see her at least five days a week I don't feel the need to spoil her with special treats as I might if I saw her once a year as my parents saw our daughters.  I try to follow her parents' wishes.  But once in a while I do play the Grandma card.

From lap to floor

One of the little challenges in caring for an infant is how to move him smoothly from one position to another when he is asleep.  For instance this morning ec fell asleep while sitting on my lap facing out into the room.  How could I stand up and walk across the room then lay him down on the quilt on the floor, all without waking him?  Experience helps.  I knew I had to slip my right hand under his legs as my left hand cushioned his neck and head, while kneeling.  Success!

After he wakes up and has a bottle, we will walk down to the farmers's market for some peaches, tomatoes and such.  Oops...I hear him calling!

Uncomfortable baby

There's nothing quite like holding a sleeping baby on your lap!  This morning ec and I went to the post office, Walgreen's and Kohl's, walking all around the shopping center.  He fell asleep before Kohl's. I guess my shopping was not exciting enough for him!  He took a bottle at 11:30 or so, guzzling it down yet stopping occasionally to cry.  He often does this on Mondays, when thawed milk fills his bottles.  He napped again later, but woke up crying hard.  I picked him up and he hushed, returning to sleep.  But when I tried to lay him down the screaming started.  So I ended up holding him for quite a while.  When my neck/shoulder got tired, I just eased his bottom down to my lap so I wasn't holding him up.  I didn't mind; I was trying to finish reading Option B by Sheryl Sandburg, an ebook due in a couple of days, so this provided some extra time.  He drank another bottle when he woke, without the ear-piercing sound effects.  We then sat out on the deck in the shade, looking at the wisteria and feeling the breeze.

Surprise!

When E returned this morning from dropping es at preschool, she parked her car on the street so she could get to the ladder easily when she had a break.  She wanted to trim the wisteria again; it grows on the trellis on the upper deck, extending tendrils toward the walls and roof.  Already it is back to where it was before she cut it a week ago, or maybe ten days.  And she didn't want es to watch this particular event involving a ladder and sharp clippers.  Soon ec and I left for the farmers' market, about a 15 minute walk.  We bought peaches, a lovely tomato, a cantaloupe, and a huge sticky bun.

When we got back the car was gone, so I figured E had either finished her trimming and put the car in the garage or had left on an errand.  Well, she had indeed been out in the car...to pick up es, who had vomited up her breakfast and been sent home.  She was fine the rest of the day, no fever, no more vomiting, no other signs of illness.  After light eating she did take a nap, after which she was treated to a video, "Cinderella."  She showed me where the DVD player was, then pulled her little teal chair into position for viewing.  She watched intently, commenting occasionally on what she saw.  I hadn't watched this movie in many years, so it was fun to see it with her.

I'm glad E was home so she could get es.  I haven't yet been to the preschool to drop off or pick up, though I will before long so I can learn the procedure in case I need to help out this way.

"Fractured"

Recently I finished this quilt, "Fractured" by Kathy Doughty.  I have collected fabrics with turquoise, pink, and purple for a long time, and I used a lot of them here.  The blocks were cut and sewn together in fall 2014 before I started traveling to Chandler to care for e, but then it languished in a stack of unfinished projects.  Finally I quilted and bound it this spring, but I don't think I have posted a picture.  While many of the paths can be traced around the center, I think some of my fabric choices could have been improved.  For instance, the second block from the top on the right side--in this picture there's almost no contrast between the two fabrics.  It's a little better in person, but not great.  It is 70 inches by 59 inches before washing.  Quilting is a rectangular, diagonal grid.

"Soul Searching"

A few days ago I finished hand-sewing on the binding for "Soul Searching," a pattern by Kathy Doughty.  The quilt was pictured like this in the book, with the colored patches reminding me of Christmas ornaments or Japanese lanterns.  Each color block uses 2 1/2 inch strips in various lengths from 24 different fabrics, almost entirely from my stash.  I repeated strips from the neutrals.  The binding is a black and white stripe.  I quilted in (fairly) straight lines about 2 1/2 inches apart crossing the colored strips perpendicularly, as you can perhaps see in the small picture.

But I saw another quilter's version where she had turned the quilt sideways and added another row of neutrals on two sides to make the quilt bigger and to put the colors away from the edge, and that's what I did.  It is 75 1/2 inches by 82 3/4 inches before washing and drying.

I find it a striking quilt!

"I don't want to go to school!"

Yesterday I arrived at E's by 7:15 as planned, but the kitchen was dark.  I heard talking and crying from upstairs, so I put my sheets in the dryer and sat down to knit.  Apparently es did not want to go to school or day care or the concert afterwards, and said so repeatedly as E helped her get dressed.  I stayed downstairs, not wanting to get in the way, figuring E would ask for help if she needed me.  Finally they came down and eventually left for school 20-25 minutes later than expected.  Since E didn't have a meeting till 8:30 she was able to stay with es at school as she began to eat her breakfast. Quite a while back E began to draw a heart on es' hand and one on her own to give her a visible reminder of how much her mom loves her and thinks about her while they are apart.  This helped on Friday, her fifth day of school.

We don't know what caused this reaction, but we can think of several possibilities.  Fortunately she has fun once she is there.  Last Friday her folks went together to pick her up.  As they entered the gym where the children were playing, es saw them and waved but kept on playing.  What a letdown!  And yet how lovely to see her interacting with the others.

Numbers

E returned to work five weeks ago today.  My alarm now goes off at 5:30 AM.  es is thirty-one months old today, and ec will be five months on Sunday.  Today is K's fourth day at his new job.  es has attended pre-school four days.

That first day I watched both children I went home exhausted, but I am now comfortable with the pace of each day.  I still get tired, especially on those days es doesn't nap because she tends to get cranky in the late afternoon, but I don't feel drained...usually.  These first two weeks of preschool I have come to E's house each day, except yesterday when the children came to me, hoping this would help them all get into the new routine of getting up and leaving the house early.  Starting next week, I expect to have ec at our house Monday and Friday, probably.  We'll see.

More numbers...years ago, perhaps 20 or more, I bought College Accounting, a textbook I saw on the sale table at Waldenbooks or some such store.  I don't really recall why I bought it, perhaps to improve my knowledge of bookkeeping for my teaching business.  Worksheets inserted in the book indicate I worked through part of it, then stopped.  Monday I brought it with me, and as ec napped I began to study it again, this time because I volunteered to keep records for our new housing project.  I have long enjoyed doing worksheets, filling in the blanks, solving problems, so I'm finding this study fun so far.

What day is it?

Yesterday morning when Randy's alarm sounded at 6 AM, I sat up abruptly.  Oh, no!  I was late!  What happened to my 5:30 alarm?  What day is it?  No time to ponder, must get in shower so I'll have time for breakfast before leaving for EK's.  Just before I stepped under the spray, I remembered...the day before I had washed sheets and taken them to dry at E's.  Therefore today must be Saturday!  No wonder my alarm didn't ring; I hadn't set it.  Those first few minutes were truly disorienting.  It's a good thing I have a routine, changing our sheets each Friday.

I checked off several items on my to-do list with such an early start to my day.

Quiet house

Here I am, sitting at the kitchen/dining room table, with ec asleep in the pack'n'play five feet across the room.  Since he now rolls over from back to stomach easily, he often sleeps on his tummy.  I probably have about thirty minutes to myself with es at school today.  Before I left home I washed our sheets and mattress pad, so I'm using the dryer here.  As I transferred items to and from the dryer, ec lay on the tile floor looking around and chatting.  But now he's napping.

Last night Randy had a session meeting at church, so I watched the Thomas Lynley mystery on PBS and worked on the black and white striped binding on the Soul Searching quilt.  I'm more than half-way and hope to finish it this weekend.

The house is quiet, just the sound of the dryer tumbling.

Shopping, stars, sheets

Sunday afternoon E and I went shopping for a mother-of-the-bride dress.  I tried on quite a few lovely dresses at Macy's and Nordstrom.  The only one that fit OK and looked passable was a lovely teal, lacy sheath, so I bought it.  But I will continue to look for something else.  I might decide to wear the gray lacy set I wore for E's wedding.

Monday es began "school," as she calls it, and apparently did just fine.  I found that watching only ec did not automatically give me hours of free time; he took very short naps and wanted to be held a lot. But I did take him for a thirty-minute walk through the neighborhood.  Pushing him in the small stroller is much easier than both children in the huge double stroller.

Tuesday E and family watched the Fourth of July parade with some friends.  Marching bands and groups of horses kept es entertained for two hours.  She enjoyed the candy and other things thrown out by parade participants.  Last night she began sleeping in her new bed, a twin mattress on the floor.    The Winnie the Pooh sheets made the change attractive.  Her old crib is now in EK's room for ec, and the pack'n'play is downstairs for his naps and a safe place in the kitchen.

Today ec was in his third set of clothes by noon.  Honest, I do try to fit his diapers as tightly as possible!  While I always place him on his back on the floor, before long he rolls over to his tummy.  Then he pushes with his toes and scoots forward.

San Diego

Friday night I flew down to San Diego so I could attend a bridal shower for Sarah Saturday afternoon.  The hostess of the party, who is the maid of honor, also arrived Friday night from Santa Monica, so we spent quite a bit of time Saturday morning talking about wedding details.  What fun!

The seven of us met at 1:30 at Brockton Villa, a restaurant on the beach in La Jolla.  Our table was on the veranda, open to the fresh air and seal cries.  Leanna and Sarah chose a delicious menu for us.  Appetizers included Pistachio Crusted Brie, Lump Blue Crab Cakes and Artichoke-Tomato Bruschetta.  Several "Brocktails" were available; I had ice tea.  For the entree I chose the salmon BLT; others chose the taco or chicken salad.  These may sound mundane, but they were presented beautifully and tasted great. Creme Brûlée rounded out the meal.  Our wait person never hurried us.

We played three games, spread throughout the meal.  Wed-Lib, a version of Mad-Libs, made us laugh as we heard stories of the proposal and shopping for the dress.  Telephone Pictionary also led to groans and cheers.  Then the always popular quiz game; Leanna had asked Erik some questions, and Sarah had to guess how he answered.  Finally, Leanna had asked invitees to each make a short video with memories of or advice for Sarah.  She edited them into a lovely presentation that surprised and touched Sarah.

And, of course, the bride-to-be opened presents.  We left at 4:45, took some pictures on the walk by the beach, then I went directly to the airport for my trip home.  I'm so glad I went.

He got me!

Finally it happened.  I've been anointed...twice!  When I first began changing ec's diapers I was very careful because I had heard stories of what little boys can do, and I did not want to be peed on.  Well, I guess the carefulness wore off as I began changing him several times a day, and yesterday he got me.  Just my hands, fortunately.  Soon after that he started making noises, so I tried to place him more on my bare knees than my shorts, but I missed.  When I picked him up his diaper had leaked out his legs onto the hem of my shorts and up his back on his jammies.  Fortunately I had followed E's suggestion last week that I might bring a spare pair of pants just in case there was a problem, so I changed my pants and she did a load of wash.

Yesterday morning was cool and cloudy, so after putting fresh pants on me and clean clothes on ec, we went to the park.  I told es she would have to come quickly when I said it was time to leave, and she agreed she would.  While I held ec so he could see the children playing, his sister climbed on the structure and went down the slides.  She smiled and interacted with some of the other children and seemed to have fun.  Several times she reminded me (and herself?) that she had to come when I called her.  And she did!

I'm teaching her some new songs, like "Let's Go Fly a Kite" and "We're Off to See the Wizard."  She is so responsive to music.  She enjoys simple nursery-rhyme tunes, but why not go for classic movie songs?

Countdown

A couple of weeks ago I cut 21 strips from blue construction paper.  es and I decorated them with markers, crayons and stickers, then we made a chain.  Each day or so we remove links, counting down till the first day of pre-school, or daycare.  One week remains till she begins this new adventure.  I expect E will take her by the facility this week, to remind her of the space and the teachers she visited several months ago.  She begins attending next Monday, July 3.  A friend whose son also attends the school told us there will be a parade and ice cream to celebrate Independence Day.  What a strong way to start!  Then es won't go back till Friday, July 7, since her regular days (at least right now) will be Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and Tuesday is a holiday that week.  So she will have a slow beginning.  I don't know if that will help, but that's the way it is.  She has a new lunch box to take each day, since the school does not provide any food.

What will I do that Monday?  Perhaps some stitching while ec naps.

Me time

The baby is asleep, es is in her room for quiet time (and maybe a nap), and E went to the grocery store for needed supplies after driving to SoCal this weekend for V's birthday party.  So I'm checking email, Words with Friends, and may knit a bit.  It does not often happen that both children are down at the same time.  Oops...I spoke too soon.  es is calling for me, saying she needs a clean diaper.

I went up to check on her, but she became distracted and didn't want a change.  Who knows if she really needed one, or if it was just a ploy to get me upstairs.

Peter Pan

Imaginative play--es is doing more and more.  The other day she took several of her bears, tied them together with a long ribbon and they "flew," having been sprinkled with pixie dust by Tinkerbell.  By the way, did you know Tink gets her dust from the crocodile?  At least that's what es said.

This wooden box has activities on five sides.  You can see the abacus, and on the right are blocks that spin, each one with an alphabet letter and picture of something that begins with that letter.  Another side has several interlocking gears that turn, and the fourth features slots and beads.  On top are beads on heavy wires, and this is what es has been playing with lately.  One column, in particular, features Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.  She will move one bead to the other end of the wire, saying Captain Hook wants to be alone, or maybe she'll move two, because Mr. Smee is helping the captain.  It's fascinating.  Who would have thought?  Recently she was standing there playing on the left as I changed ec's diaper by the blocks.  He grabbed at them, and she flew the captain across.

Another time es rescued Tinkerbell from the water.  I'm not sure why she was stranded in the lagoon or wherever, but es said she needed help.  She, es, is narrating her play.

This story is definitely a favorite right now!  I found a book telling another, slightly different version of the Disney cartoon, and es liked seeing Peter wearing Capt. Hook's red coat and fancy hat.

Breathing

Sunday afternoon we watched the two children while their parents went to see "Wonder Woman," which they enjoyed as much as we did earlier in the week.  After ec woke from a nap we put each child in a stroller and walked, slowly in the 95 degree heat, over to Dena and Alan's for dessert and to see Sean, who had an exhibition jump in Monterey.  EK came by after the film to visit an retrieve the two little ones.  Randy was feeling worse so we left.

About 2:15 AM he woke me to say he was having trouble breathing.  He called the advice nurse, and before long we were on our way to the ER, where a triage nurse named Randi took his vitals then led us back to a treatment room.  Long story short, we were there till about 7.  He was given some breathing treatments and sent home with medication.  Tuesday he saw another doctor, his own being unavailable, for follow up.  She ordered a test, which he'll do this evening.  What a whirlwind!  He does feel better, but is far from well.

Bottles OK, naps not

I suppose the biggest news after this first full week of childcare is that ec now takes his bottles with no problem.  Yesterday we even used thawed breast milk, which we had avoided at first because it can taste different apparently.  So hurray for ec!

While es goes to her room after lunch a little easier now, she only slept one day (maybe two) this week.  That day she decided to put on her nightie and actually get into her bed instead of resting on the floor.  We had a couple of rough times.  After going to the park, she did not want to get out of the stroller at home.  Part of this was my fault; we went out after lunch instead of before, so she was probably more tired and thus less amenable.  And yesterday, after no nap, she was a bit cranky and I did not respond well.  My excuse?  The heat.  Being able to open the two screened windows in the den helps a lot, providing a cross breeze.  But the past couple of days have been quite warm.

One day, while we were all three in the bathroom as I used "the facilities," es began crying.  She was sitting on a stool by the tub.  I think she must have seen the silverfish I had noticed, but she wouldn't use her words to tell me what was wrong.  Then ec joined in, perhaps thinking, " If my sister is crying maybe I should." So as soon as I finished we left the room, with es still crying.  E came down to see what was wrong.  Things calmed down, but es was clingy for quite a while.  We don't know where or why she has picked up this apparent fear of things like bugs and snails.

EASY

Yesterday es reached a milestone.  She turned 2 1/2.  Her mom cut cookies in half to illustrate the half.  E said she can't believe her firstborn is now closer to three than to two.  i wonder how she will feel when es hits 35!  On Friday ec will reach four months.

When I began watching es over two years ago, E gave me this acronym from her pediatrician.  Eat, Activity, Sleep, You.  The baby wakes up, eats, plays, then naps again, at which point you have time for yourself.  Of course, this is made slightly more complicated when there are two children present, children of different ages and needs.  Today ec was asleep, then es went to her room for quiet time, and I made a cup of tea.  I started knitting then heard es calling.  I told her the timer had not yet sounded so she needed to stay in her room.  She didn't want to, but we compromised.  I left open her door, and she stayed put.  I want her to become accustomed to longer quiet/nap times.  At her preschool, nap time is scheduled from noon to 3:00, more or less.  I'm not quite sure how that will work, but I want her to start thinking about it.

So I am writing this, then will pull out my knitting for a few rounds till the timer goes off.

Busy weekend

To celebrate E's return to work and the resumption of Grandma boot camp, we all met at Acapulco last night at 5:00 for an early supper.  What a pleasant time!  EKee attended a bitrthday party for cousin Colby, who is now six, in early afternoon.  He and his sisters don't know es and ec very well yet, but we hope to nurture a relationship.

This morning they surprised me by coming to Trinity for the worship service, sitting where es could see me at the organ. I don't know if K and E were able to participate much in the singing and such as they held and/or supervised the children, but afterwards they seemed to enjoy mingling at coffee hour.  Mary blew bubbles for es, which was a big hit.  Several people realized es was the child they had prayed for a couple of years ago; I imagine they rejoiced in her current well-being.

This coming week I hope to plan a few activities for es, rather than just letting her play.  And E will continue to get her up early in preparation for the start of day care July 1.

Back to work

Did I manage to sleep today till my alarm went off at 7:15?  I did not.  Getting up at 5:30 does give me some quiet time, but I could use some more sleep.  This morning I have the every-other-month music and worship committee meeting at 9:00.  Our goal is to complete our review, planning and hymn selection work in two hours, but the last two meetings have been much longer.  I need to spend time at the organ, too, so I will be at church all morning.

The first two days back at work passed.  Thursday es didn't nap, so by 3:30 or so she was pretty cranky, which I did not handle well.  And ec decided he didn't want to take a bottle, and didn't eat till E finished work.  For several days he has slept during the day and been up frequently at night to eat.  He is a bit young to begin solid foods, but if this continues E may give him rice or oat cereal in the evening to see if it helps him sleep longer.  When I arrived home, Randy said, "You look tired," a true statement of how I felt.

Yesterday was better in some ways.  The screen guy made bug screens for two windows in the den, which created a lovely fresh feel as we left windows open to the fresh breeze.  We allowed es to stand on the back of the couch so she could watch him at his trailer/workshop parked on the street.  Randy was present all day to help, as necessary, with that and also with the two men from the contractor who were doing measured drawings of the house.  They came about 10:15 and left at 7:45, staying much longer than expected.  So when it came time to nap, we put es in "MommyDaddy bed," because that was the first room measured; James's litter box is in there, and he needed to be kept out of the way.  Plans to attend an open-air concert with Brayden and his parents provided needed incentive for napping, I think.  While ec did take a two-ounce bottle, that was his limit apparently.  We will keep trying next week.

I think having this short work week was good.  We'll see how next week goes!

Three days

This morning I will pick up es for some Grandma and Grandpa time.  Thursday E returns to work, and I will watch both children till es begins day care next month, so I want time with just es.  And I know she will enjoy the attention.

I told Anita after church that attending the FPCB all church conference reminded me how much I miss singing and otherwise participating in the worship service.  True, I'm at church each Sunday, but I don't participate in the same way while I listen for cues to begin playing.  I'm not ready to resign; perhaps I can figure out a way to meet this need.

Yesterday afternoon I quilted half of Soul Searching, sewing (relatively) straight lines about two and a half inches apart across the quilt.  We watched the NBA finals game two as we ate salmon patties and yams for supper.  Pretty exciting game!

One thing after another

Yesterday morning I met the organ tuner/technician at the church to discuss a problem.  Naturally the organ did not make the sound it had been making, but we discussed what it might be and how to respond if it happens again.  Then I met with our director of music ministries about plans for a special program in August and the fall schedule.  We finished a little before noon, so I sat in the car for a few minutes and read the paper because next on my agenda was lunch at a cafe across the street with Carole, the former choir director.  After that I returned to the church to practice and finally got home at 3:30.  A busy day, but I wanted to get these things done before I start watching the children next week.  There's one other person I want to chat with, but she wants to see es and ec, so we can get together later.

Today I will shop at Safeway, change the sheets, vacuum and dust, maybe start quilting Soul Searching (if I can decide how to quilt it).  Tonight our dinner and game group meets.

Little by little

Another pair of socks is finished.  The yarn color is named gray brown marl.  When I bought it I did not realize just by looking at the skein that it would knit into big blocks of color.  If I had, I might not have chosen it; I like skinny stripes.  But these are OK.  The next time I buy yarn I will look at it more closely.  I have already started another pair, a repeat of the ones I made for Cynthia.  (See March 16 post.)

Monday I finished pin-basting Soul Searching but have not yet begun quilting it.  I wanted to get it up off the living room floor before E and family came over for supper.

Last Friday a sheet metal contractor came to look at the dryer exhaust duct to see how it can be fixed.  Randy emptied the cabinet under the sink in the half-bath, thinking the new duct might need to go through there on its way out.  Yesterday I put things back in the cabinet, throwing away some old candles and wreaths, and sorting out some candlesticks to donate.  These small things may not be noticeable, but gradually, bit by bit, we are removing clutter from the house.

Mt Hermon

We enjoyed our weekend at the All-Church Conference at Mt Hermon.  Food was delicious, weather lovely, speaker challenging.  I was able to speak to some people I haven't seen in quite a while.  Last week I printed a few photos of es and ec to show if anyone asked about them.  Steve said how nice it was to have them in a book rather than on a phone; I agreed.  Peter Hatch played piano in the worship band, and I spoke with him Saturday evening.  He was warm and welcoming, asked about our daughters, mentioned his wife and how "we've all grown up!"  He played very well and told me a jazz class in high school had helped with his improvising.  I also spoke with Jessica Assink, who lives in Texas now, and saw Charlene Chong, Jenny Brooks Martinez, Kari Hamilton, all Network alumni.  A lot of young families attended, as well as people like Roland, for whom this was his 50th ACC.  Perhaps if I'm still working at Trinity next year, I will take off Memorial Day weekend so we can attend the conference again.