Ooh, I just realized that FIL and SIL live in the path of 100% totality. They are about 2.5 hours from us. I will have to inform them that we will be visiting one or the other of them on that day! It's not a day off of school for my kids, but I'm thinking we will let them skip. I saved our eclipse glasses from the last one but will check to see if I should order more.

I haven't heard back about a second interview for the library position, so at this point, I am assuming that I won't get one. Anything is possible, however; perhaps they have a large volume of first interviews to get through. But I'm moving on in my thinking. I'm working on an application for a temporary bookseller position, which is not at my preferred bookstore but would get more recent experience onto my resume. And since it is temporary, it is low stakes, yet could get my foot in the door. I'm spending an inordinate amount of time on the application for a temporary position. Not only is their online application time consuming, but I decided I needed to revamp my resume to highlight more of my bookstore experience. I had my bookstore management position on my resume but had left off other part-time bookstore jobs, because they were 25+ years ago. I'm working on a bookseller specific resume now that will include those. So now I will have a resume for library jobs and a separate resume for bookseller jobs. I am not in a position of needing to work, financially, but there are reasons why I think it would be good for me to get a part-time job. If nothing works out, I will still be okay, so this job search is a preference but not a necessity for me. I am only applying for library or bookstore jobs, as I see them posted.

I bet you will find something that she likes at Pennys or Macys. Here, they both carry a wide selection of lovely spring dresses. Pennys in particular has racks and racks of them, I agree to find something that your mom could wear to church or another wedding. I would choose one in a plain, lighter color or just a very subtle print, in case she is in some photos, so that she won't stand out brightly from the rest of the wedding party. A pantsuit would also be fine, if that is easier for her, or if she prefers it.

You can do a stir fry and add the cooked chicken in at the end. White chicken chili Go to www.melskitchencafe.com and search for chicken recipes, and you will find tons. We've liked everything from there. If you would like a cold salad, I recommend the vineyard chicken and pasta salad.

How much stuff does she have to move? Instead of having someone stay behind to do it, can someone go ahead of time, so they are ready to leave with all of the stuff when your Mom leaves? Can you make a preemptive visit a month or two ahead of time to pack up non-essentials, to minimize the stuff? Are you having to deal with furniture? The facility that you move her to may or may not already have furnishings in the room. Can one of the relatives or friends who visits her faithfully travel with you? You could then pay for their airfare back home. Also, it may be logistically easier to move her to a new facility while she is still self-pay. Some places have limits on Medicaid bed availability for incoming patients, but if they have a current patient who moves onto Medicaid, that person gets to stay.

I understand the logistics seem nightmarish, but I would still move her. The difficulties will be temporary, but the move will permanently improve your ability to oversee her care. My mom was in a nursing home for 9 years with Alzheimer's. She was 2-3 hours from me, and, due to taking care of my immediate family, I only got to see her every few months. My dad and sister, who lived in the same town, took care of working with the nursing home staff, and my sister did the most visiting. I really wished that she were closer to me. Mom had a lot of friends. They stopped visiting her. The pastor at her long-time church only visited a couple of times per year. My brother and his family never visited Mom, even though they also lived close by. I think it's good that your mom has those connections now, but as time goes on, and as your mom becomes less communicative as the dementia progresses, visitors will drop off. This happens to virtually everyone. I would also consider that in a year, she may be in a different stage of dementia. She may be incontinent (making the Depends issue moot) or have a personality change.

Oh my, how fabulous! A video of them getting dressed would be entertaining!

My favorite thread of all time!

I love my extra large bowl! I'm sure you will never regret it!

Along these lines, in high school for band, we had to have long hair pinned up. I used to French braid my own long hair, and also my friends' hair, then tuck the end of the braid up and under and pin it with bobby pins. That way there is no braid hanging down. If you google "French braid tucked under," you can see what I mean.

Not in the summer. You could wear them into the fall and spring with socks, but I would be particular about what socks, since the cutouts on the shoes will allow the socks to be visible.

Congratulations!!! https://www.amazon.com/CLARKS-Womens-Ashland-Slip-Loafer/dp/B0121QYMR2/ref=sr_1_11?crid=W2U6RWKOOGVF&keywords=clarks&qid=1682906643&sprefix=clarks%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-11 For shoes with capris, I think you could go with something like the above link. I would not interpret "updo" as a ponytail or braid. I think you should practice a simple bun. Or perhaps twist your hair up and clip with a big claw clip that matches the color of your hair (those are back in style), if you can do so neatly.

I'm so sorry. I hope the doctors can be persuaded to look for a cause. What a blessing that you are going to be with them during this time of grief and loss.

Yes, this is possible. DS19 has a math disability like this. In 9th grade, he was in a prealgebra class that was designed to offer extra individual help to prepare kids who were behind for algebra. At the beginning of the year, I asked the teachers what would happen for the next year, if DS was still not ready for algebra. The special education teacher for the class gave me a surprised look and said that students would be ready. In the spring, she told me that after working diligently with DS, she could see that he was not mastering concepts and would forget anything not constantly practiced. He did not advance to algebra and instead moved to the special education math class. This was sad, but we were not surprised, because the neuropsychologist who diagnosed his math disability told us that he may not be able to do high school level math. He topped out at the prealgebra level. His special ed math classes did continue to teach algebra and geometry topics, but he didn't master them.

This job is at one of the three library branches that I frequent (three different library systems; we live equally close to each). The employees that I've seen there are all youngish. As in 20s to 30s. That could work against me. Or it could go in my favor, since the library system is big on diversifying its workforce, if you want to consider age a diversifying factor (I don't, really, but perhaps HR would). This position is mid-level. Does not require a MLS and is not a management position. But it requires a bachelor's degree plus library experience, including collection development, and one of the duties is to be in charge when no managers are on site. Most of the branch positions advertised lately are for general customer service and require a high school diploma or GED. This library system has a different job responsibility ladder than where I used to work (which was a union library system). According to the internet, out of over 800 employees in the entire 22 branch system, only 42 have an MLS. So perhaps a "seasoned" person would make sense for them to add to staff, since there are greater responsibilities connected to the position. On the other hand, I gained my library experience when I was in my 20s and 30s, so it's entirely possible for a younger person to have equal or better credentials. So, who knows? But I suspect that I was not chosen for a position that I applied for (in a different library system) a few years ago, because I am older (no way to prove it), so I feel extra sensitive about that possibility.

Thanks, friends! I've been going back and forth about this for awhile, so your opinions are helpful. Thank you for the compliments. My dad's side of the family grays early, then most turn pure white. On my mom's side, they stay gray until the end. I hoping that my hair turns completely white eventually, but it's fine with me if it takes awhile! My siblings are not as silver as I am, yet.

I had my phone interview with the library today, and the questions were surprisingly challenging for a "screener" interview. She will give her notes to the hiring manager, and if he wants to invite me for a follow up interview, he will contact me within a few weeks. She said to check back with her at the end of May, if I haven't heard anything. I am guessing they will move forward faster than that, but you never know. I think I did well. I had decent answers for the questions in my weaker areas -- only a couple of things, mostly about technology. Now that I have a taste for what kind of things they ask, I will be able to prepare more thoroughly for a possible second interview. She asked for a lot of examples from my past work experiences, and I was able to provide them. I think the questions she asked could easily have screened out candidates who applied because they had some of the listed qualifications, but not all. I have all of the qualifications, though tech knowledge is my weakest area. This is not a tech job, but they want someone who will liason with the tech people about things on the website, and who can potentially teach computer classes. I have done that in past jobs, but twenty years ago tech was way different, so I would have a learning curve (didn't tell her that!).

I am in the middle of a job application for a library position. I had my first interview today over the phone. The second interview (if invited) will be in person. I'm collecting opinions about whether I should color my hair before the interview. Background info -- I stopped coloring my hair during the pandemic lockdown. I'm 54 and always looked young for my age when I colored my hair. Now, sometimes my teenagers get asked if I'm their grandmother. Even so, I really like my natural silvery hair color, and I get more compliments on it than I ever did when I was blonde. But I'm worried about looking older for this interview, especially because I haven't been in the work force for 20 years. I don't want to go back to constantly coloring my hair, but I'm wondering if I should use a semi permanent, temporary blonde hair color during the interview process. Then I would let it wash out and go back to my silver color. My hair always took on dye well, so I think it would work, even though sometimes gray is hard to cover. What do you all think? My hair is lighter in the front than the back, so I'm including two photos.

Acoustic or electric? For music therapy, acoustic is probably better, but a bassist probably wants an electric guitar. Both of my sons are musical and play guitar, and DS19 started with bass. My DS18 plans to study guitar and music tech in college. They are both serious guitarists. They like Jackson electric guitars, which cost $300-4000 new. You can sometimes get a used instrument that is a higher quality for your budget, at a guitar store. I think DS18's acoustic guitar was in the $300 range, which was a mid range option at the store where we got it. My sons like to go to the store and play the guitars and pick them for themselves. Once we knew what they liked, DH could buy them one as a gift when it was time to upgrade. Our basement is filled with guitars LOL. I think we have three basses, two acoustics, and several electrics. Different instruments for different purposes.

Heart, I don't think your thoughts are weird. I think it's natural for it to bother you. But I also think that if you make it an issue with your kids or ex, that it's likely to backfire and create bad feelings. Which is not what you want to happen with your DS. It's one of those things that you may need to accept, even though it's painful. You, of course, can set guidelines for how your kids would address a future step-father or how future step-children would address you. But you have no control over the names that your kids use for their step mother, and you'll just need to process your feelings about it privately or by venting to friends. It's fine to vent here! And I'm sorry that you experienced another hurt. ((( Hugs)))

Thanks!! I still frequent that other library to check out materials, but I don't hang out there longer than necessary, and I don't chat with the staff. Because I interviewed during mask mandates, I hope that they don't recognize me. I definitely felt that one as a personal rejection and still feel the sting, three years later. For this job, I expect there are multiple applicants, and if they choose someone else, I will be disappointed, but not in such a personal way.

I have an initial phone interview tomorrow morning for the library position. They call it a screener interview, and it's with HR and only lasts 10-15 minutes. From what I've read online about the process, they invite candidates that they are interested in to a second, in-person interview, which will include people from the actual library branch. I am cautiously hopeful. Awhile back, I reached the interview stage at a different library system but didn't get the job, even though I had held that exact job at a different library years ago. And they didn't have another candidate, because they continued to advertise that position for almost a year. That was extremely discouraging and demoralizing. So I am trying not to get my hopes up.

Aww! She thought she found a beautiful book-filled home for her chicks! We have an Eastern bluebird who lays eggs in our newspaper box each spring. Fortunately, we don't get a paper delivery, but I always feel badly that she gets disturbed frequently due to mail.

Said to my boys when they were little: "Which of you peed in a grocery bag and left it behind the bathroom door?" According to them, neither, of course.

While!