Who’s going to tackle Tuesday with me?

[Jean in Newcastle]

School?

one hour in Schoolroom of Doom. 
 

take over a load to storage 

[mom31257]

Jean, I pray your dd is feeling well enough to do school!

I guess it's official, and we're really back to school. I got up early and made dh's breakfast and packed his lunch. 

Today:

• more coffee
• breakfast out with a friend
• grocery store on the way home
• tutor one student
• lunch and dinner
• school with ds
• ds to swim? 

Edited January 8, 2020 by mom31257

[May]

Coffee and then morning yogurt

Take dog to daycare

Walk 5 miles

Clean bathrooms

Clean up

DH and I will meet our former vicar for lunch

Leftover soup for dinner

Relax

[MysteryJen]

Good morning! Yesterday,  everyone had a little annoying news for themselves, but hey, tacos and togetherness made it a nice night.

Today is a regular and busy day.

• coffee/paper
• dd2 off to school
• ds3 up and working
• dd1 off to work
• school with ds3
• daily chores
• couple weekly chores
• quick sewing thing for dd1
• lunch with ds3
• grocery store
• ds3 to gym and tennis (needs ride home)
• dd2 to practice
• dh to choir
• brats for dinner (ready for ds3- people will trickle in later)
• quiet night at home

Have a great day!

[TheReader]

Lots of small things today...

....coffee (and then more coffee)
....scan in the letter from the doctor, and email the apartment, to see if we can work out something on DS22's lease
....call the various psych offices to see if I can reach someone and get an appt for him
....DH has to contact the HR/Insurance person at work and see about Out of Network benefits, in case we get stuck with that
....type up a summary, in not-too-wordy terms, for the apartment email and for tomorrow's 2nd opinion neuro appt
....put food in crockpot for dinner (take something out of freezer.....)
....more laundry/finish laundry?
....go to grocery store and bank
....do school with DS14 (science homework)
....DH comes home early and we are picking up our new wedding bands tonight! Yay!!! This was our Christmas gift to each other, and they called, the rings are ready. Yay!!! 
....also go to Best Buy, because our downstairs TV died, we bought a new one, but the color goes really wonky when you look at it from the side; we either need to find a different one, or rearrange the living room (or convince DH that it's okay if the person in the kitchen has a wonky view since that's not really a "sit down and watch TV" spot....)
....if I can get off my behind and do the things, then also do the stupid applique for the star quilt finally
....email a tutoring prospect and let her know that I've reconsidered, and no, I can't lend her my Barton stuff, but here's the link if she'd like to purchase it for herself
....tonight: watch The Joker with the family and relax....

[Selkie]

Good morning!

• office work (insurance, emails, banking, misc.)
• work on budget
• wash two sweaters for ds21
• clean upstairs bathrooms
• order horse bedding
• have lime hauled up for paddocks
• freeze leftover chili
• cut up pineapple & some veggies
• split a bottle of arthritis meds (for dogs)
• read
• dinner: sweet potato taco bowls with lime cilantro rice, slaw, and guacamole

[wintermom]

Wow, everyone seems so busy today.  Holidays are definitely over. 

Done: coffee, breakie, phone calls on my list (I had a list!!) 

To do: groceries, hardware store, guitar lesson driving,  hike/ski in the gorgeous weather!! 

 

I'm also going to a meeting this evening about my upcoming conference poster presentation. It's one month away. My colleague and I have all the content ready to go, and we're getting some input from a graphic artist to make it look pretty. 

[TheReader]

1 hour ago, TheReader said:

Lots of small things today...

....coffee (and then more coffee) ✔️
....scan in the letter from the doctor, and email the apartment, to see if we can work out something on DS22's lease ✔️✔️
....call the various psych offices to see if I can reach someone and get an appt for him
....DH has to contact the HR/Insurance person at work and see about Out of Network benefits, in case we get stuck with that ✔️
....type up a summary, in not-too-wordy terms, for the apartment email and for tomorrow's 2nd opinion neuro appt ✔️
....put food in crockpot for dinner (take something out of freezer.....)
....more laundry/finish laundry?
....go to grocery store and bank
....do school with DS14 (science homework)
....DH comes home early and we are picking up our new wedding bands tonight! Yay!!! This was our Christmas gift to each other, and they called, the rings are ready. Yay!!! 
....also go to Best Buy, because our downstairs TV died, we bought a new one, but the color goes really wonky when you look at it from the side; we either need to find a different one, or rearrange the living room (or convince DH that it's okay if the person in the kitchen has a wonky view since that's not really a "sit down and watch TV" spot....)
....if I can get off my behind and do the things, then also do the stupid applique for the star quilt finally
....email a tutoring prospect and let her know that I've reconsidered, and no, I can't lend her my Barton stuff, but here's the link if she'd like to purchase it for herself
....tonight: watch The Joker with the family and relax....

 

Did all the email stuff for the apartment lease. Whew. Putting food in crockpot now, then make the calls to psych's, then laundry, then applique. Goal: all of that done by lunch. But I finally got all the medical stuff summarized and down to a 1 page, concise, hand to the neuro tomorrow list, so I had to come and report my success. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thanks for reminding me that I was going to put soup in the crockpot!

[ScoutTN]

Big morning here. My boy is at school for the first time ever. I am sad, but also excited for him. I took a few minutes to explore the area around the school (good to know where Starbucks is) and drove an alternate route home. 

Today:
Get a new, cheap phone for the house. Our Tracfone got dropped on the concrete and died. 
Chx into fajita seasoning for dinner
Get boxes out of the attic and finish packing Christmas decorations which are in a heap on my sofa.
Switch Christmas dishes with regular ones
Check on an HSA transaction
AHG things
Vacuum family room

Pick up ds from school

Edited January 7, 2020 by ScoutTN

[TheReader]

Got through to Numbers 1 & 2 on my list of drs to contact; number 2 I actually called first, and they had an appt only a week later than the current out-of-network, set up by the neuro, appt, *and* verified that the doctor has experience with the symptoms DS is having. Booked it. 

Called #1 just in case; they had something a week sooner, couldn't verify whether the doctor had experience with the symptoms DS is having (said, "I'm going to say probably yes, just because she's been practicing for 20 yrs, but I can verify ahead of time if needed...."), *and* wanted a $50 deposit to even make the appointment. Decided one week wasn't worth $50 and "maybe" experience, so sticking with the other one. 

DH is emailing insurance to see about something called a crisis line and getting a sooner appointment that way; I'm cancelling the OON guy so we can get *that* $50 deposit back from them....

Now, food. Laundry. Applique.

[TheReader]

Oofda. Sat with DS22 to fill out the new patient forms....."will take 15 mins or so" forms....an hour later, finally done. 

NOW seeing what I can do about dinner at this point, school with DS14, etc, etc., etc.....

[wintermom]

1 hour ago, TheReader said:

Got through to Numbers 1 & 2 on my list of drs to contact; number 2 I actually called first, and they had an appt only a week later than the current out-of-network, set up by the neuro, appt, *and* verified that the doctor has experience with the symptoms DS is having. Booked it. 

Called #1 just in case; they had something a week sooner, couldn't verify whether the doctor had experience with the symptoms DS is having (said, "I'm going to say probably yes, just because she's been practicing for 20 yrs, but I can verify ahead of time if needed...."), *and* wanted a $50 deposit to even make the appointment. Decided one week wasn't worth $50 and "maybe" experience, so sticking with the other one. 

DH is emailing insurance to see about something called a crisis line and getting a sooner appointment that way; I'm cancelling the OON guy so we can get *that* $50 deposit back from them....

Now, food. Laundry. Applique.

Hope you can get something soon for your ds. Do you or your dh have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? I got into a counselor within a day through mine. Fabulous company through my work. My dh's EAP was less than stellar, though. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dh is sick. 
 

human care done 

pet care done including cleaning up after the cat who fortunately chose the kitchen vinyl floor to throw up all over. At least cleanup was easy. (Vet can’t figure out why he does this at least a couple of times a week.  He takes hairball meds so I don’t think it’s that.). 
 

morning exercises almost killed me this morning but I did them. 
 

medical care done 

washed, dried and put away dishes, knives and pans.

wiped down counters and stove and microwave.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Lemony lentil soup is in the crockpot 

[TheReader]

50 minutes ago, wintermom said:

Hope you can get something soon for your ds. Do you or your dh have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? I got into a counselor within a day through mine. Fabulous company through my work. My dh's EAP was less than stellar, though. 

Well, I took an appt for Feb 4th. The OON guy was going to be Jan 21. DS is not doing well.....but neither is he in need, that we can tell, of *urgent* "he needs help yesterday" care....? I don't know. 

The insurance people did suggest to DH that we call some number on the back of our id cards and ask for their crisis care line; we just aren't positive if this is a crisis....??? 

And I feel *really really really good* about the doctor we picked, AND they've said as soon as we do the paperwork (done) they'll have it, and if any cancellation comes up, they can get us in sooner. So.......do we risk "luck of the draw" just to get a little sooner......??? 

We do still have tomorrow's neuro appt 2nd opinion, so we'll also see what they say; they have psych on staff and can refer in-house if needed as well.  (I will likely keep the appt on the 4th regardless, as I just *really* like the feel of this office, from what I can tell so far).

[TheReader]

5 hours ago, TheReader said:

Lots of small things today...

....coffee (and then more coffee) ✔️
....scan in the letter from the doctor, and email the apartment, to see if we can work out something on DS22's lease ✔️✔️
....call the various psych offices to see if I can reach someone and get an appt for him ✔️
....DH has to contact the HR/Insurance person at work and see about Out of Network benefits, in case we get stuck with that ✔️
....type up a summary, in not-too-wordy terms, for the apartment email and for tomorrow's 2nd opinion neuro appt ✔️
....put food in crockpot for dinner (take something out of freezer.....) ✔️
....more laundry/finish laundry? ✔️
....go to grocery store and bank
....do school with DS14 (science homework)
....DH comes home early and we are picking up our new wedding bands tonight! Yay!!! This was our Christmas gift to each other, and they called, the rings are ready. Yay!!! 
....also go to Best Buy, because our downstairs TV died, we bought a new one, but the color goes really wonky when you look at it from the side; we either need to find a different one, or rearrange the living room (or convince DH that it's okay if the person in the kitchen has a wonky view since that's not really a "sit down and watch TV" spot....)
....if I can get off my behind and do the things, then also do the stupid applique for the star quilt finally
....email a tutoring prospect and let her know that I've reconsidered, and no, I can't lend her my Barton stuff, but here's the link if she'd like to purchase it for herself
....tonight: watch The Joker with the family and relax....

Okay, whew. All the medical appt stuff is done. Dinner is in crockpot (chicken w/zesty lime sauce). Lunch is done (frozen pizza). Laundry is in the wash (there will be a load to fold when those ones go in the dryer, and then one more load waiting behind, but it's started at least.....). 

Eating lunch, napping (headache, big surprise there), doing school with DS. Meds on board for the headache. Grocery run can be tonight with the other errands or tomorrow; bank can wait as well or be done via app. 

That blasted applique.....hopefully after school/before DH gets home. 

[ScoutTN]

My day got sidetracked because we noticed smoe water on the floor in the bathroom. Hot water line to the vanity (which is torn out) is leaking. So the water-damage mitigation guy is capping the line and putting a dehumidifer back in there. So we got 24 hrs of quiet. Plumber comes Thursday to actually fix the leak. I guess it is good that we found it now, not after the new vanity and floors are in! 

Took longer than I thought to set up the el cheapo phone, but we do now have a home phone again. 

Punting the rest of my list for today. I am going to drink some water (feeling a headache in the background) and rest a bit before I leave to pick up ds. 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

cleaned up yet another mess from the cat? Dog?  Fortunately this one was on tile so another easy cleanup. At least the animals are being considerate in the spots they are choosing for accidents. 
 

Did forty minutes of shredding papers from the Schoolroom of Doom. 
 

shared a salad with the bunnies. 
 

Took dd to her dog walking gig. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Reader- could you get a sleep study done while waiting for the psych appointment?

[TheReader]

36 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

 

I think that lots of people call the crisis line when it's not a crisis.  Figuring out whether something is a crisis is their specialty.  So, I wouldn't let that deter you from calling.  

I will also say, that because of my (former) job, I have done some research into early symptoms like catatonia that could be mental illness, and I have learned that the responding early in a "first episode" of psychosis (not saying AT ALL that that's what's going on, but your reference to it being like catatonia at least makes it a possibility) dramatically increases the likelihood that it will also be the "last episode".  So, I would consider this a matter of urgency.  It might be worth looking into resources specifically for first episodes.  I know that in our area, the state university hospital has clinics and other programs specifically for "first episode" (use those words when you google) because early intervention is so critical.  

Again, I'm not saying, at all, that that's what's going on. Just that if it's a possibility you want to rule it in or out with some urgency.  

Good luck!  

Oh, huh, that's an aspect I've not thought of yet; thank you for that. I don't know that it would qualify as "first episode" (of whatever this is) because he did have some of these symptoms (not to this extreme) when he first started with the psych in 2018. But that is a good thing to keep in mind; I'll look up if there's stuff on that. 

[TheReader]

8 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Reader- could you get a sleep study done while waiting for the psych appointment?

Oh, that is a good idea; we do have family history of various assorted sleep things. I keep forgetting to look into that. 

[TheReader]

53 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

Schools closed early due to snow, which means we need to subtract hockey from the list and add 

ice cubes in the toilet

and

pjs on backwards 

in hopes that the neighbors will be out playing all day

I keep trying to decide what any of this means, and can't.....are these northern things that make sense to people with snow?? Or random family things that your kids are just randomly doing?? Or I am just overthinking and this is mostly nonsensical stuff....??? 

(hooray for school closed early, though? yes? no? 

[Selkie]

Interesting about the ice cubes in the toilet and pjs on backwards. I've never heard of that, despite living where snow days are a frequent occurrence!🙂

[TheReader]

53 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

These are American superstitions.  If you do these things on a night when snow is forecast then tomorrow school will be closed.

We are homeschooling all of our kids right now (since Monday) but the two kids who we just pulled out  are missing their friends and so they are hoping for a day playing with them in the snow.

Ah! So, northerner superstitions. (being in Texas, we have no such knowledge of snow or ice or things like that; if there's even a hint that roads may have sleet, school will be shut, because we just.can't.cope. Although, we've had more school closures for hurricanes and floods than for snow or ice, so......)

How cute that your kids are hoping for a playdate; I hope they get one! 

[TheReader]

3 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I once made another mad because I told my kids to put ice cubes in the toilet and she had a job with little leave and here I was causing snow days and messing her up.

I wasn’t sure what to say.  I am pretty sure my ice cubes don’t actually cause snow days.  if it makes my kids happy it hurts no one.

 

Since I was teaching then I just invited her kids over for the day if it did snow but I was really scratching my head.
 

 

Oh, wow! That's hilarious and odd all at the same time. Surely this person didn't *really* believe the ice cubes caused it...?? How funny!

[TheReader]

Well, my stepmom called, and I ate lunch, and my college roommate called and we had a very good, long chat, and my headache went away (yay!) and so I did school with DS14 and never took a nap, and so now I'm drowsy but feeling better (it was/is such a balm to talk to my college roomie) and debating if it's too late to nap at this point (maybe?) and/or if I have time to work on the applique, or should just grab some laundry and fold it/switch the washer load to the dryer. 

Leaning towards laundry; DH was planning to take off around now-ish so we can make all the errands we need to make this afternoon, which won't leave me time to make progress on the applique. And people keep demanding clean clothes, so while we're past crisis mode on that, probably that's still the better choice. 

[SKL]

Howdy, happy Tuesday.  It is the first day back to reality, as yesterday was my kid's birthday.

My kids are doing awful in school this trimester.  It has never been even close to this bad for either of them.  And the teachers aren't posting the work until after it's due, so if they say "no homework," how am I supposed to check?  Guess I need to go all Militant Mama ... though honestly, I don't have the time or energy!  But I will have to find it somewhere.

Done:

• Slept very poorly.
• Kids up & off to school bus ... second kid was a minute late, but at least the bus took them to school.  My eldest was on time (barely), which was great since she is the one who has been having troubles.
• Washed dishes.
• Made good progress on a work project, but now I'm waiting for other people to answer some questions.
• Caught up on social media, news, emails, calendar work.
• Practiced my TKD forms and did a tiny bit of stretching.
• A tiny bit of decluttering.
• Took a nap and had a shower.
• Called to see when the Christmas tree pickup is ... they don't know??
• Left the key out for the driver.  Kids went to youth group & kid 2 should be on her way to riding.
• Ordered pizza for dinner.

To do:

• Lots more work.
• Kids' homework.
• Make kids do some household tasks that I allowed them to put off because of holidays / birthday.
• Make kids practice instruments and pack school bags.
• Kids should un-decorate Ted the Tree so I can take him out to the treelawn.
• Should do some cleaning so that all garbage is in the trash.  (We still have stuff all over from Christmas / birthday.)
• Whatever else gets done.

[SKL]

24 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I once made another mad because I told my kids to put ice cubes in the toilet and she had a job with little leave and here I was causing snow days and messing her up.

I wasn’t sure what to say.  I am pretty sure my ice cubes don’t actually cause snow days.  if it makes my kids happy it hurts no one.

 

Since I was teaching then I just invited her kids over for the day if it did snow but I was really scratching my head.
 

 

I have at least one friend who believes that the wrong kind of attitude can impact completely unrelated outcomes.  It is really challenging at times - you can't show your irritation about anything because then that will be blamed for everything bad that happens.  Like "your negative energy caused the roof to leak" kind of thing.

[TheReader]

Woot! DH just texted, he's on the way home, and we can go get our new wedding bands!! Yay!! 

Then of course the other nighttime errands (Best Buy for the TV issue, hopefully not also a dishwasher, but maybe we'll cruise the aisle and at least price them??; grocery run for 2 needed items, everything else can wait; DH has to get work boots), and then....family movie night at home! 

I promise to work on the stupid applique tomorrow. Y'all make me. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I have to ask, what is the schoolroom of doom?

My basement schoolroom which has become a flooded mess. 

[ScoutTN]

My boy's first day of school seems to have been a success. He zipped off as soon as we got home to tell neighborhood friends about his adventures.

The leak is stopped, but we have no hot water til the plumber comes Thursday morning. Using paper plates, heating water to wash pans with, eating out some probably too. We can shower at a neighbor's tomorrow. 

Next up:

Cook the fajitas for dinner. 

Get ds settled to do homework after dinner.

Read.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Did twenty more minutes of shredding in the Schoolroom of Doom. 
 

Took one load of computer parts to storage. 

[wintermom]

3 hours ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

In my experience people really want to believe that bad things are the fault of the person they happen to,

Really? That is just wrong. You need to hang around better people. 

[ScoutTN]

Math homework, ugh! Dh is now in charge of this. 

 

[mom31257]

Reader, I pray you can figure out the best thing to do in your situation! And I'm glad you asked about the ice cubes. I was going to if no one else did. 

I made this chicken tonight. It was delicious! 

https://www.budgetbytes.com/easy-cilantro-lime-chicken/

 

[mommyoffive]

6 hours ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

These are American superstitions.  If you do these things on a night when snow is forecast then tomorrow school will be closed.

We are homeschooling all of our kids right now (since Monday) but the two kids who we just pulled out  are missing their friends and so they are hoping for a day playing with them in the snow.

 

Never heard this before.  I have lived in the cold region my whole life.  Funny.

[SKL]

Not a bad day/evening for the kids, as far as I can tell.  We sat together (mostly) and got math test corrections, math homework, and spelling homework done.  I suspect some things are being missed, but I did what I could and will try to do so daily.  Both kids were being generally cooperative.

My recently lazy kid helped take down the Christmas tree.  I was pleasantly surprised that she did this willingly.  Both girls also did a few household tasks without a fuss.  So much nicer than a few weeks ago.  I hope it lasts.

I gave eldest some of the "inositol" that some boardie recommended for her OCD symptoms.  She liked the flavor, so that is good.  Says it is like a SweetTart.

Edited January 8, 2020 by SKL

[Jean in Newcastle]

I took down Christmas tonight.