I Pushed the Button

Hi all,

But that is not why my internet is working. Hather called the local tech guy who ascertained that he'd plugged it into the wrong port. So apparently he didn't put things back where they were. Which led to the last 6 days or so with only internet stolen from the neighbor's network in 5 minute chunks. Although the 2 Macs in the house managed just fine.

Yesterday evening Sam decided he would drive a friend's car to Hudson, so I asked if Bean and I could come with. We could do a craft night with Schmee. Although it didn't really work out that way. Schmee was a bit shellshocked (and not surprisingly) because a deer had attempted to jump their yard fence and gotten it's leg horribly mangled. They called the police (it was about 8 pm) and it took them a long time to get there. When I called, they still hadn't arrived, so I volunteered Sam and myself to take care of it if the police didn't come. I felt even worse when I found out the poor thing had probably been there since dawn, but since it was in a secluded corner and quiet, no one on the street had noticed. Although I think we could've put the poor thing out of it's suffering, it really is better that the police finally came, and brought a back hoe. They had just dispatched it when we drove up.

Today I didn't have much time to think about it, however, as the morning was slightly chaotic. I tried to make yogurt, but the milk must've been a little off. When I cooked it, it turned all spongy. I strained it and decided to try anyway. 7 hours later it was a mess. So, luckily I have some reserved in the fridge and can try again Sunday with fresh milk. However, I think the cake I made for the fundraiser dinner tonight turned out ok (turned out that we made too many, and mine wasn't even cut up!) and the pesto was great. I did a lot of non-stop cooking, and the biggest challenge was the 3.5 year old who always wants to "help". But then won't keep doing what you find for him to do. Which, ok, not much of an attention span there. Not usually a problem, but when the morning is super-tight, definitely.

Luckily, he idolizes Sam, who is great with him.

Lunch was a nightmare. Connie was in full-out tyranny mode even before I served her. After countless reminders and then warnings - from all of the co-workers..., I finally "pushed the button". When I asked her to leave the table, she made the fuss I knew she would. Unfortunately, the amazing neighbor houseparents closest to us are on vacation. So I had to call someone else. Connie followed me out of the kitchen and trapped me in the pantry. I wasn't as intimidated as last time, even when she made a grab for the phone. Luckily, Hather came quickly and told her to back off and backed me up. Hum came too and took the phone (which made me nervous, I didn't want Connie to unthinkingly harm her...the whole pregnancy thing makes it worse...) and we got her to go up to her room. Sam stayed with and kept the table calm - Beau had been scooting his chair back during the meal and was perturbed by Connie's behavior. And then Connie took it out on Maria.

After a talk with an intervention person, Connie was saying she wanted to switch houses and not share a room with Maria. When I talked with her morning workmaster (Maria has also been there in the mornings this week because the house she goes to is on vacation and didn't set up something different for her!), I found out that Connie had been in a mood all morning and made Maria cry several times. So this made it even better. Sigh.

I guess no one said it would be easy.

Obviously moving houses isn't an option, I'm afraid no one in the village could/would take her - it's a delicate balance. The combination of post and pre-next-vacation stress, new houseparents, broken listening habit and the baby and new villager coming is taking its toll. So tomorrow on my day off we're going out to lunch and to the yarn shop. I need her to see the effort that I'm trying to take with her, and that I'm not trying to be mean. I want her to have the same peace that she was having before. She's so tightly wound right now that she can barely get her words out. It must be so frustrating to be trapped like that...

Tonight was the benefit dinner to raise funds for a truck repair. It raised about 600 dollars and was well received. Even better, it really pulled a lot of the volunteers together in a show of camaraderie and support -and with zero percent involvement of house parents. Although, a lot of them are on vacation now, or stayed home with those who didn't go.

Anyhow, tomorrow must be better,

Hope all is well,
Steph

I May Have Slept in Until 11 Today...

Hi all,

After a week of breaking my sleep habits, I finally really did it. I managed to sleep past 7, 8 and even 9 (to say nothing of 10). It was slightly glorious, and I enjoyed basking in it. However, Franklin came home very early (supposed to be around dinnertime), and was somehow under impression that he was moving to a different house. Well, his dad seemed to think that housemom had told him that. So Hum got to sort that all out.

After a quick peach I spontaneously called Schmee and ended up going to her house - just in time for lunch. Nice, right? After a short rest hour I followed them out to the "Omi Sculpture Fields" - which features huge works of modern art. However, at 90 degrees with about 90 percent humidity in overgrown fields, this wasn't much fun. So we stuck it out for about 35 minutes. An interesting sidetrip, but I was glad we hadn't drove more than 15 minutes for it...and that it was free!

And yes I have a few pictures, but no, I have not uploaded them yet. And Sam didn't give me the lobster pictures before he left. So we are all bereft together.

I made it back in time to put dinner together, and whip up some chocolate avocado mousse for dessert. Franklin went out for a movie night at another house, so I've mostly been bumming around. And calling my parents.

Hope all is well,
Steph

Schmee Takes the Cake

Hi all,

Wednesdays have become my unofficial evening off, since Maria is usually at class until 9. I get her ready (shower/teethbrushed) after dinner and then someone else sends her to bed. It's nice to have a 2 hour time block to use as you wish. I should have used it to study for the last medicine giver's test, but since it was Schmee's birthday today Bean and I (plus another co-worker) trekked over to Hudson to celebrate with her. Her housemom told us it should be a surprise, so I baked a cake and we showed up after dinner. She was surprised (in a good way, I hope) and I think we had a lot of fun. I would've liked to have had a tape recorder, as there were many quotable quotes:

"Oh my goodness, there's so many babies coming this summer...one after another!"
"Yes, there must be something in the water!"
"Or rather, something not in the water..."

Plus tons of other gems I can't even remember.

However, this was at the end of the day. I need to get to sleep soon because I was rather tired this morning. I managed to drop off immediately after breakfast and was in a dead sleep for about 20 minutes. I made a millet casserole (using up some small squashes by peeling, grating and sauteing them with onions and sausage to put in the millet) which was held together with milk, cream cheese (out of quark) and had some cheese melted on top. Housemom and Sam were out today for different reasons, so I held the meal - even with two guests. It's amazing that I used to find the thought of this daunting. Although, given the guests that could be possible, it still could be, I suppose.

We had our neighborhood meeting (sad...no nap : ( ) after lunch. I'd say that it probably wasn't necessary for me to be there for about 95% of the information. So it goes. At least people were in good spirits, for the most part. The co-op was very quiet this afternoon, with only me and one villager for the majority of the afternoon. We got a lot done though: finished up bagging/cutting/pricing the prunes, half the dried mangos, 55 pd bulk butter, mozzarella cheese and raisins.

And that was pretty much my day...
Hope all is well,
Steph