I live in a very small neighborhood that is one block long with a dead end. We all have ranch homes. The wires hang a little low. Even the trash trucks graze them weekly.
Today I heard a box truck. Any time I hear a box truck, I look to see how many houses have had the telephone lines ripped off.
Today it was two and nearly mine.
I texted the neighbor who works for AT&T. They don't own the poles and can do nothing. Ohio Edison owns them and the neighbor down the street who retired from OE has already pleaded for an additional pole to be added and they said no. He said that the city would have to make that call.
Today, I called the city. I told them that at least every other month, a box truck/delivery truck comes down our road, rips at least one phone line down and keeps on going. I told them that I hauled off after the guy this AM, on broken foot no less (yes, I'm regretting it) and asked if he really didn't know that he had just ripped lines off as he drove down the road.
He hadn't. Really? How could you not hear the thwack! as you are smacking the lines?
So, I had a visit from the Public Works guy from the city. "We've measured it and there is only a 1 foot drop from this pole to the pole down there." (The poles are three yards apart and further apart than standards dictate.) "Even 1 foot will make a difference at least for the garbage trucks," I said. Then neighbors started coming out and telling him the same story I had. Multiple lines. Multiple times. Regular basis.
The city guy is trying to see what he can do. "You guys need to put the tallest mast on your house that you can.
Really, city guy? You have to hire an electrician to come out and to do that. You also have to pull permits because the city will fine you. Just put in the extra pole please, and we should be good.
Rrrr.
Smiles in my day:
- Meeting with Mr. B-, the principal, to get the fine details of the walkathon ironed out for tomorrow. The weather is to be gorgeous, the trail is dry and I have my truck loaded down with 624 bottles of water. We'll have a great day! (No, I'm not walking. I'll be manning the water station.)
- K- had a great substitute today! She was a wonderful lady!
- K- being excited about earning her 100 BC bracelet. It's just a little silicone bracelet, but she was proud of it. It's a lot of hard work for that thing!
- LL Bean has 15 % off through Columbus Day for their card holders. I noticed that K-'s current snow boots are coming apart. I'll return those to Bean and get the new pair for just a handful of dollars. I love a company that stands by their guarantee!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The "All About Me" bag.
When I called to check in with K- on Tuesday afternoon, my mother-in-law said that she was in the basement gathering items for her "All About Me" bag that she was to take to school the very next day. When K- arrived home, I saw that she had placed a wooden butterfly that she had painted for her grandma, a ball and a deck of Old Maid cards. Here at home, she scurried around to find an assortment of items to include. Items placed in the paper lunch sack are, but possibly not completely, limited to the following:
1. A Star Wars DS game box. She wanted to take the game, but I vetoed that. I told her the box was well more than enough.
2. The movie, Tangled.
3. A Toy Story book.
4. The "Kitties in the basket" matryoshka.
5. A handful of Barbie stickers.
6. A rock from the back yard.
7. Frog and rainbow erasers.
8. The letter she received from Buddy, her Elf a Shelf, last Christmas Eve.
9. A picture of her friend, D-, who she will probably date someday.
10. A lenticular postcard of the Statue of Liberty. As you flick it, her hips sway back and forth.
11. A signed, computer-generated certificate from the adoptive unit of the county that we adopted her from, congratulating her on forever becoming a part of our family.
12. Her adoption photo that had to be retaken because of faulty film. Never mind that the tied the dress sash over her upper arm and it looks like she is trapped. Didn't notice that until after the photos were all cut and half handed out. Oh well. It's a good story.
The adoption certificate brought up a good conversation. "So K-, what are you going to share with the class about adoption?"
"That it's good."
"Well, that's a good thing, but what if they ask you about when you came to be with us? They might wonder. You know, you didn't live in my stomach."
"I know that. But the lady who's stomach I did live in-- what about her?"
"Doll, I can tell you this. We never met her. She knew that she couldn't take care of you, so she left you at the hospital with all of the doctors and nurses because she knew you would be safe there. That's how we got the call and were able to come pick you up. We're very thankful for her decision to do what was right and to make sure you were well taken care of."
She grabbed me up and hugged me. This morning, she woke up and told me that she was going to share with the class that the best thing in her bag was her adoption and that she loved her mom and dad the best.
God bless that little kid.
Smiles in my day:
- The Russian Festival is on my list for the end of the day. My friend, C-, and I are going to go. "So, C-, do you want to go be Russian?" She stopped dead in her tracks, a smile from ear to ear and then I heard, "ABSOLUTELY!" We've gone together in the past and had a really nice time. To go, you must be patient. Generally, C-, stands in the food line as I go to hit up the matryoshka table for K-. We meet back up, bet our pierogie on and live the rest of the evening in a cholesterol induced coma. More delicious than I can explain. Yum. Actually, y.u.m. :sigh:
- K- so excited that she has a pioneer outfit to wear this weekend. Last year, we helped Hubs with his pioneer festival. We have a gold panning game we help Hubs do, and last year K- had to wear her school uniform. This year she'll go as Laura Ingalls. (The child has the braidable hair for it.) I'm sure Hubs will bring my yardages of fabric home for me to wear. Last year, I was so confused by the amount of fabric, that I had to go have my neighbor help me. "Michelle, can you help me get dressed?" All she could do was laugh. My cam boot won't be of period dress, but they'll just have to ignore it.
Have a great day!
1. A Star Wars DS game box. She wanted to take the game, but I vetoed that. I told her the box was well more than enough.
2. The movie, Tangled.
3. A Toy Story book.
4. The "Kitties in the basket" matryoshka.
5. A handful of Barbie stickers.
6. A rock from the back yard.
7. Frog and rainbow erasers.
8. The letter she received from Buddy, her Elf a Shelf, last Christmas Eve.
9. A picture of her friend, D-, who she will probably date someday.
10. A lenticular postcard of the Statue of Liberty. As you flick it, her hips sway back and forth.
11. A signed, computer-generated certificate from the adoptive unit of the county that we adopted her from, congratulating her on forever becoming a part of our family.
12. Her adoption photo that had to be retaken because of faulty film. Never mind that the tied the dress sash over her upper arm and it looks like she is trapped. Didn't notice that until after the photos were all cut and half handed out. Oh well. It's a good story.
The adoption certificate brought up a good conversation. "So K-, what are you going to share with the class about adoption?"
"That it's good."
"Well, that's a good thing, but what if they ask you about when you came to be with us? They might wonder. You know, you didn't live in my stomach."
"I know that. But the lady who's stomach I did live in-- what about her?"
"Doll, I can tell you this. We never met her. She knew that she couldn't take care of you, so she left you at the hospital with all of the doctors and nurses because she knew you would be safe there. That's how we got the call and were able to come pick you up. We're very thankful for her decision to do what was right and to make sure you were well taken care of."
She grabbed me up and hugged me. This morning, she woke up and told me that she was going to share with the class that the best thing in her bag was her adoption and that she loved her mom and dad the best.
God bless that little kid.
Smiles in my day:
- The Russian Festival is on my list for the end of the day. My friend, C-, and I are going to go. "So, C-, do you want to go be Russian?" She stopped dead in her tracks, a smile from ear to ear and then I heard, "ABSOLUTELY!" We've gone together in the past and had a really nice time. To go, you must be patient. Generally, C-, stands in the food line as I go to hit up the matryoshka table for K-. We meet back up, bet our pierogie on and live the rest of the evening in a cholesterol induced coma. More delicious than I can explain. Yum. Actually, y.u.m. :sigh:
- K- so excited that she has a pioneer outfit to wear this weekend. Last year, we helped Hubs with his pioneer festival. We have a gold panning game we help Hubs do, and last year K- had to wear her school uniform. This year she'll go as Laura Ingalls. (The child has the braidable hair for it.) I'm sure Hubs will bring my yardages of fabric home for me to wear. Last year, I was so confused by the amount of fabric, that I had to go have my neighbor help me. "Michelle, can you help me get dressed?" All she could do was laugh. My cam boot won't be of period dress, but they'll just have to ignore it.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
My broken foot came with no owner's manual.
After mulling over the Thursday x-ray results, I decided to go pay a visit to Dr. W- to get some details sorted out. Do you know what you do when you start to compile a list of questions? You research on the internet and add to that list.
Dr. W- came in, pulled up a chair and knew we were in for a lovely chat.
"Is my foot actually healing?"
"No."
"Um, okay."
:insert look of concern, confusion and oh crap:
He went on to tell me that x-rays, which are behind the times in giving information, aren't indicating healing, but that isn't to say that there isn't healing on a subcellular level that would be picked up on a different type of scan such as an MRI. He assured me that everything is where it is supposed to be (with visuals and sound effects!) and that I'll have another x-ray on Oct 28, at which point he'll make a determination whether bone growth stimulation needs to be done. No surgery is needed, no pins, no screws and it is just a time thing.
While patting on my unattractive medical gray duck bill aircast boot, "Not that I'm pressing, because I'll be in it for as long as I need, but any time frame?"
"No."
I told him that I read about how it can be a rather slow healing process.
:insert shaking head in agreement:
"Very slow."
He told me that walking on it is fine. I did my two weeks off and walking on it (in the aircast) is actually good for cell growth. He told me not to go all crazy with stuff, but to do what I need to do. When I told him that a coworker wanted to basically strap me down to a stool and not let me up, he said, "Oh, God, no!" I told him that I don't sit very well and people were giving me crap for being up. I also told him that he would be happy to know that though I've been busy trying to coordinate a walkathon for 600ish people, that I won't be walking. "As well you shouldn't be," said my doctor who seems to be understanding my ADD tendencies more and more each visit. His parting words were, "I know when you were in here last time, you were talking about concerns with ladders."
:insert disapproving face:
"Um, yes."
:add in the doctor chuckle:
For some reason, I don't think he trusts me.
Dr. W- came in, pulled up a chair and knew we were in for a lovely chat.
"Is my foot actually healing?"
"No."
"Um, okay."
:insert look of concern, confusion and oh crap:
He went on to tell me that x-rays, which are behind the times in giving information, aren't indicating healing, but that isn't to say that there isn't healing on a subcellular level that would be picked up on a different type of scan such as an MRI. He assured me that everything is where it is supposed to be (with visuals and sound effects!) and that I'll have another x-ray on Oct 28, at which point he'll make a determination whether bone growth stimulation needs to be done. No surgery is needed, no pins, no screws and it is just a time thing.
While patting on my unattractive medical gray duck bill aircast boot, "Not that I'm pressing, because I'll be in it for as long as I need, but any time frame?"
"No."
I told him that I read about how it can be a rather slow healing process.
:insert shaking head in agreement:
"Very slow."
He told me that walking on it is fine. I did my two weeks off and walking on it (in the aircast) is actually good for cell growth. He told me not to go all crazy with stuff, but to do what I need to do. When I told him that a coworker wanted to basically strap me down to a stool and not let me up, he said, "Oh, God, no!" I told him that I don't sit very well and people were giving me crap for being up. I also told him that he would be happy to know that though I've been busy trying to coordinate a walkathon for 600ish people, that I won't be walking. "As well you shouldn't be," said my doctor who seems to be understanding my ADD tendencies more and more each visit. His parting words were, "I know when you were in here last time, you were talking about concerns with ladders."
:insert disapproving face:
"Um, yes."
:add in the doctor chuckle:
For some reason, I don't think he trusts me.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Wendy's Wonderful Kids: One frosty at a time.
Every year now, we purchase the Frosty coupon books for our Halloween trick or treat givies because,
"90 cents of every $1.00 booklet sold between 9/16/11 and 10/31/11 will be donated to support programs like Wendy's Wonderful Kids, a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. . . . You are [also] supporting Wendy's cause of helping foster care children find loving, permanent homes. "
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