Thursday, September 13, 2012

13 on 13

It's the 13th day of September and since I have approximately 13 random thoughts today, this post makes perfect sense.  In fact it kind of wrote itself.

1.  I've loved these past few days spent with my daughter2.  I'm staying in her apartment and she's made it so cozy.  She's teaching 5th grade this semester so she gets up at the crack of dawn and packs her lunch and then I drive her to school so I can use her car during the day.  There is something very satisfying about watching your grown up child be grown up.

2.  Speaking of grown up tasks...daughter1 phoned this morning to say she'd just come from the dentist.  Now this may seem like a little thing to you, but I have been
NAGGING!!! gently encouraging her to find a new dentist ever since she moved to DC.

A year ago last April.
I know.
She was pretty pleased with herself.

I was pretty pleased with herself too.

3.  My daughter2 and I spent some time talking about our own memories of 9-11 on Tuesday.  She shared with me that they'd discussed the events in her 5th grade class that morning and we were both taken aback by the fact that only one or two of the kids in her class were even born then.  That 9-11 is now in a 5th grade history textbook. That the world changed that day and these children will never know the before, only the after.

They had so many questions.
There are still no easy answers.

4.  Daughter2 has an extremely busy and exhausting schedule just now so I had plans one afternoon to make a couple of meals for her freezer.  Daughter2 has a very well stocked kitchen...a big crock pot, an electric kettle, an immersion blender, but I turned the place upside down and could not find a can opener.  I texted her to ask where it might be and she told me she meant to buy one because recently she opened a can using a knife and scissors.  Oi.  Hubs-don't read that last bit.  I insisted she go that very day to get a can opener.  I'll sleep better at night knowing she isn't attempting knife stunts in the kitchen.  Hubs will say she is her mother's daughter.

5.  When I visit my girls I can count on doing three things...filling a frig, filling a gas tank, and running a car thru the car wash.

6.  Not complaining, just keepin' it real.  I can also count on shopping, eating out, and lots of talking so it's all good.

7.  I have to applaud and smile a little too, at my daughter's efforts at energy efficiency.  She was walking behind me turning off lights.  Ha.  That's what happens when you pay your own utility bills.

8.  Now for a mini blog rant-word verification.  AARGH!  Is it really necessary??? I don't allow anonymous comments on my blog which helps reduce spam, and I do have comment moderation running which also helps, but the word verification feature is off. It very nearly sends me over the edge on Wednesdays when I visit the Hodgepodge posts.  Sometimes it takes as many as four tries to get the word/number combo correct.  After two tries I am more than ready to move along. It's like some kind of test or something.   Word verification...just say no!

9.  Hubs is in China and texted me a picture of a dinner option on the menu -turtle.


Earlier in the week it was a pigeon.  On a menu where you have poultry, beef, lamb, and seafood exactly where does turtle fit?  My dad used to like turtle soup which gave us kids the heebie jeebies. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks.

10.  Have you seen this?  A couple who are new parents of twins were flying with them for the first time and they made little goody bags with candy and earplugs for all the passengers.  Kindness makes the world a nicer place.

11. What's the deal with 'chevron'?  Suddenly it's everywhere.  Again.  Except when I was 12 we called that zigzag.  I do love this dress though.

12.  Do you watch Toddlers and Tiaras?  Me neither.  But I did catch a news clip recently of a 4-year old contestant in the costume portion of the pageant whose mom dressed her as Sandy from Grease.  Bad Sandy.  The one in black leather with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth.  The 4-year old's ciggy was fake but as she took to the stage her mom instructed, 'Don't forget to smoke!'  Now I'm a big believer in pretend play but this is in.sane.   Is it any wonder kids have so many issues in this crazy mixed up world?

13.  I hate to leave here tomorrow.  Knowing when I land I'll go directly to the train station and collect daughter1 for a weekend at home helps.  I'm beginning to come round to the notion of a family compound.

18 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about filling a fridge and a gas tank. I don't usually take a car to get washed but I do usually empty it of the old cups, and fast food bags, and any other trash that has been tossed into the back seat!

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  2. Love this post! Sounds just like my visits to my kids. You're right that it's an incredible feeling to watch them be responsible adults - but they still want/need/appreciate mom filling the fridge, the gas tank and usually a dozen Target bags. :)

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  3. You are such a good mom....isn't it funny how cooking and cleaning for them as adults is a lot more fun than when they were kids.
    Ditto to your word verification "aargh!".
    I keep going back to the turtle dish picture...wondering what it tasted like and exactly how you eat it.

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  4. Sounds like you've been having a wonderful visit. I already say no to word verification, but I'm going to add anything that looks like a turtle to that list. Oy! lol

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  5. I know daughter has been glad to have you visiting. When I lived off I loved having time with my mom. I'm with you on disliking word verification...I think I need to double check the settings on my blog...
    Have fun with daughter 1!

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  6. I am STILL nagging Son #1 about finding a new dentist!

    Yep, filling, washing and usually an oil change are top on the list when we visit the girl child. I think she counts on it which could be one of the reasons it's completely empty and really dirty when we arrive. Tsk

    I agree - word verification is so frustrating and makes me feel like I can't see!

    Love, love that dress.

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  7. Oh, I have so much I want to say about all these but due to time, I won't. :o) I agree on the 3 things we do when visiting our daughter. I still do all those things even though she is married. :0)

    And, Amen on the comment moderation. Heavens, just makes me want to spit!

    Continue enjoying life!

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  8. One if my friends sisters took her gcse exams thus summer. Her history paper was all on 9/11!!! It,s crazy to me as my version of history was Tudors and world war 2. I'm pleasedit,s in the syllabus because kids need to learn ,modern history too!!!

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  9. I am with you on the blog verification thingy! Some blogs are so difficult to comment on that I just don't! For some reason yours used to cause me great difficulty, but something changed and it now allows me.

    I'm so glad you are having fun with your daughter!

    I never knew that print was even called chevron until recently, it was plain old zigzag.

    Enjoy round 2 of Daughter Fest!

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  10. I am so happy for you and daughter 2 getting a week together more or less. I know it's less when a big chunk of the day is spent without them while they do that grown up thing called earn a living! It is funny how they change their ways in the name of saving their own money. Our married now faithfully takes his lunch to work instead of buying it out. And he regrets buying a car for his wife from a friend . I warned him so now I bite my tongue. The car repairs have cost more than the old car. Anyhow, sweet about the twins' parents. Very thoughtful. Very diplomatic.

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  11. i know--i really dislike that word verification thingy!!

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  12. That picture of the turtle-whatever kinda made my stomach turn. :)
    Your comment about the chevron/zigzag made me laugh! I'm baffled as to why it's the latest thing.

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  13. a sisterhood award for you

    http://skootsonemom.blogspot.com/2012/09/why.html

    :)

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  14. I love your random thoughts! :)

    Pigeon is very big in Egypt too - they stuff it with cracked wheat and I have to say, it's kinda yummy.

    Glad you had a great visit with Daughter 2!

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  15. Thank you for taking a stand against verification. The funny thing is that since I removed it from my blog, I have LESS spam. The world is a strange place.

    Glad you're having/had a good visit. Love to hear about your adventures with your grown up girls.

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  16. I enjoyed your "list" today. So many thoughts in such a small space.

    I do hope your daughter got that can opener!

    By the way, that turtle sort of reminded me of "road kill"...

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  17. yes, I agree..it is so amazing to see our kids become adults. fun too!!
    and no word verification for me either..

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  18. Sounds like a fun time with your daughter. I love her turning off the lights behind you. Yes a can opener is a must. I had to take off my anonymous, the spam was getting really bad. They were never posted but I got tired of it. Yes the word verification is very annoying! Don't tell me he ate turtle. Really don't tell me, I could hardly look at the photo. I use to watch Toddlers & Tiaras a few years ago. That mom went too far!

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