>Christmas in July

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>I admitted this in another post; I shop almost year round for Christmas and birthdays. My sister-in-law sent me to this site, and I found some really unique treasures. In fact, that’s the name of the site; Evelyn’s Treasures.

I give practical gifts sometimes, and sometimes I’d rather give fun. Let’s see; La Petite might like this. My garden would look nice with this addition. I enjoy windchimes, and Evelyn offers several different types. Clicking on the home/office section will help you find some gorgeous bookends and other office supplies with pizazz. I like the Chinese sword letter opener for something both cool and useful.
Even though I like to pick on my younger brother, I would probably give him this. Cute, eh?

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>Thanks, Mom — Group Writing Project

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>”Thanks, mom” is the theme for MommaBlogga’s latest group writing project. My entry is squeaking in under the wire for deadline, but you can still go here for more entries and more information on Jordan, the head MommaBlogga herself. Here is my entry.

Naming the Mother
In the Ugandan tradition, children are named not just at birth, but throughout their lives according to their characteristics and significant events.

The only girl.
She of thoughtful eyes that needed strong glasses.
She who shared a room with her brother.
The one who took to the piano and the organ like a duck to water.
The one who earned A‘s without breaking a sweat.
The child with the near photographic memory.
The first generation in the family to attend college.

The mom.
She of carpools and babysitters.
She who attended concerts, talent shows, conferences, and open houses galore.
The one who welcomed our friends and significant others.
The one who set another plate on the table whenever our special someone visited.
She who sent us to college, even though we took a little extra time to graduate.
The grandmother.
The one who read the first four Harry Potter books to her grandson.
The one who helped her granddaughter make skirts out of jeans.
Call on the phone grandma.
Email the whole family grandma.
She who faced breast cancer with courage and humor.
She who laughs until she wheezes.
She who keeps up the old traditions and creates new ones, too.
The mom I can only hope to equal someday.

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>Oh, brother.

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>It could fit into the category of adventure. It could be creative problem solving. A more accurate label might be dangerous choices, activities for which you are too old, fun things to do unless you get arrested, or ways to make your mother laugh until she wheezes because she can’t believe what you’ve done.

My younger brother just gave me yet another item worthy of big-sisterly teasing that fits at least one of the above categories; I just can’t decide which one.

My brother and his wife were staying at my mom’s apartment in the senior living complex. Mom left for a morning appointment. Shortly after that, her husband got a phone call for an appointment of his own saying, “We’ve had a cancellation. Can you come now?” He left, too. Brother and sister-in-law were gathering their things and putting their shoes on to drive across town to my house when they realized they would have to leave the apartment unlocked because there were only two keys, and both keys had left with their respective owners. Er, renters. But my ever-creative brother thought of another solution.

He locked the door from the inside and climbed out of their balcony. On. The. Third. Floor.

His route to the ground took him over the balcony, past the apartment below, down one floor to a mildly slanted roof, and from there to a nice, solid wall surrounding the dumpsters. He jumped down from the wall to where his wife was waiting for him. I didn’t see this happen, but I’m sure she was at least grinning, if not laughing out loud. They hopped in the car and came over to visit.

The plot thickens. We went back to the senior living community and had lunch in its little cafe. The downstairs neighbors were eating there, too. They didn’t seem to recognize Brother, so we decided he had escaped the adventure without being seen, despite smiling and waving at the other table.

So, folks, what do you think? Here are a few category options.

  • Adventure
  • Creative thinking
  • Cognitively guided problem solving
  • Things you should have learned in school (or not) had you been paying attention
  • Reasons to build your upper arm strength
  • Are you really smarter than a fifth grader?
  • I can do anything, I’m a liberal arts graduate!

Yes, our mother was surprised. And she really did laugh until she wheezed.

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>10 Common Traits

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Ten things I have in common with my son, Amigo

1. We’re both disabled. He is vision impaired and has Asperger’s Syndrome. I am hearing impaired. Since he’s a teenager, he would insist that just being a mom is an impairment in itself.
2. We like to go out for lunches and brunches, especially in the summer. this year we’ve tried out several new (new to us) restaurants and diners. We’ll remember those that had Braille menus for him!
3. Both of us have a tendency to get anxious in new and difficult situations.
4. We bond over Trivia. We watch Jeopardy as a family each night. At 15, Amigo can hold his own. He has an excellent memory.
5. Green Bay Packer football! He is a cheesehead through and through.
6. We both love Christmas, even the shopping and wrapping parts, but especially the music.
7. We enjoy the public library. He checks out books on tape/CD, and I pick up whatever strikes my fancy. In the summer we go at least once a week.
8. We like to bake. Okay, I like to bake cookies and he likes to eat them. It works, doesn’t it?
9. Reading. Reading together. ‘Nuff said.
10. I admit it; we share a sense of humor.

He reads my blog, so I’m sure he’ll have to say something about it — when he gets away from Youtube and gets around to reading it, that is. 🙂

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>Tiny Bunny

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>When we brought home Tiny bunny, Beast accidentally knocked him off the bed onto the floor. It wasn’t malicious; Tiny was just that small, and Beast was just that big. Tiny could fit in one hand or in the hood of La Petite’s sweatshirt. Tiny was so small that even the vet wasn’t sure whether to say “boy or girl;” it was hard to see the, um, evidence one way or the other. Dr. was pretty sure that Tiny was female, though.

Tiny and Beast bonded. When Tiny got older and matured, we took her in to get spayed. She came back, well, neutered. She was really He.

Beast died last year. Tiny has lived in the house with us since then, hiding in odd places and playing with toys. This morning we called the animal hospital. Tiny is sick, with many of the same symptoms that Beast showed last summer. He had trouble breathing this afternoon and ran a high fever. The vet put him on an antibiotic, but looked very worried. Late last night, Tiny started sneezing blood violently from his small furry nose. We called the 24 hour vet line and brought him in. The bottom line: he has an infection, probably an abscess, and is very likely on his last petite little legs. Rather than leaving him in an specialized oxygen tent at the animal ER, we brought him home. We will make his day(s) as comfortable as we can, keep checking in on him, and snuggle him as much as he can handle. When he’s ready, we’ll say goodbye.

Update: Tiny passed away around 2:30 Sunday afternoon. I was with him and able to pet him and soothe him as he took his last few breaths. Thank you for all of your words of support.

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>Blog Blast with a Cause

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>iBakeSale is a unique new fundraising option for people who shop online. It’s simple; sign up, designate a charity or nonprofit group, and then shop. When you’re shopping your favorite online merchants, go through iBakeSale in order to funnel funds their way.

I’ve become a regular online shopper, and for safety’s sake I tend to stick to vendors and merchants I know. This list of links appeals to be because it includes well-known names such as Lands’ End. Linens and Things. Delia’s (a favorite of my college-age daughter). NFL Pro Shop, too (as if I needed more Green Bay Packer clothing!).The list goes on and on, and in fact can be intimidating in its length, so I prefer to click on “Select Category” and get a more focused display.

Now, here’s the fund-raising part. Click on “Select an Organization” to direct your donations to a meaningful source. I chose the Wisconsin Lions Foundation in Rosholt, Wisconsin because my blind son spends a very happy week at Lions Camp every summer and our local Lions have been very generous whenever we’ve asked for assistance. (They make great buffalo burgers at Octoberfest, too, but that’s a matter of personal taste. Yum.)

Here goes. To join iBakeSale, click here. Create an account, and then choose a group for your donations. I’d love it if you’d choose the Wisconsin Lions Foundation, but I hope you’ll look for other groups that are close to your heart. You can sign up a new organization, such as your children’s school PTA, as well. Go for it, folks; sign up before you start your Christmas shopping!

Please note: There is a prize involved for the blogger who gets the most sign-ups by August 7. My readership is small, so I’m not expecting to win. The only benefit for me would be to see people sign up to send a bit of their shopping money toward a good cause. I do not earn money through this post.

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>Hello, my name is Minerva

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>I am a loyal and dedicated Harry Potter fan. I’ve pre-ordered and pre-paid my copy of The Deathly Hallows and pre-ordered a Braille copy for Amigo. Meanwhile, I reread the first six, and once again cried over Dumbledore. How could Snape..?!…never mind.

Some day soon I’ll see the movie for The Order of the Phoenix. I was nervous about seeing the first movie because I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the book. Now I thoroughly enjoy the movies, even as I insist that the books are better. They are. Really.

As I read, I see myself as Professor McGonagall. She’s definitely a kindred spirit. She’s a leader, one who knows what’s right, and calmly deals with many big issues. With the Weasley family in her house, particularly Fred and George, I’m sometimes amazed at how calm she can be! When I saw the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, my first glimpse of McGonagall was a mild shock. “No, that can’t be her. She’s much too, well, old. She’s supposed to be me!” Several years later, now I can watch the movies and say, it’s okay. I can only hope to age as well. Can I wear a nifty green hat like hers? And where’s my wand?

So it was no surprise when I took a sorting quiz and found myself in Gryffindor. Behave yourselves in the common room, Fred and George, I’m on my way!

i'm in gryffindor!

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