poison....

poison ivy. My kids seem to be allergic to it. When Ben was younger, his eyes would swell shut, just mowing the lawn. Now he says he used to get it "on purpose" so he could miss school. That doesn't make sense, because it's widely known that I would let a kid miss a day if he just asked.

Anyway, Jonathan Robert got himself into some poison ivy, dove right in while playing hide and seek or cops and robbers or whatever game had him diving into the woods last weekend with his friends. He knows he should have showered right away when he realized he jumped right into it, but he was at his friend's house. The rash spread and spread, now he has blistery toes and it hurts to walk. His legs are covered, and some of it's painful. So to the pediatrician we went this fine morning. Kathryn didn't work today so the girls stayed here with her, and off we went, just Jonny and me.

It took a long long time at the doctor's office. Our appointment was for 9:30, we got there at 9:15, and left at almost eleven. Then to Walmart for a 'script of prednisone, and of course just a wee bit of looking around in there, some chocolate milk, sandwich baggies, a cute outfit for Miss Lydia, and fifty dollars later, we were headed to the thrift store. We had to drop off lots of games and clothes, we cleaned out two closets yesterday. Then to BJ's for pork chops, burger for a cookout on Sunday, and some chocolate.

The little drive through coffee place, yummers, a cold brew coffee with cream and two shots of peanutbutter (they usually use FIVE, but I can't drink that sugar, I shouldn't have any at all, but oh dear, I love cold brew with peanut butter....) Jon had an iced tea.

A stop for gas, both in the gascan for his four-wheeler, and a few gallons for the thirsty minivan.

Home, ahh, home.

We have Anne here today. She's two years old now, and she's darling, but oh does she know how to pitch a fit when she doesn't get her way. It's very typical, and it doesn't bother me much, and she is so very cute. And cuddly. She is very cuddly.

I grilled some coneys last night after putting two pans of red-skinned potatoes, sliced up with olive oil, into the oven...oven fries are good with lots of oil, and salt. These guys kept me company while I grilled, all four of our animals...


(Mama Kitty, aka Kettler, Orange Guy, Little Miss Sunshine aka Sunny, and Suri, which means, "princess", and is totally accurate.)

I wasn't all alone with the animals though, Samuel called me on his way home from class. He's back home in Virginia, and I miss him. Just last week he was actually sitting outside with me while I grilled, but the phone call was not bad either.

I miss my kids. They're my friends, and I miss them when they're gone. Evelyn works now, and Suzanne and Sonja are in school all day, and the older ones who have moved out, I don't see very often. When you're a mom and your kids are your friends, you are at their mercy, ha. Yesterday when they came in the door, one daughter was just plain rude, but she was tired, and hates school and is working really hard to keep up on everything. They have their struggles, and I can only encourage and listen, and once in a while perhaps straighten them out a bit, if I sense it's a good time for that.

Anyway, Suzanne and Sonja just came in the door...so bye for now.