February 22, 2015

This might be a little sticky for some gentlemen, but I am convinced I am on my way to menopause:  no period in 6 weeks, and when I do get them, they are so light and last for 24-48 hours.  I gained weight amazingly in 3 months, and last night I read about difficulty sleeping.  This verified itself as I have been waking up around 3 and am up for a couple of hours as of late.  Once I was able to fall back asleep early this morning as the light was coming in the window, I dreamt I was in Switzerland (Around 15 years of age in my dream) and I was doing everything I could do to get home to Texas.  Oh, it’s so opposite in my real life.

Maggie was up at the same time as I and eager to make a breakfast in bed for Ethan.  I knew how late he’d been up, so I told her we didn’t have to rush, that he’d sleep late.  About half an hour later, we started on the bacon – just as Ethan walked out of his room.  Maggie is often in the kitchen (she plans on being a chef) so he paid her no mind and she cooked up his omelet.  I was able to help explain a few things as to prepping before you crack the eggs in the pan, but she made a much finer omelet than I can make.  Ethan glanced over as she put hot sauce all over the omelet, but then went back to his BMX video on the Mac.  I wish I had captured the look on his face as he looked upwards as she handed him the breakfast with a glass of milk.  He was very surprised and it was lovely to see.

However…the task of science lay ahead and Ethan’s response time was horrific.  He finally began as I started in the kitchen, pulling out the cabinet, stove and refrigerator to clean up after those furry guests.   I found a hole in the corner, which I stuffed with a steel scouring pad, but something didn’t feel quite right.  I continued cleaning.  Reminding Ethan..Cleaning..reminding Ethan.  Maggie, meanwhile, had created a list of chores to do – sweep the front porch, water the pants, rake the leaves, sweep the kitchen, etc.  And there was Ethan, doing various gymnastics on the chair as he created his science project and doing the bare minimum.  I sat down to help him with something and his attitude was so shitty that I was done.  I snapped my laptop closed and walked away, telling him that I wasn’t willing to spend my time trying to help someone who wasn’t helping himself.  

Maggie was now skateboarding down a little hill near our house.  I was so proud of her as I watched her form.  What a talented daughter I have…she gets the board yesterday and is already out on hills.  Very proud.  I walked back in the house and remembered steel wool (I used it long ago with refinishing something), leaving for  Home Depot to pick some up.  When I got back, Ethan was in his room, sitting on his bed with tears in his eyes.  The project had been finished.  I got back to cleaning and stuffing holes with steel wool.  What a mess.  There were three large holes which led right outside.  I’m surprised I haven’t had more visitors.  Last year I got concrete patch and sealed up a few holes I had noticed before, but these were in different areas.  What a nightmare.  I may send a note to the landlord with the check.  

Dinner was pork chops so tender they fell apart – so it was essentially chunks of pork, and parsley potatoes, which both kids liked (very, very rare situation).  After dinner, I asked Ethan to help me clean the bathroom and to clean the dishes, which he did without hesitation after an immediate “ok” response to my request.

After everything was clean, the kids and I sat down to watch “The Goonies.”  Ethan had already seen it, but it was nice finally watching this movie.  It isn’t always easy in this house.  There have been a lot of issues, as with any family, but I am grateful that we have a strong bond and that, unlike my growing-up years, we  come together afterward to talk about what happened.  I hope we don’t lose that ability.

Pictures: Maggie skating down the hill;  My treasured Swiss pencils....