Beneath the Wraps

Today was the PTO prize drawing - right after the talent show.  I don't think the PTO raised the money that they had hoped - though each day seemed to get a little more money than the first.  I'm thinking this morning was our busiest morning.  Maybe not.  I just felt like it was. Jenna did not beat the odds this time.  She did not win the scooter or the summer pack.  9 consolation prizes were picked from all of the tickets entered in each drawing.  Three kites, two water bottles, four cheesecakes and two haircuts. I bet they could have done key chains and t-shirts as well - perhaps it was discussed at a former meeting.  I don't know.  I wasn't there. The child who had turned in the most money received a $50. gift card to Wal-Mart.  It had come from a kindergartner who had two other prizes.  The money she had received earned her over 60 tickets - most which went towards the baby doll - which she won.   I think our competit...

I’ve done volunteer work for the PTO and the PTA. I have never served on the board or chaired a committee. I’ve been approached three different times to volunteer/head the fundraiser.   Oh, no.   I hate fundraisers.   How could I possibly be in charge of something I loathe so much? The first school that my daughter attended seemed to get a lot of support for the PTA involvement.   The PTA president had asked me if I would volunteer one or two days a week to make copies for various teachers.   As I was already coming in once a week to assist with the preschool and kindergarten teachers – one or two extra hours in the copy room didn’t seem like a big deal. In that first school all of the paper was kept in the room behind the office along with the copy machines.   We were asked to record how much paper was being used and for what teachers.   I never made copies at Jenna’s second school.   I volunteered to help out her teacher once a w...

1.  you don't need a membership card to get in 2. nobody asks for your receipt so that they can check it against the items in your cart on the way out 3. the carts are normal size and you don't have to push the cart clear around the parking lot just to     get it to your car 4. the prices 5. selection 6. I can still purchase things in bulk if I wish 7. It's clean

Over two weeks ago I created this post about my continuing struggle with mom and her childish behavior – which is still there – but now in a more positive light. It was just four days ago when I posted about taking mom to the eye doctors.  It was the day that I left a sign in her room which she now reads on a daily basis and applies it to her life.  I am so completely happy with the results – as we all are – or at least all who have visited during the four days. Mom is more than just content.  She is happy.  Her conversations with each of us have included involvement and the pluses for living at Alpine Ridge and how going “home” would not be a wise thing – after the entire house would be empty – if it still exists. It is easier for Corey to hide his smile behind the phone than it is for me to prevent the silent giggle in person.  She told Corey that she gets three meals a day and “they’re all free.  They don’t charge us a...

I really enjoyed reading Katy Pluim’s blog Living Life “Single-Handedly” . She said she was working on creating a new blog – whether she did or not , I don’t know.  The only blog I have is this one which has not been updated since September of last year (over six months ago)  and I have missed her posts and the sweet comments made by her Aunt Pam. One of the things that Katy created for her posts was “Funny Friday” which featured humorous stories of anyone willing to share.  She used a few that I had sent over – but not these four – which are actually a lot funnier when listening to Corey tell them.  The written words just don’t translate as the verbal expression. I’m thinking my blog could used something light and funny.  I did get Corey’s permission to share these with Katy.  I also got him permission to post them myself.  May you (the readers) enjoy them as much as I have:   1.     The Bank Robber  ...

--> I went out to take mom to the eye doctor.   She was a lot more pleasant than she had been when I took her to the doctor last week.   Instead of sulking and being angry about the circumstance, she was quite overjoyed and quite surprised that I had come – for in her mind West Valley might as well be on the end of the universe.   She thinks I am quite far away from all civilization.   She thinks I must spend all day driving as I am so far away . Not once did she ask me to take her home but did ask “Where are we going?” and we proceeded to have the same conversation at least ten times before we arrived. I asked her if she remembered me taking her to the doctor last week.   Of course she didn’t.   I told her that she had been quite mean to me and the doctor.   She apologized and felt just as bad about hurting me as she felt excitement in seeing me this morning. She was overwhelmed by all the equipment.   She told the doctor ...

          I attended a PTO meeting yesterday.  When it was over, the only father who was present was commenting on his son’s vocabulary.  The son had asked him to answer the question about the velocity of something.           “He actually used the word ‘velocity’ and he’s only in first grade.  What first grader goes around using the word ‘velocity’?”           I laughed.  My Jenna’s always had quite the large vocabulary.  Even at three there didn’t seem to be any word too sophisticated for her vocabulary.  She thrived on learning not just words and meanings but usually welcomed whatever else came her way.           Not only did she know how to pronounce the words, but took on meanings as well.  I am reminded of a particular time when she told me that she was ...

          Moms have many roles – at least mine did.  Teacher, Nurse, Maid, Chauffer, Seamstress, Nurturer . . .           My mom was raised in San Francisco.  She didn’t learn gardening, but I imagined she learned to cook and launder and “mother” at quite an early age.           She has two brothers that are younger than she.  When her mom and dad divorced and her mom was forced to return to work, mom and her brother became latch key kids.           I know my mom assisted her mom in looking after her brothers.  I believe she fixed meals.  I’m sure that she did some light housework.  And she used to iron for other people.  She found it to be fun and enjoyed the small amount of income.           I don’t know for c...

Hector the Collector Collected bits of string, Collected dolls with broken heads And rusty bells that would not ring. Pieces out of picture puzzles, Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks, Twists of wires, worn-out tires, Paper bags and broken bricks. Old chipped vases, half shoelaces, Gatlin’ guns that wouldn’t shoot, Leaky boats that wouldn’t float And stopped-up horns that wouldn’t toot. Butter knives that had no handles, Copper keys that fit no locks, Rings that were too small for fingers, Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks. Worn-out belts that had no buckles, ‘Lectric trains that had no tracks, Airplane models, broken bottles, Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks. Hector the Collector Loved these things with all his soul‹ Loved them more than shining diamonds, Loved them more than glistenin’ gold. Hector called to all the people, “Come and share my treasure trunk!” And all the silly sightless people Came and looked…and ...

          Alice Walker is a sweet lady who likes to sort things.  She sorts buttons and shamrocks and hats and hearts and whatever other craft is offered.  She’ll talk to anyone who will ask her questions.  I don’t know how long she’s been in the assisted living program – or if she was once as resistant as my own mother.  But she seems like a very go-with-the flow person right now.  She was spotlighted last month at the assisted living center where my mom has lived for almost two months.            Mom’s personality is very different from Alice’s.  At least right now it is.  Mom seems very anti-social – though I know she’s made friends there – or at least one friend.  Someone she says is her friend.            On Wednesday she introduced me to her friend Marilyn – although when I referred to her as Marilyn tod...

After a month of being cooped up due to illness, I finally went out to see my mom.  I still have a cough and probably should not be around the elderly.  This morning she had a doctor’s appointment. Kayla was supposed to take mom to the doctor's - and had actually been planning on it for two months now.  I said I would go out to Kearns to be with her two kids while she took mom. But because of unwelcome circumstances on Kayla's end (her car and the plumbing), I ended up taking mom.  When I arrived at the facility, I found her in a rather foul mood.  She was waiting for someone to take her home.  Had her bags packed and ready to go.  I said that we wouldn’t be leaving for another 45 minutes at least.  She asked why we couldn’t just go NOW. I told her that we would have to spend even longer waiting in the doctor’s office.  That did not go over very well.  She was expecting to go home.  She assured me that she did not nee...

          There are four family members who have birthdays on the third.  My granddaughter turned one year yesterday.  And Jenna is madly planning her Dr. Seuss themed birthday party which we’ll have next month.           Interesting that both girls come from fathers who also celebrate their birthdays on the third – although not until October and November.  There’s a few of us that find it interesting.           For the most part, we’ve always held Jenna’s birthday party on the 3 rd .  It has worked out that the kids have always been out of school on that day.  Actually she did have preschool on her fourth birthday, and there was a primary activity that same day.  We had our own celebration with just Jenna, Roland and me later on that night.  Tony was in Brazil.  I don’t recall where the other two bo...