Monday, October 29, 2018

10-29-2018 Monday-6:45am

Good Morning!
This past week I had two really good days (head cold-wise) and then it was right back--LOL!  Not quite as bad, but enough to mess up my sleep half the week.  Besides that, though--there's some really good news!  Mom decided she didn't need to stay in Florida for the winter and she wanted to take the next apartment that opened up at Chandler Place.  And she got one!  She'll be moving in after Thanksgiving!!  
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I'm so happy for her.  She will love it there.  There will be something going on every day of the week, which she'll love.  My mother is a social butterfly unlike her happily hermit daughter--LOL!  
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This weekend, though, I actually went to something here.  I know.  Don't fall over.  Besides the big resident meetings for the management takeover, I haven't been to anything since last November.
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Sunday was going to be a Gramma Day and they just so happened to have the first "Family Fun Day" here in the Community Room.  Dagan, Leah, and Liam were planning to come, too, but Leah had a birthday party to go to on Saturday and when she woke up Sunday she could hardly walk (sciatica).  I sure know how your health can change plans and how bad sciatica can be.  Poor Leah.  So Dagan dropped Ian off and Leah rested as much as possible all day long while Dagan tended to Liam.  I hope she feels better today.
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Ian and I had a little while before the Family Fun Day started at 2pm.  Ian was in the cat toy box picking out which toys to have out for Annie...and he came across Karma's old collars.  (Yes, I kept them.)  Next thing I know he was wearing her old leather collar--ROFL!
Looks snug but there was a good inch to spare--just like when Karma wore it--LOL!  So funny to think Ian's neck is the same size as Karma's was.
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I said he was so silly.  So when he wanted to try on Karma's summer collar he wanted me to take a silly picture.
Then he found the collar we ordered for Annie that she hated with a passion--never having had worn one her entire life.
These are the silly things we do.  ;)
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Then at 2pm we went down for the "party" for close to two hours.  I think this is our new activity coordinator (can't remember her name--and when I thought about it I suppose she could also maybe be the office manager).  Anyways--new lady.
Her oldest son (7) was fascinating to Ian.  Not only because he could work the paddle ball but his name was Liam!!
Liam has two younger brothers and you could tell he's a good brother by the way he was with Ian.
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Ian just watched him intently as he worked at that paddle ball.
When we came in we got settled in at an end corner of the kids' craft area tables.  There weren't a lot of people at first.
Football was on...
...but there were no kids for about half an hour.
We opened up one of the activity books and found this cat mask that Ian loved.
But when he found out he could decorate a cookie...forget it!  The cat mask had to wait.
The cookies were pre-made and there were tubes of colored icing and a variety of sprinkles to choose from.
The icing didn't come out easily, but Ian worked at it and didn't want any help.
I took this picture, but he did add a little more icing and some sprinkles.
By the time I thought of another picture of the final product most of it was in his stomach already--LOL!
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People started flocking in.  
More kids around the table.
At one point the room was packed!
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Ian also worked on one of these plastic jar kits you have to put together.  His had a haunted house with orange paper inside.  He added stickers all around the outside of the jar.  I think they glow in the dark.
He had a plate of snacks--bugles, chex mix, cheese, some kind of luncheon meat, and lemonade.  He didn't want raw veggies, he said.  
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People didn't stay long.  They were clearing out by about 3:30pm (supposed to be 2-5).  Ian and I had been working on all the tons of stickers in the activity book where he got the mask.  Nobody else has touched the other activity books...so I asked the new activity director lady if Ian could take the booklet with him he was working on.  She said yes.  Ian showed her his cat mask with great enthusiasm.  She sat down to chat with him for a while--saw that his mask needed some string--went to go find something--came back with ribbon--and cut and attached it so he could wear the mask home.  He wouldn't take it off till we went to watch the movie Ice Age...and then wore it home with Daddy, too.
The sweetest thing of all was when we were leaving he stopped, turned, waved to the whole room, said goodbye and "thank you for the visit".
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We watched half of Ice Age.  Then I made some goulash for dinner (one of the things he loves to eat at Gramma's).  While I made dinner he watched a Mighty Machines episode on YouTube.  We ate--he refused broccoli.  Watched the other half of Ice Age.  Daddy came to pick him up right as the credits were rolling.  We had totally forgotten about bringing the trash out, so Dagan offered to dump it on the way to the car and off they went.
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But then they came back a few minutes later.  Ian didn't think we had a proper goodbye.  He likes to run down to the end of the hallway by the little front door hall and we have to blow kisses and say "goodbye, I love you" many times and we hadn't done that with him going out the other door closer to the dumpster.  Plus he wanted to thank me for his Gramma Day and get more hugs.  :)
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Can't get much better than that.  
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So I hugged the cat-boy and we blew kisses and he was finally on his way home around 7pm.  
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And Gramma was falling asleep in her chair by 9pm--LOL!  I got up and went to bed before 10pm--woke up the last time at 3:15am and couldn't get back to sleep.  My hours have been all goofed up from the plugged head, anyways, but I have been up since then.
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  So it's an earlier than usual blog today.  Annie is confused and waiting for her canned food.  The birds need seed.  Oh--and, sadly, I haven't seen The Girls in about a week.  :(  I haven't done my morning journaling.  My entire morning routine is out of whack--LOL!  So, I am off to actually start my day.  Should be a good one.  Possibly including a nap.  ;)  Till next week.  Have a good one!!  :) :)
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"The more I wonder, the more I love."
Alice Walker

19 comments:

Rita said...

Comment to get comments. :)

Terra said...

Rita is right. Your Ian or cat boy is so loving and polite too. A great combination.

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

The very best time with Ian at the party. Hope that head cold goes away this week. Good news about your Mom's move.
Hugs.
Joy

IntenseGuy said...

He is so precious. :)

Bonnie said...

I just discovered your blog from your comments on other blogs. I've enjoyed some of your past posts. It looks like you had a wonderful day with Ian!

Carol said...

WHAT A CUTIE!!!! Sounds like you had a good Grandma Day :)

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Gramma Days are such fun, when I have the granddaughters they love to watch tv because it isn't something they do a lot of at home I try to interact with them but generally they are not interested. Leo likes to sit on nana's lap and just talk to me which he does most days when he is here

Anonymous said...

Ian is so sweet--& polite!!

Janie Junebug said...

This post is so sweet. There's something about Ian in the Karma collar. Makes me think you got Ian because of Karma. The cat mask and his goodbye to the room are priceless. But best of all is that he had to give you a proper goodbye.

Love,
Janie

Jon said...

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only "happy hermit" around. As for cat collars, I've never known a feline that liked them. I bought a few collars (long ago) and they are all in a drawer - completely unused.
I do like Ian's cat mask. And that Halloween cookie looks pretty good.

DJan said...

Ian is a sweetie, that's for sure. I loved the story of his visit to the room and saying goodbye to everyone. And especially to gramma! He's simply adorable, Rita. Hope Leah feels better soon.

Lady Fi said...

Good news about your mum! And what sweet shots.

Divers and Sundry said...

What a fun day! I hope the staff was encouraged by the response :) It looks like they had activities to appeal to varied interests, which makes for a good time for everybody. I hope your mom gets settled in well. I'm glad you're pleased with her decision. Good luck with that cold. It sounds stubborn :(

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

WOW, that was a wonderful day you two had. I'm glad you got to take Ian, too. I'm sure it made his day, because he was SO enthusiastic especially with the cat mask. I understand getting all out of sorts, too. I have no concept of when to sleep or eat or wake or . . . .

Hope you have a wonderful week, Rita, and what good news about your mother, too.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Forgot to mention, both my cats wear collars and ID tags, too. They used to wear their rabies tags required by the city, but the tags I got them and the rabies tags together were too heavy for their necks.

Serena Lewis said...

So sorry to hear the head cold is still plaguing you.

Great news about your Mum though...YAY!!!

Poor Leah! I know sciatica pain only too well. I sure hope she is feeling much better now.

Ian sure liked those cat collars. haha

Nice that the older boy was so good with Ian. Aaron used to like looking after the younger kids and they seemed to flock to Aaron. And of course decorating a cookie trumped the cat mask...too cute! It looks like he had lots of fun and how sweet of him to turn around and say thanks and goodbye. I love the Ice Age movies! Ian was quite the character in the video. hehe Understandable that you were falling asleep early after such a big day.

Hope you see the girls again soon and that you enjoy the rest of your week.

Love and hugs xo

Far Side of Fifty said...

Hope you get really really over that head cold. Poor Leah, I hope she is better too, it cannot be easy with two little ones. Looks like Ian had a really good time at the fun day! :)

TammyVitale said...

Well you certainly remembered to take pictures this time! Ian has gotten so big (i seem to say that about all the gkids/kids I know. They're babies and then they aren't and all I did was blink my eyes!). Sounds like a fun afternoon of activities and Ian looks like he had much fun - but he is introduced and used to working with crafts with you all the time - what a great gift you have given him: working creatively, enjoying it, curious about trying new things. He will always have that. Blessing to both of you! And I love his mask. And that he properly had to say goodbye. Sounds like an absolutely lovely day.

Hope the girls make an appearance for you soon!

I have 4 new feral kittens - they are out of hiding and came out to eat with the big cats this morning. They belong to Momma and she is SUCH a good momma. Wish I could afford to have them all fixed but I can't so I just feed them (after calling tons of different places to see if I can get help - nope). If things ever settle down with hubby's health, maybe we can plan something or maybe a cat care group will form somewhere that can help us.

Meanwhile I have a new birdfeeder in the front of my house/kitchen window now. It took 5 days but the titmouses and chickadees found it and are using it. The other birds seem skeptical but we haven't had any really cold weather yet. I have seeds and suet out and no one has even looked at the suet. I guess because we are still warm (high 60s to 70 today and in the 70s tomorrow, November. Not right, but I need to do yard work so I'll take it!)

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow! That activity afternoon sounds good and I can imagine with all you did that day and with a head cold you certainly would be tired! I hate nights when you wake up and then can't get back to sleep (or, as I do a lot, go to bed and can't sleep for at least a couple of hours!) Take care! Chrisx