Garage Sale Week

In my neighborhood we can only have one community garage sale per year and it was yesterday. I spent the week sorting through junk and deciding what I could live without. I didn't sell everything I wanted to, but made $110 and got rid of a lot of stuff I don't need. Plus, we make it a party because five of us went together and we had Bloody Marys in the morning, which helped in lowering prices as the day progressed. It was work, but fun at the same time.

And because I was busy yesterday, I visited Tristan at Krause House this morning and tutored two kids this afternoon. I'm not sure I'm really helping Alaeldin because it seems that he really doesn't remember things from one week to the next. This might be a short-lived project, but I'm not ready to give up yet. Also I have to spend a lot of time preparing visual aids and searching for iPad apps to help him learn. We'll see how long I can continue.

But the best news of the week is that I saw the retina specialist on Friday and he's amazed that I've gone five years without needing another injection. He said it's possible that I may never need another one and I don't have to go back for six months! What this means for the long run is that it will take a longer time for my vision to deteriorate. My ultimate goal is to be able to renew my drivers license in 2020. Never hurts to dream!

Spring Break

Some things never change. Just as I did when I was teaching, I ignored my list of things I needed to do and enjoyed some time off from mentoring and tutoring. So I still need to do my taxes, get a passport for Africa, and do some work in the yard. What's wrong with me?

However, I did relish in my down time. On Tuesday the Winettes celebrated the birthday of one of our members... tiara and all. Then Manuel came over for dinner one night and we charcoaled steaks. Okay, actually he did it. I bought a charcoal grill two years ago and only used it once because I'm so used to just going outside, turning on the gas, and grilling. This is way too much work.

Yesterday I went to Krause House where we line danced with four groups of girls for 30 minutes each... I was exhausted when we were done, but the girls really had fun. It was our most successful activity so far.

Today I visited with Tristan and tutored Alaeldin, the autistic boy. Mid-lesson he asked, "Is it okay to laugh at someone if they're laughing, too?" I said it was and then he asked, "But if they're suffering, it's not okay, right?" These things must be so hard for someone with autism. So I never try to get him back on task until I've answered all his questions. I guess he needs all the reinforcement he can get. He's a sweet boy!

And the party continues...

So often I feel guilty about all the fun I'm having... it almost feels hedonistic. Oh sure, I volunteer at the school two days a week, mentor at Krause House, and tutor three days a week, but let's face it, that's only six hours out of the entire week. A drop in the bucket. The rest of my time is spent walking the dogs, attending yoga and cardio classes, and entertaining myself at home. It's a great life, but surely you can understand my guilt. But I'm not complaining because I love my life, probably more now than at any other time and I feel so very blessed.

Tuesday we went to the horse races, which is always a fun day. Eating, drinking, and gambling is a great way to spend an afternoon with friends and I only lost $4. I call that a good day at the track. Friday I had a colonoscopy and except for the massive quantities of vile tasting liquid I had to drink, it really wasn't too bad. This was my fourth and I had two polyps removed, but that's par for the course. Now I suppose I'll have to go back in three years, but there are certainly worse things to endure.

Last night I had some friends over for pizza and games and then today I met Allison, Sally, Roy, and Manuel for brunch. This coming week is spring break so I hope to get my taxes and some yard work done. All is right with the world.

Back at Home

The best way to come down from a vacation is to keep the party going. This week we had wine and snacks on Tuesday, dinner on Friday, and dessert with friends last night (special brownies). And in between partying, it was back to the mentoring and tutoring I do each week. On Thursday I met my new mentee at Krause House. Tristan is 13 and loves to talk! As with my last girl, Brianna, Tristan has been in foster care since she was two. So imagine my delight when I met with her by ourselves on Saturday and she spent most of the time singing Christian songs to me. I asked her about God, as I always do, and she said she loves Him and attends Bible study at the facility almost every week. The songs she sang were all uplifting and she explained that they help her when she's depressed. Now I'm no dummy... there's a reason she gets in trouble a lot and there are still many layers of her to peel away, but I was happy that she felt comfortable with me after just one meeting.

We're still working on getting Simon's insulin dosage regulated, but I think we've hit it. The vet started him on the lowest dose and after each week, I have to take him in for the day so they can check his glucose every two hours. He goes back on Tuesday for the third time, but I'm very hopeful that 8 ml. is the right dose. He's not drinking so much water anymore or peeing in the house and his energy level has soared back up. And I think he knows somehow it's the injections because I just call him and he runs over and puts his head down because it goes in the skin behind his head. Our bond has deepened during this ordeal and now that I've spent so much money on him, he better be with me a long damn time!