And That's How It's Been Going

*  It's been busy and I have been tired. 

*  I went to the allergist last Tuesday morning before work. They did needle poke tests on my arms and drew blood for tests as well. So far everything blood test related has come back normal, except for octopus which came back "borderline." Have I ever eaten octopus? I haven't a clue. I have been advised to avoid eating seafood for now. (I have never wanted a good piece of fish so much in my life.)

*  I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday. I got a tetanus booster.

* I am still going to Physical Therapy. My back is much better than it was four months ago, and yet it is not quite where I'd like it to be. Tiny chairs and tables a foot off the floor are tricky to maneuver. 

* This past weekend my cousins and I had a booth at a local festival. So much fun! I sold a few pieces of pottery. Over all we had a successful weekend, and I bought a grape pie.

* My son's friend Dan came to find me at the Grape Festival on Sunday afternoon. He lives in Minnesota but was here with his wife for a family gathering. Seeing them totally made my day! I think I hugged him five times. I was really that excited.

* I am going to New Jersey with my friend Gail this coming weekend. Maybe I'll stick my toes in the ocean one more time before winter.

* I bought an airline ticket for December. I miss my Florida family, the ones who used to be in Minnesota. I asked my boss first. LOL!

We Played Outside

It's Monday, but I don't want this past weekend to get away without tucking it into a history folder. It was a beautiful weekend full of grandchildren. Ten of them.

Today is Hannah and Sergio's eighth wedding anniversary. On Saturday they took some time and spent the day together. I stayed with the boys again like I did last year. We had a great time. I took them to a fabulous playground at Webster Park. We spent a little bit of time down at the lake and then went back to the playground where we were met by my son Nate and his gang of four Littles. I kept it a secret from Idris and he was so excited when he saw them.

We spent five hours playing outside before heading home. A monarch butterfly danced around Idris and Wes and they sat atop a spinning climber. Killian and Lyla had a great time playing in the wood chips. And everyone had a blast climbing on the playground and going up and down the slide. At home I whipped up ten scrambled eggs and a stack of toast to feed the kids while Nathan took a snooze on the garage couch. Just a short nap. Enough time for Lyla to sneak a Cabbage Patch baby unnoticed into his arms. (How could I resist taking a picture?)

On Sunday I went to visit my beautiful Bethany and her family. Beth and I had some good Mom/daughter time, and later in the afternoon Nate and the gang came over for a little camp fire and some toasted marshmallows.

Bits and Pieces

* I have been cleared to be alone with children. All pieces of my background check have come through. Although it feels frustrating while waiting, I totally understand the process. I believe in it. Quite honestly, every childcare worker should probably undergo periodic background checks even if they are working during the process. It only makes sense.

* The information overload that comes with a new job is starting to dissipate. I still have a ton to learn but it feels less overwhelming than it did a few weeks ago, or even last week for that matter. Keeping children safe is serious business, and apparently takes a lot more work that I ever realized (or I never would have had so many of my own...). And here I thought little kids were a piece of cake. ha ha! (That's #16 in the picture. Isn't she sweet?)

* Allergy testing is set for Tuesday morning before work. I am three day into no antihistamine and feeling itchy. Not quite as itchy as I felt two years ago when I went off Zyrtec cold turkey, but itchy nonetheless. Back then I eventually gave in and went back to taking Claritin. This time I have reduced the dose incrementally but still too fast to eliminate the itching altogether. I'm very curious what this round of testing will reveal.

* I'm looking forward to some fun in the next few weeks. I'm spending Saturday with Idris and Killian with plans to meet up with Nate and four more grandchildren. The next weekend my cousins and I will be manning a booth at the Grape Festival in Naples, NY, and the last weekend of September my friend Gail and I have plans to go to New Jersey. (I found a handful of glass and a perfect heart at the lake tonight and almost missed the sunset.)

* I'm looking forward to some future walks in the woods when the leaves start turning colors.

Two Weeks In

I have made it through the first two weeks of my new job. Names and faces are getting easier to remember and recognize, and best of all I'm learning the system. My background clearance still hasn't come through but it's expected I should be cleared in the next week. It will allow me to be alone with the children and I will no longer have to hear coworkers say, "Martha can't be alone with the kids." It really the weirdest thing even though I know and appreciate all the reasons. It's a good and needful precaution in a long list of measures intended to keep our children safe from abuse and appreciated more on this side of life than it ever was years ago.

I've stopped at the lake a few times this week and found the tiny strip of pebble beach just barely accessible. My son Nathan found me there on Monday. (I already wrote this but I've been tired and didn't bother to look or remember, LOL!) I'm still collecting bit of glass and other "treasures" from the shoreline, whatever catches my eye. The waves are soothing when I'm stressed and the water is still warm from months of summer sun and temperatures. I got my sneaker toes wet on Thursday evening even though my flip flops were in the car. It was well into sunset and I didn't bother to change my footwear for the ten to fifteen minutes I would be by the water. Needless to say, my shoes spent the night in front of the fan. Flip flops are frowned on at the daycare. LOL!

September arrived yesterday morning and the weather was perfect. Cool morning, bright sunny day, and a warm afternoon. I drove to work early, came home on my break at 11:30 am, left my car and keys for Sergio, and walked back to work. It was too nice for him and the kids to be closed up in the house all day and with Idris still struggling to walk after his broken foot, I though they might appreciate being able to get out. They met Hannah for lunch and went to the park. It was a beautiful walk back to work. The walk home was felt but the pain in my back and leg were due more to bending over to wash little tables at work than the distance home.

After three weeks away, I returned to Potter Night with my cousins and made just under a dozen bud vases. It's our plan to have a booth at the Naples Grape Festival again. I missed a lot of time to make cups and such, but I do have a few to set up. I'm looking forward to spending a weekend with my cousins. They are forever friends.