Friday, April 12, 2013

They get younger every day



I’m leaving for Wisconsin tomorrow morning, nine at the latest.  I hear the sun is shining there, and I know there are Baltimore Orioles and cedar waxwings at Ann’s feeders, where I can sit on the kitchen porch for a week and just take pictures.  I packed the tripod.

Usually I travel on a Friday, but too many obligations today: one doctor appointment, a prescription to pick up, a pile of papers at work that needed done today (not yesterday, not Monday ((government stuff!)), and, ta da, I could retrieve my new summer sneakers from the shoe maker. 

I’ve never met the man who puts lovely lifts in the soles of my right shoes.  I drop them off, the drycleaner in the rest of the store receipts the shoe and I pick it up same day, one week later.

The doctor and work were accomplished without a hitch and off for my two right shoes.  They’re really cool, one pair is Rocket Dogs and the other Converse.  But they weren’t to be had.  They forgot to send them out last Friday; they will be ready Monday. Oh well.

On to get the prescription.  At the register I asked to see the contents of the prescription bag; it was far too flat to hold the two month supply.  An even younger clerk than at the dry cleaner explained, in a high, clear monotone, there were only five pills in stock, the rest would be in Monday’s delivery. My explanation that I would be gone all next week and five pills were inadequate yielded  a blank stare.  “There are seven days in a week,” I explained, and the man at the next register chuckled loudly.

Actually, I’m fairly decent at dealing with “it’s OK because this situation does not inconvenience me.”  I don’t leave until there is a solution.  The pharmacist told the dear young thing to call other local(ish) drug stores in the chain, and on the third call she hit pay dirt.  Unfortunately pretty far south, but I could, and did go there.

I got home just in time for supper, and found today is report card day and we would be treated to ice cream by Aunt Janice because all grades were A’s and B’s.  Way to go. Both Emily and Hamilton woke up and saw the easiest way to their future didn’t involve throwing away their good fortune with both hands. 

Hamilton tucked into studying; he brought home a 3.9.  Emily recently admitted it was far easier to get a decent grade than to improve a bad one.  After ending her last semester with a 3.9 her grades went into free fall, back when she was being stupid.  But she came up here at mid-term with a 3.8.  Good for her.

And little Laura just keeps on.  Her only “bad” grade is gym.  She did not pass the Ohio motor skill requirements, specifically track and pull ups.  Or push ups.  Or something.  “But gramma, I hate doing those.”  I told her she might have to go to summer school for gym.  She thinks she’ll put some effort into it in time for the grade at the end of the year.  She did make first cornet!



22 comments:

  1. I think the Baltimore Oriel comes down here....

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  2. You have very busy days, have a great holiday time to relax.
    Merle......

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  3. Oh! Wonderful grades! I bet that took some of the sting out of the woeful errands :)

    I hardly know whether to congratulate the kids first, or you older folks. So I'll congratulate all of you together!

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  4. The Cedar Waxwing is my favorite!

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  5. Oh what a beautiful shot of the waxwing, have a great trip.

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  6. Wonderful news about Emily and Hamilton's grades. Dragon woman triumphant!
    Have a great mini-break. You surely deserve it.

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  7. Congratulations on all those As and Bs.
    Gym is over-rated in my opinion.
    (I'm not at all sporty)

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  8. How wonderful that the kids are doing so well at school. You are a good example to them.

    Have a fun and restful vacation.

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  9. I'm glad the kids responded and came back with good grades. It was a battle in high school with my son. He was in the Vanguard program and participated in class, got great grades on tests, the teachers loved him, went on about how bright he was but he absolutely refused to do homework. consequently he maintained a C average. The kid was grounded for a whole year...no phone, no going out, no TV (there were no electronic devices back then except for Atari), no nothing except books. He was OK with that as he is a reader. Finally we just gave up.

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  10. Glad to hear the kids are pulling their socks up in school. That will be a relief to you but of course, now they'll want all their electronics back lol.

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  11. I call the day you had a "piddly"...Days that just seem destined to make you go a little mad. I do believe, however, that you are much more even keeled than I, so you probably landed nicely on your feet!

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  12. Have a great trip and congratulations to the kids for their progress. It's so nice to read that they have really settled in and are on an even keel.

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  13. Hurray for the kids' progress!! Of all the things I have read today, that is the best of all. They deserve ice cream and a cupcake.

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  14. Kudos to you! All your hard work and loving concern has paid off in better grades. I don't know how anyone can take a picture of a cedar waxwing. They never sit still!

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  15. Oh what a good feeling to know the kids are doing so well. You have every right to be a proud grandma! Yae!

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  16. You make it sound so easy here, but we all know it is a daily commitment on your part to remind them of their own newly-embraced commitment. You worked hard. So did they. Hooray all around!!

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  17. have a good trip. You handle the missteps and surprises so well.

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  18. Way to go on the good grades! Cedar Waxwings are pretty but they can sure steal fruit. Best of wishes for a fun time away!

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  19. First cornet beats pushups.

    But she still needs to do pushup. Or pullups. Or whatever. :-)

    And all the rest of it? I admire your spirit/point of view. You're welcome to skip Wisconsin and come to Minnesota any time.

    Cheers,

    Pearl

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  20. Well done all round on the hard work. Have a good week away. I think those were the birds in central park.

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  21. School work does count..so does vacation, waxwings, ice cream and hard work..This is the real world...CONGRATS ALL

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