Summer Brain Dump

How can it be August 25th already?  How is that possible?  Where did the summer go?

Well, since - in typical PNW fashion - we really only had about two weeks of summer, that last question makes more sense than you might realize.  Summer is kind of a time-warp anyway.  But here are a few random thoughts for you today.

1.  This is the first summer in five years that we've done NO schooling.  NONE.  With Tate being implanted and the flurry of medical, mapping, and therapy appointments that involved, he really didn't need much else on his plate.  Nor did I.

2.  He is doing fabulously with his CI.  It is the new normal, now.  We're all used to seeing him 'wired for sound' and he's taking care of all his equipment independently and responsibly.  Hallelujah.  We are thankful and rejoicing with him!

3.  Although (I have to admit) we've already had our first breakage.  He and Wyatt we're dueling with some foam swords they had made and somehow everything went flying.  Hallelujah, the processor is fine, but the battery/power cel was toast.  Hurray for Advanced Bionics, who had a replacement on our doorstep the very next day.  Wow.  And they threw in some "Snuggies".

Good heavens, Tate was appalled at the name, (isn't a Snuggie the equivalent of footie-pajamas for adults?) but the concept is great.  It's basically some clear tubing that attaches to the processor and goes all the way around the ear to try to keep it (the processor, not the ear) from falling off.

Well, Tate is free to come up with a more appealing name.  It will probably include words like "Special Ops" and possibly "Tactical".  And then it will be cool.

Here's a pic from the AB website (not Tate's actual processor.)

4.  Would you buy hair products from this guy?  His photo keeps popping up (thank-you-very-much-yahoo-mail) and every time I see his limp, greasy looking, straggly hair I ask myself, Who in their right mind would pay seventy-two bucks for a bottle of his hair mask?  Sheesh.

5.  Attention, boys:  If a summer rain shower comes through while I'm out on errands, and there is a load of laundry drying on the line, consider yourselves ordered authorized to bring it in.  Immediately.

6.  In spite of not doing any school this summer I feel like I've accomplished nothing.  I thought with all this free time I'd get a ton of projects done, but I've felt unfocused and unproductive.  Blah.  And the week Wyatt and Tate were gone it was too hot to want to sew.  I know, I know... you southerners can laugh all you want at how we "suffer" when the thermometer hits the 90s, but I have four words for you:  High humidity.  No AC.

7.  However, inspired by my friend Rebecca, as well as my mind-set that September is the time of new beginnings, I've been cleaning and purging.  Rebecca is aiming for 40 bags in 40 days (originally a Lenten challenge), but my goals are a bit smaller.  The boys and I recently went through the family/play room, so that's pretty good.  I've worked with them to go through all the toys in their closet, and got rid of this, some of which may be going to my brother and SIL, and...

this, some of which has gone to Goodwill and some to consignment.

And there's more.  Much, much more.  But I didn't think you were waiting on the edge of your seats for pictures of everything I got rid of.  (You weren't, were you?)

8.  And, hey, if you clean out your closets sometimes you make exciting discoveries - like sheets I don't even remember buying.  They must have been an end-of-summer sale, I guess.  They look kind of like these, but not really.  In fact, they were probably cheap K-mart knock-offs of these PB sheets.  Score!

Or I could just not be so lazy and get up and go take a photo.  You can see the pillow-cases, right?  They look sort of "watery", in Gunnar's words.

9.  Kerry's 49th birthday came and went without:
* a single photo - oops,
* a single member of his family (of origin)
* his favorite Fiesta Cake, because who doesn't want to bake in a sweltering August kitchen?
Me.
But we'll be having a Big Blow Out Party for his 50th next year, because - hello -

HALF CENTURY!

10.  Blackberries are just getting ripe.  I sent the minions out on an early morning mission and they came back with more than enough to make a blackberry cobbler (and more in the freezer for pies, later).    And Kerry got a Fiesta Cake Raincheck.

11.  Remember my mom-o-loguing about how much daylight we were getting?  (Here.)  Yah.  Well, change is in the air.  Sunrise is still six-ish, meaning the sun is still up before I am, but - hello - here it is 8:30 and already dark!

And tomorrow is Sunday, which means I'm heading for bed.  Have a wonderful Sunday.  As Frank Turk says, Be in the Lord's house, on the Lord's day, with the Lord's people.