The Crab Chronicles

Poor Granny

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

I had a very busy day at work, but it was really difficult to keep my attention focused on work.

I called Adoption Ark, an agency used by several of my friends, and talked to them about several of the children available. I explained I sitll have to pay off debts and arrange financing for #2, but I did want to inquire about a child whose photo I had seen on their website. More and more, I feel like even if I have to go right back into debt, I really want to expand my family. I want Alesia to have siblings. I want to get them while Mother is still fairly active and alert. I like being a Mom.

I took my car in at lunch and spent 2 hours in the waiting area while they figured out why the Check Engine light has been on for a week. It's an oxygen sensor, apparently. I have to take it in tomorrow and leave it there. I hate having to spend money on car repairs right here at Christmas.

Alesia had fun in Dahlonega. She was so excited about it this morning when I dropped her off at school, she forgot to act "cool" and hugged me and said "I love you" back after I said "Have a good day. I love you." Usually she acts like she hasn't heard me and gets away as quickly as possible - totally normal behavior, I know. Today was different - very nice. She came home with a pocketful of rocks and a vial of "pure gold." At least it was a change from the routine. That was only the 4th trip she's made out of Atlanta since coming home.

We watched  "Singin' in the Rain" - one of our favorite movies, tonight. I know it so well I can sing every song. Alesia loves it.

After the movie, Alesia and Mother and I were folding clothes. Alesia was trying to explain why [yet another!] pair of her pants is too small, and she just said "They too small." 

I wasn't sure what she meant.  I had to ask "Too tight? Or too short?"  She looked puzzled  - I could see she knew short but not tight. So I stodd behind mother and pulled her shirt back and said "Alesia, this is what too tight looks like." She peered at Granny, then said "OK."

I then pulled up Mother's shirt to show her belly, just so Alesia could see what "too short" looked like. Only I accidentally pulled Mother's shirt up too far, and Alesia got a glimpse of more than I had intended. Her whole face registered shock and surprise for a second, then she started laughing. Mother started laughing, paused long enough to turn around and explain it to me, then started laughing really hard, herself. I then realized what a dumb thing I'd done, trying to be cute, and got tickled and really had to laugh. We all 3 stood there and laughed for 2-3 minutes and couldn't stop. It's a funny memory even now. Thank God - Alesia wasn't traumatized and mother wasn't embarrassed.

It's like Mom always says about life, "If you don't laugh, you'll cry. Laughing is better."

Hectic Tuesday

November 29, 2005

Tuesdays are always hectic, because I have to rush home from work and take Alesia to her jazz dance class. It's her only formal extracurricular activity, so I want her to go, but it's a pain. She loves it, and is always in a good mood afterwards.

She is excited because she is going to Dahlonega tomorrow to pan for gold in the mountains - how this teaches science I don't know. She is much more excited about packing her lunch and getting to ride on a bus than anything else, I suspect.

Usually she eats lunch at school. Tomorrow she has to take it - last night when  I asked her what she wanted to take she yelled "Hamburger and french fries!" I had to explain how the hamburger would be cold and nasty by the time they ate lunch, and she was irritated. She will take a sandwich, some Ritz crackers, and an apple. She wants to pack it, naturally.

I went to Target at lunch and found a few little Christmas gift items. Most importantly, I found these really adorable stockings for each of us, and Coco, and stocking holders shaped like presents. They really make the mantle look festive.

I'm hoping we can get the tree decorated in the next week or so. Horace put it up in the living room and it looks fine there. Now we just have to get out in the messy garage and find the boxes with the decorations.

I've decided not to put pressure on myself to really diet during the holidays, but I am cutting way back on the sweets and starchy foods, and trying to up my activity level. I can get down to serious dieting in January, hopefully.

My brother finally called tonight - we hadn't heard from him in a while. He sounded like he was in a good mood. We discussed my condo and why it hasn't sold, and Christmas gifts. He got Alesia a 10 speed bicycle, which I'm sure she will love.

He took home a very old toy chest of Mother's some months ago from the Augusta house, and when he was cleaning it up to refinish it, he found a penny stuck in the bottom. It's a wheat penny dated 1936 - from about the time Mom got it, as a toddler. He said it's in excellent condition.

I found a wonderful website today called Vanishing Georgia, which has tons of old photos. I found a photo of my grandfather Hasty on the baseball field in 1920. I want to really go look at that one day when I have time.

Stormy Monday

November 28, 2005

It has rained and stormed all day. The drive into work through the fog and lashing winds and rain was nerve-wracking - I hate 285 normally, and in a storm it's very frightening, as cars either want to creep or fly by...

Normal day at work, fairly normal evening. Nothing much to report.

Please say a prayer for my friend Scott, whose father is having surgery tomorrow for a cancerous thyroid tumor to be removed.

Christmas Has Started

November 27, 2005  [see new photos in album]

Christmas has officially started. The majestically large, beautiful advent wreath was at the front of the church this morning, and 1 blue candle was lit, signifying the 1st Sunday of Advent. (Advent is the season counting the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas, fyi)

Instead of Sunday School, Alesia got to join with all the other kids, big and small, in the parish house, and she made a lovely small advent wreath with real greenery. When we first went in, she just looked puzzled. There were tables covered in greenery and florist wire and red berries and candles. I bought the materials, showed her to a table with some other girls her age, and asked the other kids to help her, which they did. Her wreath was lovely - lots of variety in the greenery, and she inset the red berries into the oasis form, so they peep out of the greenery like tiny jewels. Before church, she put it in the car. It's a "wet" wreath, meaning we have to soak it in water for 10 minutes a week to keep the greenery pretty.

The afternoon was basically quiet. I ran to the grocery store and did errands, and Mother napped, and Alesia played in her room. She loves to listen to the Russian language CD's I bought to teach myself Russian. I hope they are helping with her English, somehow.

Sometimes she tells me the wrong Englishphrase just to annoy me.

Tonight when I was waiting on her to tuck her into bed, I saw the bathroom door was cracked and said "Alesia come on, you need to go to bed."  She replied, "Mom! I'm ON the bathroom!"

I corrected her. "Alesia, you're either in the bathroom, or on the toilet. It's more polite to just say in the bathroom." She giggled.

We made up the wreath and garland for the front of the house. I think they look beautiful. We used all silver ornamentation on the green wreath form, with a big blue and silver bow. They are much better looking than anything we saw in Michaels. Tomorrow, the tree!

 

Alesia was really acting whiny and sulky during the wreath-making process. She pouted when we wouldn’t let her make the bows. She refused to admit she didn’t know how to make them. I made her say “I don’t know everything” and it took her 10 minutes to reluctantly mumble it. She finally was so cross I had to yell at her and send her up to her room. I think she has PMS. Didn’t make it much easier to deal with her.

We got some photos developed to choose a family photo for this year's Christmas card. It was a painful process - a great incentive to diet. I've got to get with it. It's depressing to think about during the holidays, but totally necessary now that my pants have reached  maximum load-bearing capacity...

Saturday

November 26, 2005

We've had a busy day.
This morning we went to Michael's and picked out a wreath form and a garland. Mother and Alesia chose silver flowers and ornamentation, and we chose a beautiful wide blue and siler ribbon for the top bows. We are going to make the wreath an put it on the house, under the lanai. The garland goes around the front archway, since there are already sturdy nails there. We got home and realized we had forgotten floral wire, so I had to go back for that, and we didn't get them made today.

We also went to CVS - a place we never seem to be free from - and we had lunch at the hickory House. They have the best barbeque around.

We got home and Mother rested while I ran back to Michael's for the wire.

I left at 3:30 and went to the movie with my friend Dana. Alesia went to see Yours Mine and Ours with Bronwyn, her former babysitter and buddy. Fortunately, Bronwyn has a lot higher tolerance level for these silly kid movies than I do.

Dana and I saw Rent. Excellent film. I didn't realize it had so much music until about 10 minutes into it. Then I thought oh no, I'm not liking this. However, I changed my mind. The film is realistic enough to take it out of the Hollywood fantasy realm and it's much more naturalistic than the old-time musicals. Now, I LOVE Oklahoma, South Pacific, Hello Dolly, etc. I can sing the words to all the songs. Rent is different. Rent is not for everyone. The main theme is people who are HIV positive, and in the large cast two of the couples are gay. The kissing scenes make me a bit uncomfortable, I have to admit. However, there was a lot of terrific music, and the voices are really well-matched to the songs. The cast is wonderful. The settings are very realistic looking. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Tomorrow, Church, laundry, and grocery store. Ugh. We still have Thanksgiving leftovers, but we're getting really sick of them. On the bright side, we can work on the wreaths.

Mother asked Alesia if she liked the movie Yours Mine and Ours. She said yes, she would like to live in a bog family with lots of siblings. She looked at me when she said this like, OK Mom, where are all my siblings?! I thought to myself kiddo, I gotta get YOU paid off before I can really contemplate that. Plus I gotta come up with more money, lose enought weight to fit comfortably in a plane seat, re-do the guest room, and get approval from Mother. IF I can get all that done, maybe a little sister in the next few years. I'd really like to adopt more kids, but the logistics are daunting.

Black Friday

November 25, 2005

This day is called Black Friday in the retail industry, although in truth it should be called GOOD Friday, because it sets the tone for the whole Christmas shopping season. Home Depot is not immune to the holiday rush by any means. I had to work today.

It was difficult rolling out of bed this morning. I had turned off all air last night because it was too hot for the heat, too cool for the air. My head filled up and stayed that way all night. The congestion continued all morning. I didn't get a clear head back until lunch, when I had a bowl of utterly tasteless chicken soup from the cafeteria. Still felt lousy. I pray I'm not getting a cold.

I worked until about 3:30 then said to heck with it and came home. I thought I'd get tons done, but in fact the few people there were talking way too loudly, laughing, joking - it was very rude. Of course, several of these people were lawyers on my team so I couldn't say anything, but it was so annoying.

Alesia and I played Monopoly when I got home. She guilted me into it. I quickly realized it's a good game to teach her about things like rent, borrow, making change from a change drawer, percentages, etc. It's a really educational game. She has always had trouble with percentages - I've spent hours trying to get her to understand simple concept like "half is the same as 50%."  She's not too bad at math, so I've never understood why that flummoxes her.

My aunt and uncle came into town and had a visit with Mother, and Alesia and Mother went to lunch with them, then did a little shopping. They got me a candle warmer - a cupholder keeps the candle warm and it lasts longer. Interesting idea. My head was too stuffed up to smell it.

Alesia watched a movie tonight, as usual, but ate very little at dinner and said her head hurt. I hope she's not getting sick.

The First Thanksgiving

November 24, 2005

This time last year I was ready to fall into bed, utterly exhausted, after arriving in Khabarovsk from a 20 hour plane flight halfway around the world. I ate a good dinner with my friend Pasha and then went back to my room to crash and sleep. (I wasn't able to get Alesia out of the orphanage until the day after Thanksgiving, late in the afternoon.)

This year, having cooked and cleaned all day long, I am ready to fall into bed exhausted. I had dinner with friends. I won't see Alesia all day tomorrow either, as I have to work.

Strange how things are sort of similar to last year. Then again, so much has changed.

This time last year Alesia didn't speak English, and I didn't have a house for us to live in. She had never eaten turkey. She hadn't helped me make pecan pies.

I am really really tired. We had a nice dinner. We served fried turkey, dressing, gravy, creamed corn, squash casserole, green bean casserole, rolls, pound cake, and pecan pie.

My friends Michael and Cissy Hollingworth came over with their children, and we had a very pleasant evening. Bronwyn also came. They were gone by 8:30. 

Cissy's daughter Jessica is about a year older than Alesia. They've been around eaach other before, but weren't great friends, just because of the language barrier, I think. Tonight they played together and had a great time. Jessica taught Alesia to play Monopoly. Jessica wanted to spend the night - we vetoed that until another time. I'm so pleased they like each other.

The only thing that marred the day, I regret to say, is that I snapped at Alesia and Mother a couple of times, just because of being so tired and having no patience. I feel bad about that.

Since we didn't eat dinner until about 6:30 tonight and it was a beautiful day, we had the curtains open and were out in the yard several times, and watched hordes of people walking up and down the street. It was sort of funny. I walked outside when our neighbor Andrew came by with his dogs and his nephew, and he said they just needed to get out and walk. He has 12 people at his house. I think the crowds of walkers were just folks who were bored and needed to get away from the family enclaves. I sort of wished I had gone to walk...

Now to sleep. Perchance to dream of leftovers...

Turkey Day Eve

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

I thought I was going to have a peaceful day at work, gets a lot done, but no. There were several fires to be put out. I got all my unfinished assignments in an organized pile, but that's hardly an accomplishment. I know if will be dead on Friday, so hopefully I can get much done then. I hate that we don't get the day off, but I can put the time to good use.

When I got home today, Alesia showed me a booklet she had made called My Dream. She said she dreamed about a war, and a battle where she was fighting with a sword. She said it was a good dream. (We never should have watched the Patriot, and Last of the Mohicans, LOL.) She was so fascinated by her dream, that Mother siggested she write a book about it. First thing after I got home, she wanted me to search the internet for images, so we found a great image - probably from a famous painting - of a battle scene, and printed it out.

She has such a creative mind. She takes delight in organizing things, and making collages and drawings. I can see her one day perhaps being a graphic artist.

I found fleas on Coco tonight, so we gave her a bath and put more flea liquid on her back. Last time I did a poor job. She was crawling with fleas. They have now been drowned. Thank goodness we have a large kitchen sink with an excellent sprayer.

We didn't get much done on tomorrow's big meal, or cleaning up the house. I picked out the nuts for the pecan pie, and Mom made a pan of cornbread for the dressing. Smells wonderful. Horace brought over the turkey he fried for us, and it smells heavenly, even in the outside fridge. We have lots to do tomorrow, but I plan to take frequent rest breaks so my feet don't start hurting.

We watched a funny DVD, Shanghai Noon. I like Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson and they made a surprisingly good pair. Besides, I like looking at Owen Wilson...

Blustery Day 2

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

The day was raw and cold, and very windy. When I got up and went downstairs this morning, one of the umbrellas from the umbrella tables on the back patio had blown off and was upside down, just outside the back door. It was creepy. I heard it last night, but it was too dark to see. Nothing to be done about it anyway. Horace came by this afternoon and took both umbrellas off and stored them in the garage. Next year we will know better.

I went to Michael’s on my lunch hour, and found Alesia a calendar [puppies] and a calligraphy set, on sale. That will be for Christmas. Mother and I discussed wreaths. I think she and Alesia should go pick out wreath and swags from Michael’s and decorate them, then we can use them out front. Mother of course wants something sparkly, and I feel differently. It’s useless to argue about it, however. She’s probably right, and it won’t show from the street unless we get something sparkly.

Alesia had her dance class tonight. Afterwards she’s always in a really good mood. She always dances around and shows us the steps she learned. She can moonwalk very nicely, and do something called the “worm.” It’s so cute.

Alesia made the funniest remark at dinner tonight. We were discussing movies, and I mentioned a favorite movie, that’s a love story. She made a face of pure disgust, and said “I don’t want movie about love, I want movie that is fun!” She was startled when Mother and I laughed.

Bruce e-mailed Mother and didn’t say he is not coming home for Thanksgiving, but didn’t say he was. He said he was off work today and will be off Thursday, but I don’t expect to see him. One short sentence at the end of the brief e-mail said it all – “It’s hunting season.” I had thought that once he got to spend some time with Alesia, he would make more of an effort to come home for holidays, but apparently not. He is very self-centered sometimes and it makes me so angry…

Mother and I ran to Kroger while Alesia was in dance class, and it was a madhouse. You could hardly walk through the aisles. I’m glad she didn’t wait and go tomorrow. Alesia is off from school tomorrow. I bet it will be worse then, with everyone doing last minute shopping.

I was so busy at work I hardly had time to catch my breath. Too much going on. I hope tomorrow will be quiet and I can get caught up. I imagine Friday will be really quiet, and I hope to get a lot done then.

Alesia said a couple of times today that she doesn’t want me to speak Russian. Only occasionally do I pop out a Russian word, like “pazhalsta” [you’re welcome] or “cheestya zooby” [brush your teeth]. She said “I don’t want to hear that,” both times. I am not sure why she doesn’t want to hear it. I have a perfectly passable accent. Maybe she just doesn’t want to be reminded of Russia.

Alesia talks about the orphanage much less now. She went through a spell this summer when she spoke about it all the time. She has stopped that. I don’t know why. Maybe she is letting go of the past. We still pray for “all my friends at Topolevo” every night. I wish I could get them all adopted…

Posting

Monday, November 21, 2005

I am going to try to have shorter, but more frequent posts. I sort of feel guilty if I don't write long posts sometimes, and that's silly. My readers [hello?] would probably rather have shorter but more frequent posts, I hope.

I read several blogs written by my friends, and I'd always rather see a short post than nothing.

I e-mailed Alesia's Georgia Studies teacher and asked why Alesia made such a poor grade, and her only reply was "I'll send you a printout." She doesn't update her web page, or have the kids write their assignments in their agendas, and it's very frustrating. It's difficult to keep up - I can't rely on Alesia because she doesn't listen carefully or always understand what she's being told. I've lectured her to often about listening that she just sighs heavily and rolls her eyes now when I tell her she isn't listening...

Alesia's ESOL / Language Arts teachers has told the kids to bring in pictures from newspapers and magazines of fast food like hamburgers and pizza. Very strange. I have no clue as to why - nor does Alesia. We will have to look.

Work was very hectic and frustrating. I have to grit my teeth and ignore all e-mails sometimes for a couple of hours, or else I'd never get any one task done. Then I go print out my e-mails and stick them in my In box, and THAT box is fast getting full. When I can ignnore the phone, too, that's when I really get stuff done. But I have to catch up eventually...

It's very windy and rainy tonight and I just heard a tree branch scrape the roof. One of the umbrellas blew off - I hope it's not in the creek.  I'm so glad we got the two old, dead trees taken down last week. I hate to lose trees, but they were dead and we were in danger of them falling on the house.
Yucky, awful weather.