Saturday, November 19, 2005
The last few days have been very busy.
I worked late Thursday night – until almost 8 – because I took a vacation day yesterday. It was not a leisurely day of lounging in my pajamas, alas.
Mother had guys in the yard cutting down trees, and Horace in the house, hooking up the electric lines for the new wall oven Mother installed. Mother loves the huge expensive gas stove, except that it’s still really difficult for her to bend over and open the oven door. So she paid to have the wall oven installed. It looks fine and we will use it. However, it took Horace 2 days to do all the work.
Mother and I went to Borders Friday morning, then out to lunch at Houston’s. After lunch we rushed home so the Bellsouth guys could come fix the DSL hookup in Mother’s room, which was off. That took a while. So Mother never got a nap.
I picked up Alesia after school, then picked up her friend Elena, and took both girls to the movie, Zathura. Weird movie. About kids in a house in outer space, playing a game which causes weird things to happen. It was sci-fi, but too new age for me. The girls liked it.
I came home and we fixed dinner, and Elena spent the night. She and Alesia were good about going to bed early [11 p.m.] and not keeping me awake all night giggling. Alesia finally got to use the extra bed in her room, though poor Elena couldn’t have been too comfortable – I’ve slept on that day bed.
Elena and Mother and I talked a while after dinner, while
Alesia showered. Elena had two parents until about 8 years ago, when her father
was killed in a knife fight. Then her mother started drinking heavily, totally
neglecting Elena and her sisters, and had a baby by another man, Elena’s
brother Vitaly. Elena also remembered her mother had a substance abuse problem.
I knew all this, from her adoptive father, but I didn’t know Elena knew. Such a
sad story. She and her siblings were in an orphanage for 2 years before being
adopted.
It’s amazing how unaffected Elena seems to be. She is a sweet girl, helpful around the house and with her little brothers and sisters, and not jaded or tough. She still loves to play dolls with Alesia. She giggles just like any other kid. It’s amazing how resilient these older adopted kids are.
We got Alesia’s grades back. She made 3 A’s, 2 C’s, 1 B, and a D in Georgia Studies. Mother and I were puzzled by that D – we’ve helped Alesia a lot with that class and she’s done OK on the tests, I think. No grade back on her paper yet. I will try and find out what the problem is.
Today we had another busy day, but very nice.
My cousin Frann Akridge came to the house, and we visited then went out to lunch. Then we went to Michael’s, and Alesia got a scrapbooking kit with her allowance.
We came home and Horace was back, working on the oven. I read a while, then helped Mother unpack some boxes in the garage.
Alesia went across the street to play with the two little girls there, whose dad puts up a soccer net in the front yard about once a week and gets out there and plays with them. It’s a nice family, and they’ve been very sweet to us. Their mother, Gabriella, kept Alesia and Coco for 24 hours after Mother fell. Their girls are 5 and 9. Alesia plays well with them, though. Alesia didn’t even notice when I left and went to the movie. She loves to play soccer but hates to admit it.
I saw “Walk the Line” the Johnny Cash movie. There were things I didn’t like [too many close-ups of Joaquin Phoenix, for instance] but overall it was a very powerful film. It made me miss my father, for he loved Johnny Cash, and had several of his albums.
I came home and we ate dinner, and watched Sabrina - the original one, with Audrey Hepburn. It’s one of Mother’s favorite movies. Alesia liked it, though she complained it was in black and white.
When Alesia was getting ready to go to bed, I was singing as I walked up the stairs, and she said “Mom!” Of course I kept on singing. She kept complaining. I finally said, “I will stop singing when you get in the bed.” I kept singing until she got in bed, then I stopped as soon as she pulled up the covers. She put a foot down on the carpet. I sang a trill. She giggled. She pulled up her foot, then set it down again. I sang another note. She giggled. We played that for a few minutes. She is asleep now, I hope.
I met with the real estate agent about my condo not being sold. He brought in an older, more experienced agent. I think I will have it sold soon, though I won’t make any money on it. Oh well – I just want to get rid of it. I’m tired of those payments.
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