Overdue Update
A lot has happened since we discovered that I'm a donut.
You may know that my daughter is in a group home again. We visited her the Sunday before graduation with the understanding from all interested parties that she would be allowed to attend that auspicious occasion. Tuesday before graduation her probation officer informed me that he changed his mind about that. Needless to say, my patience with the situati0on and all the players came to a crashing, screaming halt. I have been exhausted from the strength and understanding and patience I have been expected to continually show over the last few years by the cast of characters my daugther's behavior has brought into our lives. I did not handle the news well. And that didn't help my case. Whatever. I am tired of playing nice with others.
The family, including: my mom, and step dad, my dad and his new girlfriend, my aunt and uncle and my sister, Samantha Strange (the AWESOME), all showed up Friday, May 1st, at various times. Went out to dinner with my mother, step dad and sister. We had a pleasant meal. When we got back to my house, I convinced my sister, who needed to go to the store anyway, to let me take her to the store and then back to the hotel. We got to spend a little sister time. :)
When I got home, my dad and that posse were about to leave my house. I talked to them briefly and handed out graduation day tickets. The weather was up in the air till the last possible minute. I spent a lot of time wringing my hands over a possible afternoon ceremony. Late graduation would have meant late lunch and everyone was planning a post graduation exodus.
The weather cooperated. My mother and company picked up the boy child to bring him to the ceremony. I got the campus on time and spent a lot of time standing around waiting with the rest of my graduating class. Got to see a lot of friends and many hugs were had.
Once the speeches were done and the names were being called, time seemed to speed up. When my turn came, I was back in my seat before I had a chance to register what was happening. It went something like this: walk up, shake hands with the Dean, hand the announcer your card, name called, walk over and shake hands with someone else, get diploma cover, get shoved over there, turn the cover upright, smile, click! Go back to your seat. It was nuts.
Then I wandered around looking for my family and making sure everyone got the restaurant. Broke my new sandal walking from my car to the restaurant. I still haven't gotten around to returning them. meh.
Lemme see. ah. After a lovely lunch with my family that came with 2 dozen roses and various cards of congratulations, my mother et al left to go back to Connecticut. I wish they could have stayed loger but my sister was anxious to get back to Boston and her new husband. Dad and company returned to my house so dad could change his clothes and I could read his cards. He needs to get on the things I told him. Time is indifferent.
Had a small gathering at the house that night after the fam was gone. Old and current neighbors, a professor friend, friends from college and some of their children came and helped me mark the occasion. We should have taken pictures, but I never seem to think of it. Thanks, Robin, for the cork screw! I still have leftovers from the party (I guess it's time to clean out the fridge) and enough booze and wine on hand to keep me for a couple of years! Ha!
Sunday, like god, I rested. :P Monday and Tuesday I went to campus and helped a professor friend select the text book she will use for her intro courses in the fall. And by help, I mean I reviewed about 20 textbooks and gave her the one I think is the most user friendly and accurate. Wednesday I had some legal issues relating to the girl's situation to attend to, a home inspection by the boro and an hour long phone interview regarding the girl.
Thursday, I spent the day with the ladies that lunch, The Shippensburg University Women's Consortium, Annual Retreat. I was a little late due to a late night phone call asking for help with turning in a paper very very late. Had a lovely time once I arrived though. A seminar on financial planning, stress reduction and flea market, auction and yard sale shopping. Lunch was good, then a demonstration on tofu. :) Those were some tasty little dishes. Who knew tofu could substitute for chocolate?
Friday grades were mostly posted:
Spring 2009 Semester
Type QPASem/Cum
Undergrad 3.667/3.45
Course Title Grade
003-101-02 ART APPRECIATION A
045-110-02 PHYSICS FOR SOCIETY A-
056-386-01 DATA COLLECT ANALY B+
056-415-01 SENIOR SEMINAR Q
Now, you may ask, what is a grade of Q? I can't offer what it actually stands for myself, but I can tell you it means a grade is forthcoming whenever the professor for that course gets around to registering her grades. In all fairness, she did have thyroid surgery on the Monday of finals week, but she was not very good at posting any of our assignment grades throughout the semester, so we (my senior seminar classmates and I) are less than sympathetic. We can only hope that we have passed with grades in her course that we are happy with. Another A will give me a little bump to my final GPA. It will not be enough to move my cum laude honors up to summa cum laude, but I'll take it.
Spent the rest of the day Friday with my friend Tristan. We hung out here, had some lunch and napped. Once the boy got home, we went to see STAR TREK! I can't tell you how much I loved it without spoiling it for you, so get your ass to the theater and see that shit so we can talk! I think I am going to see it again this week. Damn Carmike Cinemas for not having actual matinees during the week. We went mall walking as well. I finally checked out the Burlington Coat Factory and I think I'm in love. I need to save a lot of the graduation money I got for summer vacation things but I think I am going to take about $100 over to BCF and get some interview/work clothes and a pair of jeans. Wearing the same pair over and over and over is a drag. Finally wrapped up the day with dinner at Bonanza. It's interesting introducing buffet style dining to someone old enough to have already had the experience.
Saturday, hmm, what did I do? Oh yeah, I babysat a 5 year old for a professor friend so she and her hubby could go canoeing. They were a little late coming back but I made almost all th4e money I need to go shopping at BCF! :D
Sunday, the boy and I went to visit his sister. We got lost on the way there and dealt with other drivers trying to kill us. We had a pleasant visit. We got lost coming home, too. In the process, we stumbled upon a covered bridge, so I made a turn off the main road so we could drive over it and back. We dealt with another driver trying to kill us on the way home, too.
That gets you all caught up to today. So far I have had some coffee, stayed in my pajamas and done this. I feel entitled. At some point, I will take a shower, clean the bathroom, do some more laundry and take care of the dishes. I may or may not cook dinner. I have to go to the grocery and get kitty litter and change that.
The rest of the week involves a few phone calls, visiting campus, working on my resume, cleaning and shopping. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens. ;)
You may know that my daughter is in a group home again. We visited her the Sunday before graduation with the understanding from all interested parties that she would be allowed to attend that auspicious occasion. Tuesday before graduation her probation officer informed me that he changed his mind about that. Needless to say, my patience with the situati0on and all the players came to a crashing, screaming halt. I have been exhausted from the strength and understanding and patience I have been expected to continually show over the last few years by the cast of characters my daugther's behavior has brought into our lives. I did not handle the news well. And that didn't help my case. Whatever. I am tired of playing nice with others.
The family, including: my mom, and step dad, my dad and his new girlfriend, my aunt and uncle and my sister, Samantha Strange (the AWESOME), all showed up Friday, May 1st, at various times. Went out to dinner with my mother, step dad and sister. We had a pleasant meal. When we got back to my house, I convinced my sister, who needed to go to the store anyway, to let me take her to the store and then back to the hotel. We got to spend a little sister time. :)
When I got home, my dad and that posse were about to leave my house. I talked to them briefly and handed out graduation day tickets. The weather was up in the air till the last possible minute. I spent a lot of time wringing my hands over a possible afternoon ceremony. Late graduation would have meant late lunch and everyone was planning a post graduation exodus.
The weather cooperated. My mother and company picked up the boy child to bring him to the ceremony. I got the campus on time and spent a lot of time standing around waiting with the rest of my graduating class. Got to see a lot of friends and many hugs were had.
Once the speeches were done and the names were being called, time seemed to speed up. When my turn came, I was back in my seat before I had a chance to register what was happening. It went something like this: walk up, shake hands with the Dean, hand the announcer your card, name called, walk over and shake hands with someone else, get diploma cover, get shoved over there, turn the cover upright, smile, click! Go back to your seat. It was nuts.
Then I wandered around looking for my family and making sure everyone got the restaurant. Broke my new sandal walking from my car to the restaurant. I still haven't gotten around to returning them. meh.
Lemme see. ah. After a lovely lunch with my family that came with 2 dozen roses and various cards of congratulations, my mother et al left to go back to Connecticut. I wish they could have stayed loger but my sister was anxious to get back to Boston and her new husband. Dad and company returned to my house so dad could change his clothes and I could read his cards. He needs to get on the things I told him. Time is indifferent.
Had a small gathering at the house that night after the fam was gone. Old and current neighbors, a professor friend, friends from college and some of their children came and helped me mark the occasion. We should have taken pictures, but I never seem to think of it. Thanks, Robin, for the cork screw! I still have leftovers from the party (I guess it's time to clean out the fridge) and enough booze and wine on hand to keep me for a couple of years! Ha!
Sunday, like god, I rested. :P Monday and Tuesday I went to campus and helped a professor friend select the text book she will use for her intro courses in the fall. And by help, I mean I reviewed about 20 textbooks and gave her the one I think is the most user friendly and accurate. Wednesday I had some legal issues relating to the girl's situation to attend to, a home inspection by the boro and an hour long phone interview regarding the girl.
Thursday, I spent the day with the ladies that lunch, The Shippensburg University Women's Consortium, Annual Retreat. I was a little late due to a late night phone call asking for help with turning in a paper very very late. Had a lovely time once I arrived though. A seminar on financial planning, stress reduction and flea market, auction and yard sale shopping. Lunch was good, then a demonstration on tofu. :) Those were some tasty little dishes. Who knew tofu could substitute for chocolate?
Friday grades were mostly posted:
Spring 2009 Semester
Type QPASem/Cum
Undergrad 3.667/3.45
Course Title Grade
003-101-02 ART APPRECIATION A
045-110-02 PHYSICS FOR SOCIETY A-
056-386-01 DATA COLLECT ANALY B+
056-415-01 SENIOR SEMINAR Q
Now, you may ask, what is a grade of Q? I can't offer what it actually stands for myself, but I can tell you it means a grade is forthcoming whenever the professor for that course gets around to registering her grades. In all fairness, she did have thyroid surgery on the Monday of finals week, but she was not very good at posting any of our assignment grades throughout the semester, so we (my senior seminar classmates and I) are less than sympathetic. We can only hope that we have passed with grades in her course that we are happy with. Another A will give me a little bump to my final GPA. It will not be enough to move my cum laude honors up to summa cum laude, but I'll take it.
Spent the rest of the day Friday with my friend Tristan. We hung out here, had some lunch and napped. Once the boy got home, we went to see STAR TREK! I can't tell you how much I loved it without spoiling it for you, so get your ass to the theater and see that shit so we can talk! I think I am going to see it again this week. Damn Carmike Cinemas for not having actual matinees during the week. We went mall walking as well. I finally checked out the Burlington Coat Factory and I think I'm in love. I need to save a lot of the graduation money I got for summer vacation things but I think I am going to take about $100 over to BCF and get some interview/work clothes and a pair of jeans. Wearing the same pair over and over and over is a drag. Finally wrapped up the day with dinner at Bonanza. It's interesting introducing buffet style dining to someone old enough to have already had the experience.
Saturday, hmm, what did I do? Oh yeah, I babysat a 5 year old for a professor friend so she and her hubby could go canoeing. They were a little late coming back but I made almost all th4e money I need to go shopping at BCF! :D
Sunday, the boy and I went to visit his sister. We got lost on the way there and dealt with other drivers trying to kill us. We had a pleasant visit. We got lost coming home, too. In the process, we stumbled upon a covered bridge, so I made a turn off the main road so we could drive over it and back. We dealt with another driver trying to kill us on the way home, too.
That gets you all caught up to today. So far I have had some coffee, stayed in my pajamas and done this. I feel entitled. At some point, I will take a shower, clean the bathroom, do some more laundry and take care of the dishes. I may or may not cook dinner. I have to go to the grocery and get kitty litter and change that.
The rest of the week involves a few phone calls, visiting campus, working on my resume, cleaning and shopping. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens. ;)