If you missed the start of this series, you can find it here. A lot of things will be the same or very similar.
The rest of the evening went fine. Ben ate his taters and hung out with Daughter. He had his bath at the regular time and went right to his room after. I was surprised that I got him out of the Batman costume without more trouble. I did the picture taking, data collecting, Sciencey Thing. I was home to see where the sun touched the horizon. Only a week until the Autumnal Equinox
Not a very dramatic sunset. I guess that’s good in a way, means the caca in the air is dissipating. I’d love to see blue skies again.
After sunset I did the Night Stuff, made myself eat a nuked burrito and went through email and WP, played a game… winding down, getting ready to sleep. Daughter went to sleep around 10pm, and I was planning on making it an early night myself, but Ben was still laughing and goofing at 10:15pm, so I waited to take my pill until 11:30. I hadn’t heard anything from him in a while, I figured I was safe. I saw midnight, then konked.
One brief wakeup around 3am, but I went right back out. It was the med alarm that woke me at 6:45am. I found my phone, turned it off and listened to the house. It was quiet. I decided to go watch sunrise.
The smoke is still yucky, but it was nice to see some hazy blue. I look forward to clear blue skies. No sign of the Parrots, I guess they’ve moved on. Whether it was the fire or just time to go to another food source, I don’t know. I’m always super excited when they arrive and super bummed when they leave.
In between taking sunrise pictures I uncovered Sven, turned on his lights, got him food and held him for a few minutes. His beard was dark this morning… such a grumpy dragon!
I guess he was unhappy with the second consecutive day of late uncovering. He’s a moody lizard, that’s for sure. A perfect member of the Casa Cuckoo Family.
I let Dogzilla out of Ben’s room at 7am, Ben was still sleeping and I let him sleep. No reason to wake him today, Daughter was home and still sleeping too. I got to drink coffee, use the baño, and enjoy the sunrise in peace. Nice!
Of course from alarm going off to Ben commanding me to join him in the living room was only thirty minutes, but it was more than I generally got so I was happy.
I took my stuff out, went to get Ben’s stuff and got his meds. A half hour late doesn’t matter in his schedule. We were Couch Sittin together when Daughter got up at 7:30. She saw us on the couch and had a guilty look. I told her to quit looking sad, Ben had only been up for fifteen minutes. I told her he’d been awake until 10:30pm at least (she went to bed at 10pm), and woke up at 7:15am.
I told her I went to sleep around midnight and the med alarm woke me, but I got to watch sunrise in peace. I told her I also saw a murder. She said “By the nonchalant way you said it, I’m assuming you mean crows and not a homeless person.” I told her there was a homeless person under a tarp on the sidewalk but they appeared to still be amongst the living.
I went back to my room to get Horizontal again until it was time to begin the errands.
Ben had Group Zooms scheduled for 9:30 and 11:30 with a Speech and Occupational Therapy Zoom in the middle at 10:30. Daughter skipped the first Group and logged into the 10:30 with Speech and OT. Both therapists were greeted with a view of an empty chair. Daughter had given countdown reminders but still had trouble getting him into the chair.
The session went okay. There were problems, but both of his therapists are great at going with the flow and working with whatever Ben is doing or feeling to get some learning done. It’s much easier in their controlled classrooms, but they do their best with Zoom. They ended the session by asking him to put on a mask. Daughter had to help him, but we still have to help dress him. He puts things on backward or inside out. He made it through with no “behaviors” after… barely.
She logged into the 11:30 session, a mistake in my mind, but I’m not in charge of his Zooming. Ben sat in the chair, eventually, but he ignored the screen the entire time. The aide tried to engage him with a dog and a cat, but Ben had decided not to participate. When Ben decides he’s not doing something, he doesnt do it, period.
I left around 12:15pm to do some errands. I had to put Daughter’s check in her bank, put gas in the car, go to grocery store and the pet store to get some worms for Sven. It was 97°F (36°C) under gross skies. I nearly passed out carrying the groceries into the house. I immediately went to lay down and cool off.
Around 4:00 I offered to take over Couch Sittin Duty for a little while, but Daughter said no. Ben told Zeus and me to go back to my room. He was constructing a long line of dominoes and didn’t want Dogzilla to knock them over. Sometimes I think Zeus knocks them over on purpose, like a petulant child. Ben was wearing his Batman costume. No surprise there. He’ll probably put it on every day. He waited longer than I thought he would.
Daughter is planning “white chicken” for his dinner, which is just cubed chicken breasts sauteed in butter with salt, pepper and plenty of garlic. It’s one of his favorites, and left unattended will turn Good Zeus into a Naughty Dog.
Things are calm at the Casa now, and have been since I got home. Dinner, bath and bedtime to follow. No Driving, no stress, no worries. Nice!
Time for some Mongolian Metal, dontcha think?
Thanks for Zooming and running errands and just hanging out with us. Another rollercoaster day, but no crashes so that’s good. We need to Drive Miss Daisy to Employee Health sometime tomorrow (Wednesday) to have someone look at the spot on her arm where she got the TB poke. I really, REALLY wish she drove at times like these. Oh well, we’ll let Ben navigate again, who knows where we might end up. There are Zooms scheduled too, so we’ll find out tomorrow whether those happen or not. Lots of possibilities for adventures. ¡Hasta mañana!
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HUGS!
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King Ben's Grandma 
Glad the skies are clearing somewhat! Sounds like a chill day at Casa C ❤️
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It was mostly chill, thanks. The days are still completely white sky, but early morning there’s a tease of blue. The big ’03 fire was during Santa Ana so the smoke didn’t hang around forever. This almost seems worse.
Is OC clearing out? You guys havent had any fires have you? Just the awful smoke.
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Right, just smoke. It really irritated my eyes and I’m still doubled up on allergy meds even though the air is a little better. Yucky 🙁
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What a treat! You got to watch a few minutes of sunrise and get a cup of coffee! That’s a big deal. I’m super happy for that. Mongolian Metal, cool 🎶 💃✨hugs 🤗💞
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It was an awesome 30 minutes! I’m glad I didn’t turn the alarm off. I probably could’ve used the sleep, but I think it was 30 minutes well spent.💃🏼💫💞🌈
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🎈✨💃💞
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The pictures of this morning look a little better – you can finally see some blue instead of just hazy red. The hazy red is here now. The sun looked spooky when I dropped the kids off at their practices this evening. And the weather – I am so sorry you are still feeling such heat! Our weather broke yesterday. It was 75 today and when I just went to get Cate after her practice the weather was 58 outside. We have had the windows open finally, which helps me sleep so much better. I’m not as bad as you and Gary, but I do wake up at around 4 every morning and toss and turn until I get up up at 6. The cooler weather is such a blessing in that area. I just want to stay snuggled in my blankets even if I am awake. Well, I hope you have a great day tomorrow and the skies continue to clear for you!
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It was nice to see hazy blue. It seems like it’s been forever, even though it’s only been a week. Yeah, the heat caught me off guard… it’s been in the upper 80s and cool at night. It was still cool this morning so I expected the same. Dumb of me not to check before going out, especially around 12:30-1:00. Stupid Zooms putting me behind.😡 I didn’t want to leave Daughter alone with him if it was gonna go bad. I can de-escalate, where she sometimes sets him off worse🤷🏼♀️
That’s crazy that the smoke has traveled to you guys. There is bunch of it for sure.
I hope you have an easy Zoom day tomorrow 🍀💖
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I know! I can’t believe it did either. I saw the hazy sun but didn’t realize it came from the west until I read the news. Crazy!
We finally do. The kids have a half day once a month during a regular school year. Today is that day – and in the virtual learning world they decided half days are zoom free days. There is still a lot of homework, but no stupid classes to sit through. Wahooo!!! If you guys have any, I hope they go well. We’ve had a bad zoom week. Lots of tears. I am glad for this break!
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We have one today, and we’re Driving Miss Daisy before… a very short drive for someone to look at her arm to document she doesnt have TB. All of it stupid & a waste of time. Hopefully no “behaviors” from the drive or Zoom.
Congrats on your Zoom- free day!💃🏼✨💖
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Mongolian metal?! You are definitely expanding my musical horizons. I see that the lyrics are basically threats thrown at potential invaders. Nice! Sounds like Ben is a carnivore. That’s good since if he’s at all like my guys they get anemic really easily. Hope you see blue skies soon!
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You have Gary to thank for the Mongolian Metal. He found it first. I absolutely love how they use traditional instruments and singing style and merge it with metal sounds and beats.
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I know. I never thought I could appreciate metal. My first experience was Guns n Roses when carpooling to elementary school wIth a family that had a bunch of boys who seemed to dislike me. Mostly I just remember their pet chihuahua wiping its snotty nose on the van windows. I’m an associative thinker. It really ruins things for me. Now I will associate metal with Mongolians instead of chihuahua snot. Much better!
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😂😂😂😂 yes, definitely better!
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You deserve features like today more often. Chillax and enjoy the sunset. Have a good night and a great day tomorrow. Love and hugs 🤗
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Thanks. Daughter has been so hurt by Ben’s rejection that she’s doubling down on trying to do all the stuff he comes to me for.
It took time for him to come only to me, its gonna take time to undo the pattern.
I’d love for them to have a better relationship. I was never supposed to be the primary person in his life.
And I’d love more time for myself!
I hope your Wednesday is Wonderful!🤗🥰💫🌠
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I know it is difficult for children to switch from one person to another just like that. Specially if the person is as loving and caring as you are. But I think that things get sorted out eventually. As you said, it just takes time.
Thanks Angie, you too have a peaceful night and tomorrow
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Is there really a purpose to these Zooms? Is Ben truly benefitting from them?
I look forward to the days when you have nothing but time for yourself and don’t feel guilty for it. Dang Grandmaw but you need a freaking holiday!
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The Zooms are a complete waste of everyone’s time in Ben’s case. He learns nothing and they upset him.
Unfortunately federal money for schools is based on attendance. Kid has to show up for the school to get their money. With the Orange Idjit in the big chair, and hating California, schools are doing what they can. Also the Disabilities Act requires schools to provide education to children with disabilities, so there’s basically a lot of bureaucratic BS making everyone participate in this farce.
We have a tentative date of September 28 to start Monday & Tuesday on campus school. It all depends on the numbers. Whether we have another spike in Kooties or not. California’s Governor is on top of safety first, trying to accommodate business too. We just have denying idjits and tourists that come in & spike our numbers. It’s very frustrating.
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Yes l can imagine, the world is a hotbed of stupidity at present.
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I think your right. That Popular Mongolian Beat Combo are rather good. One day you will get plenty of sleep. I bet that would be such a most excellent experience dude. xxx
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I cant even imagine. Sleep… you and me both… couple of falling down, nodding off, sleep deprived insomniac headbangers. That’s a picture🙄🤦🏼♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💌💌💌
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That quiet half hour to yourself sounds like a real treat – little things can make such a difference. It’s super quiet here now as my son has gone off to uni – very strange having an empty nest! It’ll take a bit of getting used to.
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Right.. you got used to everyone being home, and now they’ve all gone off again. I haven’t (and probably won’t) experienced the “empty nest”. Older moved out for 3-4 months before she got pregnant (she got pregnant after moving back home, it wasn’t the reason😉) and Younger moved out a little over one year ago.🤷🏼♀️
You’ve got your pup to keep you on your toes😉 Is the chewing finally reducing?💖
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Thank goodness for the pup! He hasn’t had any wires lately – mainly because I’ve cleared them out of the way. He’s still a real monkey for getting hold of stuff he shouldn’t have – he loves the chasing game!
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I’m thrilled you got a goods night rest.
Sounds like a pretty chill day. Nice to have your daughter around.
Chicken and butter and garlic sounds nutritious.
I need to make a chicken salad for a girl friend’s bday tomorrow in my back yard. I will bbq it and add some teriaki sauce. Maybe i will make a cheesecake too. Should be fun.
Hugs
Teri
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Cheesecake is my favorite. My mother used to make a cheesecake for my birthday, but then she stopped🤷🏼♀️ life happens.
Have fun! Is the air clearing up? We had blue skies today. It was so nice to see!!
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