The GLYSB returned on Monday, January 3 at 6:45am PST and Happy Dancing followed it’s departure!
Daughter, still not feeling 100%, had worked four out of the five previous nights, including Sunday night. I had gotten Ben ready for his first day back at school solo. He put up a bit of a fight, ran outside to climb to the deck roof… the usual Ben Shtuff, but I didn’t let it bother me. He was getting on that bus, come Hell or High Water!
Tuesday was a repeat of Monday with Daughter at work and me getting Ben ready on my own. He was a little better Tuesday morning. There was no running outside, probably because it was another 35°F (2°C) frosty morning, like Monday. Happy Dancing… etc… all good!
The afternoons were a bit rough. The barometer was up a bit and high pressure always makes Ben a little extra agitated. Daughter was exhausted from work and getting over being sick, and I was tired from trying to keep everything together and running in the right direction.
Daughter had a few nights off from work starting Tuesday night, and I swear I heard a Hallelujah Choir singing! I ran a few errands Monday and Tuesday, but mostly I rested. The high pressure made the sky clear and blue which was pretty after all the crappy weather, and the temperature even climbed up to 60°F (16°C)… downright toasty after weeks of numb fingers and toes.
I was excited that Daughter would be home Wednesday morning to get Ben ready and onto the GLYSB. I thought I might be able to stay in bed even. HA! Yeah, right! Ben and Dogzilla Bounced me at 5:30am. I told Ben it was still dark and I wasn’t going to the living room yet. No way! He heard the seriousness in my voice and got in bed with me.
Daughter got up a little after 6am and gave him meds and got him ready. I eventually got up and assisted. I had to get up, if you know what I mean. I answered the call, got a cuppa from the Coffee Dragon, uncovered Sven, put a scoop of kibble in Dogzilla’s bowl, and took some sunrise pictures. It was nice to see a few clouds back in the sky… pressure dropping… good news!
I actually ran zero errands on Wednesday. I stayed in my jammas all morning and did a whole lot of nothing! I walked around the back and side yard a bit, I gave Sven a couple Dubia Roaches (so gross… I have to use a spoon. I can’t touch them), I played fetch and tug with Zeus and scratched his itchy spots… generally just relaxed. The week was going pretty well, and with Daughter off until Friday night, I was looking forward to more relaxation.
So Wednesday afternoon we’re waiting for Ben to come home. I’m getting snacks and his tablet set, kinda puttering around… then Daughter gets a call from his school… Dun Dun Dun Duuuuunnnnn 😱 The bus pulled up at that exact moment cuz of course it did, so I had to wait to hear what the call was about.
After getting Ben settled-ish Daughter said “You’re gonna need to go to Rite-Aid or CVS to get a testing kit.” I laughed hysterically and told her there were ZERO home tests anywhere. She told me his teacher said he had a bit of cough Tuesday, more cough on Wednesday, slept all day Wednesday and said his head hurt. They wanted him to get a Negative test or stay home for ten days! Jiminey Cricket On A Flat Tired Motorscooter!! I looked at the calendar and counted days. His ten days would be over on a weekend, and the Monday was MLK Day, a holiday, so the first day he could go back would be Tuesday, January 18. FML!
Daughter looked all over for a testing appointment, a Rapid, a PCR, anything… the soonest she could get was the 12th and with a two day response time on results, it was pointless. I resigned myself to having him home until the 18th… Winter Break 2.0. I vented and complained, but I accepted.
Now I’m venting and complaing to all of you… isn’t that nice of me?! At least I have pictures of Sven to share too😉
First of all I want to say that I am extremely happy that his school is taking the Kooties very seriously and erring on the side of caution. I really mean that too! However… I have not heard Ben coughing, At. All. He has no fever, no runny nose, no nothing. He slept all day? Why is his🤬 teacher STILL letting him sleep?! We’ve told her and told her not to let him sleep. It messes up his already difficult sleep schedule. His med doctor has even told her not to let him sleep.
The pressure dropped, of course he was more relaxed. We’ve explained about how the pressure affects him over and over and over… in fact, we discussed it during his IEP meeting before break and even the District Rep remembered he had a thing with the barometric pressure.
He said his head hurt? I call bullshit on that! There have been bazillions of times I’ve tried to ask him if he had pain somewhere, and my answer is always the sound of crickets. This child has a pain threshold beyond high. He didn’t even cry when he was two years old and nearly amputated his finger in a bike chain/gear. It took twelve stitches, but at the time, he just looked for something to clean the blood up. He never cried or complained with his many ear infections. We never knew he had an ear infection until his eardrum burst and fluid started leaking out. Bullshit! He did NOT say his head hurt.
Breathe…. breathe… Sven pictures?
I seriously think this teacher just does not like dealing with him. He is challenging, I know… but that is her job. I think she lets him sleep so she doesn’t have to deal with him. We’ve asked for communication and she can’t be bothered. I’m hoping that since he will be considered a high school student in the Fall, they will move him away from this room and this teacher.
Daughter left a message for the school nurse asking about the CDC switch to five days. The nurse called back this morning and told Daughter that since the teacher said he’s “showing symptoms”…🙄🤦🏼♀️ Ben has to do the full ten days or show a negative test. They discussed the sleeping issue too and the poor nurse just kept apologizing. Daughter told her that she appreciated the concern and how seriously they are taking it, but that it’s frustrating cuz we are NOT seeing ANY of the symptoms the teacher is claiming. It’s also frustrating that they just opened his age group to boosters. He got his second Pfizer in June so we’re thinking about going ahead a getting his booster now. If he was gonna get the Rona, he would’ve gotten it while Daughter was so sick, at Christmas. GRRRR!!!
More Sven?? Yeah, I think I need a look at his goofy face to calm down…
So anyway… obviously all my plans or thoughts or intentions for getting back to WP and having some kind of Life are once again on hold unless an at home test falls from the sky. The school nurse said they are trying to get a supply in so they can test the kids there before they call the parents. I guess some schools in the district have them, but not them. If they get some, she will call us to Come On Down😉 Ben going back to school would be better than winning fabulous new dining room furniture, or (dramatic pause) a new car.😂
What else can I rant about? I can complain about all the Idjits setting off fireworks from Thanksgiving through New Year. Daughter worked New Year’s Eve, as she always does, so I was home alone with Da Boyz. I doped Dogzilla up on benadryl hoping to keep him from barking his fool head off, but it didn’t help. I would love to take those fireworks and shove them… 🤐 anyway… At least everything was still wet so the fire danger was lower.
I’m done complaining for now. It won’t fix anything and while it’s good to let it out, too much is just boring. I read an article about how Awe is good for kids and teaching them to find wonder is good for their mental health. I can remove the pay wall on articles I have subscriptions to, so if you wanna read the article it’s here.
And in the spirit of finding or experiencing Awe, I leave you with a video/slide show of Wednesday night sunset. I was able to get Mercury in a picture. I’d seen that it was visible without binos or a telescope so My Sciencey Stuff Nerd 🤓 really, REALLY wanted to capture Mercury. And I did!🥳💃🏼 First, here’s the video with ALL the pictures
and here is the picture by itself
It was an awe-inspiring way to end a Not Great day! Also, I’m not sure if I will be joining the SLS group on Sunday or not. I have a couple songs in mind besides the obvious 🎶Don’t Fear The Reaper🎶 but it comes down to time, and how many interruptions I have to deal with. I’m sick to death of the word TRY, so I shall attempt to do a SLS post.
How are you dudes finding 2022? Is it the same for you… just more of the 2021 nonsense and hassles? I’m still lurking, dropping the occasional “Like” or comment. January 18th is the new Freedom date. Maybe I’ll get lucky and a testing kit will fall from the sky, or the ones Daughter ordered from Amazon will come before the 22nd🤷🏼♀️
Keep on keepin on and smile, laugh and/or guffaw as often as possible. I certainly will be. And look for moments of Awe! They’re good for you! Science says so 🤓 and not just MY Sciencey Stuff.
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Hugs!!!
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All images are mine
King Ben's Grandma 
Well dang. Tests are impossible to get up here too. People are waiting in line for hours to get one at CVS or wherever. Ugh! So far, so good with me on that front, but otherwise 2022 is a big old SOS. I’m not into going to the germy gym or walking in the cold, so we are now in Season 5 of Butt Sitting until Sleep Crashing. Not so great for the circulation bleh. I enjoy the pics of Sven and sky… hope to see you on SLS or whenever. Good luck with the King and his royal pains. PS: high pressure tends to trigger my migraines. Even someone with HPT might feel those…
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Butt sitting until sleep crashing… Lol. Well said! (Sigh…)
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Thanks 😀
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Yeah, migraines are awful! Sudden low pressure used to be one of my triggers. I guess it’s possible he had a headache, but to actually say his head hurts??? I’m not buying it.
He does this thing where he hits his head against a door, then throws himself to the ground and wants help up. It’s like after we help him up, everything is all better. This is after a negative incident or whatever. He might say “hurt your head?” in a questioning voice instead of actually doing the whole routine, but I’ve never heard him indicate any pain anywhere. Even when asked in simple yes or no “does your ____ hurt?” he doesn’t reply… or he says “okay”
🤐🤐 probably more info than needed🤪🤦🏼♀️ My noggin is fried!
💕🦋🌷
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So sorry Angie!! Omg is this nightmare ever going to end?
My kids are prisoners again because everything is shut down. And if it isn’t shut down it’s going to be because either people are getting fired for not vaccinating or they are home with covid isolating. Pretty soon nothing will be open anymore.
I have no wisdom. I ate chocolate today. Screw the side plank… 🤣
Hang in there.
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Chocolate is always good. Younger hasn’t been by to get her Christmas gifts or her share of the chocolate in her stocking… I’m about to raid her Chocolate cuz I already ate everyone elses😲😂😂😂 Ben is on Starbursts and choco chip cookies, Daughter can’t eat choco… it makes her sick🤷🏼♀️ so I’m not robbing anyone… I’m just being a glutton😂💌💌
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I bought a bunch of chocolate today because I’m irritated so I’m going to have some now. 😛
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Blame it on Mars. He’s making everyone irritated and ready to go to war😉 🤷🏼♀️😂 🍫 🧀 🤤 💌
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Duckitty Doodle Duck Gramma! When it rains it pours in your neck of the woods! I also agree with your FML which l had to look up, so to echo it for you FYL it sucks at present 😦
If Ben wasn’t autistic l ‘d say he was pulling a fast one but he is and with a teacher still letting him sleep and therefore being lazy, someone’s trying to pull the wool in my books.
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Yeah… we’ve had issues with this teacher since they moved him. Our hope is that since he’ll be a big bad 9th grader, high school doancha know, in the Fall that when the new District takes over, he’ll also be moved to a different teacher. We live the school, we love his therapists and the aides all seem great too.
I’m sure he goes outside and lays down and goes to sleep to avoid doing worksheets, but his teacher or aide should be waking him up, NOT high fiving each other and letting him sleep🤦🏼♀️
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Totally. Poor student management by the teacher sadly.
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What better way is there to illustrate a rant than pictures of a bearded dragon. Pissed is their default. The fact that the teacher is able to define symptoms seems like BS. I’m sure you’re right. She’s just trying to get him out of the classroom. So far, there’s no indication that our school district is taking covid seriously. No mask requirements. This is a really conservative area and everyone says mandates=communism. They’re so stupid.
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I don’t know how you deal with all the conservatives. And it must be weird for Eli… all of his friends are probably spouting their parents’ views… the No Political Stickers on the B.A.T.
I cannot wrap my head around people who refuse masking. It’s not fun, but it’s not a big deal either. It’s the same as seatbelts or helmets… UGH! Everyone wants their “Freedom” but none of the responsibilities that allow “freedom” for their neighbors.
I think I’m spending too much time with Sven… pissed off seems to be MY default lately😂
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I would say you’re preaching to the choir, but I only have an adult man and a dog to deal with, here at Yurt in the middle of nowhere. LOVE the pictures. ADMIRE the huge restraint it took not to go and sock that teacher in the kisser. I continue to be astounded by all the active stupidity outside about this pandemic. The other day i was in the grocery store where a clerk was in tears, saying, my best friend died!!! to some b^^^^ who said, it isn’t real! nobody’s really sick! it’s fake news! i kid you not. You are doing wonderfully well, imho! we hope ardently for a happy new year!!!!! and Sven. I’m in love!
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I wonder how people can believe it’s not real. Of course, Daughter is a nurse who sees people die from COVID… every shift lately… so maybe it’s easier for me to believe. But I also don’t get my information from the “Cable News”😉😂😂 I look for information from different sources, different countries even… This whole “Us vs Them” thing is global. Humans are just stupid it seems. The Earth would be better off if the humans all killed our dumb selves off!🙄😂
Thanks for the cheering on… I don’t feel like I’m doing wonderfully well🤪 I have to check the calendar several times a day to see what day it is😂
Sven is such a goof! I wasn’t thrilled when Younger brought him home to foster… he was a rescue… but I wouldn’t let her take him when she moved out. I love his goofy little triangle head and his glaring side-eyed stares! Our dog and both cats are weird too. I always wonder if the weird animals find us, or the turn weird from living with us?😂😂
🦎 🌻🐾🌷🤗
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LOL. the Dog showed up as an eight week old in this rugged terrain, NO IDEA how he got here. What would we do without these guys to kiss?
I NEVER know what day it is anymore. And i think, in these times? carrying on with love and respect for what is around one IS doing wonderfully well! Onward, kiddo.
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Thank you! 💌
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I’m sorry Angie. No wonder you ranted. Time to turn that Mongolian Throat Metal up to 11.. ❤️❤️❤️
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I was watching one of their cooking videos recently. It looked good, and maybe I could eat it if I didn’t know what it was🤢
It’s always something, isn’t it?!🤷🏼♀️ 🎶”one foot in front of the other” or maybe
💌💌💌
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Great pics Angie. It’s good to get an update from you! I can well imagine your frustration. The school and teacher are just shifting their burden into you. I do hope you find a home test kit and then Ben can go back to school. Hugs.
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I’m not gonna hold my breath for a home test kit. We ordered some from Amazon and it’s possible they could come before the 14th, but not likely.
I’m resigned to the 18th🤷🏼♀️ I do hope his school is able to get some tests so they can find out before they send the kids home. They can’t send them home for every sneeze, cough or runny nose. They need school. Especially THESE kids and THIS school.
Dang! It’s after midnight there… I missed sending your Friday wishes. I hope it was a good day, and you and yours stay healthy.🤗🥰🌻✨
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Thanks Angie for always remembering. It was a good day. It was the last of the winter holiday. From Monday it’s back to school. I’m good and so is everyone in the family. Sending you warm hugs.
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Great blog Angie. What a pity these school teachers have to resort to “a negative test” so that your grandson can attend school. What a joke. I can confirm that autistic kids don’t feel pain the same way others do. We never knew if he had a ear infection unless we took him to the doctor. And he had a lot of ear infections.
I spoke with him tonight. He got a positive covid test back today. He has been isolating for 11 days in his cottage and sick for at least a week. I’ve brought him food and medicine. He is doing ok, but he is taking this covid thing very seriously. He said he is going to be even more careful now. Mostly, he complains about his voice and throat. It is his instrument and he sings in a choir. He already drinks hot lemon and honey and makes his own beef broth. He will be fine.
Sorry that you are dealing with all this. And I can’t believe they let him sleep at school.
Take care of you.
Teri
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Sorry that Andrew got the Kootie too. Ya know, I had a bit of a sore throat around the same time that Daughter started showing symptoms… it’s possible I had a breakthrough case too🤷🏼♀️ I didn’t get tested, no point. I’ve always been careful in public… worried I’d be one of the asymptomatic carriers🙄😂 We’re pretty sure Daughter had it, but after a week of being sick her test was Indeterminate. No longer enough to be contagious is how I figure it. She was mostly weak and achey. But she’d been tired and run down before getting sick.
My primary says I’m healthy. The med I take for the plaque psoriasis is an immunosuppressant, a cancer drug originally, so it puts me at some risk, but I got my booster at 6 months even though it wasn’t open to my age group yet.
You take care of you!!💌💌💌 I read your post, I just haven’t commented on it. I love the picture of you & your 3 men. I giggled at Curtis wearing a 49er shirt cuz you told me about his birth.
I’m glad your dad is doing well. He looks great!
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That is so annoying! It definitely sounds like Ben’s teacher struggles with him and doesn’t want the challenge. Far easier for her to let him sleep or, even better, keep him home! It is starting to get more difficult to get tests here too. Glad your daughter is feeling better. Really hope you find a test! 🙂
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It will be a happy surprise if Ben is back at school before the 18th. I’m resigned to him being home. I don’t have the energy and Definitely zero desire to go hunting all over the county for a test. We ordered some and they’ll get here when they get here🤷🏼♀️
I’m glad his school takes it seriously! But this is ridiculous. Ben hasn’t had ANY symptoms since he’s been home, and he didn’t have any the 3 days he was at school… not at home anyway. I don’t wanna call his teacher a liar, but it certainly appears that she’s exaggerated.
The poor school nurse… she just kept apologizing. I don’t think she was sold on it either… “his teacher said…” Not much she can do except go with what the teacher tells her.🤷🏼♀️ so Ben gets 2 weeks of Winter Break, 3 days of school, then almost 2 more weeks off.
How are you and yours faring? How’s your back? And your Critters? I hope your 2022 is off to a better start than mine🤞😂😂💌💌💌
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It is good the school takes it seriously but frustrating the tests are the not available. I think your analysis of his teacher is fair, as you’ve seen no evidence of symptoms. I hope the two weeks pass without too much stress for you! My back had been quite a bit better but then, just before Christmas, I fell down the stairs and jarred it which is a setback. Unfortunately, I twisted my knee too and have pulled a ligament, so I’m hobbling about! In some ways it was good as it meant I had to sit down and do my 4000 word essay for my MA. Got it finished and handed in a week early! Hopefully, these are minor blips on the start of 2022 and we’ll both have fabulous years! 😂💕
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Oh NOOO! It seems like the universe had to step in with a Major Incident to make you slow down🤪🤦🏼♀️☹ but good for you for using the time well🥳 I hope the healing goes well🤞and quickly, but not TOO quickly… you could probably use more rest😉💌💌
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