Sock dreams and whatnot.
Jan. 19th, 2007 10:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jan_andreaA big thank you to whoever posted the Sock Dreams link a while back. I just placed an order for 7 pairs of very cool socks, mostly "over the knee" (although on me, that means they're knee socks). Mom bought a pair of OTKs for me whilst in England, and I needed more :) They are very comfy in the winter, esp. when I'm sick and want to be warmer. My favorites are these:
Are they not the bestest rainbow socks ever? I am pleased. And glad I don't have to dress for an office environment.
We're all still sick. Stephen has a cough, Sophia has a cough and stuffy nose that makes her wake up 199824384 times each night (joy!), David apparently has bronchitis or pneumonia (for which he got antibiotics at a doctor's visit yesterday), and I am just getting over a very painful sore throat (almost, but not quite, as bad as the one I had with mono), but now have a deeper cough and much nasal gunk. Craptastic!
On the plus side, we got more snow last night (yay!) and it's a winter wonderland outside! I took a very artsy picture of the ice on the trees the other day, but haven't uploaded it yet because I'm lazy and I always forget to bring the camera upstairs to the computer.
Just finished reading 1-2-3 Magic (thanks, Mom!) and am bugging David to read it, too -- I think it will really help us. I've fallen into the 'little adults' trap of over-explaining things to the kids when I'm upset (grown-up tantrums, anyone?) and while I'm not comfortable with not explaining at all, I should give the kids more credit and less warning :lol: I just "counted" Sophia for not giving back my pointy little scissors, and it worked fine; I still need to sit Stephen down and tell him what's going to happen, but I have high hopes for this. I've heard so many good things about the method from other parents. Also have recently read Zen and the Art of Happiness (thanks, Robyn!), which was also terrific and whose ideas I am putting into practice. I don't honestly believe that the universe gives one whit what happens in my day (while the author puts a lot of stock in "whatever happens is happening for the best because the universe takes care of its own"), but it doesn't hurt anyone to think "This is for the best" and consider the happy possibilities. Although I can't for the life of me figure out why a sore throat/cough/cold could be good :) Also having trouble with huge and terrible world events being "the best thing that could happen" to an individual, especially when they die as a result. But for a first-worlder like myself, it's a fine "how to live" sort of book.
Stephen, when he is not testing (which isn't terribly often), surprises me with his heart. His class has been learning about Martin Luther King Jr. this week, and every day he comes home and tells me he wants to help people in the world and be a minister like King so that he can stop people from fighting by using words. The kids saw a movie about the civil rights movement that included footage of the police shooting hoses at demonstrators, and that seems to have really affected him -- he talks about that a lot, in "That must have been so scary; I'm glad I wasn't there; I don't understand how the police could do that when they're supposed to help people" sort of terms. It's hard to explain prejudice and injustice to a kid who's never known either. But then, I don't fully understand how they could do it, either, so I certainly can't fully explain it. Anyway. He's a sweet kid, and I hope he fulfills his dreams (as he says, "I have dreams, too!").
Sophia is very nearly a chatterbox -- much easier to understand what she says, and she says quite a lot. A big change in just a few months! When she's not testing (which is, alas, fairly frequently), she's very loving (I get lots of kisses, and kisses as apologies, which is nice) and wants to be read to all the time -- if only I had the voice for it right now! So we are playing a lot of books on CD.
I should be sewing. Or putting away laundry. So, enough procrastinating. Hope you all have a great weekend; we're planning on laying low, probably staying local, hopefully enjoying the snow, if we're not too sick.
Are they not the bestest rainbow socks ever? I am pleased. And glad I don't have to dress for an office environment.
We're all still sick. Stephen has a cough, Sophia has a cough and stuffy nose that makes her wake up 199824384 times each night (joy!), David apparently has bronchitis or pneumonia (for which he got antibiotics at a doctor's visit yesterday), and I am just getting over a very painful sore throat (almost, but not quite, as bad as the one I had with mono), but now have a deeper cough and much nasal gunk. Craptastic!
On the plus side, we got more snow last night (yay!) and it's a winter wonderland outside! I took a very artsy picture of the ice on the trees the other day, but haven't uploaded it yet because I'm lazy and I always forget to bring the camera upstairs to the computer.
Just finished reading 1-2-3 Magic (thanks, Mom!) and am bugging David to read it, too -- I think it will really help us. I've fallen into the 'little adults' trap of over-explaining things to the kids when I'm upset (grown-up tantrums, anyone?) and while I'm not comfortable with not explaining at all, I should give the kids more credit and less warning :lol: I just "counted" Sophia for not giving back my pointy little scissors, and it worked fine; I still need to sit Stephen down and tell him what's going to happen, but I have high hopes for this. I've heard so many good things about the method from other parents. Also have recently read Zen and the Art of Happiness (thanks, Robyn!), which was also terrific and whose ideas I am putting into practice. I don't honestly believe that the universe gives one whit what happens in my day (while the author puts a lot of stock in "whatever happens is happening for the best because the universe takes care of its own"), but it doesn't hurt anyone to think "This is for the best" and consider the happy possibilities. Although I can't for the life of me figure out why a sore throat/cough/cold could be good :) Also having trouble with huge and terrible world events being "the best thing that could happen" to an individual, especially when they die as a result. But for a first-worlder like myself, it's a fine "how to live" sort of book.
Stephen, when he is not testing (which isn't terribly often), surprises me with his heart. His class has been learning about Martin Luther King Jr. this week, and every day he comes home and tells me he wants to help people in the world and be a minister like King so that he can stop people from fighting by using words. The kids saw a movie about the civil rights movement that included footage of the police shooting hoses at demonstrators, and that seems to have really affected him -- he talks about that a lot, in "That must have been so scary; I'm glad I wasn't there; I don't understand how the police could do that when they're supposed to help people" sort of terms. It's hard to explain prejudice and injustice to a kid who's never known either. But then, I don't fully understand how they could do it, either, so I certainly can't fully explain it. Anyway. He's a sweet kid, and I hope he fulfills his dreams (as he says, "I have dreams, too!").
Sophia is very nearly a chatterbox -- much easier to understand what she says, and she says quite a lot. A big change in just a few months! When she's not testing (which is, alas, fairly frequently), she's very loving (I get lots of kisses, and kisses as apologies, which is nice) and wants to be read to all the time -- if only I had the voice for it right now! So we are playing a lot of books on CD.
I should be sewing. Or putting away laundry. So, enough procrastinating. Hope you all have a great weekend; we're planning on laying low, probably staying local, hopefully enjoying the snow, if we're not too sick.
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 03:43 pm (UTC)It's good to read about what Stephen and Sophia are doing :) Stephen is turning out to be such a good human being. I really love how much he cares about people. I agree with you on the "best possible thing bit," but it's good to pick and choose what works for you from it.
I miss you guys! Maybe next week you'll be less sick and we can hang out after work.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 02:49 am (UTC)Heh.
The book is great -- I am definitely picking and choosing, but also trying to figure out how to get David to read it, because once he gets to the bits that bug me a little, I know they will bug him *a lot* and he won't be able to get past them. But those bits aside, it's a very helpful book, and a quick read, too.
Let's definitely get together next week if we can -- Stephen's got tae kwon do on M&W, I have orchestra on T&Th, but Friday is free, and TKD is only until 5:10, so we could still have dinner.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-19 11:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 02:50 am (UTC)I can't wait to get my order -- they're in Portland, ME, and I'm just an hour from there, so it should be pretty quick, I'd think.
Rainbow knee socks! Squee!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 02:43 am (UTC)Can I pick your brain for a moment? I'm thinking of getting a new sewing machiene
before I toss the fussy little hellspawn one I own out the windowand need some recommendations.no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 03:02 am (UTC)As for sewing machines, I really like an honest independent dealer. One that you can go to and say, "I have this machine that I hate. Can you fix it?" and if they say no, "I have this machine I hate. I need the following things: ... What can you recommend, and what can I get in trade for this machine?" My favorite store also does refurbished machines, and the first two I got there were excellent refurbs -- I traded up to my current one only because I loved its features, and needed a really good new machine for my business. If you know anyone who sews in a serious way (quilters, etc), I'd ask them what stores they'd recommend; I get the best recommendations from quilters :)
As for specifics, I adore my Janome Memory Craft -- even my older refurb had a lot of features that higher-priced Vikings (and other high-end machines) didn't have. It's been very reliable (as was the previous one), and I would certainly recommend a Janome without hesitation.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 01:15 pm (UTC)There's a book? I just found myself doing it because I remember my parents doing it too! Along the lines of "Put [that] down please. Put [that] down NOW please. I'm going to count to three and if you don't put it down I will take it away from you. One... Two... good boy". YoungBloke learnt very quickly indeed that we follow through!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 01:46 pm (UTC)