Bush Morning Glories

When researching for my page on morning glories, I read about bush morning glories. I'd never heard of them, but one article said they grow in New Mexico and come from a bulb or tuber or something. I bought some seeds and they just looked like kinda pitiful little weeds and I was afraid they'd never come to anything, but TODAY! Today is the day.

I saw the little furled-umbrella looking thing early today, and 11:30 when I got back from errands it was open. There are five others ready to open in the next few days. Pretty exciting.

Lunch with Carol

My friend Carol Rice graduated with a degree in psychology and art, in May, and though I had intended to go to her graduation party, I missed it by a day and was sad and embarrassed.

I took her out to lunch earlier this week, though. To Garduño's on Montgomery. We talked some about art therapy (which she intends to study in Santa Fe soonishly to get an MA degree), and some about alternative psychology, and some about kids and some about just the little fluffy stuff old friends talk about.

Carol was one of the La Leche League leaders who made such a deep impression on me. When I met Carol she had three children and I had one. Now she has four and I have three, only none are "children," because they range in age from 13 to 23 now. Of those who weren't born yet when we met (Marty, Julie and Holly), they hang around together weekly or so, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer in full-DVD sessions. Renee and Liam (twins; toddlers when I met them) are over here from time to time for parties or games.

When I met Carol, Kirby was an infant and school or not-school was far in the future. By the time Kirby was five, I had seen Carol and her co-leader in LLL, Lori Odhner, and their growing families and their unschooling lives for many years. That's helpful. That (and some other personal experiences and factors) made unschooling easier for me than it could have been, and easier than I know it is for many others, and I've been grateful to Carol and Lori always for the benefit to my family from my having seen theirs. (Kathy Hoag was helpful too, with the early-childhood parenting, but Kathy's kids all went to school and the wedge eventually made the separation too great for the kids to hang around comfortably. I still like Kathy lots when I see her, but can't claim the same lifelong relationship of kids-to-kids.)

Frequently when I've spoken or written I've named Carol and Lori as mothers to whom I'm indebted, who influenced me and gave me tricks and treasures to pass on to other moms, so here's another credit, homage and tribute to Carol Rice. I thank you again, and not for the last time.

Kirby's 19th birthday

Kirby is 19, so I've been a mom 19 years.

When I was 19, my mom accidentally got pregnant, and if that had been me that year, I'd've now been a mom for 33 years or so. This way's better.

Kirby had a costume party and photos of most guests are linked from Kirby's page, but here's one of my three, who went as Casey Jones from the first Ninja Turtle movie, Dr. Strangelove (he had a wheelchair and more props, but this was while he was getting ready, when he was being MeatLoaf) and Addie, from Paper Moon.

Lots of people came over yesterday afternoon and last night, and it seemed to be a really good party with nice people and good costumes. Kirby seemed happy with it all.

Birthday

I'm 52 today. Kirby brought me breakfast in bed. That was sweet. He scared me, though, when he woke me up. And I wasn't in the mood to eat, but none of that kept it from being a really nice gesture. :-)

He stayed and talked a while. He turns 19 next Friday.

Keith and Holly are at an SCA campout in the Jemez Mountains (Lonely Mountain, for those with the need to know). Marty stayed here with us.

This afternoon Marty and Kirby and I are going to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and then to eat out. That's my birthday party, and it sounds like a good one.

Last night my friend Ramona took me to Garduño's and tomorrow morning (which is HER birthday) I'll take her to breakfast.

Sounds like my birthday is all about food this year. I didn't think about it until I wrote it all down. Mostly it's about being with people I like, though, in air-conditioned places.

Here's something about birthday cake: CAKE

Scattery writing

I'm supposed to post once a week to remain a member in good standing of one of the blogrings, maybe both. It's hard to feel like a slacker, as I write about unschooling every day, but it's scattered here and there.

Lately I check unschooling.info, the UnschoolingDiscussion list and AlwaysLearning, and usually leave a story or an idea.

Kirby is applying for jobs. More and more, companies are collecting applications online, and so Kirby's first-impression strengths aren't so useful. It's interesting to see the world change in those ways. I used to work (long-term temp) at a personnel office for a scientific research company on Kirtland AFB, and it was very interesting how the applications were handled. Some of them were never seen by anyone but me and the secretary, but we did the best we could when one of the engineers or managers requested resumes of a certain sort. It's overwhelming to think of it.

Marty's working four days a week making boots still. His boss got another job, doing books and office work at a motorcycle repair shop, and so Marty works alone, listening to CDs. He doesn't mind. I wouldn't last in a non-socializing environment myself.

Holly and Marty have been playing a swimming-pool team sport with a goal and a bumpy ball, designed by their friend. I'm glad they're letting Holly play too. It's been really hot here, and that time of the year when being inside and not moving much seems healthiest, until evening.

There are some new photos of my kids online from when they were little, in an article about medieval children's costumes that I wrote years before the photos were taken: sandradodd.com/duckford/children (Magnus is Kirby, Bardolf is Marty, and Asta is Holly.)

Happy Sparkly 4th of July!

With apologies to Canadians and Brits who might wander by, it's hot-dog and fireworks day! And I lived. The swelling is all down and I can lean on my arm now. Good.

Here's a newish photo. Two months old (5/5/5) but as I've been scanning lots of old photos it seems like yesterday.

Bee sting

OUCH!!
Thursday morning early, I got the worst bee sting I've ever had. I'm not allergic, but it felt like fire, and deep, so I guess I didn't notice the first stick and he dumped his whole load. YIKES. I took antihistimine, put antihistimine outside. Sleeping helped.

Friday morning, my arm was fat (it's a few inches below my elbow, where I can't see it except in the mirror) and kind of oozing. Gross! I read what I could find, but most sources don't say much if you don't swell up and nearly die in the first half hour. I found some information about delayed symptoms. That night I soaked it in the hot tub and slept hard.

I suppose I could go and spend $50 for urgent care and get a shot. But I'm not sick or feverish, and it's not as bad Saturday as it was Friday afternoon, so I'll probably just tough it out.

I'm glad it was me and not one of the kids.