the magic kingdom Part 1

I want to share here my most recent experience traveling with the otherly abled but first this word on the one I shared it with already -who unlike any possible readers here couldn't just say that's enough and navigate away.

OK, so this is not the best picture of these 3 of my 4. The oldest isn't really demented -he just likes to look that way for pictures and the yougest isn't really a fighter, -but he's just as camera friendly as the brother. On the other hand it does give you an idea of what the smiling (sweetly) one had to contend with on her "vacation". It started with my giving her the window seat on the plane only to find I'd picked the one row with NO WINDOW, and ended on the return flight when we got upgraded to business (they "needed our seats" according to the inscrutable airline reasoning -we were happy to oblige) and while getting our drinks on the runway unlike the peons in the back the stewardess poured my Coke slowly but steadily down my girl's arm. She was leaning over her to help the little one (his sister gave him the window seat) and didn't realize until I said "Excuse me" a 3rd time. My girl was worried about making the stewardess more embarassed so she didn't even mention the puddle on her seat as well.

In the parks she pushed the wheel chair or wrangled the 6 year old. She played tag with me at all the rest rooms since neither the little one nor the visually impaired one could be left to wander out alone. So if we needed a "rest" we had to tag team so as one of us could still be waiting outside the men's room. We waited outside men's rooms alot. (Out of context that sentence would sound kinda bad don't you think?)

If there was a ramp she'd take the wheelchair. If there was a scary ride she'd take the 6 year old. If there was any activity or ride where he (that 6 year old) had a choice of companions he chose her. She had to not win on the games to let him win (at least that's what he said). She wanted to spend at least some time at the pool relaxing but her mom got all I-spent-a-fortune-on-tickets-lets-get-every-dollars*-worth and we never made it back in time to swim. (And just between us she'd have had her hands full at the pool with mom napping.)

The thing is she's just the sister. I get sympathy. The occupant of the wheelchair gets sympathy. But siblings -not so much. The amazing thing about her is it never seems to occur to her she should get any. She doesn't seem to know it's not just her brother who's special**. If you're reading this my only girl... I'm flummoxed, I have no words for this that won't sound all over-the-top-mom-gushing-about-kid... but there'd have been no magic without you.

*I was going to say pennies' but I don't think there were any pennies in Disney World

**Which reminds me this is the same girl who at 10, after asking what "handicapped" meant asked me the following week, "Tell me again, which brother is handicapped?"

time fillers

With the baby in first grade, and Grandma with her eldest not her baby (that would be me), no class to teach and my eldest without any on going medical crisis I figured I would get so much done this fall. I made lists. I made plans. I wandered from room to room looking for my glasses so I could pick them up and put them down in the next room. I played spider solitaire (but I am really good at it). I read too much non-news because it was there and then I'd have to hit the Wikipedia link because I didn't actually know who or what they were talking about. I am now pretty well caught up on Lindsay and Ashton , although I still have trouble with the whole rapper scene and keeping the names straight.

And it all leaves me vaguely depressed because I still don't get why Sideways was seen as anything other than a boring film about repulsive people. Or why comedians whose jokes are all just excuses to say (as many times as possible) what their mothers and their first grade teachers told them not to say are considered "edgy". Or for that matter why "edgy" is a good thing. Or why college football matters ot what it has to do with college. It's like I'm an alien. Or maybe everybody is just filling time. Waiting for the sun to blind them just a little and remind them what time is meant to be.

I had to force this one, pictured, to get off the computer and into the kayak. I made the "baby" go too and as that 6 year old said when he got out (really), "Mom, you have to make me do it. Don't give me a choice 'cause I think I won't like it but after I do it I do like it." Me too honey.

that time of year

Already November when I haven't accepted summer is over yet.

Seasonal decorations going up in the stores for a holiday that I still consider too distant to even be mentioned much less planned for.

Almost a year since I turned 50 which is absolutely absurd since I'm pretty sure I'm not much past, say 34 and definitely not enough time to be able to at least say I grew up at 50.

Only 4 full weeks left of not being my mother's "caregiver" again and her shower is still not regrouted and that is begininning to look like a silly goal (and what's a little trickle in the basement?).

We'll be gone that 4th week so only 3 weeks to grout in reality*.

No real time left before I should have way more done to prepare for teaching a new class next semester.

A few green tomatoes finally, but they never will see ripe red.

*an important modifier since most of my planning applies to an alternate time-insensitive universe.