Katelyn wrote:Kathy,
The part were you added about "those guys SHOULD be institutionalized" struck me as hilarious and I started laughing outloud. Having cheese cake sounded like it would help; I like the double chocolate-chip kind, especially best with good coffee...it is not something I indulge in too frequently but when I do it is pure heaven.
What kind of phrase is "it is pure heaven"; I can't believe I wrote it. I am really tired today so that is why I sound so vacuous. It snowed here and I got up at 5:00 AM; I ventured outside to take the dog out and expected it to be dark (which it was) and to be alone out there, but half the neightborhood seemed out snow blowing their driveways and/or walks. I tend to sleep late, but I like getting up early. The poet William Stafford once said "you can be free most of the time if you get up before other people do" (or something like that as this is not a direct quote but from memory). Stafford was an early morning writer. Anyway, it was nice being up, snowblowers and all; the darkness illuminate slightly by the stars and porch lights (and the reflected glow from the snow) still insulated me from people and I had the benefits of solitude and company at the same time.
Happy Thursday (or atleast I think it's Thursday)
Kate
That's beautiful Katelyn, You never sound "vacuous". I love the idea of freedom early in the morning. Stafford must not have had kids. I awoke at 4am today, with a start. My daughter went to sleep at 5 PM with the promise that I would wake her so she could finish a painting that was due today. What woke me was the desperate sound of my daughter telling my husband how I'd promised to wake her and that she would not get any credit for the painting if it was not handed in today. Guilt is not a big enough word for what I felt. I could not face her so I stayed in bed while my husband got up and finished the painting for her. She never lets us help. She was truly desperate. I can just imagine her telling her therapist l0 years from now that her mom let her down! Only half kidding!
Timbuktu2 wrote:
Katelyn wrote:Kathy,
The part were you added about "those guys SHOULD be institutionalized" struck me as hilarious and I started laughing out loud. Having cheese cake sounded like it would help; I like the double chocolate-chip kind, especially best with good coffee...it is not something I indulge in too frequently but when I do it is pure heaven.
What kind of phrase is "it is pure heaven"; I can't believe I wrote it. I am really tired today so that is why I sound so vacuous. It snowed here and I got up at 5:00 AM; I ventured outside to take the dog out and expected it to be dark (which it was) and to be alone out there, but half the neighborhood seemed out snow blowing their driveways and/or walks. I tend to sleep late, but I like getting up early. The poet William Stafford once said "you can be free most of the time if you get up before other people do" (or something like that as this is not a direct quote but from memory). Stafford was an early morning writer. Anyway, it was nice being up, snowblowers and all; the darkness illuminate slightly by the stars and porch lights (and the reflected glow from the snow) still insulated me from people and I had the benefits of solitude and company at the same time.
Happy Thursday (or at least I think it's Thursday)
Kate
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Timbutu2 wrote:
That's beautiful Katelyn, You never sound "vacuous". I love the idea of freedom early in the morning. Stafford must not have had kids. I awoke at 4am today, with a start. My daughter went to sleep at 5 PM with the promise that I would wake her so she could finish a painting that was due today. What woke me was the desperate sound of my daughter telling my husband how I'd promised to wake her and that she would not get any credit for the painting if it was not handed in today. Guilt is not a big enough word for what I felt. I could not face her so I stayed in bed while my husband got up and finished the painting for her. She never lets us help. She was truly desperate. I can just imagine her telling her therapist l0 years from now that her mom let her down! Only half kidding!
Kathy, here, writes:
Kate....I love the thoughts you send me...laugh, love and find happiness in the quiet of mornings, especially when the white of snow sends those thoughts and reflections my way....no vacuosness in sight, unless it's under the snow..
Cheese cake: it was good, but I'm not really much of a cheescake person, unless I make it, because they are usually too rich for me. One slice might last me two days....and I eat mine plain...no chocolate! I'm not that big of a dessert person, but I sort of craved it...and overindulged this week, back to back with pecan pie... Adding a little sweetness to my growling disposition, which gave me a little growling indigestion!. Coffee sounds good right now....my 5 year old grandson is here right now...I can't keep up with him. Teaching him to tie his shoes, today. Give me patience, along with that coffee!
Tim---: Lecture time:
Your husband did WHAT!!!!???? You felt WHAT!!!!???? How old is your daughter? Something sounds off.
Tim----, I see where you're coming from, now. I'll let you have your guilt back! (kidding)
I was reflecting back on my own moments with my kids, while looking at yours. Your daughter does sound very responsible, and it also sounds like you are a very caring parent. We want the best for our kids, and no parent is perfect, that's for sure. Things usually work out, thank goodness, so don't take all of that blame/guilt. I'm glad her teacher was so understanding, too. Makes for a happy ending!
If there's a next time, set your alarm! 
Timbuktu2 wrote:
KathyS wrote:
Timbuktu2 wrote:
Hmmm, now that you mention it Kathy. But I did promise. She's a good kid, a great student and very self-motivated. I would have felt the same way if my husband was counting on me and I let him down. Wouldn't you? Of course she came home and had forgotten all about it!
If I volunteered to do something for someone, sure, I wouldn't want to let that person down. And if I failed in that responsibility, I'd carry that guilt.
But, I still don't get it. How old is your daughter? Who gets the grade for this project? You and your husband? It's not a matter of 'forgetting all about it', by your daughter, or it shouldn't be, making you wonder all day if she's going to say something to you when she gets home. The bottom line is, I would have never volunteered to wake her up. I felt your guilt! I assume she has an alarm clock? If not, she needs to ask Santa for one!
The word of the day is "responsibility", me thinks. Have I heaped enough guilt on you? Ha!
================Kathy, guilt is my middle name. I don't know if you ever saw Broadway Danny Rose but Woody Allen has a great line in there. He explains that guilt is important, he's guilty all of the time, and he's never even done anything!But this time I really did do something!She was exhausted and I suggested she take a nap. She works like a dog. She agreed if I made sure she was up in two hours. I assured her I would get her up in two hours. Yes, she has an alarm clock but she was really nervous she might sleep through it. She wouldn't have taken the nap if I hadn't promised I'd make sure to wake her myself. I then proceeded to forget all about her and go to a wonderful class with a friend. I came back at l0:30, saw that she was fast asleep and so was my husband. So I went to sleep too. The next thing we all knew, it was 4 am! Now if it were me, when I was in high school, I wouldn't have cared. I would have cut class or have taken some other irresponsible way out of the situation. But she's not like me, she CARES! So she got straight to work on her homework and believe me, for the first time ever, my husband tried to bail her out. I, like you, had second thoughts about it but given the situation, I let it go. Everything depends on the kid and the situation. I suppose we could have said, "Flunk". But I think we made the right decision. I would never have done the same for my eldest child because she just didn't care. But when you see a kid work night and day for good grades, never miss a class, always go the extra mile, spend every week-end studying, well, what's the point? I was the irresponsible one, out having fun with my friends! I guess I haven't changed! LOL! As it turned out, the teacher gave her the rest of the week-end to really finish the painting. You see, even her teachers know how responsible she is.
KathyS wrote:Tim----, I see where you're coming from, now. I'll let you have your guilt back! (kidding)
I was reflecting back on my own moments with my kids, while looking at yours. Your daughter does sound very responsible, and it also sounds like you are a very caring parent. We want the best for our kids, and no parent is perfect, that's for sure. Things usually work out, thank goodness, so don't take all of that blame/guilt. I'm glad her teacher was so understanding, too. Makes for a happy ending!
If there's a next time, set your alarm!
Timbuktu2 wrote:
KathyS wrote:
Timbuktu2 wrote:
Hmmm, now that you mention it Kathy. But I did promise. She's a good kid, a great student and very self-motivated. I would have felt the same way if my husband was counting on me and I let him down. Wouldn't you? Of course she came home and had forgotten all about it!
If I volunteered to do something for someone, sure, I wouldn't want to let that person down. And if I failed in that responsibility, I'd carry that guilt.
But, I still don't get it. How old is your daughter? Who gets the grade for this project? You and your husband? It's not a matter of 'forgetting all about it', by your daughter, or it shouldn't be, making you wonder all day if she's going to say something to you when she gets home. The bottom line is, I would have never volunteered to wake her up. I felt your guilt! I assume she has an alarm clock? If not, she needs to ask Santa for one!
The word of the day is "responsibility", me thinks. Have I heaped enough guilt on you? Ha!
================Kathy, guilt is my middle name. I don't know if you ever saw Broadway Danny Rose but Woody Allen has a great line in there. He explains that guilt is important, he's guilty all of the time, and he's never even done anything!But this time I really did do something!She was exhausted and I suggested she take a nap. She works like a dog. She agreed if I made sure she was up in two hours. I assured her I would get her up in two hours. Yes, she has an alarm clock but she was really nervous she might sleep through it. She wouldn't have taken the nap if I hadn't promised I'd make sure to wake her myself. I then proceeded to forget all about her and go to a wonderful class with a friend. I came back at l0:30, saw that she was fast asleep and so was my husband. So I went to sleep too. The next thing we all knew, it was 4 am! Now if it were me, when I was in high school, I wouldn't have cared. I would have cut class or have taken some other irresponsible way out of the situation. But she's not like me, she CARES! So she got straight to work on her homework and believe me, for the first time ever, my husband tried to bail her out. I, like you, had second thoughts about it but given the situation, I let it go. Everything depends on the kid and the situation. I suppose we could have said, "Flunk". But I think we made the right decision. I would never have done the same for my eldest child because she just didn't care. But when you see a kid work night and day for good grades, never miss a class, always go the extra mile, spend every week-end studying, well, what's the point? I was the irresponsible one, out having fun with my friends! I guess I haven't changed! LOL! As it turned out, the teacher gave her the rest of the week-end to really finish the painting. You see, even her teachers know how responsible she is.
Kathy, last night was the "next time". She asked me to wake her in 20 minutes. This time I did, well, after an hour, she's not easy to get up. Then she was up ALL NIGHT, once again. Did not sleep a wink from ll pm and went to school at 7. Honestly, I don't know where she gets this, my husband and I were NEVER like this. The hard work and ambition gene must have skipped several generations!
