babysitting

This past week I got to keep Josey 2 times - Laney had to work Memorial Day, and then on Saturday, 5/30, she again had to work. I was off both days and had a great time keeping Josey. Both days I put her in her little blue pool in the shade in my backyard. She needed something in which to splash at home too, but it needs to be taken in the house every time she gets out due to the dogs there, so I got her a little pink tub at the grocery store, a perfect size for her right now. Laney's out of school now, and our MJH kids have 4 more days, and then I don't count up my days til I finish the finish-up work that I have to do.

Laney had to work yesterday (Memorial Day) and I didn't, so I got to keep Josey! We had a fun day. She has a tiny edge of a tooth now, bottom front, that you only learn about by feeling, as it's a good secret she thinks. We sat in the back yard with the dogs quite a bit, and she loves it when they lick her feet. I was so proud that when she sees me, she starts grinning and bouncing up and down - but she also does the same thing for the dogs - so I guess she loves me and them too. About 30 minutes before Laney was to get home I put Josey's little blue plastic pool in the shade and she splashed and splashed. It was a wonderful holiday! Laney has to work 1/2 day Saturday too, so I get to keep her then too! Can't wait!

We're retesting 8th grade TAKS Math failures todaoy, plus trying to organize the optional-flexible year program that starts Thursday. Thank goodness I received the attached Josey photos to make my day.

We moved Mother to one of the local nursing homes yesterday - Frday. It wasn't easy, and she wants to go home, but she also seems pretty happy there. I think the fact that more folks are around is a big factor. So many of the staff know her from when she was Justice of the Peace. Also, so far she's had lots of guests. Jamie and Riley were in Mother's room when I got there today.

I stopped and saw Josey on my way in to town -- fed her part of her lunch. She's growing fast and is so much fun!

Looks like we'll get rain today, which will be a good thing.

In this photo, it looks to me like she's about to say, "How do you like me now?" And I love her more every moment!

a great day

It was a great Mothers' Day weekend. Saturday Laney, Josey, & I shopped in B/CS and bought Josey a set of baby keys, which she really needed, and several other important things. Sunday we lunched on Chinese food and I bought a small blue wading pool. Josey got in it for the first time late yesterday afternoon, and she loved it.

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon will be too late."

I saw this in a fellow teacher's e-mail today and I really like it. It reminds me of my uncle, Fred Westmorland. I had 2 of the best uncles ever - Fred and Thomas Rhodes, and they both made a big difference in my life. Fred had no children, a step-son, Dr. Thurston Dean, and he always seemed to really like girls and to pick on girls - he was quite a tease. After I got to be an adult he was always asking when I was going to make him a cake. I'd been promising him one for a while and kept thinking I'd get one made, and then he suddenly died, when I was about 27. He rose from the supper table one night, was walking to "his chair" in the den and didn't make it there, collapsed and died with a massive heart attack. And I never made him that cake.

It's been a hard week - Mother being in the hospital has relieved me of worrying about supper for her nightly and buying groceries and worrying if she eats breakfast, but she's not easy to deal with at the hospital. The sick bull has been another problem, but I'm returning him for another one day next week,Jimmy Wells is going to send one back with me too. I got my 35-year recognition last night at the teachers' dinner. Jo Beth Batson got her 35th too, and Mary Ann Gaines is retiring after 31 years. I worked very closely with both of those for several years and enjoyed working with them. Mothers' Day is this weekend,which seems a bit sad to me. I've enjoyed Laney so much, and it seems the years have passed too quickly. I think I hurried through so much of her life. <

etc

I kept Josey on Tuesday, we had our first arts and crafts time. I painted the soles of her feet with tempera paint, pressed onto 2 different pieces of fabric - then did her hands - for Laney for her first Mother's Day. The feet weren't hard, hands were, the left one isn't really distinguishable, but we tried. She wound up pretty much painted solid from diaper down, and had a big swipe of green above her right temple. We had to go ahead and show Laney that afternoon, as Josey went home with lots of yellow paint under her fingernails, and some turquoise under her toenails. She liked the feel of the wet paint being brushed onto her feet and hands.

It seems that Mother must have had a mini-stroke or something - Dr. Hubley put her in the hospital here on Tuesday. She's unable to walk, and was very vague but has perked up a lot. There was fluid on her lungs and some fever. The strangest thing is that she has forgotten all about cigarettes and smoking - I'd have bet any money I'd ever have that this part would NEVER happen.

I do love a busy large animal vet. Yesterday Nathan brought bull that had been missing from the Windmill Place back to Mother's house, had been in the neighboring Rhodes's place, the Charlais bull had probably whipped him, but also, the bull's ____ was hanging out all swollen - sometimes they step on themselves, or ??? Anyway, I called my favorite local vet and of course it was 5 p.m. - and she didn't even say anthing like "do you want to bring him in or ?" -- just said "give him 60 cc of LA 200 and __ of Banamine or Dex - do you have those?" I said I did and told her thanks a millon. Thank goodness the bull was easy to deal with, I got him in the squeeze chute easily,and this morning he seems much better.

Tonight I get my 35-year recognition at Teacher Appreciation Banquet -- they flew by!