I sigh. Saturdays are supposed to be the one day I get to sleep in. But today is day 2 of the big garage sale and I didn't even make an appearance yesterday. It will never do not to help. So I roll out of bed and insist that Kiel get up and take me over to my sister's house. She and Mom are already doing a brisk business. Yesterday was a good day and today, though less busy, is still pulling in customers.
My sister never does anything halfway. She has spent hours finding ways to display things so that people can clearly see what is there. She labels everything with printed tags so the prices are marked well. She has a cooler with cold soda for sale in case the customers are too hot in the summer sun and want to buy a can for a quarter.
People who come self identify as regulars. They like garage sales that are well done and have quality merchandise for a reasonable price. Mom greets people and makes sure they know there is more inside the garage, rearranging displays when an item sells, refolding clothing, putting something that isn't attracting attention in a better location.
There is nothing I can do, really. I sit, in the way, in the hot sun, and chat during lulls in activity. My role is supportive only. Just to let them know I care about the success of their venture and while I am of no particular help, I want to be supportive. Besides, I don't get to spend a lot of time talking with Mom and lunch time, as good as that is, is limited. Mom has a lively sense of humor and I appreciate her sense of what's funny.
Right around lunchtime, the boys appear and whisk me off for eats. I will not be missed at the garage sale and the boys have promised to be back to help put the heavy stuff away and fold down the tent and racks. Its going well. I have done absolutely nothing to contribute, but then, most of the time at my place I am the sole contributor. Its nice for a change to just be there.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Shopping!
One of the reasons the boys are happy to have me home is that the cupboards and fridge are bare. Devoid of food. Empty, full of nada. Not that either of them are opposed to spending their hard earned cash on the food they devour. In an emergency, they will part with money for a good cause. But for the most part, they see provision as fully my responsibility.
Oh, good. Mom's home. Let's go to Wegmans and stock up. I am a bit scared. This will cost. Bad enough to have to take one boy along for the shopping trek, but both of them? This can't be good. And no list either. They enter the store drooling, excitedly mapping out who will attack which aisle and how they will both manage to get their preferred munchies in the cart without my fainting.
I have my own list. Chocolate yogurt (the best way to get calcium), bananas (potassium), frozen strawberries (really cuts cravings connected with late night binging), and chocolate pudding (OK, I have to have one downfall - besides, its easy on my tummy when food has been particularly unkind to me). While I am on my quest, the contents of the cart I am pushing grows magically and exponentially.
I can remember needing less when all five boys were living at home. Of course, back then, I made everything from scratch. Now I am big into convenience food because of my 80 hour workweek. I can only hope this doesn't break the bank for too long. I still have to put gas in the car! Despite my fears, the cart of stuff doesn't run too much over $100. I suspect they are trying to be solicitous of my well being. And will expect another trip soon. Oh, well. Its good to be home, even if I get eaten out of it!
Oh, good. Mom's home. Let's go to Wegmans and stock up. I am a bit scared. This will cost. Bad enough to have to take one boy along for the shopping trek, but both of them? This can't be good. And no list either. They enter the store drooling, excitedly mapping out who will attack which aisle and how they will both manage to get their preferred munchies in the cart without my fainting.
I have my own list. Chocolate yogurt (the best way to get calcium), bananas (potassium), frozen strawberries (really cuts cravings connected with late night binging), and chocolate pudding (OK, I have to have one downfall - besides, its easy on my tummy when food has been particularly unkind to me). While I am on my quest, the contents of the cart I am pushing grows magically and exponentially.
I can remember needing less when all five boys were living at home. Of course, back then, I made everything from scratch. Now I am big into convenience food because of my 80 hour workweek. I can only hope this doesn't break the bank for too long. I still have to put gas in the car! Despite my fears, the cart of stuff doesn't run too much over $100. I suspect they are trying to be solicitous of my well being. And will expect another trip soon. Oh, well. Its good to be home, even if I get eaten out of it!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Summer Reading
For all the cleverness of mankind's inventions, we have yet to figure out how to get information into someone's head. Oh, sure. Sci Fi movies insinuate that someday we will purchase and swallow pills that have the entire history of the world or an entire language encapsulated in them that will make the swallower a master at whatever the subject is within minutes of ingesting.
Not yet. We still have to get our information the old fashioned way. Either read and evaluate or experience the subject. Even then, mastery takes years often. So we just keep picking away at reading stuff, hoping - well, for what? My kids think reading is a terrible punishment foisted on them by unreasonable teachers who actually think reading is preferable to experiencing life. They would far prefer doing something to reading about it. Even talking about it would be better than reading.
Drew has a summer reading project. He is expected to read The Six Questions of Sophocles and write essays about what he read. He had a hard time with last year's summer reading assignment which was way easier. Every day I ask him, "Have you read more of your book?" Every day he answers, "Sort of." Meaning no.
I see the clock ticking down. He is squirming trying to figure out how to get by. Last year he ended up watching a movie based on the assigned book. Way better as far as he was concerned and I could not convince him that he was missing a lot. He actually asked me to read his book and tell him what it was about! Imagine his despair when I said I was too busy reading things to help me create my Morning and Evening Prayers for Cancer Patients dvd.
Finally, finally, he buckled down and read. He worked steadily through the night even to get the required assignments done and checked off his list. And today, he actually admitted that summer was much more enjoyable now that the weight hanging over his head is gone, turned in, completed. A week before the deadline, just to be sure.
And he wasn't even that upset when the teacher, undoubtedly assailed by parents of other kids, gave an extension and lessened the workload. Hum. I wonder if reading will stick? Maybe he will even end up liking to read. Now, I have to get back to my books.
Not yet. We still have to get our information the old fashioned way. Either read and evaluate or experience the subject. Even then, mastery takes years often. So we just keep picking away at reading stuff, hoping - well, for what? My kids think reading is a terrible punishment foisted on them by unreasonable teachers who actually think reading is preferable to experiencing life. They would far prefer doing something to reading about it. Even talking about it would be better than reading.
Drew has a summer reading project. He is expected to read The Six Questions of Sophocles and write essays about what he read. He had a hard time with last year's summer reading assignment which was way easier. Every day I ask him, "Have you read more of your book?" Every day he answers, "Sort of." Meaning no.
I see the clock ticking down. He is squirming trying to figure out how to get by. Last year he ended up watching a movie based on the assigned book. Way better as far as he was concerned and I could not convince him that he was missing a lot. He actually asked me to read his book and tell him what it was about! Imagine his despair when I said I was too busy reading things to help me create my Morning and Evening Prayers for Cancer Patients dvd.
Finally, finally, he buckled down and read. He worked steadily through the night even to get the required assignments done and checked off his list. And today, he actually admitted that summer was much more enjoyable now that the weight hanging over his head is gone, turned in, completed. A week before the deadline, just to be sure.
And he wasn't even that upset when the teacher, undoubtedly assailed by parents of other kids, gave an extension and lessened the workload. Hum. I wonder if reading will stick? Maybe he will even end up liking to read. Now, I have to get back to my books.
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