She's not gonna do it

I mentioned a bit about Linsy and gymnastics. Well I figured that even though she said she wasn't going to participate that once she got there she would just jump right in. Think again Shera. No way did she have any plans to join the class. I went in with her and she watched a bit but wanted to have nothing to do with them – well almost nothing. She said she'd do the beam. Sure enough when they were on the beam we went in the gym, she did a couple of walks on the beam and then walked right out again.

I am very disappointed that it isn't working out for her. She has enjoyed gymnastics so much. It was also nice that it is something that she and Paco were doing together. They often had fun recreating gym classes at home. I guess home is the only place she will be doing it anymore.

At first I was upset with Linsy. I didn't understand why she was being so adamant about not being in the class. That has faded and now I am just upset that she is missing out on the opportunity. Not upset with her – just upset with the situation...

Do they ever learn?

A while ago Linsy came up to me and asked me to look at her ear. OK looks fine. What's up? Well it turns out that inside there is a little bead – an almost translucent little bead. Yikes! Ya don't put things in your ears. I thought she understood that.

Well further inspection did allow us to see the bead but that is about it. No going in there after it. So a trip to the walk-in clinic in Georgetown, more than an hour wait and seconds later the bead is out. Whew!

She was quite brave throughout the procedure and I am glad it was Linsy rather than Paco – he never would have been able to tolerate such a thing. He was deathly afraid of small offices, doctors and any kind of invasive touch at her age.

Well we sure discussed about what goes in our orifices!

Last week Paco and Linsy came running inside and Paco took a tissue and started wiping at her nose. Well it turns out she had stuck a pea up there!

I don't suppose I was the most balanced with this. I was feeling quite stressed with too many things to do and the thought of taking a few hours out of the day for another trip to the doctors was not at all appealing.

We tried tweezers – the pea was too hard. We asked her to blow but she only sniffed. So I tried suctioning it out – with my mouth. It may have budged but not enough. I had resigned myself to another trip to the doctors office when Thomas suggested another way of blowing it out. He had been looking it up on line and so I plugged the nostril without the pea and blew in her mouth. Took a few tries but the pea did come popping out.

This incident was a bit more traumatic for her – we tried more things and both of us (Thomas and I) were holding her and working together.

I sure hope she has it by now and I'm grateful that there was no real harm done...

Lots of activities

Well, talk about busy. I seem to do this to myself. Some of this I think is my desire not to miss anything. Wanting to be a part of things (and yet I seem to do quite well on just staying on the outside). I see programs or classes and think the kids might be interested and sign us up for all sorts of things.

Right now I put them in swimming lessons on Mondays. Paco is the oldest in his group (not uncommon for him) as he is pretty far away from swimming. Linsy is in the same group but so far for the first class she was quite happy to completely ignore the instructor. As long as I was close by she just enjoyed being in the water and bouncing around, purposefully keeping out of the class dynamics. So we'll see how things progress for both of them.

One reason I put Paco specifically in swimming is because he has carefully evaded any attempts to help him integrate more into the water and get into swimming. Feels kind of sad considering I am geared towards homeschooling and I feel the need to put my child in outside lessons in order for him to learn something. Well I suppose nothing is set in stone and more and more I really see the truth in that. Things are always changing.

On Tuesdays Paco is currently enrolled in an art class. He's not what I would consider artistic but the theme is medieval and I keep hoping he will take after his dad more in this (and in many areas). His dad is artistic and talented in sooo many things.

Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday mornings Paco has Jujitsu. I am surprised how much he really enjoys this. He looks more like a 'fragile' dancer than a martial arts person as he practices the movements with the rest of the class. I guess the aspect of learning how to fight is very appealing to him. He has been going for a few weeks now and is very keen to go as much as possible (not always able to make 3 classes a week) so we shall see how this continues.

Finally the kids both take gymnastics on Fridays. They both really enjoyed the last semester of it in the spring. So far it is pretty good though there is a new coach and she is not as enthusiastic and engaging as the other one was. She's more laid back and less likely to gently push the kids or even to always be there to assist them. To her credit this is a fairly large class.

The last class there was a little mishap and I am hoping Linsy is willing to look beyond it. The kids sit in front of the trampoline and each have a turn on it. The coach asked if all of the kids had their turn and one little one spoke up that he hadn't. Linsy didn't speak up and the class moved onto the next activity. Linsy was very distraught. Those emotional tears, that sobbing and the real heartbreaking emotion that she was experiencing. She hadn't had a turn on the trampoline. I went in and explained to the coach what had happened and she was apologetic and Linsy had her turn. But she couldn't stop crying.

So Linsy came out with me for a bit and I gently coaxed her back into the classroom. It took quite a while before she would consider participating again and even then I had to be there (parents are not supposed to be in the gym during the classes – observation room only). The coach did come again after the class to apologize to Linsy and explain why she missed her. Linsy is not impressed.

Yesterday I was saying that gymnastics is coming up and Linsy said she is not doing gymnastics anymore. The coach missed her on the trampoline and Linsy is not going to forget it (or forgive apparently). I guess we will see what happens on Friday.

On top of this I have had a few small jobs – one as a program representative at a Home Depot, talking with people about energy saving things they can do in and around their home. A full weekend of work there. I also am doing occasional work as a school crossing guard.

Whew! Just when I think things may calm down a bit (lots of food preparation going on in the summer for the winter months), I create more and more busy-ness in my life. Something there to pay attention to.

More on our loss

I feel for Mojo – the one that is left behind. Is he depressed? Does he miss her? If he found her body would he know it was her or just think it was a body? I look at him and wonder but I really don't know what is going on for the cat. If it was her she would let us know I'm sure. She would be meowing and acting restless. Sometimes I think he is restless but I just don't know.

Today Thomas made a memorial in the woods. A place where the kids can come and connect with Star if they miss her. We said our goodbyes. Paco has tears on and off. Linsy seems almost oblivious to the whole thing. I feel sad for the loss.

When walking I am still on the lookout for a little black anything that might be her. I still whistle sometimes and look around in case she is following me.

In the evenings Paco and I would often go for a walk together. Sometimes the cats would choose to join us. Happily chasing after us for a while and then they would fall behind a bit or start meowing more. We would carry them for a short bit and they continued on with us.

One evening we kept going when the cats fell behind. We left them by the woods on the side of the field figuring they could easily make their way back. In the morning there was still no sign of the cats. The kids and I went for a walk and then retraced our walk from the night before. There were the cats, right where we left them the evening before. Mojo came out to greet us whereas Star peeked out from in the trees. Paco went to go pick her up to bring her back and she ran further into the woods. So we walked back and Mojo followed us more closely while Star stayed back and followed us from more of a distance. But still she was there and following.

So now she is not around to follow us anymore or to walk with her. She and Mojo can't romp together.

And life goes on...

A year with our cats

Today we celebrate a year that we have had the cats only there is a mourning that is happening as well. It appears that now we only have one.

We haven't seen Star, the female cat, since Wednesday night. The cats like to be out during the night and she didn't come in on Thursday morning. We have walked and called and whistled and looked anywhere we can think of but have not seen any sign of her.

We are thinking perhaps an eagle or a hawk thought she looked mighty tasty.

She was the kids' favourite cat. She really gave meaning to the word 'scaredycat'. When she wanted to go outside she would make sure she stayed as far away from you as possible. She would go out of her way to not meet up with you in the hallway. Sort of a furtive feel to many of her movements.

Last night as Paco was getting himself ready for sleep he was singing a song. Sometimes he sings to comfort himself. 'Star is dead. Starly is dead. But we still know her.' There was more to it but I don't remember the words. It is really sad but I feel more sadness for the kids and for Mojo. His sister and main companion is no longer around. Good thing he is a people cat and enjoys our company as well. Actually I'm sure he would appreciate less harassment from the kids! They sure pick on the poor guy.

I think that is one reason why I don't feel quite as sad at Star's passing. The kids have been insulting Mojo and picking on him in so many ways and the glorifying Star. My instinctive response to this is to put more attention and appreciation towards 'the underdog', Mojo. Also I have shed many a tear for how unfair this teasing is and wondering why it is happening.

So we say goodbye to Star or Starly or Purr or Purrly as she has been called...