Last night, while I was at my AWC meeting, Anders triumphed over the Karin-refusing-to-remove-her-clothes-and-put-on-pajamas-thing. He said he’s tried ripping them off her when she goes into refusal mode and it just makes it worse and she completely locks down. So, when she started last night, he managed to distract her by turning it into a game. For every piece of clothing she removed, she had to run laps around the house (we have a built-in circle through the little hallway and around into the great room). Sweatshirt: 2 laps. T-shirt: 2 laps. Pants: 2 laps. Laughing and howling like a maniac the entire way. Then Anders managed to get her underpants and socks off in one swoop and she agreed to run 2 laps for those until Martin, ever the perfectionist, and over Anders’ protests, yelled, “Karin, Karin! That was THREE pieces! You have to run SIX laps!” which they both did, giggling all the way.
Why am I not able to come up with that kind of thing more often? I’ve done it sometimes, but lately with her, I feel like I’m working from a NEGATIVE reserve of patience, not even starting out even. I get exhausted just thinking about it.
Can’t Decide Whether Darryl or Rusty Was Meant to Be Mine: Monster Factory (thanks for the link, Kate! 🙂
Scored a couple of paperbacks off my to-buy list last night at the real book sales, including Jasper Fforde’s latest, The Well of Lost Plots. Then, at the meeting, we had a “Media Sale,” and for 10 kronor each, I got an Alice Walker, a Nick Hornby (whom I’ve never read), Behind the Scenes at the Museum, a Supertramp CD, and The Big Easy on VHS. Someone beat me to Atwood’s Alias, Grace though. The selection was awfully varied, but there were a few too many of the Grisham oeuvre and his ilk for my taste.
One Good Thing Says It All & Gives You Chills at the Same Time: Open Letter to George W. Bush
Even though I’m not in a bad mood today and am happy with the way the meeting went last evening, I have so many sad things taking up space in my brain that I feel like I have a headache of heartache. One friend is undergoing eye surgery today that may or may not leave her blind, one is still in the mindbending limbo that is a bitter divorce and custody battle, one is recovering from a year of hell including a 13-year-old daughter doing “dangerous and alarming” things, having a near-death scare with her father, and being fired from her job by phone after taking leave to go home to be with her father in the hospital. One just lost her mother. One is losing her relationship and facing a scary future of unknowns. Others are facing their own losses and troubles. My heart hurts for the hard times people must go through. Although I’m not what I consider a religious person, the best bit of advice I ever read was a take on a line from the Bible, and not one of the ones that most people think of when they think of the Bible and all it stands for. Throughout the Bible, one is constantly encountering the phrase “It came to pass.” That’s what gets me through the hearthurt times…it comes to pass. It doesn’t come to stay.