The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Cesar R M]

I’m kind of addicted to the last song in Coco now.

Poco loco was in my brain for months lol. El mundo es mi familia as well, but too short

 

[donaldtoo]

Oh how sad! We live on a pretty quiet street and my kids aren't allowed to play IN the street. A lot of kids do, but mine have to stay in either the front or back yard, or at a playground. But biking to school is a whole different ball game. DD is quite responsible. On the one hand, it DOES worry me some to have her biking by herself, especially at the one intersection. On the other, I don't really have a choice because I can't go with her AND go pick DS up at the same time and he CAN'T go by himself and his school is much further. But especially after seeing that woman get hit by a car and die in November, I worry.
I also remember...I must have been in jr. high, or at LEAST in 5th or 6th grade, there was a little boy who was with his mom at the park across from the elementary school. There were some teenagers drinking and being rowdy and the little boy happened to run out into the street and the teenagers hit him. We lived a few blocks away, but there was nothing in the way...my mom was standing in the kitchen doing dishes, heard the impact and looked out to see the kid flying. She called an ambulance and ran down with some blankets...she didn't know what else to do. We lived in a tiny town, so everyone heard the ambulance and I think half the town ended up down there trying to help, and it was all anyone could talk about for DAYS. The little boy was only 3...he lived, but had severe brain damage. And the mom saw it all happen...she had been running after him when she saw him head for the street and she just wasn't fast enough. I can't imagine SEEING it happen and knowing you can't make it to save your child. Like I said, as far as accidents go, my friend's son was EXTREMELY lucky...it could have been SO much worse than it was. His mom told me he thought he was dead. First, he thought he was dreaming as he flew up off his bike, then he thought he was dead. He ended up sleeping in his parents' room that night because he was scared to go to sleep. Poor kid.

Thanks. Sad indeed.
Wow. So sad about the kiddo your mom saw get hit. Any kind of brain damage is
dibilitating. And that helpless feeling your mother must have had trying her best to prevent it, and, ultimately not being able to.

I drove our kiddos to school early on. Mostly because of 1lb. 4oz. miracle man DS situation...if I'm gonna' drive one, I might as well drive 'em all. I always showed up for work a little late, but, the partners understood, as they had started families too.
And, also, we bought a house at the end of a dead end street so our kiddos wouldn't have issues with through traffic. Even so, they were taught, and never allowed, to play in the street. But, we felt the dead end (insert some sorta' Haunted Mansion dialogue here ) was a safer bet in that regard.

 

[Gabe1]

Yeah, it's a great goal for him. We've been working on it with his psychologist, too....how to ask for help BEFORE he gets overwhelmed and blows up. But we only have one more session with the psychologist and then the city stops the funding for him. BUT she said she's pretty much given him what she can...when he started going there, we didn't know he had Autism. We just knew he needed help with learning to control his emotions and stop having the explosions of frustration. But now that we know what it is, she's referring us to an organization that specializes in Autism, and they can maybe help DH and I, too. It will all work out, but DS is very sad. He really likes her, and they have a rapport with each other...change is hard for him.
DD and I have been watching Gilmore Girls together regularly for the last few months to a year....we're up to Rory's 2nd year at Yale. She just met Logan, and Luke and Lorelai are dating and the town is worried about if they break up. We stayed up a little too late tonight watching. She also introduced me to Brian Hull's youtube videos where he goes to Disneyland and meets characters and does impressions of the characters he's meeting. Pretty amusing. So we watched that, and then watched GG the rest of the evening.

I am in awe of the progress your son is making. Mostly because he doesn't dread school. Now if they can help him to stop as you said blowing up and communicate calmly how great for him and everyone. Just melts your heart.

I can't tell you over the last decade how many times I've watched the 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls. I go to sleep by either Gilmore or Friends. Both Gilmore Girls and Friends are a common bond between me and my DD, we could watch either for hours especially when we are working on some type of project.

 

[donaldtoo]

Well, you'll at least have to introduce the new grandchild to Disney at some point...

Yes, indeed!
Again, we are, and always will be, Dinsey fans!
DWifey and myself were raised on Disney, and so were our kiddos! I still love Disney history and Walt, and the old-school guys that made all the real Magic happen. We're just not fans of a lot that is presently happening.
But, ultimately, that grandchild (grandchildren ) Will be introduced to Disney from probably day one without any of my editorial comment...!!!!!

 

[Gabe1]

Vla is a Dutch dessert, a lot like custard or pudding.
View attachment 268076

I would love that as would my kids. Anything premade like that here is pretty icky.

 

[donaldtoo]

OK gang, I'm a goner...!
Y'all all be cool and sweet dreams to all...!!!
Laterrrrrrrrrrr...!!!!!!!

 

[Gabe1]

So sorry to hear this.

They found him finally after being on the run for most of a day. I read the post his sister wrote, life forever altered.
In an instant 2 dead parents and a brother who maybe in prison for his entire adult life. He is 19. From the bits and pieces that have trickled out he was scoop'd up and taken to a hospital the night before for erratic behavior but released. *sigh* that doctor is likely going to live with that release so quickly. Have a feeling it will take time to find out what happened beyond the obvious.

 

[Gabe1]

What is a jumper in American English? I know you use sweater but what did you think your friend was putting on?

This is similar to the Jumper I had to wear as a uniform to Catholic School but they are common little girl dresses that require a blouse or thin sweater under. There are adult versions too

 

[Gabe1]

Thanks so much for this! I have now requested wheelchair assistance for my mom. My mom is a grandmother but I don't have any kids, which is why I have time and money to take my mother to Bali for 6 weeks.
I am a bit worried about the flights but I know once we are on Bali my mother will be happy.

That is so exciting for her (and you.) Hope it makes for a more simple travel day.

And yes the wheelchair has really helped with my Mom and her anxiety. With her it is more being overwhelmed over her not being able to walk. Her airport is so huge, it is crazy. When I went to Cleveland with her I met her at the airport as we come from different directions, she took a taxi. I told her to leave her cell phone on and to call me with the door number she walked in and I'd easily find her. Nope. Phone off. Finally found her pulling her suitcase wandering the lobby looking for me never thinking to turn on phone or call me. We were only taking carry on bags which she owns. She is pulling around a 29" bag!!!! I told her we would need to check that (what are you going to do at the airport right?) Argument picked as she insists my Sister takes 'a bag on airplane' she doesn't check hers, I don't know what I'm talking about. Yeah they stop her at security, as I knew they would. Now she is really flustered. I check the freak'n bag, she is now crazy flustered not understanding why a 29" bag can't go into the overhead!!! Now I just flag her tickets, the skycap at the curb when checking her bag calls up a wheelchair. She carries only one large quilt bag that she tosses her purse in so not much to loose track of.

 

[Gabe1]

Your DD must be sick of winter if she planted those. Once they pop up that will be a nice dose of spring. I used to force daffodils bulbs in pots too. Kept them in the fridge for awhile then out to the counter. Soon I would have some pretty yellow flowers in the dead of winter. Until they too died, oh wow I turned that quickly...

I'm always buying those $3 little pots of early spring flowers at this time of year. They die. I bury the bulbs outside. I buy a new one and repeat repeat repeat until the Real Spring finally shows up our way.

And you pegged my DD right. She is really having cabin fever. Between 2 jobs and Grad School she could use a bit of spring. Seeds and Dirt so not her thing. Though when she was very little she was always diggin in the sand and dirt.

 

[Gabe1]

Oh, it was a freak show outdoors. I only cut out maybe an hour early (needed to finish up time-sensitive meeting schedules for the clinicians first). Walking to the train was fun . Only hit one major gust that was really dicey, and grabbed on to a lamppost for maybe half a minute or so. When the gust died down a little, I ran like a crazy woman before the next huge gust hit!

View attachment 267854

OK I can actually imagine this!!!!!

 

[Gabe1]

Yah, after all that rain and wind, we got gyped of snow.

I'm sorry????

 

[Gabe1]

Yup! Friday night is still date night after all these years of marriage!

See, I knew where you'd be.

 

[Gabe1]

Actually in response to your trees comment above, in my area, there were a few huge trees that fell down without warning. One person got pinned by a smaller branch only, but if that person was just a few more inches to the left, the outcome would have been far worse. Wind and rain was nuts here yesterday.

It is scary dangerous stuff. We've had too many this year. We still have 20 foot tree trunks in the ground sliced off at the tops. They got that far before winter. So much damage last July that it was too much to finish before winter.

When I was prego with my DD I was driving home from the mall. I really needed bigger clothing badly, I should not have gone out but working in clothes too small prego that day drove me to it. The storm got worse while I was in the mall. I drive like a turtle anyhow but was going slow cause of rain and wind. Bolt Lightening and a mega 100 year old tree hit and fell about 25' in front of my truck. I managed to stop. In shock that I was almost flattened. I just sat there. Not like I was going anywhere with that in the road. I was so shaken and so not good to be that rattled when prego. Ya just never know.

 

[Gabe1]

State schools by me if you are a resident are under 6k per year if you commute. Spending 50k a year for college is nuts, especially if you add grad school to that.

Not here Not by a long shot. Even the lowest regarded State University. Hard press for that to cover a Community College tuition.

 

[Gabe1]

Yup, and then I have a funeral tomorrow. The friend who went to DL with me lost her paternal grandmother while we were in WDW, so we're all going to support her family. I feel like I've been to more funerals lately...

Thought about you today.

 

[Gabe1]

Although I've never traveled with a person in a wheelchair, the information you provided is very good to know, just for any future reference.

Thanks. I'm a wealth of info on flying your kid from coast to coast as a solo unaccompanied minor too if anyone wants to ship their kid off on a vacation without Mom or Dad. yes my Sis and I both did this. And our kids are still here!

 

[Gabe1]

As of this morning, over 450,000 in MA without electricity.

Ugh. I'm happy you are not one of them. Hope it stays that way.

 

[Gabe1]

And don't forget the miniature golf place inside there, too!

I'm in!!!!

And my Golden Girl women look what I found for us today!!!! Entertainment. Wisconsin/Minnesota here we come!

 

[Gabe1]

Then stay there. Do that. I won't tell you what my son's tuition is, but it is more than your end figure. The only way he can go there is scholarship money pays for half, making it cheaper than U of I. Last time I looked, it was at $35,000 per year, in state. Not much available for academic scholarship.

True. That is around what my DD was for U of I Champaign. She did get some academic as she graduated in the top 2% of her class. THANK GOD FOR SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES LIKE BAND. She tutored, she held a University job. She graduated. And now it starts all over again.....fair warning far less monies available for Grad School.