WTF

"What the f***?" were the first whispery words I heard the morning of Christmas Eve.
The first thing I heard was the downstairs shower. Five minutes later as I finished dressing, I heard boom! and crash!, crash! That could only mean one thing. Test Case was seizing in the shower.
With an accelerated heart pumping in my throat I raced downstairs. Hubby was already 'on the job'. We assumed our accustomed roles. There was no need for conversation. He held our son's head and shoulders and I threw a towel over him to preserve a bit of modesty. We waited.
It is like watching your kid die; only you know (or do you?) that he will revive. After a good minute that stretched for hours the convulsions ended and he began to breathe again in short gasping gulps for air. He was pale and blue lipped. His eyes skittered around, finally rested on each of us and he whispered,
"What the fuck?"


Ok people this is my therapy, I'm not trying for any boohooing sympathy stuff that undoubtedly is quite sincere. It took a another 15 minutes to get him into his bed. Test Case slept for the rest of the day. I woke him on and off to check for a concussion. He was ok except for a badly strained neck and a really bad headache. He couldn't go to work at his new job that day. Hubby drove over and explained the situation. Test Case needed a reboot which, unlike computers takes much, much longer. He went to work today. So far, so good. The rest of Christmas was super A-OK.
Epilepsy SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sugar is My Crack

Whew! I'm glad that's over. The last day of school before the holiday break is always fun. My day started early. I got to school early for my reading intervention class that exactly 5 out of 17 kids showed up for. I felt the love though when school officially began and I was inundated with gifts from my students in 4th grade. YUM! I try not to eat sugar but there it was and its my crack I can't resist. Everything kind of went nuts after that.

Every class had a party. I gathered my 'guys' at recess and we communed with the 4th grade pet rats (it calms them). Later at the teacher's request I pulled a 1st grade boy (who I work with at other times) who is 7 going on 17 from his class in order to do 'something' with him cuz he is Jewish and he tells the other kids that his dad says that Santa is "a bunch of Christian crap". Here's why I love the internet- I type in 'jewish children's art projects' and BOOM I've got coloring pages and a nifty idea for a special star of David card we can make for his parents. It actually works. He doesn't want to color, but he wants to do the card, his way of course, but that's ok. Then I make the mistake of asking him to tell me about Channukah. He lectures me on middle east politics (yes I know he is only 7, but he has been well schooled). I change the subject and I convince him that he is going to love third grade because he will have an actual jewish teacher (who is a friend of mine). Whew, that was close.

Its still the last day and I have paper work to turn in for the reading intervention but I can't get it done because I run into another teacher who informs me that Matt (the one kid I am officially attached to who has been just having a great year) repeated punched one of her students while I was dodging delicate religous talk with a 7 year old. Yikes! I privately think that other kid is a brat and probably deserved it. I never get the paperwork done. Matt wants to take the rats home for break and is freaking out about it. His mom is iffy on rats. I agree she can drop them off at my house after a few days (its ok, see the zoo post).

My daughter and I pack up all our school stuff so we can race home, get her boots and get her to her horseback riding lesson. It has changed locations and I'm not sure where to go. But mercy! I find it. My crack is wearing off. I'm tired and jittery. I lock my keys in the car at the end of the lesson. I haven't done that in 10 years because I have OCD. I phone hubby but it will take him 45 minutes to get out there in the dark. I have to climb a fence and step in horse poo to get out to the road to flag him down. My boys are annoyed with me for not calling them to come and rescue me. That is so sweet! They actually love me...
All is well until I wake up the next day and want more crack!!!!

Here's a Little Shout Out to Diesel

I have a book recommendation for Diesel. I noted that he is a fan of science fiction, so perhaps he has read this already, but oh well...

Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh (1994)

This is the first book of a series, so if you like the story it is fun to read more. It is set on the world of atevi. The author really nails the experience of being in a completely foreign culture. I was transported and captivated by this world and the hero, Bren Cameron, who must grapple with the natives who are very, very dangerous. The atevi are humanlike but larger and more powerful. Bren is the only human allowed visit their society and negotiate on behalf of the humans. If you haven't had the pleasure, Diesel, I highly recommend it.

Vincent D'Onofrio Sighted at...

DISNEYLAND!!!!
OMG, I'm so excited. Maybe I'll run into him since I'll be there for the next 5 days.

Ok, I know these pictures are lame, but I'm a recovering computer luddite. Sorry :(
I really will be in Disneyland. :)