Summer and the Blogging is Slow

Hello readers out there. Summer is truly here in the Northland and the living is busy. And the computer is very uncooperative. It does not like any kind of heat and may take 10-15 tries to get started. Then it may quit at any moment. Needless to say I don't always get to try number 15 before I give up. Especially since timing and time management are not my specialties and I am usually cranking up the computer on a whim. I will get more focused soon, but not until I get to Wausau and have an awesome on water time. This little trip of mine is taking all my extra mental energy, after taking care of my little bug and getting myself to work when required. Blog, home, and all other issues (like good cooking, regular gym time, finances, and anything cleaning) have taken a big back seat for now. Alex is doing good, and we actually turned a corner on home life by investing in "Floortime". More on this after next weeks adventure. Kevin is my hero, as ever, for stepping up to let me go for five days. Not sure why I deserve him but will just be happy about the whole situation. I will get to see my sister, my niece and nephew, my mom, and my dear friend Shereen on my trip too so there will be lots to tell. Hopefully the shoulder will hold out and the boat wont sink. I have actually been training so maybe I wont embarrass myself too much. Or that could just be wishful thinking!

Maybe it's not ALL good : Alex Report #3

Uuufff-da mackie, as we say up north, it's been quite a month. Not long after Alex Report #2, where I stated, "It's all good.", the worm turned. Progress seemed to stop and we even maybe went a little backwards. Alex began to increase his repetitive phrases, his frustration tolerance got shorter and finally became non-existent, his repetitive behaviors increased, compliance decreased, and everything became a fight. Everything. School ended. Summer began. Routine evaporated. Parental tempers became increasingly frayed and finally broke a few times. Alex began to spend a lot of time in time out. It was looking to be a long, long summer. To add insult to injury, there was insurance trouble, things not being covered that should be, and annoying difficulty scheduling his horseback riding, which kept the rest of the summer schedule on hold. Plus the school cancelled one summer school day (down to two from three), and dared to take a one week break. Yikes, what a mess. Meanwhile the weather was going nuts in the rest of the country and world, with floods, fires, and earthquakes, and other friends are having huge upheavals in their lives. At least our problems are minuscule compared to true tragedy.

But they are still ours, and fortunately the worm turned again and we may all survive this period. The big break was a new parent group at the Scottish Language Clinic with my hero Tahirih. She gave us all a primer in the Floortime Method. It is a way of teaching and playing with kids with communication difficulties, and it is awesome. I have more to say but my boys are back from an overnight and it's time for some "floortime" with Alex. Apologies for a short, incomplete post but summer isn't looking so bad after all.

Partly Cloudy with a chance of Rhubarb

Once again, the skies are grey and the air is cold, but summer is definitely coming. The lilies and peonies are up and budding, the lilacs are just about to pop, and my rhubarb is monstrous. I planted it two years ago from a grower at the farmers market. It was about 6 inches across. I was good and did not cut it the first year. I only took about half last year when it was a foot and a half across. And this year I just might be able to feed a small nation with it's five foot spread. I have never seen a rhubarb this big. The leaves are much larger than dinner plates. They make great floppy hats, and could be used for roofing material. Maybe it is time to get going on that dream tree house with Alex. And in the mean time, I get to harvest it all. Most of the stalks are destined to be rhubarb crisps. Bubbly, tart, and hot, with crunchy, buttery, sugary tops. MMMmmmm. Summer in the Northland.