Parents of the HS Class of 2009 (Part 1)

<p>missypie, good luck to your D in getting the internship. That sounds like a great resume builder. As for the shoes, I think dressy looking boots would be appropriate rather than trying to negotiate icy streets in pumps.</p>

<p>kmc, I guess my next step is to find pictures of stuff I like to help a decorator out. Every room is currently a mix of the cheapest stuff we could find (discount stores, garage sales, Vermont junk shops) to quality stuff (rugs, custom ordered furniture). I’m fond of our paintings, but that’s about it. Most of the expensive stuff doesn’t do anything for me. It’s too heavy for one thing, so hard to rearrange when I get bored. I would probably like slip covered, overstuffed comfy furniture in an Outdura fabric. </p>

<p>I will say there is a little corner table, currently in the garage, that has a special place in our hearts. H and I picked it up for $20 from a guy sitting next to it on a sidewalk in NJ in the 1980’s. When we stopped to look, he knocked on the top and proud as punch declared, “It’s Formica.” I remember acting suitably impressed so we wouldn’t hurt his feelings and of course then we had to buy it. Darned if we didn’t eat on that table in our kitchen for years. Then used it in a laundry room and we still use it in the garage. It’s held up like a trooper, but I will be the first to admit, it isn’t pretty.</p>

<p>Our house looks like a mix of garage sale and our parents’ houses. Our kitchen table is a knock-off of those Pottery Barn ceramic tile topped tables very popular in the late '80s, early '90s. Works for us! </p>

<p>D loves shoes and has quite the collection. I suggested to her that she might want to be more practical in her selections as she’ll be using public transportation next year to get to work but of course I was shot down immediately. I remember the days of women wearing running shoes on the train and changing when at work. Do people not do that anymore?</p>

<p>I dont know if my house will ever be as pulled together as like. I love to look at what other people have done. I joke that I love to drive around at night and look in windows to get a glimpse. I will forever be grateful to NM for Houze.
I have never quite gotten the upgrade that Shaw has but love it when the hotel we frequent in DC gives us a suite
Moda I totally agree with your sentiments of wanting our children to use their gifts more than we have been able to. I have been thinking of this a lot as I feel that I am in limbo. A friend and I had this conversation as we were taking a certifcation class with nurses quite a bit younger. We both felt uncomfortable “testing” in front of everyone. we had to in essence “run a code” we knew what to do just hated being front and center. The younger girls were very comfortable. However i pointed out that kids have been taught since pre school to be in front of people. heck i didnt go to preschool or even kindergarden. They have been empowered in a different way than we were. I also feel that athough I did not go as far in my job as I have wanted to, I did with it what I could under the circumstances I had. My children have had the fortune to grow up in a different culture, and financial circumstance than I did. And to have parents that cared so deeply. I have spent over 200k just for HS. I have no regrets, my children are different people because of it. But many people have disagreed. so be it. In essence I have tried to be the best parent I could humanly be, now my kids need to do with it what they will. I have done my part. Now am looking at where I want to go. I admire all of you who have the saavy to understand the politics of this world and can help their kids, of course I can help my younger daughter as she is in nursing, but my older one is another story. She is very ambitious and talented so know she will do well.
I have been laid up with bronchitis and a sinus infection. I have to useinhalers for 20 years until this year. I am going to try and walk, it cant be good to lay on the couch all day.
MP so glad it went well at your fathers service. I am sure your family was represented well. such talent.</p>

<p>wll skipped walking just tired, yesterday i watched the entire season of Girls on demand, interesting show, warning, pretty explicit, (like most shows on those networks)</p>

<p>I also checked out Girls. It is very different for me. I don’t understand the critical acclaim. But…I am not 20 something! (Thank Heavens!!!) ;)</p>

<p>Last week I had a weird experience–my blood pressure spiked to 200 and I had all the symptoms of a heart attack. So now on blood pressure meds and all is fine. I was so glad that they took me right in and we did not sit in the ER–managed to not get the flu.There were people being sick everywhere. I had been running a little high and had been watching it but nothing like this. It seems it was probably caused by an adrenalin rush as it came on very suddenly after a really difficult work situation as it happened at the end of session. I had been feeling better than usual and had bragged to H that I was healthier than him just the night before.
D keeps telling me to retire but I cannot figure out what I would do with my time. I have no real interests other than cooking and building houses (which is not very practical!). Also I only work very part time.
Don’t hate me but I would love to come to your houses and help you decorate. I can mix good with cheap. A friend and I talked about becoming stagers years ago but never did it. One of those missed opportunities as there are many around here now.</p>

<p>Then I broke my toe last night–ran into an amour. Going across the bedroom to turn on a light that H usually turns on as it is on his side. So am totally blaming him :). Bummed about losing exercise time but may be able to do kettlebell in place and might manage the elliptical tomorrow.</p>

<p>My Mother has now been fired by the management of her caretakers. She fired another one so that is over 30 in 6 months or so. Funny, but she wanted to talk for hours a few nights ago so I think she is quite pleased with herself. She loves a crises. Typically she talks 3 minutes about her health and if I say one word about myself she needs to hang up. I am no longer invested in making things other that what they are so it is no longer hurtful.
The funny part is that she told a new version of an old story. She has always talked about a squirrel that ate a cookie out of my hand when I was about 4 years old. She added that I was walking to the grocery to buy her a pack of cigarettes by myself.
dt–loved your post–can you imagine any of us letting our 4 year old walk to a store alone (out of sight of the house to boot)?</p>

<p>oregon101, Sorry to hear about your blood pressure scare. Glad the meds are helping . Sorry also about the broken toe! Also sorry to hear about the caretaker issues with your mom. I know these elder care issues can be very stressful.</p>

<p>My house is a mixture of hand me downs and antiques from H’s parents and some newer stuff. Would love to start getting rid of some of the big stuff once my kids are more settled and don’t have roommates. Have already handed down some smaller tables and things but the big,heavy stuff is still here. I’m a little concerned they won’t want most of it since it’s kind of old fashioned. But some is good quality like Stickley. We’ll see.
Actually though, the kids do like older things made of wood and seem to appreciate nice things. S1 has a nice smaller antique table in his rather contemporary apartment. It look nice . It’s just the big pieces that I wonder if they will ever want.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>That’s quite a story!</p>

<p>Glad you were able to get prompt medical attention. Do you ever wonder “what if I was a settler out in the old West” (or whatever) when you have a medical crisis that can be dealt with by prompt modern medical attention? I thought that for the first time when 11 lb Son was extracted from my womb…in another place and/or era, neither of us would have survived.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I don’t have decorating talent. I think that is why I was very willing to go in the direction of mid-century modern when H started liking it. My house isn’t nearly as together as all the folks we know who hired decorators, but no one else has anything like it.</p>

<p>That should have been armoire. Doesn’t matter–the toe still hurts.
It always seems odd to me that H and I do not have very little from our families. I suppose it is both because we moved so far from them and because there was not much to pass down and also so many kids in both families. Both of our families had/have really bad taste. I have one wood trunk that I have painted a dozen times (was always painted) and one kid’s kitchen cabinet that my mother sent AFTER the kids were older than 12 that my grandfather made which is now in the storage room.
mp I bet your house looks great. I have one $19 lamp in my great room along with a $275 lamp and I doubt anyone can tell the difference in value. Once I decorate I rarely change anything other than candles, vases and such. I don’t love every piece of furniture but it all hangs together well enough and at this point I wonder if H and will move and if we do I want a few new pieces. The monster house being built next door has us thinking in that direction.
Still trying to decide if H, D and D’s BF and I will take a two week trip to Spain in early June. This is her last bit of freedom for the next 3 years. Trees to block the ugly house or a trip to Spain. Another bid will come in later this week and then it will be decision time.</p>

<p>Missypie, that’s an “Oregon Trail” classic! Break a leg? You could die. Snakebite? You could die. </p>

<p>oregon, glad you are feeling better.</p>

<p>oregon101, glad you are okay! So if you decide to retire, you can occupy your time by doing staging/interior decorating for all the CC folks who need help!</p>

<p>I wonder if the story will grow any - next thing, the squirrel will be eating the cookie AND smoking the cigarettes!</p>

<p>I am another person with zero decorating talent. Rely on H and D in that area. They are also the ones with fashion sense. I know what I like when I see it, but would have no idea how to arrive there.</p>

<p>D is back at school; her last semester begins tomorrow! She weighed her suitcase before we left for the airport and it was too heavy so I have a few things to get in the mail.</p>

<p>Her bf received his 4th grad school acceptance yesterday, so he’s 4 for 4!</p>

<p>Shawbridge, glad you eventually found the toilet!</p>

<p>Oregon glad you are ok, very scary.
I am told I decorate well, kind of eclectic.Butbecause I look for something not mainstream, that I an afford nothing is ever finished. and sometims I have difficuly with knicknack type things, ie vases, or wall things besides paintings or prints. I have been known to buy Etha llen and mix it with craigs list. it is fun.</p>

<p>downtoearth, I LOVE vases. Have way too many- handed down, some just from flowers I’ve gotten over the years and some brought back from travels (vases from Scotland and Sweden). I have resisted buying more though.</p>

<p>I love to see my kids use things from the family. S1 has his greatgrandfather’s antique mirror on his dresser. Both kids love their old Hudson Bay blankets and use them every winter. I love to use old linens and tiles from the family.</p>

<p>Oh My, oregon!!! So glad you are ok! Sending good health and healing prayers your way. You take care of yourself.</p>

<p>I also like to decorate and mix high end and inexpensive. I love HomeGoods, antique shops consignment shops. Love the links on Pinterest to find interesting new decor.</p>

<p>oh dear, oregon! glad the bp spike didn’t turn out to be more serious and so sorry about the toe. I’d definitely be blaming H in that situation ;)</p>

<p>and I vote for Spain over the trees. trees: useful. great family memories (and Spanish food and wine): priceless</p>

<p>I decided we needed to “refresh and repurpose” some rooms in the house now that both girls are gone and I hired a decorator to help. when we moved in, the house was laid out and decorated in a way that worked for a family with 2 kids (e.g., only TV is in an upstairs sitting room that barely fits the 4 of us) but not so much anymore. I’ve had to slow down since I got sick, so DH thinks this is the perfect project for me ;)</p>

<p>I watched the first season of Girls too. have to admit some of it made me a little uncomfortable, but Lena Dunham has really grown on me. watched her movie Tiny Furniture on Netflix. liked that too - it’s basically the story of older daughter coming home after graduating from college to live with mom and younger sister. felt very familiar, having just had both girls home and D1 about to graduate.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Hate you? I’d LOVE you, O101!</p>

<p>Sending healthful prayers to everyone who needs it.
PRJ, re slowing down – not entirely certain that redecorating equals taking a rest per se ;)</p>

<p>Speaking of which, Moda, how’s your dining room look now?</p>

<p>Oregon, my vote is for Spain too, although I get the trees! But Spain is so lovely…</p>

<p>Mcson reports that his Eng work is finally all put to bed so now he’s just waiting for the prof to grade the assignments and give him his complete. He reported that the show Friday went quite well despite the change in gear and set list. He seems to be making headway on his senior thesis. So all is well despite the fact he has to wait 5 days to get his computer back.</p>

<p>Mch got his tests back and is officially classed as a type 2 diabetic, news he’s not especially happy about but that I suppose is not surprising to me. He hasn’t had the followup with the doc yet, but I’ll be adopting new nutritionist duties in my meal planning because I suspect he’ll want to avoid metformin at all costs. (Not a fan of pharma.) He’s pretty stubborn and independent and absolutely hates any form of care taking, so it will be interesting to strike a balance here whereby I am not perceived to be a nag about it. As much as I try to explain that expressions of “love and concern” are just that, same nonetheless makes him cranky :wink: I knew when his leg hurt enough to actually go to a doc of his own volition we were going to be dealing with DVT or diabetes, so ve had some time to chew on how this could shift the dynamic. We’ll see how it goes.</p>

<p>oregon, so glad it wasn’t a heart attack.</p>

<p>kmc, sorry to hear about the diabetes diagnosis. Have you ever watched Dlife? It’s on Sunday nights around here and is a 30 minute show that H and I have watched a lot. I try to eat as if I have diabetes since I’m sure I will at some point. I know my body can’t process carbs well.</p>

<p>kmc, sorry to hear about the diagnosis, but so glad he went to the doctor and was diagnosed. Will he be good about changing his diet, or do you think “cheating” is on the horizon?</p>

<p>All thank you notes are done except two, for which I don’t have the address.</p>