<p>historymom – Fires in SoCal (specifically, the “Station Fire” above La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, Glendale). 35,000 acres burned, and they’re having to let it burn into the backcountry so that they can take a stand to protect houses.</p>
<p>We did the “purge” thing last week – cleaned/sorted stuff on shelves, desks, closets, and are on a roll. What parents do when kids go off … clean the house and buy toothpaste. Hmm.</p>
<p>Zetesis those fires sound really awful and with the weather as it always is in SoCal I suspect there’s no reprieve coming soon. Read today that there were many mandatory evacuations and was thinking of you. Stay safe.</p>
<p>I too want to know about that expensive obviously chocolate thing since that’s one of my passions. Waiting for the virtual diet breaker to be presented.</p>
<p>H and I went for an hour walk in the metropark near us. Very hilly and beautiful. We used to walk there whenever I visited when dating (since I lived in another city) and were reminiscing about going with the kids and being required to carry one of them by the end of the walk. Was nice to be out on our own but we definitely pushed it a bit too far. After that we went shopping too (my goodness aren’t we all a bunch of stick in the muds) which started as wanting 2 items and ended up with about 20 (that’s what happens when H goes to the store).</p>
<p>Staring at four huge almost 50 lb suitcases.
Two carry ons. So we each check in two, carry on one, and where did it all come from?!
A plane with a layover. Hope everything gets there.
With school being very very far away, trying to pack as much there as possible.
Seems we are one of the last to go from D’s friends and she is ready to be there. Rainy and cloudy day lends itself to baking. Thanks for the recipes!
DTE hang in there.
Z hope the fires get controlled soon.</p>
<p>Eggson launched 2 weeks ago.</p>
<p>Eggdad and I went to a movie yesterday afternoon. I believe this is the first grown-up movie we have seen in a theater in approximately 18.5 years.</p>
<p>(Julie/Julia was very good and no one could see me weeping in the dark. I’m not usually this sentimental, but have been weepy this week.)</p>
<p>Otherwise it has been a very loooong weekend without all the traditional back-to-(high)school activities. DH and I are really missing the hustle and bustle that DS and his crew brought to the house.</p>
<p>I have a list of projects, but just can’t seem to get motivated.</p>
<p>eggmom, D and I were going to go to see Julie/Julia after we got to Richmond but just ran out of time. Now I can’t decide if I’m willing to go it alone since H doesn’t like that kind of thing. May have to make a deal with him if he’ll go with me to that I’ll go see some action movie (end up going to those anyway). We’ve been to the movies in the past few years but always with one of the kids.</p>
<p>yesshecan, hang in there you WILL get your daughter moved in.</p>
<p>We don’t go to the movies very much, because we don’t like to pay the prices. But since the girls are gone, we have changed the Netflix queue rather decidedly.</p>
<p>eggmom, I know what you mean about the lack of motivation … the projects don’t seem that interesting. </p>
<p>I decided I would knit – but now that I’ve done two scarves for D, how many more can I do? Actually, what I want to make is a copy of Jayne’s hat from Firefly …</p>
<p>Hey, H & I went to see J/J yesterday – a good thing to do since it had been raining all day. I had read the book, and probably enjoyed it a little more than H, but overall it was very entertaining. Meryl Streep was great in the role of Julia. I don’t own a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I’m sure H would like to try a lot of the recipes, but honestly, all that butter …</p>
<p>Not sure how so much “stuff” could fit in a small closet! We went through clothes before my d left, but the piles/bags/boxes on the floor remained untouched so I figure I get to decide what to keep and today’s the day. Anyone need “build-a-bear” clothes; they’re pretty cute!</p>
<p>Just about to bake cookies for Son. I think I’ve spent more time with my husband in the past week than in the past 3 months!</p>
<p>I highly recommend the book “My Life in France” by Julia herself- a great read about living in France! </p>
<p>I know what everyone means about “projects” that need to be done but no motivation.</p>
<p>The key to a clean bedroom is having the occupants move out! Yes I miss them terribly but it is so nice to know what the flooring looks like and be able to sit on the window seat.</p>
<p>Zetesis so the flames are moving away from the inhabited parts of town right?</p>
<p>Haven’t seen J/J will likely wait until it comes out on video. I sent two DVDs back to netflix yesterday and really should update my queue before they send me something that will make me cry because the girls picked it.</p>
<p>The flames are moving away from many inhabited areas, yes; and that’s the good news. There are still homes threatened, however. The poor hills are utterly denuded; if it’s true we’re in for an “El Nino” winter (heavy rain), this is not good news at all.</p>
<p>Where’s Modadunn and her mystery recipe?</p>
<p>Modadunn is busy eating her magnificent dessert or maybe working out to work it off! </p>
<p>Zetesis, I am glad the flames are moving away…at least partially. That is one thing we don’t have here in the northeast. I hope you stay safe.</p>
<p>Got new linens for Ds bedroom. Looks so fresh and clean. Did my closet today. Bathrrom nice and shiney. Haven’t heard from D, just a few responses to my texts. Bought myself flowers today. </p>
<p>One bad thing about being emptynesters is that when you order Thai or Chinese, you order fewer dishes so get less variety. Thnk my freezer is going to get a lot more use.</p>
<p>As for movies, my girls were the ones who loved to see scary movies with me, H is kind of a wuss when it comes to scary. And chick flicks, not so much. But something like District 9 or Bourne Ultimatum, he is there.</p>
<p>A word of caution to those who want to channel their angst into cleaning (out) their launched kids’ rooms. I did that last year when D16 starting boarding school. Next thing you know I was painting and tossing out furniture. She came back and HATED it. She was actually kinder to me than I deserved. It really is bland and impersonal now. </p>
<p>Projects, I too am feeling ambivalent about getting started. Part of it is that it’s not yet labor day so it seems important to hold onto summer. I’m thinking a week more of moping, then labor day, then maybe some projects to get going.</p>
<p>We’re in the midst of the dropoff with D. We helped her begin setting up her room and felt she needed to wait for her roommate’s arrival tomorrow to do anything more. It was fun to actually be here and start the process. The anticipation was hard on all of us. </p>
<p>I’m very excited for her and know I’ll be sad tomorrow when we say goodbye. We had a chance for a nice, low-key dinner and she is staying in the hotel with us tonight. We met other parents and students and had fun connecting in our commonalities. I feel good about her future here and despite my sadness for our changes am very happy for all she is going to experience.</p>
<p>I have to admit that cleaning her room is near the top of the list when we get back home. Must be something cathartic about it! Perhaps it has been such a mess for so long that cleaning it will be a real pleasure.</p>
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<p>That’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve been here in spirit for those of you dropping off this week (and worrying about Zetesis and the fire, and praying for downtoearth, and happy for lindz D’s good news) but mostly I’ve been moping and weeping. So unlike me and so unlike what I expected. We parted with D a week ago today and it wasn’t until we got home that it finally hit me, I guess. I feel like a 4-legged stool with one leg missing - I can still balance but something is just “off”.</p>
<p>No cleaning, no organizing, yet. D’s room looks just like she left it :eek:</p>
<p>I think I need Modadunn’s dessert before I can get back to normal ;)</p>
<p>I’ve shared so many weepy moments with all of you. I wanted to share a happy moment. DS and I just finished ichatting with DD. (H is on a business trip). It was so good to just see her face and hear her laugh and find out all she’s been doing the last few days. I’m a happy mom right now. 
I didn’t even need the dessert. </p>
<p>Her classes start tomorrow. </p>
<p>Northwoods–best of luck finishing up tomorrow! </p>
<p>BTW–I don’t plan on major room cleaning or changes.</p>
<p>We promised D2 we would not touch her room. I did have to go up there two days ago, to change the sheets for friends who were evacuating their own homes. But she left it absolutely neat and tidy as a pin. </p>
<p>D1, on the other hand, left piles everywhere; we brought order to her chaos. And, with her permission we are going to redo her room a bit so it is a better guest room.</p>
<p>Things are much better in our town now; at least figuratively we’re breathing easy. But to our north/west, it’s still pretty grim. </p>
<p>Thanks all for the words of concern; and, indeed, where is that dessert!?</p>
<p>I’ve been worrying about you, Zetesis.</p>
<p>Talked to Son…weekend no. 2 of eating alone and no social activities. Being a person with Asperger’s, Son is trying to do something that is so difficult…it took him so many years to make the friends he has. Now he is put into a new environment and expected to have friends to do things with on the weekends…poor guy.</p>
<p>I do so wonder what he did or how he behaved that the three suitemates all go to meals together and exclude him…do they really all just leave and not say, “hey, we’re eating now…” and he feels like he can’t go with? Or they slip away? I mean, he’s not so '“out there” as Rainman or anything…hopefully when he’s home for Labor Day I can get a better sense of what is going on. When we talk about it on the phone I think he feels like we’re accusing him of something … he’s just being himself, but that means not being all that social.</p>
<p>Doubts, doubts…should he have gone to the very similar LAC that is only 90 minutes away? Or should he have lived at home and gone to the CC or a local university?</p>