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<p>Thanks, but hold off on the elections until younger D gets to South Carolina and actually has everything she needs. We packed the two different suitcases on Sunday and I made a checklist of what items needed to be transferred from one suitcase to another. I hope my list was complete!</p>
<p>The bad thing is that each girl took a hair straightener, leaving me with none. I’d like to buy another one tonight but I have an event after work and I’m very afraid I’m going to forget!</p>
<p>You know what, at least you had the checklist. That elevates you even higher in my book. </p>
<p>D took my hair dryer to school, leaving me with hers. You know, the one she HAD to have. So I feel your pain with the lack of a hair straightener.</p>
<p>Well, it’s been a wild and wooly time at Woodyhouse this week! Let’s just say that H and I are immensely relieved that both of our little darlings are away for the weekend. We thought we were in the clear when they left on their separate journeys this AM but S just called to say he got a speeding ticket.
I’m beginning to think that I really just don’t want to know all of the stuff that goes on in their lives. Our parents had the right idea…ignorance is bliss!</p>
<p>My H gets speeding tickets on a fairly regular basis. He always calls me and is so indignant! I’m very low on the sympathy.</p>
<p>Actually, I was oddly relieved that he was only going 80mph. Those kind of tickets really hurt when you have an unpaid internship this summer…</p>
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Oh yeh – what she said! It’s actually been a few years now since H has had a ticket, but when he first started his job in Hartford, before we moved to the area, he had several. When he got the one that would have landed him in mandatory driver’s ed, he took photos, went to court, fought it, and won! (Something about an on ramp and an exit ramp, crossing traffic, etc. etc.) When I’m in the car with him, I’m constantly telling him he’s driving too fast. That really annoys him, but I don’t care – I want to stay alive!</p>
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<p>My husband used to tell me he had to drive that fast to be safe and I never believed him until I started commuting down a heavily trafficked interstate daily. Now I see what he means. Happily, no tickets for me. :)</p>
<p>Sometimes in Dallas traffic I need to drive 70 to stay with the flow of traffic. But never 80+.</p>
<p>I won’t talk about my driving, except for this weekend, when I’m reciprocating. ShawD became best friends a couple of years ago with the daughter of a guy that I’ve known professionally since I began my career, worked with a bit, and liked quite a bit. He’s probably 10 years older and the daughter is one of two from wife number two, who is very nice as well. He was helpful at the start of my career. By now, we do daughter-sharing as both kids stay at their house or ours, but more frequently their house because they live in walking distance of their school. They are also tremendously nice to ShawD and have taken her skiing in Park City and Vermont and many times to their lovely place in Martha’s Vineyard (we’ve been there too and can attest to the loveliness). We’d like to reciprocate, but it isn’t as easy. We are very generous with her (as they are with ShawD). And she’s a great kid and a serious student who is a good influence on ShawD. So, ShawD wanted to go with her friend to her house in the Laurentians, which is a little cottage right on a lake, with a second lake in a conservation area a short walk away, tennis court, canoe, etc. with nice hiking and an upscalish town about 20 minutes away. The friend has her own car but has never driven that kind of distance before and ShawD just has her permit. The friend’s mom said she couldn’t go unless she could find someone to share the driving. When no friend materialized, I volunteered to drive with them to the airport in Montreal and then they could drive the 1+ hours to the cottage from there. And, a week later, to do the reverse. Crazy, I guess, but I really wanted to do something to reciprocate the kindness and generosity they’ve shown ShawD. </p>
<p>So, I’ll be driving to Montreal and flying back for a long-planned dyslexia dinner – a couple of scholars of dyslexia who each friends of ours but are not , the head of a hospital where one of the scholars works, and some mutual friends. We’re thinking of serving dessert first and alphabet soup. I’ll leave that to ShawWife, who post my Costco shop will be entirely responsible for the decorations and food.</p>
<p>Be careful, Shawbridge! After a year’s absence, the Grand Prix returns to Montreal this weekend!! Perhaps the race inspired my S??
PS Keep an eye out for WoodyS - 6’6" in an itty bitty car.</p>
<p>Just returned from picking D up from school. We actually fit everything inside the SUV except for the bike which rode outside on a borrowed rack. Didn’t even have to put anything on the roof. Loading was made so easy by the army of her friends that showed up to help move her out. I think I carried one thing to the car. They were all so sweet and so sad to be going their separate ways for the summer.</p>
<p>I think I must have been the only person to actually read the Housing Newsletter that specified that their rooms had to be cleaned. It was very detailed about everything that was to be cleaned, including vacuuming the carpet. So I brought cleaning supplies and a vacuum. Her side of the room looked much better than when she moved in. We took pictures just in case they try and bill us for anything. Also took pictures of the roommate’s side of the room. Disgusting!!! Several of the rooms on her floor had already been vacated and, can I just say that some parents are going to be very angry with the cleaning bills. You would think that my D was neat. Not so. While she was away she became much neater and discovered her inner Julia Child. </p>
<p>Our spare bedroom/ home gym is now littered with her belongings. We had to clear a path to the treadmill. She leaves on Monday for her first week at the mini-golf course at the Lake. Looks she will be there, after this full week, three days and home for four each week. We are all very excited at the part time hours, since she is fortunate not to need more. She will have her RA salary and her part-time job at the credit union once she gets back to campus. She is more interested in “repaying her sleep debt”. Ooooooo, fancy term learned at a fancy school for exhaustion.</p>
<p>I am mentally and physically exhausted! And… I have done virtually nothing to account for it. My D, on the other hand, has been on the whirlwind section and state championship rounds of lacrosse. And… they flippin WON! It was a great game and D played lights out! They had a solid lead the entire game, up 10-6 with four minutes left and then… the wind changed. I kid you not that it was the most nail-bitter of a finish ever. In the span of those 3 minutes it was 10-6, 10-7, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 and with one minute remaining they go within one! Final score 11-10! Honestly, I think because she was facing the ticking scoreboard, she just got nervous and then the reality of winning a state championship made her incredibly nervous. I also think that the crowd chanting her name after one late save kind of unnerved her! Anyway… not only did they win a HUGE game, she was then named to the all tournament team! So so so excited for her. She called my sister on the way to the team sleepover and left a rambling message etc part of which said, “Oh I just saw fireworks, but I don’t think they were for me.” too funny. But they could have been! I am so proud of her and the entire team - they played the game of their lives and played with all heart. They slew the dragon! And the dragon was not happy about it. :)</p>
<p>Moda, that is absolutely fantastic! A big congratulations to your daughter and her teammates. You have to be incredibly proud!</p>
<p>very exciting Moda congrats to your daughter!</p>
<p>Congrats, modadunn! You tell a great story! I bet the girls don’t sleep at all tonight!</p>
<p>Indeed; that is terrific!</p>
<p>Congratulations Moda. </p>
<p>woody, what are the implications for driving through the city on Sunday?</p>
<p>I know the track is set up somewhere in the city… The race is back after a year’s hiatus, so as per my son last night, “the city is hoppin’”</p>
<p>Moda, a state championship…that is huge!!!</p>
<p>Way to go Moda D!!! Woohoo! I know how difficult this achievement is around here so she should be very proud of it! How exciting! How is the video going???</p>