<p>Bluedad as usual had the answer. He came home and took me out for dinner. A glass of Pinot and I forgot about the silly AT&T guy. It’s nice to have date night two weeks in a row. Cheers to Bluedad!! :)</p>
<p>Have a wonderful weekend everyone!</p>
<p>amandak: Yep, I’d rather not know about gunshots, real or imagined!</p>
<p>Pepper: So glad that your parents are doing a bit better. I hope this stage lasts a long time! </p>
<p>I think my son, too, is a little surprised by how hard it is to get an A in a couple of his classes. In one, he said did a paper where he had the highest grade in the class and it was a B+. He said there were nice comments on the paper but was a bit frustrated by the B+. Muttered something about not knowing what you had to do to get an A in that class. I said that maybe it would help to discuss it with the professor. </p>
<p>I think, too, that he’s surprised by how few opportunities there are to earn grades. In some classes there might be 2 or 3 graded papers or exams that make up the total grade for the semester. One little slip up can really cost you in those cases.</p>
<p>I know that he has 3 midterms next week, so he said that he’d be spending a lot of time studying this weekend. No trips to the Hamptons for him. </p>
<p>As for food and spending, he seems to be doing okay. He said that he and friends eat at a “cheap Mexican restaurant” and a great brunch place occasionally. He also said that they made a pact to cut back on their weekend pizza orders because, though the cost is not too much when shared, they thought they might be doing it a bit too often. I don’t know how much he has spent, but I assume he’s doing okay. He’s typically pretty frugal.</p>
<p>BI, glad to hear you had a nice date night. We did too. For a change I had beer instead of my usual pinot but it was still all good. </p>
<p>As for communications - except for the first few weeks my son hasn’t called, rarely texts and we never IM. It’s not all bad though as I had no idea he drove up to Hanover a few weekends ago with three other freshman on the sailing team until they were back on campus Sunday night. </p>
<p>It’s really better that way.</p>
<p>I have to laugh at the spelling stuff. My mom is English so I am a terrible “american” speller. Now, for some unknown reason my spell checker at work is set on French. I am enjoying it, so I have not reset it to US english. Also, I have a slightly skewed view of the American Revolution. I am sure none of you realize that the Stamp Tax was fair because the English used it to defend the colonists against the “natives.” (thanks mummy!)</p>
<p>D sounds very happy, thankfully. She mostly texts, but will occassionally call if she has a walk across campus and she is alone. </p>
<p>Happy weekend all and thanks for the beverage ;)</p>
<p>mn I had to take the British side in a debate 35 years ago and I made a very good case that it was not their fault at all-so I knew that! :)</p>
<p>It is interesting to read about other kids no longer getting A’s-I told him it’s college and you should be pushed-I am glad he is experiencing this because in the long run he will be better for it. He doesn’t agree but what does he know anyway, right?</p>
<p>emilybee I agree it is better to not know everything they are doing. If my parents had known everything I was up to at that age that wouldn’t have been good for any of us.</p>
<p>I am glad there wasn’t all this instant communication when I was young. It is great at times but I think we could all live without it and be a lot less stressed out if we couldn’t be reached at any second.</p>
<p>I am actually pretty happy that D is only communicating about once a week with us. As much as it is difficult for me not to know what is going on with her, I am glad she is handling the day to day angst and issues by herself!</p>
<p>I have to agree the more I let go, the less instant info I have at my fingertips, the better off I am. Bluejr tells me plenty to feed my mother’s soul, and I am craving that daily intake of information less and less. It is healthy for both of us and not integral to our relationship or his development at this stage. Our weekly phone calls and occasional visits are plenty. I am finding I know far more then I thought I would. I am feeling pretty good after our fall break visit. Ask me just prior to winter break when I haven’t seen him for a while and that will be the real test of my resolve for the new normal. Remind me then friends!! :)</p>
<p>Coffee’s on and bagels and muffins being passed…enough for all so help yourself!!</p>
<p>We will BI. :)</p>
<p>**39 days to Thanksgiving break **</p>
<p>(Based on kids touching down at home on the Wednesday before TG. Some kids may get the full week and will land at home sooner.)</p>
<p>pepper and mnmom- lol. This Brit appreciates your perspective!</p>
<p>Blue~Thanks for breakfast :)</p>
<p>Pepper~Glad to read you had a good day with your parents 
Happy to read as well that your son is doing so well. I remember your very sad post after the Lottery…seems so far away now:)</p>
<p>Mnmomof2~Ha!! the Stamp tax, few people know about this…well except for Pepper 
Few years ago, I won a case of wine betting on popular vote vs electoral vote in a certain presidential election. </p>
<p>Yalemom~It is gorgeous here!! great week-end to escape to The Hamptons, do you know where about they are going???</p>
<p>Regarding finance, both kids manage their own. We do not interfere with their accounts, or even check the balances for that matter.</p>
<p>Regarding grades, IMHO some schools are tougher than others on grades,curving is also a big factor… and lets face it they do have to adapt to a whole different style of teaching, studying etc… As long as they do their personal best, we do not get involved. We chose not to have access to their grades, so really it is on their shoulders :)</p>
<p>Regarding communication, it all varies on what is going on in their lives. But we do receive regular updates, pictures, FB messages on how life is going…Yesterday for example, S2 texted a midterm grade he was happy about :), then a picture of a prize he won in a contest :), then a picture of a big concert on campus :), then the big news that he made the team he was trying out for :D…Yet, we may not hear from him for another two days…</p>
<p>The weather is gorgeous here, the fall foliage is stunning…I have some chores to do and errands to run …but I may just have to take a walk and take pictures first ;)</p>
<p>Wishing everyone a great Day 
</p>
<p>Not all of the descendants of the colonists are clueless! :)</p>
<p>2education I agree with so much you posted. That “lottery” day was indeed sad but in the end I truly believe he won after all-I think he is right where he is supposed to be. Happy to hear your son is doing so well! </p>
<p>It’s funny, he takes care of his bank account but the balances on his Husky card I feel compelled to check once in a while-kind of weird but I find it interesting. He allowed us access to his grades but we only can see the final grade-he is the one who keeps giving me these updates that I really could do without. I am hoping once the first semester is done and he gets the required GPA he needs to keep his scholarship he will settle down-he was never like this. My daughter on the other hand checks her grades several times a week and I think that is not good for her one bit. I better dash off to the thread where I can discuss her in detail. :D</p>
<p>I wish I could agree on the foliage. It looks like the season here (southern NE) is a dud.</p>
<p>Isn’t it still early for leaf changing in southern NE? </p>
<p>Just coffee for me. </p>
<p>BI, count on me to remind you! </p>
<p>Last night at dinner DH actually said he sort of wished boychild wasn’t coming home (yet.) I sort of agree - he’s only been at school 6 weeks and we saw him two weekends ago at Parents weekend. We didn’t see him this much when he was 7 and went to camp for two months!</p>
<p>emilybee - I know you will my sweet friend!!! I will be the better for it and we will all laugh about it! 
I almost wondered if my waiting for my new iphone was karma for misuse!!! I’m reformed, I swear!!! :)</p>
<p>BI, karma is a *****. ;)</p>
<p>^^Of course he won…How could he not with a MAMA like you :D^^</p>
<p>S2 is doing so very well…it is scary.Here is a kid that turned down a #1 ranked school as a recruited athlete last fall…:eek:…proceeded to make the team now 
We are waiting on details here, he may be getting more food points ;)…but seriously this is so “him”.:D</p>
<p>BI~Reformed…LOL…we will remind you for sure :D</p>
<p>emilybee - True, so very true!!</p>
<p>2education - okay you caught me :o …um perhaps reformed is a strong word and not quite true. Maybe “in progress” is a better description!! 
I’ve come a LONG way though, that’s for darn sure!!</p>
<p>So glad to hear the awesome report on S2 2edu!! Whoot-whoot!! What a great feeling that he is right where he should be. I love it (and it’s not even my kid…)!!!</p>
<p>Ha ha mnmom, another perfect example of how the winners get to write the history books!</p>
<p>Thanks for the weather report 2education, I was hoping for dry roads! I don’t know where exactly they’re going (the house has a pool though, that must narrow it down, right? not so much!), am trying to keep the questioning to a minimum. Like the text and communication posts above, I am discovering that less is more. I tend to get more info if I ask obviously necessary but not too probing questions. I did get the name and cell phone of the driver after promising to not use it…</p>
<p>Texting seems to be a blessing and a curse. When I was abroad for the first weeks of school we were only able to communicate via emails usually written at the end of the day after perspective had set in. Now that I’m stateside, the texts come immediately after a crisis (“uggg,I think I wrote my entire paper on the wrong thing and I just submitted it”), only to get another text 1 hour later: “my prof. says I did it right, it’s all good”, but I could have done without that hour in between to feel awful for him.</p>
<p>Enjoying my calorie-free virtual muffin from BI, delicious and without the guilt!</p>
<p>Perfect day in Southern NE for leaf peeping. Weather is finally dry, and the leaves are bright and crisp. I love Fall in NE.</p>
<p>D1 is sort of home for her Fall break.- at least for this weekend. Her last finals were on Thursday, and she has off from classes until a week from Tuesday. She still has practices and games, since they are the only school in her league with the 7 week terms. She came home last night, and after dinner, went to a friends house. I suppressed the urge to text her at 11:00 asking when she was planning on coming home. I figured that when she is at school, I have no idea how late she is out. </p>
<p>She has a game today, so H took her back to school. He will go to the game, while I stay home with D2, since she has other commitments today. H will bring D1 home tonight, and she wants me to go with her shopping to get some clothes. Tomorrow, we are heading to NJ for my mother’s birthday. D1 is usually away when we have family gatherings, so she is happy to be able to see her cousins and her grandmother. My mom does not know that D1 will be there, so it should be a good surprise.</p>
<p>We will need to bring D1 back to school on Monday morning, but I think she will come home in between games and practice next weekend.</p>
<p>Pepper - I am happy to heat that your father has improved and that DS is transitioning well. </p>
<p>AK - I don’t know how you do it! Your life sounds like a continual Sat Night Live Skit!</p>
<p>Yalemom - I agree about the texting - blessing and a curse. D has settled down and is not sharing as much which I think is a good thing…I think we should go back to 25 girls sharing one pay phone…</p>
<p>BI - Thanks for the bagel! I can’t remember the last time I had a bagel and cream cheese and it is virtually delicious…and without the calories!</p>
<p>I too have often wondered about Momofsongbird…</p>
<p>It sounds as if most kids are getting into their new normal as well as all the parents…I think most have been surprised at how hard it is and how much work they have.</p>
<p>Hsave a great day everyone!</p>