Ze WeekendFollow

My niece's fourth birthday party is tomorrow. My brother and his wife are having the party from ten in the morning until noon, which seems kind of early to me. Especially since I live an hour and a half away, so we have to leave the house by 8:00 am. (I like to sleep in on the weekends, dammit.)

It's awesome to be celebrating her fourth birthday, though, considering that she was born 4 months premature, weighted about a pound at birth, and was given a 50% chance to live. Unfortunately during her time in the NICU, her retinas detatched quite a bit, so she can't see very well unless there is a very bright light source in the room. I never really thought about how difficult it is to buy gifts for kids who can't see. I try not to buy loud, obnoxious gifts for kids because I know the parents tend to get annoyed with them and I've seen some parents start to take the toys away and hide them so the kid can't use it, but she loves music and I've pretty much gotten to the point where I feel that anything she might really like would have to be something that makes noise.

She's had some difficulty getting potty trained, and my sister-in-law said that she's ok at home, but when she's out at daycare or something she won't tell anyone that she has to use the bathroom, so I got her Potty Time Elmo. I hope that might encourage her to tell people when she has to go.

In addition to her sight, my mom and I are a little worried that there might be more wrong with her developmentally. It was difficult to get her to eat for the longest time. When she was a baby, she wouldn't cry when she was hungry, and she never did take a bottle. For months, they had to stick a feeding tube down her nose at bedtime, it was horrible. When she would eat, she would usually throw it back up afterwards. She's eating ok now, though, I think. But I think she still doesn't let them know when she's hungry.

Working on a small business I'm starting up. We need to spin out a beta in a short time, so it'll be a hectic week. Sort of blows my relaxation plans.

Hopefully the pipe leak will be repaired today so this weekend will be full of inspecting the house and yard to make sure that no other leaks are being overlooked. Then cleaning up the front yard. Then doing a lot of laundry, housework, etc.

There's also a recruitment fair for the volunteering opportunity that I've been considering.

This weekend is going to suck.

Um, grape plants for wine? table grapes? Grapes are messy if you don't harvest them, so I assume you want them for something.

For eating grapes just make sure they're seedless. For wine you want them flavorful. Concord grapes are probably the best for canning and will also make good wine. More than anything make sure you get something that is suitable for your climate and soils. From what I've heard, if they like they're little spot of earth, they'll take-over. So make sure you have a spot with lots of room to grow.

I planted one lonely little grape plant early this summer. I picked it up off the sale rack at Lowes one day (I rescue plants). It was almost dead and only 3 bucks. It's growing really well. It's got green grapes, but has only made one bunch...and they're not yet ripe.

Nice. Enjoy the show.

NPR did an interview with DM not too long ago. You can also here him live at Bonaroo. HERE





Edited, Aug 20th 2010 9:42pm by Elinda

I'm enjoying that link, thank you.

Here's a link to an Oregon State write-up about growing grapes in the Northwest. Might be a link to specific varieties, I didn't read the whole thing.

Resting in hope that I'll get over this flare and prepare for my daughter coming up with soon to be son in law and my further step-grand daughters on the 3th.

Jonwin have been buying the girls books and I promise daughter I go through our collection of children books so they can have hers.

In the past I sent the girls craft supplies, so they would have something to do other then complain they aren't allow to watch TV or play video games, like they are at their mom's.

Funny how the one child who gave me the most grief growing up, is now the most strict parent of my 3. Not that one doesn't have kids counts for much. Plus I think the other daughter's defense the fact that her 8 year old has Asperger's doesn't help.

Blessedly, nearly nothing planned for a change. I'm relishing a delightfully fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants sort of weekend where no one is flying anywhere, driving any great distance, trying to coordinate train or plane schedules or doing anything more stressful than laundry and grocery shopping.

Tomorrow we may go see a movie or drive to the ocean, but that's about it. Oh, and we all need haircuts desperately...so we'll probably do that.

Nexa

You guys are WAY too far behind. It's 3 minutes away from Monday here, and the next episode of True Blood STILL isn't up. I'm having withdrawals /twitch

IT'S NOW MONDAY AND I CAN'T WATCH IT YET. AAAAAAAAARGH.

I might menstruate just from the correlation confusion.

Gah! Don't do that! you panicked me there for a sec