Unfinished Business

All kinds of little things to catch up with.

We tie dyed at work on Tuesday, and some of the kids showed up yesterday wearing their creations. They turned out great! I was really impressed. They did a good job with the twisting or folding and the rubber bands. Teaching that many kids at once how to tie dye was an interesting experience.

I would do it again, though. They were excited about the project and attentive while I explained. I brought along two different shirts to show as an example, an empty dye bottle to show them how to put the tip of it into the folds, and added a mini-lesson. Taught them the meaning of 'mildly caustic' and made sure they knew that only adults were to reach into the container of soak solution.

I had discussed the dyeing process and the rinsing and rinsing and rinsing and washing with Sunshine, and we decided it would be best to send each child's shirt home still wet in the ziploc bag with instructions. We thought that 25 shirts at approximately 15 minutes per shirt would just take too long. I was worried that parents might be a bit grumpy about having to do the rinsing, but according to the staff who worked on Wednesday, no one said a word.

So that got done.

Yesterday was the last day of summer program. The kids were very huggy with me, which is mostly sweet. They like me. I like them, too.

I tried to remain on high alert for hugs, though, because most of them run (or at least move quickly) directly toward my front and are about the right height to do a face plant in the boobs. I was kept on my guard, ready to turn sideways a bit and administer a one-armed hug, always having the loud words, "Thank you for the hug!" ready.

According to our legal department and the paperwork we're handed, I'm not supposed to touch the kids at all, really, unless it's a pat on the head.

We wouldn't want anyone to misconstrue our actions. So we make sure to always acknowledge the fact that we've been hugged. People (other kids and staff) notice. Nope, nothing funny going on here. Just kids who have affection for the people who are taking care of them.

Today I have to head to the office and pick up our new plastic bins. All the bins from our carts of toys etc are being replaced whether we like it or not.

Then, I have to head back over to the summer site and pick up all the stuff I could not cram into my vehicle yesterday and take it to our site. I spent two hours over there yesterday afternoon, and will probably be there until one or two today.

After that, I get to come home and do some cleaning here and there. Bob, my father in law, arrives tomorrow for his annual visit.

::sigh::

I have asked him before to choose a time that isn't so hectic for me, but I don't think he really cares. It's not that he's malicious, though. Just oblivious. I'm sure he reasons that since he is not asking for any special treatment or accomodations that it's really no trouble to have him here.

If you've ever had a houseguest, you know.

I need to go pick up a rollaway bed for him at the rental place.
(He sleeps in the living room. We don't have a spare bedroom.) and get that all ready. That means a trip to the shed for blankets, too.

Alyssa starts school on Tuesday, and I would really like for her to have a telephone when she does, but I don't know if I have time to get to the store to add a line of service to our account before then. Probably not.

I have to go grocery shopping, clean the refrigerator, scrub the tub, do some laundry, get Matt to haul some stuff to the shed, host the regular Friday night homeschool chat, and find time in there to work at my job, rest a little and maybe, just maybe, do the dishes.

That means I really shouldn't be sitting here blithering. I should be in the shower and out the door soon.

So, bye.