B 4!!! B 4!!

Ten cents. That's all they give the nursing home people when they win a Bingo game. I spent time last week at the nursing home, calling numbers. It's vital TO BE REALLY LOUD AND ENUNCIATE because if they don't have bad hearing, then they're completely deaf and read your lips. I'm saving some money to go to the dollar store and get some decent prizes. Come on, ten cents? I also read to a woman who's in the dementia part of the building, but she ( Robin) remembers my name and really likes and remembers the story. She's blind and just enters into the story, smiles creeping upon her face from time to time. It's one of those Reader's Digest stories, a good reminder for me of how not to write. Anyhow I'll do that 4 days a week, about 2hrs. a day. It's something I've wanted to do for some time.

Gave 1/3 of my novel to a U of O grad - English teacher at Tim's school. Can't wait to hear her thoughts. She said she'd get it back to me in two weeks. I'm 3/4 done with this edit. Getting really close. Exciting, but also a little scared I won't get published. Oh well. Gotta try.

The kids all like their teachers. Christian is still into Lainey. She was supposed to move and switch gradeschools but that didn't work, and after Christian's first day, he said, "Mom, guess who's in my class?" A wry grin on his face.

Tucker couldn't find his shoes this morning. I did the natural consequences thing and had him wear some of India's old tennis shoes. He fussed about them being for girls, and they were kind of girly. I did the whole, "Yes, it must be hard, Tucker, but you'll get through it." First graders must not notice that kind of thing on each other because he came home perfectly ready to wear them the next day and not find his old ones. So much for Love and Logic. Tuck hasn't any sense, so how's he suppose to get to the logic phase?

India continues to be a voracious reader. The storyteller from the local library dotes on her, and India just beams. I'm signing her up for Volleyball against her will. She was the same way last year and came back from each practice aglow. She and Jessica continue with their love/hate relationship. Jess is a great volleyball player- should be on Varsity or J.V. swing next year, so India of course doesn't want to practice with her. That would be too convenient. Jessica does make her do wall sits if she doesn't get low enough and other drills/consequences India isn't too fond of. I remember Jen and I were warm-up partners and at this one practice, a week before State, we got so mad at each other we were chasing and beaning each other with volleyballs. We got in big trouble, the whole "Get serious this is State!" lecture. Ah, what fun.



Traci