Mr W took a call from the Challenge people today and they said they’d decided against awarding Miss W a scholarship.  They were concerned that we lived too far away and wouldn’t be able to  manage the long  journeys back and forth each day, and were also concerned  about Mr W’s  seizure and  the way we currently lack transportation. So after more than a year of tests, appointments and Miss W generally leaping through hoops, it’s over.

Mr W told Miss W when she arrived home from school and she took it brilliantly – much better than we did! This would have been a great opportunity for Miss W, but I can’t help thinking having Miss W would have been an even greater opportunity for St Mary’s Academy. So this is their loss. Spoke to Miss W tonight and told her if she works hard she can still go to college, still get a full scholarship even. She said she knew this.

I won’t pretend it wasn’t quite sombre around here today, but I’m trying to remember that the end of this chance means that other doors will come popping open for us, and they’ll probably lead to wonderful things.

Miss W's picture of the sky

Onwards and upwards: Miss W tonight

I sold a story today, my first sale of the year, which isn’t brilliant considering it’s the end of February already. But this felt good, as it was one of my rejection stories – and after it came back I sent it off to another editor. I managed some writing today (wedding story) but it was panic stations this afternoon when I realized Mr W had an appointment – a therapist coming to the house, and his one and only pair of sweat pants (that fit over his cast) were in the wash. He was in just a shirt and boxers, so I had to quickly get the sweatpants dry, which I did with about 30 seconds to spare.

The therapist said our shower was really not a good one for Mr W to shower in and recommended he ask the VA to loan us a special chair he can place in the shower. She also said he was placing weight on his foot, which he isn’t supposed to do. Have mentioned this to Mr W numerous times. I think he’s just so tired of walking around with the crutches he’s trying to prove he doesn’t need them. But he had some pain today, wish he’d do as he was told.

my unspectacular lemon pudding cake

Number Two played with the piggy banks while I made dessert.

Someone had given me a lemon which I knew would end up being thrown out so after supper (tater tot casserole, which smelled so good I broke my rule of never eating food cooked with Campbell’s soup) I bravely decided to try and make a lemon pudding cake. These rarely come out well for me – they are supposed to be very light and fluffy sponges, with a lemon sauce underneath. Well, mine never have a sauce they are just mushy underneath. I tried very hard with this one – managed to squeeze out lots of juice from the lemon, beat the egg whites well and folded them in very carefully. It made no difference, the cake was indifferent, even Number Two wasn’t interested and he loves sweet things. Miss W gave hers to Number One, and he left his saying it looked like scrambled eggs gone wrong. I don’t think i’ll be trying this again. He was right – it DID look like scrambled eggs.

Hideous day. Mr W’s sister was arriving this morning to take us on some errands in town, when I realized I’d lost a library DVD – or rather Number Two had probably tossed it somewhere. I had to give up looking when Peggy arrived for Number Two and then me, Mr W and Number One left with Mr W’s sister. In between the PO, library and SuperTarget for groceries we had lunch at Village Inn. I ordered the egg and bacon croissant with fresh fruit which was really nice, Number Two ordered pecan pancakes AND strawberry pancakes, then ran out of room. Mr W managed to eat, but has not been very well – is shaking badly now, and was exhausted by the time we reached home after shopping at Super Target’s. He used one of those little carts for people with disabilities, but it wasn’t very efficient and I could tell he was getting frustrated as it kept beeping and refusing to do as it was told. He also had his hair cut, at his sister’s insistence – and it did make a big improvement.

After we got home I unpacked the groceries and Mr W took Number Two for a short drive before saying her goodbyes and then I resumed the search for the missing DVD. Searched all behind the TV and then the woodstove, finally realized I’d have to search behind the washing machine. I had to drag out the machine and there was an INCREDIBLE amount of stuff behind it – dried up toast crusts, toys, the potato masher, loads of undies and gloves and pieces of trash Number Two had appropriated. Cleaned and sorted all this and then reattached the cord that had popped out of the back of the machine and started a wash consisting of all the odd socks, goves and undies that I’d pulled out. No missing DVD though.

Called Mr W’s brother-in-law, who’s been looking on Craig’s List for a car for me, and he told me about some promising vehicles that were on sale, including a 2003 Kia whith just 65,000 miles. Got off phone, and Number One said to me casually, “hey, Mom, the washing machine has sprung a leak.”

Walked through the kitchen to discover about 50 gallons of water over the floor. Was trying to mop it all up and reattach the cord, because water was still merrily gushing everywhere, and I did start crying and shouting, and then Mr W came out to see what was going on and started swearing, so I told him to go and sit down. Reattached cord and knew I was too stressed to cook the cottage pie I’d been planning for the evening. Number Two fetched me some towels to try and soak up the mess and I threw some chicken wings and zesty chips into the oven and about 10 minutes later there was a sound a bit like a dam bursting and another 50 gallons of water gushed all over the floor.

Horrible day, and I

Sopping wet towels laid out over sopping wet carpet

Pictures fail to convey the true horror of the situation

‘m still shaking a bit. Feel like I’ve been brutally assaulted. We’re going to need to replace the (already hideously ugly brown flowery) carpet as well as buy a car. I desperately need to write a best selling novel.

There were fewer butterflies in my stomach this morning, I’m glad to say. Mr and Mrs C arrived and I suggested a nearby road, which is very quiet but with some traffic, might be good for practising on. Mr C started me out, and then I took over, driving past the meadowy area where me and Mr W often see deer, then turning left. There are fields on either side here, and I encountered a bit of traffic, a car first, then we came to an area where some work was being done and huge trucks were bearing down on us. Found this absolutely terrifying at first.

“What are you going to do?” Mr C asked.

“Stay on my side of the road,” I whimpered.

There were times today when I forgot to indicate and went whizzing too fast around corners, but  was so happy to be passing traffic without fainting in terror. It was sunny and so beautiful all around us and I felt so happy and exhilarated. I have been thrilled all day today.  Saying ‘thank you’ to Mr and Mrs C seems so inadequate. I am quite gobsmacked at their goodness, at how they have just seen that I need help and without any fuss or fanfare got busy helping. There aren’t many people like them in the world.

Mr W’s niece is selling her car and we might get it for me, Mr W will drive his brother’s Dodge van. I thought that  could drive myself half way to work initially (along the quiet road where we see the deer) and then let Mr W take over when it gets busier. I think he was a bit sick of me droning on about my driving today. We went for a short walk when I got back but he seemed tired out and hasn’t wanted any supper. Children all well, and miraculously no arguing tonight – after I complained to best friend this afternoon how that was all they ever did! I managed to complete my story for True Love this afternoon, so can send that off as soon as I’ve had one last read through. I feel like I’ve been working on it forever so it was a huge relief to finish it.

Yesterday Number One brought home a book from school he thought I’d like – The World’s Shortest Stories. It contains several short stories, all exactly 55 words long. He’s right, I do like it, the stories make really compulsive reading and I’m going to challenge him to write some of his own exactly 55 words long.

Miss  W  has been listening to lots of  classical music on public radio since her visit to see the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.  She’s just finished reading The Twits and is still very angry with Sarah Palin.

Horrible morning. Highlights include Number Two cracking an egg over the kitchen counter and then while I was cleaning up the mess going off to run a scalding hot bath for reasons known only to himself. I was quivering by the time I bundled him onto the bus and could manage only a very weak smile when urged to ‘have a nice day!’

Miss W had announced that her room was mouldy and a quick investigation on my part revealed that she did indeed have a mouldy old wooden art box in her closet, along with a massive mess which I realized I’d have to deal with this morning. As I cleaned I felt quite discouraged – so much for writing today. But I did make quite a change in her room (found new home for beanie babies, got the books arranged on her dresser, threw out vast amounts of paper and  plastic) – then was desperate for a shower, then

"It's a hundred years old!"

Old Books

Nurse Bob arrived. He joined me in being irritated with Mr W for declining the services of a physical therapist. Mr W is doing well, but still needs exercises to build muscle tone and strength.

I did manage to do some writing after all this afternoon, after taking Mr W for a walk and lunch. He watched Gunsmoke (or some old western TV show) while I tried to finish the story I’ve been working on for about 3 weeks. I’ve summer-themed it, and plan to sub it by email. I haven’t quite finished, but have managed about 1200 words. Will shampoo Mr W’s hair after supper.

Miss W was perusing the bookshelf before school this morning when she found a very old copy of The Call of the Wild. “Oh, look!” she said. “I didn’t know it was such an old book – it’s really good!”

She read Call of the Wild last summer and loved it. I told her that kids have enjoyed animal stories for a long time, and this copy may very well have been enjoyed by her great-great grandmother. All the pages were loose and brown with age and sadly, the illustrated plate on the cover so faded there’s nothing there anymore. After she’d left I found myself looking at the books. . . Joyce of the North Woods, Marjorie’s Maytime, The Winning of Barbara Worth. It’s impossible not to wonder who read and enjoyed these books a long time ago.