I got home about 1300, Christy's folks arrived at about 1500 to baby-sit. We left for Orange County with Autumn at about 1700. We called the Jerry and Joanne Noyes and met them for dinner at "Claim Jumper'. We were celebrating Autumn's Birthday and the adoption scheduled for the next day. After dinner we checked in to the Country Side Hotel which is about 2 blocks from the Juvenile Court. The Adoption is scheduled for 0830, we would have had to leave Acton by 5:00, no way.

"...Breakfast at the Hotel. We met Cheryl Grimsley, Autumns Social Worker, to re-sign some papers that got screwed up.

We drove over to the in CourtHouse and met Joanne in the waiting area.

At 08:30 we met the lawyer we hired Paul Ackerman, nice old guy.

There were about 10 families there, we were the fourth one called. The Bailiff walked us through the CourtRoom to the Jury room. The Judge did the ceremony, (Which consisted of a rehearsed speech and some more papers to be signed. It was a very laid back Orange County type affair. It was scripted down to the joke about his "assistant, Mr. Ackerman" taking pictures.

We got home about 1330, I picked up the kids. Later that evening we had a belated Birthday Party for Autumn, we had a pretty store bought cake. Autumn had a lot of help blowing out the four candles.

You can always spot a well informed man

- his views are the same as yours.

-Ilka Chase

"...Worked on Christy's PC till about 1300, I can't get her Logitech Trackball mouse to work, I have loaded it as PS/2 and Serial, deleted all the mouse software and reloaded it a dozen times. It just won't work, Tried to do a little work on the kitchen but with the kids home it's a lost cause.

Mike had soccer practice and Christy had a meeting in Palmdale at 1800, she got home about 2100.

The bathtub has developed a leak, I will have to take care of that first thing in the morning. I will get Christy a new Mouse too.

"...Christy took Autumn for her first regular check-up at Kaiser. The appointment was at 0900. I called Christy (1015) and she had just gotten into the examining room. Autumn was just issued a new Kaiser # and it wasn't in the system yet.

"B" sucked on a film container to create a vacuum to stick it to his lip and be funny. Well, he did such a good job he gave his upper lip a hickey. The bruise looked so bad that I felt obligated to explain it to the school nurse, I don't want to get turned in to the Child Abuse Hotline.... again.

I started on the bathtub leak, I hate plumbing, the main reason being it usually entails five or six trips to the hardware store. I can't get the faucets out of the tub. It isn't an assembly there is a hot, cold, and spout each individually attached. The access to the underside is a 5 1/2-inch by 2-foot slot I cut in the wall. There is a 'nut' that requires a spanner wrench or two people and Christy is gone so I am killing time typing this...called Christy (see above) now I'll go get the stupid spanner wrench and take off the nut and go back and get the faucet and the tubing.

Note: Fiberglass tubs and bare arms are incompatible, when working in direct contact with the inside of the tub wear long sleeve shirts.

"...Christy found a person at Kaiser who is helpful, we have been trying to get Mikes medical bill paid for about 3 months. We got hold of Arcy. Christy started to explain, "...he hit a car with his face someone called 911..." She said, "It was a 911 call?" Christy said "yes", Arcy said "Oh, no problem, we pay 100% on all 911 calls, don't worry about it, it's taken care of."

I sent a birthday card to my Baby Sister Leigh the Little Old Lady in Massachusetts (wish they would change the name of that state to something spellable).  Leigh turns 50 on the 8th, my mother said "It's a good thing you weren't born a day earlier or your name would have been Pearl."

Got the 36" wall torn down and put up the rest of the furring strips. I wanted to do some ceiling tiles today but not alone...too tedious climbing up and down....

Christy went to the Dr. and he says her problems are most likely a stress/anxiety related. He prescribed "Nitro" for her heart and a mild tranquilizer for stressful moments.

The temperature dropped from about 65 to 35 in an hour, it started to rain at 1700 and snowing by 1630, kids are thrilled. They went outside and played, they came back in about 15 minutes later, soaking wet and shivering, nothing like a dose of reality to teach them to come in out of the rain. It is now 2200 and there is an inch or two of snow on the ground, it will be gone by morning.

"...

The Plan:

Christy takes Autumn, Mokie, Calie, "B" and Cindy to Magic Mountain at 0930, I take Mike to his soccer game at 1115 and Christian to his game at 1145, pick up Mike at 1215, and back to watch the end of Christian's game. Then the boys and I are supposed to leave for Magic Mountain at 1245 arriving at 1315.

Reality:

Christy left at 1010 I got to the first game 10 minutes early and there was no referee, I waited till it was time for Christians game and took him to his game. Same problem, last game of the season and half the referee's took a powder. I left Christian and went back to Mike's game. He was losing it, I had planned to give him his medication at 1130 and I was about 45 minutes late. The coach, who is a real nice lady, was about to pull Mike because he was just livid, they were down 3 - 0 and the team was giving up. Mike always thinks he can win and never quits. He started to get mad at the referee, the other kids on his team, the coach, and the assistant coach. He was running up and down the field like he was possessed, tears of frustration on his cheeks. The half ended and the referee was reprimanding him, I waved her off and took him to the opposite end of the field and gave him his medicine. I talked to him for the whole break and told him to go back in and do his best and not worry about what his teammates are doing. He did, he still played like a one armed paperhanger and even got a goal, The game ended 5 - 1.

We charged out of there to see the end of Christian's game. The game was running late so we saw most of the second half, I asked one of the moms how Christian was doing. She said "He's doing great, he took a soccer ball point blank right on the chin and it knocked him to the ground she yelled "Get up Christian, go get 'em" and he just jumped up and did." Christian's team won 1 - 0. A hard fought game.

We took off for Magic Mountain about 45 minutes late and got there at 1400, I found the lady to let us in and met up with Christy at the little kid's part of the park. The Boys took off with some other kids and Alan Holmstrom to ride the big rides, "Superman", "Batman", "The Riddler" all the rides I consider anything but fun. I don't like to go on rides that take me to the brink of ralphing, I don't like them at all. I'm not afraid of them I just don't like to intentionally put myself in situations that make me queasy. I took Autumn on the Merry-go-round and put her on the Kiddy Rides. She loves them. Calie and Mokie got on the Kiddy Roller Coaster and were adorable. They put their hands up for the death defying vertical drop of about 4 1/2 feet, just like the big kids on "Colossus".  I eventually had to take Calie out on some of the other, bigger, rides. We hooked up with Mike and Joseph, one of Alan's kids, and they took Calie on the Atom Smasher and some other gizmo that spun them around at a terrifying speed and then lifted and tilted to about 60 degrees.

Alan came back and said, "Do you know what Christian is doing? He's too short to get on the big rides so he puts up the hood of his Packer jacket and fluffs it up so he's 4 inches taller and just gets on the rides" The kid's to crafty for his own good.

Mikes team party was in Palmdale at 1700 but we decided it was more fun at Magic Mountain, I will have to contact his coach and figure out some way to get him his trophy, he earned it.

We got the whole mob home before 2000. I was whipped. Everyone went to bed early.

"...We got the kids ready for a Christmas party being held at the Reseda Women's Club. It was being hosted by the San Fernando Valley Foster Parent Association. I do not enjoy these things so.... If you can't say anything nice ... Autumn followed Santa around, totally enthralled, but every time he turned around to talk to her she shrieked and cried out for OooMa (Christy). She had everyone in hysterics.

Hurried home to get Christian to his soccer team's "Team Party" at "Fun Land". I took Mike along because he had missed his yesterday. I was told the party was at 1700, I was wrong, we missed it, it was at 1300, RATS. I must have confused Mike's party with Christians. I gave them both $5 and let them play the games... Gotta get this posted and go to bed.

"...Johnson's Mobil called to say they would be here at 10, to re-level the house, then they called at 11 to say they would be here at 1300, they called at 1500 to say they would be here tomorrow, they called at 1600 to say they would come up now if I wanted them to. I said, ". It's about 40 degrees outside and getting colder, if you want to, you can, but I really don't care, tomorrow would be fine, and a lot warmer."

They said they would be out first thing in the morning... sure... right ...

Christy threw out her back, she had an appointment at Kaiser with the *Phantom Podiatrist anyway and called to see if she could get in to Urgent Care for her back. Appointment at 1500.

Christy was summoned buy a friend to be an "Advocate: at an IEP in San Fernando at 1000. She took off as soon as I got back from taking the kids to school.

I gave Autumn to Dan the School Bus Driver at 1100 and cleaned furiously waiting (in vain) for "Johnson's Mobil Home Service" to come.

The dogs dumped over the trashcan and the wind spread it all over the place, I discovered the leak I had fixed in the MotorMonster gas tank had started seeping again. The door to the well pump had blown off in the winds Saturday.

I managed to get most of the sanding done on the plaster so I could put on the finish coat later in the evening.

Christy got fitted for a back brace and crutches. The Phantom Podiatrist said "If you want your foot to heal you have to stay off it" She has the equivalent of tennis elbow in her heal, the tendon going down the right side of her right foot is stretched over a deformed bone and being constantly irritated and will not heal unless she stays off it. He told her to wear a mans shoe because they are wider, with a "sling back heel" (what ever that is) and at least a one inch rise to the heel. There's a gay guy working at the gas station, I'll ask him where he buys his shoes.

Well Christy didn't finish up till after five and she stopped to get some chicken at the super-market. I didn't do squat on the kitchen after the kids got home. I couldn't leave to get the stuff to fix the MotorMonster because of the never ending Johnson saga.

Mike M. called, to apologize (see last weeks issue). He said, and I must paraphrase, "I'm not apologizing for getting mad or for leaving, I'm apologizing for not shaking your hand when you offered it and for not acknowledging your apology" That was hard for him, even though, in effect what he said was, "I still think you're an idiot but I was rude." ... getting through the day must be a constant struggle for him.

"...A dentaling I will go, got dentaled

"...Crazy Day today;

0800 Kids to school

0930 IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for Cindy

Cindy will be attending SDC (Special Day Class); she will spend the majority of time there, leaving for her regular class to attend non-academic functions only. Cindy will be in a much smaller group and get much more one on one attention.

I am tempted to elaborate here but at the same time I am uncomfortable speaking about this; I am getting a little too personal. I feel bad about some of the things I wrote last week and have gone back and edited.
 

1000 IEP for Mike

Mike will be attending the same SDC class that Cindy is in. The teacher assured us that they would not be interacting. SDC is run like an old-fashioned single room schoolhouse, the kids are taught in small groups.

1030 I left IEP for Dentist appointment

28 miles south to Newhall, Sagerman & Sagerman (Brothers) one is a lot older. I have the younger one, he is about 60 and has had 2 bypass surgeries. He says "If I survive the next attack I'm going to retire." I asked if his brother had heart trouble too, he said "No" I said " did you guys ever compare notes and figure out what you're doing wrong?" He said "Oh hell no, he's got other problems, I'm better off than he is."

1130 Lunch with Christy

We met in Canyon County, we talked about the Mike, "B" and Cindy. This is tough. We are making decisions that will impact their lives significantly with out a manual or divine guidance. Mike going to SDC is going to be a hard sell. There is a stigma, in his mind, associated with going to SDC. I really do think he will be better off there, they are able to pace the class to his abilities..... but I am very concerned. Mike has a fierce ego and will reject the change reflexively.

I think the teachers and staff are on our side but they get to go home to a warm fire and a good book..... While waiting in the office our first IEP to convene, the Principal and others had already had one IEP that morning and ran a little late..... so they took a short break .... with us on a bench in the office, with Autumn. We weren't invited to the "break" a break is not even an option for us. After all, they are working, we are just parents, they have important decisions to make and we are just parents.... they are really inconvenienced by having to take time out of their busy schedule to attend these meetings, we are just parents..... I was reminded of the difference between involvement and commitment.

1300 Continue IEP for Mike

I forgot to mention, The Principal, Vice Principal, SDC teacher, school psychiatrist for Acton Elementary and the School psychiatrist for The High School, LA County Department of Mental Health Psychiatrist, RSP teacher, one on one aide and us (And Autumn). I think the next meeting will have to be held in the auditorium. We decided that Mike may take the news of the move from the principal and his RSP teacher better than he would from Christy and me. It seems a bit cowardly now but I believe that he will at least think about it now instead of rebelling out of hand.

1330 IEP For "B"

"B"'s IEP was cut and dry, We are going to send him to another school, It's a chance for a fresh start, you don't get may opportunities like that in your life. I hope he is ready to take advantage of it.........

1440 Christy left IEP to get Calie and go shopping for Xmas presents for teachers and school gift exchange.

1505 I had to go pick up Mokie at Champion Day Care (Or they start to charge extra) so I left the IEP before all the paperwork was done.

For the eggs and bacon you had for breakfast, the chicken was involved.... the pig was committed.

That's the difference between teachers and parents. Hmmm that was pretty close to a 'rant' wasn't it... sorry, I get testy some times, I think it's old age.....
 

1515 Picked up papers from IEP at the school

1525 Made it home in time to pick up Autumn from the bus, I have two tires on the MotorMonster with slow leaks, I have to run it into the Affordable Tire..

"...Kids to school and Christian to the Talking Doctor, I like Dr Rupp, a very competent lady with a deceptively cute face. She looks like she should be working in the perfume department at Macys. Well, we have another kid on Ritalin, Christian is just as bouncy as Mike but with out all the baggage. Christy took Autumn to the Panorama City Kaiser and they did a bunch of tests and ordered some more. Autumn has developed a trembling in her left leg, it is barely perceptible in her right hand too. He is scheduling another EEG, he said the report of the last EEG being normal has got to be wrong.

Christy dropped off Autumn at her school and met Christian and I for lunch at Pizza Hut.

Christy dropped off the prescriptions at the Lancaster Kaiser. I went to buy some animals to feed to the other animals. Crickets and mice for the frogs and snake (Mikes menagerie). I went by Home Depot again and said Hello to all my new friends there. Bought some more stuff for the Damnkitchen. I went to Kaiser to get the medicine but no one had told the pharmacist how much Autie weighs part of the medicine was a sleeping potion for her "Sleep EEG" Christy and I passed on the road, Christy was on her way to Calie's Dance Class and I made it home in time for Autumn's bus.

One of the rear tires on the Motor Monster is flat from a slow leak so I pumped it up. The gas leak still isn't fixed, but it is inching up my priority list.

"...The graduating seniors of Meadowlark School (Second Graders) performed their Pageant, Variety Act, Plays, and choralling, Recitations and other intentional and unintentional entertaining bits this morning. My Calie is in Mrs. Nora's class it was last so we had to watch the whole thing, we had Autumn with us because school is over for her till next year. Calie was adorable as usual with her green reindeer sweater and sagging red tights. The most entertaining part of the presentation was the penultimate ensemble. They did the "12 days of Christmas", holding up paper cutouts of turtledoves gold rings etc, they did remarkably until Seven Maids a milking, by now there are not enough kids and some of the kids had to do double duty ad gold rings and Milking Maids. Most managed but a lot of ribs got elbowed and the volume of the music diminished a bit and the words were harder to understand. By the time we got to Nine Lords a Leaping the Pipers Piping and it was hilarious. I got the tail end of it on video, which was unfortunate because the battery ran out before the end of Calie's performance. There is probably a Murphy's Law to cover that but it irked me considerably anyway.

Kaiser refused to pay for Autumns visit to Neurology yesterday. I called Short Block Chevy (AKA Southern Bell Communications Benefits Department and all is well.

Christy is shopping again Toys R Us is going to be financially secure into the new year, I'm glad I hold stock.

To digress;

I watched the beginning of the impeachment process on CNN this morning. I am totally disgusted with all the tedious hypocritical preaching from both sides. I realize that there are a lot of polarized people out there, some are even reading this ............one is writing it.

I think they ought to slap the President sharply on the wrist all the while wagging their fingers energetically and tell the horny so & so to keep it in his pants. Then get on with business. In my mind, anyone that really believes that this circus has anything at all to do with perjury, sex, lying or anything else other than Politics is deluding themselves. If anyone thinks that the preaching would be different if the president were GOP instead of Democrat would be mistaken also, only the preachers would change.

The Republicans saw a chink Clinton's armor and have attacked with a vengeance. What they fail to realize is that the majority of Americans (Unlike my readers) have made mistakes too, many have been caught up in lies to protect their reputations and their families over trivial things ranging from a day off "sick" to play golf to stupid affairs of the heart / libido. I for one would lie my ass off to protect my marriage, my family, my job or even just my reputation... I have a few friends who have strayed, more than once from the path of humility, I will not judge them by a different standard than I do the President or myself.

How may people can look about themselves and say they are willing to chuck all that they are or hope to be out the window without a fight. Not me...

High Crimes and Misdemeanors, Treason, Murder, Sabotage, Theft, Conspiracy, lying about having a lustful interlude with a pretty young girl, Huh, the whole truth all the time. Get real, "Good morning Mr. Arafat, you are looking well for a senile chinless murdering little troll", "Hello Binyamin Netanyahu will you be your usual pompous self today or will we really be able to talk" "Mr. Yeltson, I would like to talk to you but you are a drunken lout and will probably be dead soon so there is really nothing to talk about."