Thursday, September 6, 2012

Friday Fragments: Episode #213


Mommy's Idea

I can't tell you how exhausted I am, being back at school just two days (as I draft this on Wednesday night). Hopefully, unloading my brain of its minutia will help. I'm glad you're here to join in the fragging fun :)

***Please forgive me if I didn't visit you last week. I truly wish I had more time lately to chill with you all. Maybe next week?

***We have some interesting students this year. One of them has no social filter and regularly says what's on his mind, including (to two different teachers) "You are very wrinkly; you need some wrinkle cream." and "You are growing a uni-brow." Fortunately for me, he has so far not been so brutally honest about my appearance, but I'm sure my day will come. Today, when he commented, "This sucks! This is stupid!" about an assignment, I encouraged him to write his thoughts, instead of blurting them. He whipped out his pencil and got busy. A little while later, trying to help him find a blank page for notes in his notebook, I stumbled upon his thoughts: "Fu-king Sh-t." (use your imagination for the blank letters)  So, yeah; it's all in a day's work. At least I'll get some blog fodder out of it.

***Maren and Kendall have hit the school-ground running; those girls are extremely hard workers and have been hitting the books every day from the moment they get home until they go to bed, it seems.  I'm impressed.

***Maren (our exchange student from Norway) is a lovely young woman; we're enjoying having her as part of our family. She's quiet, smart, hard-working, and contributes to the household via chores and occasional puppy-sitting without complaint. I'm enjoying her company very much.

***I've been coughing in the morning and at night since August 19th.  It's a dry, itchy cough, and I could really do without it!

***To see how big Steve has grown, see yesterday's post. To see how ticked I was tonight when Milo completely ignored me for more than 10 minutes and ran around the yard doing whatever he felt like doing, use your imagination.

Okay, it's your turn to unload!

32 comments:

  1. Since I MISSED joining FF last week, I've been chomping at the bit to link up since 7 tonight - - - just checkin' and waitin' for your post to roll off the presses.

    So glad your exchange student is a keeper.

    Our pollen counts are OVER THE TOP high this fall, try taking a Claritin. I've found them to really help stop all that itchy nastiness in my head.

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  2. I tell you what, with you coughing every morning and night you need some probiotics. Can someone call me Billy Mays? I feel like that street selling panhandler.....or whatever he was. Anyway I started taking them over a year ago and haven't gotten bronchitis since and anytime the kids start slowing down and getting really drippy with a cough, I mix about half of the caplet in whatever they are eating/drinking and after a couple of days they are better. Even Kevin will start taking them when he starts feeling sick...without me nagging him. I buy mine at Vitamin World and get PB8 (which is 8 strains of good bacteria). There is a Vitamin World PB10 that I've taken too and it's just as good but not necessarily better. I only buy VW10 when it's on sale to be cheaper than PB8.

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    1. Thanks Rebecca. Someone recommended probiotics a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I had some, but I don't. I'll have to add them to the grocery list!

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  3. Enjoy to know you enjoy the exchange student. I am sure she is having a grand time with your family. May I recommend you take garlic and licorice and a lot of vitamin C! I have linked in my Friday Fragment, it has been a while :)

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    1. Garlic and licorice, huh? Black licorice, I presume? :)

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  4. Ah. The joy of the unhibited student. What a wonderful year this shall be. Of course, he may also have nice stuff to say too.

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    1. Hopefully, she will. So far, so good, I think. Today, we're going to our neighborhood block party. Tomorrow, she'll join us in a little Packers pregame excitement. After that, we have to go to an orientation for the exchange program, so she'll have to put seeing her first football game off to next weekend:(

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  5. I'm not sure puppy sitting those two cuties counts as a chore.

    My daughter has had bronchitis since she went back to college a month ago. Two urgent care, one er and two doctor visits she is on her sixth medicine. I hope you aren't as bad as she is.

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    1. Oh dear; poor kid! Fortunately for me, aside from the occasional loss of bladder control from coughing too hard, the cough is mainly just a minor annoyance. I hope your daughter feels better soon!

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  6. thanks for hosting. Have you told Maren about your blog world? It's probably different today for exchange students since they can be in better contact with home.

    Hey you don't need to talk while blog browsing. Give your throat a rest. Maybe type a little.

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    1. haha Funny. I'm just sitting down now for a bit--too much to do, as we have a lot going on today and next week (more house guests).

      Yes, Maren knows about my blog and has given her consent to blog about her in a favorable light.haha That should be easy--She's great.

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  7. Hey I just read Oceangirl's FF post - it's a short one so it won't take much of your time. She hasn't posted much lately so a visit from you would be encouraging.

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    1. Too bad she made the decision to take her blog private before I got a chance to read her fragments!

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  8. So wonderful that it's going well with your exchange student! Such a cool experience for Maren and for your family! Good thinking getting your unfiltered student to write his thoughts. That is a life-gift you've given that boy! Just think of the benefits for all his future relationships in life if he takes your advice and can get in the habit of writing rather than speaking every single thought on his mind!

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    1. Keeping fingers crossed that he becomes a little more articulate with his writing, too. On the bright side, F-ing Hell was at least spelled properly.:)

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  9. i recommend drinking Coke for your cough. I had a cough for nearly 4 months last year until someone recommended drinking Coke. The Olympic athletes drink it especially after a work out. Hope it works as well for you.

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    1. That's a new one!haha Does Diet Coke count? :)

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  10. Afraid I missed last week as well. I'm happy to hear all is well with your exchange student.

    Wishing you the best with your knew school year. I know how tiring the first weeks of school can be.

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    1. Thanks, Rita. The first four days kicked my butt. I'm grateful for weekends! Sadly, now Kendall is coughing. I hope Maren doesn't get it, too; I'd feel terrible.

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  11. Thanks once again for hosting. This is such a great hop!

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  12. My hubs has that same cough... allergies at its finest!

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  13. My husband had that cough, it came from his blood pressure medication....if you take meds for your bp, check with the doctor about it....:)

    Oh, my, reason number 456 that I am not a teacher! :)

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    1. No bp medicine here,though that's an interesting side effect. I went to the doctor yesterday and came home with bandaids (cough medicine and an inhaler).I guess I'm going to live.

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  14. Glad your exchange student is a dear!
    That kid in your class sounds like a doozy--hope you're able to help him understand how using that filter is a life skill that will serve him well in many situations...

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  15. Great idea to have the student write his thoughts down instead of blurting them. When he gets older perhaps he can start a blog.

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    1. That would be awesome, UM. He does not read at this point, but I'm not convinced that he can't. I have every confidence that he could also blog.

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  16. I saw the pictures of the pups! What a couple of cuties! I've got to stop looking while Tucker is around though...he really wants to come and play. :) Hope that cough isn't going to turn into something worse and I'm so glad your house guest is working out so nicely. Hang in there- I know you'll be able to handle that student and anyone else they send your way!

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  17. A teacher suggested I write my feelings down when I was 10 years old and it became a lifelong habit and a life safer. It also became my career:) I'm sure you have and will continue to make a positive difference in that young mans life. Steve and Milo are just so cute...
    Your cough most likely is allergies..hopefully not to you newest family members:(
    i hope you get some rest over the weekend.

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  18. I have a dry cough all the time, but it's a side effect of a medication. I want to see if I can switch meds; I was saying last night it's depressing because I sound like a smoker again! (I quit 22 years ago!)

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  19. Hello Mrs4444, I had been on off blogging, hot cold hot cold :) I am taking in my blog private to make it a real break. A break, not a break up :) See ya at FB.

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    1. Okay. I understand. I'm glad you will keep the writing avenue of your private blog.Thanks for letting me know.

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  20. We always had exchange students living with us in Cali. They were usually quiet, hard working and dedicated... occasionally one would throw a topless party but my younger brother and his friends never complained. Enjoy your weekend.

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