Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Sunday Is Fun Day

The workers preparing for the week ahead

Helen: Just letting you know I have to work this weekend.
Me: I thought you said you had to work this weekend? Don't you want to get started?
Helen: No, I don't want to get started! You're stressing me!
Me: Ok. Let's go do something fun.
Helen: I can't! I told you I have to work! You're stressing me! 


Madison has 3 tests this week. And it's her birthday week.

Madison: Derek, I'm just letting you know I have to study this weekend
Derek: I thought you said you had to study this weekend? Don't you want to get started?
Madison: No, I don't want to get started! You're stressing me!
Derek: Ok. Let's go do something fun.
Madison: I can't! I told you I have to study! You're stressing me!

Derek working on his SVX



How's it going? Not well.

Adam in my personal favorite mode: preparing to prepare to study

Adam's school has "digital learning" Friday's, so he doesn't have to go to school on Friday's, but there are assignments due by midnight Sunday. Of course, no work is usually started until late Sunday night. On Wednesday, he was so happy when his teacher postponed his physics test from Thursday to Monday. Now that it's getting late on Sunday, he's not so happy. 

Madison's happy to take a break from studying to stir in all the broth for the risotto


Low key birthday celebration for Madison

I asked Madison if Derek was too immature for her now since he's still just a teenager

Helen made a care package for Madison's birthday

… and actually let Derek shred the mozzarella cheese himself instead of jumping in to help when he feigned he didn't know how

Monday, September 24, 2018

The SVX Is Back

It's Baaaack…

Derek's Subaru SVX project car has been across town at Nanna and Poppy's for months where Derek pulled the engine and did a bunch of repairs. He says he's tired of all the commuting so he brought it back here to work on. Oh joy!


I prefer things minimal and organized. Everyone else...not so much.

Derek, especially, seems destined for a life of expansion 


We finished painting Adam's room weeks ago, but a bunch of his stuff still remains scattered in the playroom

My "done done" philosophy, like most others, has gone mostly ignored. I long ago stopped trying to impose my will on the boys. They get the gist by now. Often, when I'm sharing\venting to Helen she'll ask if I said anything directly to the boys. I'll respond with something like, "No. I mentioned the concept to them in passing back in 2014 and it still applies."

I generally assume most concepts are easily inferable through observation or gained through independent analysis. Either you want to do it or you don't. Either you want to devote the effort to figure it out or you don't. The beauty of non-coercion is that it respects the other's free will, but it also absolves anyone from having to battle against another's free will.

 One day the boys will have their own homes\lives and manage them as they wish. Until then...we are all dealing with life's transitions as best we can.

Wednesday, September 19, 2018