Wrapping up the Week

     We have made it through the first week (really just three days) of school and so far Paul has a perfect record of writing down his homework in his assignment book.  I have my fingers crossed! 

     Paul's knee started hurting him in karate Monday night so yesterday we headed up to an orthopedic office in Annapolis, about twenty-five minutes away.  I hadn't been to this office before so I allowed  forty-five minutes to get there, but we hit extremely heavy traffic as we drove up Route 50 into  Annapolis. "Heavy" as in half of the area saying  "Let's all leave for the beach on Thursday afternoon so we can beat the Labor Day traffic."   I tried hard to remember that I was traveling with an impressionable thirteen year old and did my very best to model how we should handle frustration!  My attempt at patience was rewarded when we finally got to the office and were warmly welcomed and Paul was promptly and capably examined and diagnosed with Osgood Slatter Disease.  This is not really a disease but an injury related to growth spurts in adolescents and Paul is likely to experience it off and on for the next few years.  He was given some treatment including laying off karate for the next week or so, perfect timing since there are no karate classes over the upcoming holiday weekend.   

     We had four water lilies blooming at once in the pond the other day, a record number.   

     I had to laugh when I spotted Fetcher up on the bathroom sink.  I was just about to shoo him away when I realized that he was trying to get some water.  I turned up the tap to a very slow drip, and sure enough, he started drinking it, just like a water fountain!

     I was not happy to see these baskets of pumpkins outside the grocery store yesterday.  I mean, come on, it's eight weeks to Halloween. Yes, I know there is Halloween candy already for sale but I can ignore that by not going down those aisles at the store.  But there's no way to ignore all these orange globes as you walk in.   Are people really going to buy them this early, or will they rot in the hot September sun?

     The vet never did find out what was ailing Spikey, and while he still shakes sometimes he seems to be more alert and lively.  He's responding well to the extra attention he's been getting and loves getting outside for baths (in the plastic tub) and for sun bathing (cardboard box).