Cornhusker State Blog Lite

Fun memories, Faulty memories, Fierce headaches, Fun w/grand-kids, First grade follies, Fishing follies, Fast cars, Fidget spinners

Fun Memories, Part I

My Uncle Harold died last weekend. He was preceded in death by my mother & Uncle Jack, so that's it for the Handel side of the family. The funeral is on FRI 5/26. I have so many fun memories of my uncle, like the time he dove into a swimming pool while fully clothed in order to retrieve coins that he had been tossing into the freezing water to encourage his kids & us nephews & niece to take a plunge. I think I'll do another blog to share other fun memories.

Fun Memories, Part II

I attended my first graduation at  Lutheran High Northeast since 2013, this past SUN 5/14. I don't miss all the time & effort it took to plan & carry out this event. Also, due to my anxiety disorder & OCD I was making the event longer & longer &, well, you get the picture. It was fun to relive the good memories. It was fun to see how the event has been stream-lined. It was fun to see these graduates--sophomores during my last year @ LHNE. It was fun to listen to the valedictorians' & commencement speaker's messages. It was fun to hear the band & chorus perform. And it was fun to see that the Pro Deo et Schola Award was kept in the ceremony.

Faulty Memories

By all rights this should go in a Mental Health MON blog, but remember? This is my blog. For the past few weeks I've been plagued by a lot of symptoms related to a depressive episode. These have included problems w/short-term memory, like losing my train of thought during the middle of a conversation or forgetting somebody's name or forgetting what highway I am driving on. I forget appts that I've made. I forget to write down important items on my TO-DO list. I forget to put down the garage door after I drive off. Could it be a medication issue? I see my nurse practitioner on MON. I saw my optometrist this past MON & ruled out complications from my recent fall as a contributing factor.

Fierce headaches

I am in a continuing cycle of cluster headaches. That's all you really need to know.

Fun with grand-kids

I'm in Lincoln. I dropped off Brianna at Lincoln Lutheran this morning. Hadley is already going to daycare for the summer. Yesterday Rachel dropped off Bentley at the 1st Grade Picnic @ Ta-hazouka Park. We had fun. After the kids & teachers went back to school, we hit the playground, then did some fishing, swung through the McDonald's drive-thru, went home to eat supper, walked to the playground at Bel Air School--just down the block from our house--accompanied by Sammy, met Lois there when she got home from school, walked back home, watched cartoons on the iPad & waited for Derek to pick him up.
      Did I mention that Bentley is 3-years-old? Sample conversation:  ME: Would you like chicken nuggets & fries for supper? Or we could stop for pancakes? BENTLEY:  Chicken nuggets & French fries! ME: Are you sure? BENTLEY: Yeah! I want McDonald's. [Minutes later we are in the line at the drive-thru @ McDonald's] ME:  It's just about our turn to order. Are you positive you want chicken nuggets & French fries? BENTLEY [emphatically] Yeah! I want chicken nuggets & fries! [I order nuggets & fries for Bentley, pancakes & sausages for me. We go home. Bentley starts unpacking our supper, while I get drinks ready.] BENTLEY: Papa, you got pancakes? ME: Yes. BENTLEY: I want packages. [Bentley eats 1/3 of my pancakes & some fries, plus 1 chicken nugget after he drops one on the floor.]

First grade follies

Once again this year I was assigned to the ever popular fishing station. Picture yourself with a 1st grader standing on either side of you. Now picture yourself rigging a fishing pole for each kid, putting on a bobber & baiting the hook with a worm.
ME to kid on my right:  I'm going to throw the line out for you. Don't do anything until I throw the other line out. OK?
KOMR:  Okay.
ME to kid on my left:  I'm going to throw the line out of you. Then I'm going to help the KOMR. If your bobber starts to move up & down, start to reel your line in very slowly. [I show her what I mean.]
ME [turning back to KOMR] Why is your bobber in the middle of the lake scum? I thought I told you not to do anything until I got done w/KOML?
KOMR: [shrugs; I reel in his line, clear all the scrum off his hook, I throw it out again & repeat my instructions] "Are you listening to me?" [he nods] "Do you remember what to do?" [he nods his head.]' NOTE TO SELF: By nodding his head 'yes,' he means 'no.'
ME: [turning to KOML] Where is your bobber? [I see it 2 ft under water. As I grab her pole, I say] "Don't you remember what I said?"
KOML: [shrugs]
ME: [I try to hook the fish & reel it in. Too late! The worm is gone.While I'm re-baiting her hook,  & throwing her line out I say,]  "Do you remember what to do?" [she nods his head.] SEE comment above.
ME: [turning to KOMR] Where is your bobber? [I see it in a patch of pond scum; as I grab his pole & start to reel it in, I say] "Don't you remember what I said?"
KOML: [shrugs] . MULTIPLY THIS  BY 6 stations X 15 mins per station.

Fishing follies

The bass in Doug's pond were the beneficiaries [or, bene-FISH-iaries] of my fishing ineptness last weekend. I wanted to get some practice with my new Shakespeare Tiger 6.5' stiff pole w/14 lb test line on it. I caught 2 16" + 1 15" bass, but I also lost at least 10 bass by either setting the hook too soon or too late or reeling the lure right out of its mouth just as I got them up to shore. And I lost my balance as I was standing right at the end of the pond, trying to change lures. [I don't need your pity. It was in 3-4" of water, & I didn't fully submerge.]  Fishing is supposed to be good for my general anxiety disorder. This experience was not therapeutic.

Fast cars

Finally got my car to the body shop last MON. My loaner is a brand-new Hyundai Sonata sports car. Not quite a red Mustang convertible--my DREAM sports car--but it will do in a pinch.

Fidget spinners

One more & I'm outta here. As I was waiting in the express line at Hy-Vee in Lincoln this morning, I noticed fidget spinners for sale. I know what they're used for, & I've shared before that I am self-diagnosed w/AOADHD. * So, what do you think? Should I get one?
* Adult on-set ADHD