Tuesday Tribulations
Hmm….what shall I blather about today? Should it be the great relationship that’s growing between my daughter and I? My lack of relationship with my own mother? Or, the latest doings of my stepson?
Well, since this is supposed to be my knitting blog, I’ll talk about the Kilimanjaro Kat Shawl first. I have started the border, which is where the “Kat” part comes in. I need to make enlargements of the charts, or maybe I need to put them all on one page together. I’m not sure just yet. There are three different charts for the border. You do chart 2A, then 2B three times, then 2C for each edge of the square. Right now, each chart is on a separate page. I think I want to put them all together instead. I think that will make it easier for me to follow.
I also worked on Lucy Lu last night while watching Smallville. I have about 8 inches of the back done. I need two more inches before I can start on the shoulder decreases. I calculated the yardage needed, and I believe I have enough of the Wigwam, but I may go ahead and order some extra just in case. Since it’s a hand dyed yarn I’m using, any changes in dye lot shouldn’t be too noticeable.
Last night, while TOH had to work at an overnight upgrade, Klumpen and I spent time together. She wanted me to put her hair in little pony tails while we watched tv. It’s cute, but not a style I’m really fond of. But, she wanted to hang out with me, and I’ll take it when I can get it. She’s turning 13 in two weeks, and I’m not ready for her to be a teenager. She already acts like one, so it’s really a case of semantics, but for her to actually be 13 is scary for me.
After Smallville and the news, I tried to go to bed, but she wanted to hang out and talk some more. We talked about things from braces to taxes and everything in between. It’s great that she’s open with me. My own relationship with my Mother was never so easy.
Speaking of, I’m a bad daughter again. I didn’t call or send her anything for Mother’s Day. Whenever I think about her, I get so tense and annoyed. I love her, and I’m grateful that she brought me up the best she could, but I can’t help being angry at what I consider her failings. But then I feel guilty. Becuase she’s my Mom, and she did the best she could. But, I turn around and get angry again, because her best wasn’t exactly stellar. I’m conflicted, obviously.
And then there’s J*. My 18.5 year old stepson. He’s been living with friends of his since June of last year, when he decided that he couldn’t handle living by our oh-so-stringent rules (no stealing, no drugs, no alcohol, no sneaking out in the middle of the night, pass your classes). So, he moved out, we changed the locks and everyone got on with their lives. His plan was to finish high school (he was already a year behind) and join the military this summer. He’d actually signed on with a recruiter for the Air Force (I think), and it was contingent on his graduation. Well, that’s not gonna happen.
TOH has been trying to get in touch with him for several days, because TSM wanted to talk to his big brother. Well, TOH finally got a call back from the friend J* had been staying with yesterday. Seems J* had been asked to move out about 3 weeks ago. He’s living with someone else “down the street” from the friend. They didn’t give TOH a name or a phone number or anything where he could get in touch with J*. They also told him that J* had been expelled from school. Not surprising, since back in January we’d been getting calls saying he wasn’t attending classes. Not surprising, also considering the rumors of his drug use.
TOH is trying to follow up and find out what’s going on. The good version would be that it was for not attending. The bad version would be something illegal. We’re concerned that he may try to con Klumpen into letting him into the house (although she’s very angry with him herself, because he’s stolen from her, too), or that he might try to break in.
I’m torn between doing the “I told you he’d come to nothing but trouble” dance, and worrying about him trying to force his way back into our lives. We’d call his mother, but no one seems to know where she is currently. The last we heard, she was going to visit family in Korea. The last J* heard, she was moving to California.
I think I’ll just go back to bed.