It was kind of a nutty week, one in which I was relatively sure my dad was going to die

My mother called me on Tuesday morning to let me know my dad had been taken to the hospital by ambulance. That isn't the way you usually would like to wake up.

He woke up very early that morning and went out on the porch for some fresh air. He was having trouble breathing and didn't feel right.

Eventually, my mom called the ambulance and they took him to hospital.

While there, they began to treat him for pneumonia.  But who gets pneumonia in July when they didn't have a cold or something leading up to it...

I told my mom flat out it sounded like Congestive Heart Failure and she'd better tell them to knock it off and test him for that.

Meanwhile, they were testing him for that.

And that is what it was. (Read more after the break by clicking on the link below)

Safety advice for parents

I normally don't pay attention to the bobbleheads on the morning news, most of that content is not very interesting. Oh, Egypt is burning, 30 are dead? Let's do a segment on how to get the perfect beach booty!

Anyway, the other morning the news was on and I was moving through the room to go get coffee and heard a safety expert talking about things to be aware of during the July 4th Boston Fireworks. They were talking about how there would be extra security, you couldn't bring any coolers in, which is bullshit if you ask me as it was 98 degrees with 80% humidity on the 4th and people come early to get their seats! Sure, no coolers but we won't give free ice water away to people to keep them from baking to death. This is why I don't go to these things...

but I digress.

The man then said one of the most brilliant things I've ever heard: Every time the family goes somewhere with the kids where they are in a large public venue (Baseball park, playground, fireworks in Boston...)  Parents should take a picture of their little kids right when they get there, or a short video to capture the child's look, clothing, voice, in case the child goes missing, there is some sort of incident where people flee and the family gets separated, or if the child is abducted.

Everyone's got a cell phone camera now, even the least fancy have a good camera on them. A photo of the child at the location showing exactly what they look like and what they're wearing gives the authorities something immediate they can post to get the word out that the child is missing.

A video is even better because the voice and mannerisms can be captured and people will be able to recognize a voice even if hair color or clothing are changed.

How smart is that?

Do you remember how many TV shows or news reports you used to see with these crappy out of focus or really out of date pictures that would be used? Parents only have a school photo from the beginning of last year and now it is July of the year following? Parents sometimes didn't have money to spend on getting film developed, or the pictures all came out awful, and there would be nothing really visual available to go on.

Our town used to host a Kid ID day where they would bring the kids down to the park, fingerprint them, take height and weight measurements, photograph them and do a quick "interview" of the children where they would say their name, their favorite food, their favorite TV show... and parents were given a free copy of the VHS tape. That was as recently as six or seven years ago because I think I still have Geoff's from one of those events.

Fascinating that even that kind of technology is obsolete. Almost as much as a blurry picnic photo from last year, which is "the most recent picture I have of my kid..."  Temporarily totally impressed with this advice.

And just like that

Tuesday night, we looked at the apartment, the duplex really, the huge half-a-house with 2 acres of land in the back. Three other families were interested, including my friend B from town here.

She rejected it outright after viewing it, even though it would have enough space for her and the three kids. She told me her daughter "is a snob" and could never live in an old house with small bathrooms and small rooms. The house is old indeed, but not as old as the house I'm in now so I didn't think a thing of the age. I told B that she can't let her daughter dictate where they live, if her daughter doesn't like it good luck to her - she can go live with her dad. Considering there are literally no options for rent, I was shocked that she rejected it.

B decided on a two bedroom condo that was rehabbed/rebuilt in 2007 with all new everything. There is a small office - she's giving her daughter that room. I thought that was justice, and told her to stick to it - the two boys have to share a room, so there is really no reason why her daughter can't take the small room.




I am going on way too long in this entry so if you want to keep reading...

what i won't get my hopes up about

i figure the last entry was unfair.

Tomorrow night we go look at a 4 bd rental the next town over which is in our school system. It is the only listing we've been close to able to afford in any of the towns, and we're also competing with my friend B who is looking for a place too. She has three kids and a crazy ex husband, and needs a safe place for everyone to live that is not in the same town with him (our town). I worry for her. But for as much as I worry for her, she has no pets, there are a few other options in the school district that she can take that she hasn't taken advantage of. I think she should but I can't tell her what to do.

But. If I have to move out of our district, I don't want to move to the wrecked place in Salem NH. I have thought long and hard about that place and I honestly don't think I want to be there. I don't want to move to Haverhill or Methuen. Really do not.

Today a friend of mine from church sent me a listing from a place in Newburyport from her mom's and tots group. The woman posting it is the tenant in the other half of the house who got permission to privately share the listing with the group before it gets advertised.

The listing is a half house, 3 bedrooms,  one bath but a second bath will be installed after the current tenants move out in late July. The price is exactly what we're looking for, and it is next door to our church.

And I love our church. And I love the neighborhood. And how cool, how very very cool, would it be to live in downtown Newburyport really.

 Jess was excited because it is walking distance to so many possible employment opportunities for her that she has not pursued because of the driving distance from here.

If I had to leave our school district and have Geoff go elsewhere, this is a good second choice. In the long run, I'd so much prefer the place in our district but dude, how so very cool. The woman and I emailed each other back and forth talking about this being a good opportunity for us, and she picked up the phone and called the real estate rep before I could just so she could tell the woman to get in touch with me immediately.

Now, I've thought long and hard about things. I know that in my heart of hearts everything is going to work out. I know it is. But I've gotten my hopes up twice, and had them dashed.

So.

I will not get my hopes up. I will not get my hopes up...

i will not get my hopes up

i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up i will not get my hopes up.....

yeah.