Updates, with celebrations and useful health news

Life continues to be rich and full here in Enoughsville. The week has been full of both fun celebrations, and also useful health updates.  Celebrations first:

Jason had a birthday, turning two dozen years old.  I asked him what he wanted for himself, and he said "hugs and love".  I suggested an addition might be spreading a bit of love (and also cleaning out my basement a tad), and after he enthusiastically agreed to this proposal, I sent this letter to the local refugee resettlement group in our city:

My son (Jason) is going to turn 24 on September 25.  When he was younger, he loved legos and bionicles, and has a bunch of them . . . in our basement.  He and I have decided together that a nice way to celebrate his birthday might be to gift those to a child (or children) who might appreciate the chance to build things with them. 

Aaaahhh!  They're escaping!

Jason was in foster care for many years before he came into our home, and he has a special place in his heart for other kids who have had hard journeys.  Can you think of a child (or children) in the [agency] circles who might appreciate this?  If there happens to be child with a late September birthday, that might be a nice tie-in, but I don't necessarily need to limit it that way.

There are a car and a fighter jet in the bottom of this box.

And the plan is working; the agency is happy to get these, and I have one more spot on my basement shelves free, and Jason gets the glow of having done a nice thing for others.  What a great present!

Some other kid is going to be happy to get these, we expect.

Gosling started off the week in San Diego, making the most of her adventures there.

Met a blue angel last night at the O club

Watched them fly today

Look who it is! My sister and brother-in-law!

At the restaurant where goose sang great balls of fire

And Inkling got to be the knitting expert at a local fair, with quick side trips to see cows.

A cow kissed my hand! 🐄💙
Also, I got to help judge the knitting and crochet at a local fair 🥇

Speaking of cows, my future cow shelves are coming along nicely (albeit slowly).  You might remember I'd found some most excellent bed slats that happen to be just the right size to make shelving to fit in my large front window.  I've decided painting will be easier if I do the bulk of it before cutting and assembly, so I have the first few coats of paint applied, thanks to the generosity of the former owners of our house, who left a half a gallon of white paint in the basement (not too far from where the bionicles had been!).

OfSnough and I celebrated 26 years of agreeing to be married to each other, heading out to a most excellent performance of Kinky Boots with Inkling and several friends.  There was a song I expected to hear during the show but didn't; Americans aren't steeped in this song, but to the British, the "Kinky Boots" song is perhaps the equivalent of our "Disco Duck": so bad, you wonder how it ever became so popular.  If you're up for a minute and 45 seconds of silliness, check it out here:  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFzdqlZGcw8

And so, with several celebrations accounted and recounted, we can share some useful health updates.

First, my family is even more thoroughly boosted than before!

Couples who boost together stay together
** Colin has two band aids cuz he got his flu shot too

Second, I thought I had a hole in my head, but it turns out I just needed to get my head adjusted.  (Said more carefully, what I thought was a cavity causing sensitivity in one tooth turned out to be a high spot on a crown that was easily sanded down, no novocain needed.)  Sweet!

Third, Prewash has ear infections, we discovered.  The cure involves me squeezing "goop" into her ears with a little tube that looks like toothpaste, except that the squirty end is 1" long and a tad pointy looking.  I am supposed to do this twice a day for two weeks.  Prewash does not at all like me bringing this vile instrument of torture anywhere near her body, but she likes the hot dog bits that come right after, so maybe we'll make it through the two weeks with increasing amounts of goop in her ear canals and decreasing amounts on the floor instead.  

Fourth, my friend Randy (who's not technically part of the family, but who is near and dear to many of us) had a successful medical procedure and that has been a relief and a comfort to me.

Fifth, Nelson just got a new diagnosis, one that we very much appreciate learning about.  We've known since he was in kindergarten that he (like several others in the fam) is ADHD.  This week, we got to add Autism to our understanding of all that he is.  We are grateful for many reasons for the diagnosis; for one thing, this helps us understand a lot of areas that had been a struggle for him (and for us), and we're glad to have new ways to think about addressing those.  More tangibly, he's been certified eligible for inclusion in a group home in Minnesota, and he's optimistic (as we are) that this will be a really good place for him to land.  He's had a lot of adventures -- both good and bad -- in recent years, and we think this will help address some of the rocky spots while still allowing for all of the uplifting experiences.

And with all that wonderfulness, I guess that wraps up the news from our family, which continues to be wealthy in our adventures.   May you and yours be similarly prosperous.