Lazy Holiday Meanderings

It is Labor Day and we are having a slow moving day, I am with Sofie at Jamie's condo and we are attempting to do a pre-yardsale purge of some of her stuff. I haven't actually been here for a while, I had forgotten how nice a space it is. Unfortunately it is on the upper level so on days like today when I feel a bit tired and it hurts (yep, that is back), it is hard to get up those stairs!

We haven't made all that much progress, but we are trying to do what seems to work the best - taking a small "zone" and attempting de-clutter. My friend Barbara did that with me a few weeks ago and we not only did cleaned out my closet but also sorted through a huge pile of accumulated kid hand me downs for Sofie and got them totally organized. The yard sale pile at my house is pretty good and this will add to it.

We are getting along pretty well these days, interesting that we are far better as friends than we were as partners. We have been discussing how important it is to create a mellow and comfortable family dynamic for Sofie to experience, that this will, better than most things, give her an example of how to solve problems, be in a family or a relationship, etc. I really believe that providing a positive model is the best thing. My aunt Susan and Uncle Lew have been together since I don't know, Junior High or something, and they have three sons, all of who appear to be in great (not perfect) but great relationships and have pretty functional families. I know, you cannot tell everything by looking from the outside in, but it is how it feels to me.

Sofie right now seems quite secure in her family, two moms who don't live together, who share her back and forth on the weekends and other nights from time to time and who love her to bits. She is very aware that the rules are different at each house and is quite clear about which are which. Today, on our way over to Jamie's bringing breakfast, she pointed out that since it was "like a weekend" she could eat in the living room and in front of the TV. Which just isn't the case at my more "regulation" house, where the TV is not even in the living room and eating food in front of it is just not the norm. I am so boring, I am sure, with my old fashioned rules about family dinners (or other meals) around an actual table.

Jamie doesn't want to be seen as the lenient parent, but she is probably more laid back, a lesson I could learn, I suppose. How did I get to be this rigid about things, I don't know. I should loosen up a bit, it won't hurt her. As long as we have routine of sorts in the household.

Sofie is watching a "big kid" movie right now, so we are going to use the time well, and finish up another little area....then I have acupuncture later today, perhaps that will help the Vicodin I took a while ago. I am so less able to do stuff if I hurt, so I resent the hell out of it.

Meanderings. That is all that this is about.