July Pagan Family Thread

[revolting]

Where my Pagan mamas at? For those of us in the US, any plans for Independence Day? Anyone in the initial planning stages for Lammas?

[Valerie.Qc]

I'm here!

Canada Day being over, July is mostly "mellow" for us... Though it's DD2's birthday next week!

She'll be 7yo. As a rite of passage, she'll get her ears pierced (her demand for years now); we'll go to a piercing place and have it done professionally... no gun for my "baby"'s ears!

No planning for Lammas yet... Since I'm mostly grain-free, my celebration will need some tweeking. I might allow some cheat for the occasion... we'll see.

[Valerie.Qc]

Congratulations Revolting! Sending Healthy Pregnancy/Healthy Baby vibes your way!

[vydalea]

Hi mamas!  Happy July!!

I've spent the first two week days actually taking naps during Z's nap so July is looking like it's going to be awesome!  haha!  We have been busy so far.  A friend lost power in Baltimore during that big wind storm and her parents live here so they have been visiting.  Her son is 2 as is Z so they have been having a blast playing together.  I just adore her, we are very much on the same page about most things in life and it's been nice to have a friend like her around.  

Revolting:   I keep sending prayers/energy for a healthy, sticky little baby in your direction when you cross my mind.  Keep us posted.  How did the house viewing on Sunday go?  The property and home sound lovely!    

Speaking of babies: Lioness!  YOUR babykins should be here this month!! weeeee!  

Maia: Did M ask what is going on with his job?  That sounds confusing.  I hope all goes well. i love when music is so good you just have to jive to it! yeah!!  That's just one of those incredible feelings.  I can't believe all the cool stuff you won!  Wow!  

The morning/early afternoon of Independence day will be spent with my dad, his wife, my sister, her hubs and the 3 of us (DH, Z, me). Grilling meat (spiedies, maia!!) and whatever else my step-mom has in mind.  We're going over there TONITE with pizza for a bon fire.  Originally, step mom wanted us to spend all day at their house and end it with a bonfire but of course my sis and DH have to go to work on Thursday.  So, I suggested we have it tonight.  It's a lot for us.  Next year I'm gonna put the kibosh on the extended celebration.  There is only so much family time I can do.  Ya know?  

I haven't even started thinking of Lammas yet, except to pass by it in my new "circle round" book I purchased since I keep hearing such good things about it here!  Does anyone have the CD that goes with it? And if so, is it worth buying?

[Maiasaura]

Happy July, all! I can't believe it's July already. Time seems to be speeding up in a big way. I really hope to heck someone buys my house before the school year starts. Here, it's like August 15th!!! Where M lives it's appropriately after Labor Day.

Originally Posted by revolting Where my Pagan mamas at? For those of us in the US, any plans for Independence Day? Anyone in the initial planning stages for Lammas?

I'm here! Some days I seem to be the only one here!

Tomorrow, hmm. We have nothing going on in the daytime. I got a wild hair and I bought strawberries and blueberries (fresh, and expensive, IMO!) and heavy cream (on sale) and cream cheese and creme fraiche (which I am really annoyed at-- it'd been previously frozen, so good for my recipe but NOT by itself, grrr ) I am going to make something red, white, and blue, a dessert of some sort that I can have. Oh, and I bought SF jello, too. I'll figure something out. And maybe post pix. I think some sort of pie type thing, but without a crust (berries and cream cheese/sour cream lemon base, with homemade whipped cream, stevia sweetened). And maybe popsicles out of what's left.

Originally Posted by vydalea Maia: Did M ask what is going on with his job?  That sounds confusing.  I hope all goes well. i love when music is so good you just have to jive to it! yeah!!  That's just one of those incredible feelings.  I can't believe all the cool stuff you won!  Wow!  

I haven't even started thinking of Lammas yet, except to pass by it in my new "circle round" book I purchased since I keep hearing such good things about it here!  Does anyone have the CD that goes with it? And if so, is it worth buying?

Mmm...spiedies. Didn't make it to the poor store today, so no spiedie sauce for me Maybe next time I get grocery money.

M forgot to ask. And the guy isn't going to be in tomorrow, though M is. So far so good, though; he's been working steady!

The name of the band is Tuatha Dea. Go look them up; they have a ton of YouTube vids! Though I have to say, I have seen those vids and they just do not do the band justice compared to live. At all.

And yeah! I love my winnings! THREE wins on 6 tickets, that was so very cool. I want to wear one of my new shirts tomorrow, but I am going to go all patriotic and wear my flag shirt (gray) with blue jean capris (stretch, but you'd never know it-- they are SO comfy) and sneakers (or sandals) and a red, white, and blue hair sparkly thingy.

I have a thing about the flag, now, and patriotism, after I saw Phyllis Curott speak at PSG one year....after that, the chant of choice (yeah, instigated by me) at the main ritual fire was "It's MY FLAG TOO! MY FLAG TOO!"-- because this flag of ours was meant for ALL of us. All. Pagan, Christian, Muslim, Jew, no religion, any religion, every religion. Every immigrant. Everybody. So my patriotism is very personal, but I do fly the flag.

Oh, and I'm way into the Revolutionary War in the past couple of years. Every year I watch The Patriot-- I want to be reminded just exactly what the forming of this country entailed. Not shopping, or fireworks, or buying stuff, or plastic red, white, and blue things, or American flags made in China. I'm all about the biggest, boldest, most in-yo'-face F*ck-You letter on the planet-- our Declaration of Independence.

Lammas-- haven't even thought of it yet. But Circle Round, yeah-- the CD is good. Mine I bought as a set, though. But yeah I would buy the CD if I didn't have it. Recommend

[Mommy2Austin]

Just a quick peek in for now! Cause I should be sleeping!

Things are looking up. We aren't in the clear yet, but we're close!

[Mommy2Austin]

Alrighty, now that I'm up :-)

We got our food stamps approval. It was less than I expected, but if we get WIC again too, it should be enough to get us by until the financial fog clears up.

Financially (I hope), all the pressing things have been taken care of (the kind of things that would put DH without work.) This past week he busted his tush (I haven't seen him in almost 3weeks because he's been working so hard to get us caught up) and it has us almost in the black. By next Friday everything will be squared up and we should be able to start getting a little ahead.

I sat down yesterday and planned out an entire budget and included what dates what bill gets paid on and what check the money comes from. I'm quite proud of it.

We might just be able to get our heads above water. Here's hoping.

As for today, we aren't really doing anything. I'm kind of hoping the neighbors are doing fireworks so the kids can watch. Otherwise it will be just another day.

As for Lammas, it is my birthday! I'm hoping to go out and celebrate but money will still be tight so we shall see. I'll at least go hang with my family and maybe BBQ with them. I don't know much about the pagan holidays, so what does Lammas celebrate?

On a stranger note, someone bumped a 2 year old thread up that I had posted in on God and animal cruelty the other day. I had to find my post because I don't normally read or post in topics like that. What I wrote kind of blew my mind. I felt so detached from what I wrote. It was all very we're-all-sinners-from-the-moment-we-were-born. Its strange to be on the other side and going wooooow I was that indoctrinated. I don't even remember believing in what I wrote. Its very strange to say the least and I'm much happier not looking at an eternity in gloom and doom like I was.

I'm off to make a skeleton grocery list so I can try and plan out how best to use the money we've got!

[mary3mama]

EEEK! 
July 4th already!

I swear when I last looked it was like June 15th!

Busy, busy, busy around here. I've never had a time so busy with my homeschooling life.

We have lots of time at the neighborhood pool plus several times a week to meet up with our homeschooling group or have friends over to our house or us over to their house. 

So little online time.

So much time outside in the heat trying to knit. urp. 

Maybe things will calm down by October and I'll have more time? 

Yeah, I didn't think so either.

Anyway....I read the thread and try to keep up and send positive thoughts, vibes to all in need during my morning meditations....just not posting much.

peace,

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by Mommy2Austin We got our food stamps approval. It was less than I expected, but if we get WIC again too, it should be enough to get us by until the financial fog clears up.
Financially (I hope), all the pressing things have been taken care of (the kind of things that would put DH without work.) This past week he busted his tush (I haven't seen him in almost 3weeks because he's been working so hard to get us caught up) and it has us almost in the black. By next Friday everything will be squared up and we should be able to start getting a little ahead.
I sat down yesterday and planned out an entire budget and included what dates what bill gets paid on and what check the money comes from. I'm quite proud of it.
We might just be able to get our heads above water. Here's hoping.

I don't know much about the pagan holidays, so what does Lammas celebrate?
 

Isn't that weird when you find shreds of your older self? I was just reading part of my journal I kept in my 1st year college. Which I am 52 so it was a long time ago, and I am so nothing like that person anymore! I love my age. I feel so....grown into myself, compared to my 18yo self.

Lammas. Is your birthday on the 1st? Some people call it Lughnassadh, which honors the (Welch?) god Lugh. It's a day of games and competition for some. You've got lots of kids, you could do 3-legged races and such, maybe? Relay races? Frisbee? It's also the first of 3 harvest festivals, followed by Mabon (Pagan thanksgiving, in September, at the Equinox), and Samhain, the last harvest. Lammas is the grain/corn one. Since I don't eat grains or corn anymore, I will have to find a way to adapt for me!

YAY on the food stamps! My friend was living on student loans and depending on food stamps to raise her little girl and herself. One summer something messed up and she had no money and no food stamps. She was in tears for EVER, that year. I helped her out as much as I could, but one thing she learned as a survivalist sort-- when she got her food stamps back, she used a little bit of her stamps every week to put by things like dry beans, rice, canned foods, sugar, flour, whatever, in case of a hard time ever again. Just a thought

Budgeting-- I love love LOVE how I can set up auto-pay for bills right out of my bank account. AND they send me a confirmation email when things have got paid, so I can write them down on the budget page. While I still have major debt, I have at least paid down 2 cards or 3 and have only like $5K more to go!

[mary3mama]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

Isn't that weird when you find shreds of your older self? I was just reading part of my journal I kept in my 1st year college. Which I am 52 so it was a long time ago, and I am so nothing like that person anymore! I love my age. I feel so....grown into myself, compared to my 18yo self.

Lammas. Is your birthday on the 1st? Some people call it Lughnassadh, which honors the (Welch?) god Lugh. It's a day of games and competition for some. 

Budgeting-- I love love LOVE how I can set up auto-pay for bills right out of my bank account. AND they send me a confirmation email when things have got paid, so I can write them down on the budget page. While I still have major debt, I have at least paid down 2 cards or 3 and have only like $5K more to go!

Oh, I totally agree. I wouldn't go back to any previous age. Especially childhood. Ever.

At 47 I am getting more and more comfortable and at-peace with myself.

And yeah, it can be really weird to find those 'shreds' of who we once were.

I find it difficult to not wince and pull away rather reflexively when that happens.

I've had to include within my morning meditation conscious compassion for who I used to be -- at whatever time -- because without the choices (and yes, mistakes) of who I was then I wouldn't be who I am now. And I'm pretty ok with who I am now. 

BUT, it is still weird to see the 'old' me and see how far I've journeyed since then.

My eldest was born on August 1st. 

LOVE online-bill-pay! I use it for just about everything. The ability to just pop in the details and forget about it is awesome. I don't forget things this way. And I can see at a glance what bills are coming up and what to budget for.

We're not out of debt either....but once our 'other' house sells we should be able to get the debt down to only the current mortgage -- might take a few years but we'll get there.

Off to walk the dog before the humidity gets unbearable and then have a fun day (in the AC!) with the kidlets. 

[Mommy2Austin]

Maiasaura- Thanks for the info! When I had looked up the calendar I got all excited because my birthday was a holiday lol August 1, 1986. I turn 26 this year.

Having a frustrating morning and a lot of conflicting emotions. Its going to be a blah day.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by mary3mama LOVE online-bill-pay! I use it for just about everything. The ability to just pop in the details and forget about it is awesome.

The only thing about this I would add is:

I used to put in my information to all of the billers, and they would debit their bill from my account, till I realized all these people had their fingers in my pot, so to speak. So I set it up so that my bank debits the account and pays the billers. That way, only my bank is debiting the account. But yeah, aside from that-- what Mary said! It's awesome. Once I set it up, I don't know how I ever did it any other way.

Originally Posted by Mommy2Austin Maiasaura- Thanks for the info! When I had looked up the calendar I got all excited because my birthday was a holiday lol August 1, 1986. I turn 26 this year.
Having a frustrating morning and a lot of conflicting emotions. Its going to be a blah day.

Aww, I hope your day goes better! My goodness, you are a young'in Mostly I don't notice age because, well, while I don't look 26 anymore, I know I don't look 52 either, and nor do I feel it. Not when I look at other 52yo's. They all look old Well-- partly because I refuse to cut my hair. I don't see what that has to do with a certain age, for a woman. Bah.

We bailed on the fireworks last night, because about 7:30 we got caught in a torrential downpour. We left, soaking wet.

I don't know if it ever cleared up in the town the fireworks were in (15m East of us) but at my house, it was dry. We put all our clothes in the dryer and lent clothes to my friend and ds's friend in the meanwhile.

DS and friend played video games while S and I played cards in the kitchen. I didn't know she likes to play cards! We've been friends for 8 years! We played rummy and I creamed her 395 to 295 before we stopped. Then when it got dark we went over to the ballfield right up the road, and she shot off about 6-7 professional grade fireworks (yes, illegal in NC-- which is saying something because most fireworks are legal here!) and the kids had two sparklers each. Then we went home to sleep *yawn*

Today I am making chicken, maybe making a room-deodorizer spray for the bathroom (I think I have all the ingredients-- I know I have essential oils), going to my meeting, and ds has martial arts later. Oh, and finish watching The Patriot.

[revolting]

Originally Posted by Valerie.Qc 

I'm here!

Canada Day being over, July is mostly "mellow" for us... Though it's DD2's birthday next week!

She'll be 7yo. As a rite of passage, she'll get her ears pierced (her demand for years now); we'll go to a piercing place and have it done professionally... no gun for my "baby"'s ears!

No planning for Lammas yet... Since I'm mostly grain-free, my celebration will need some tweeking. I might allow some cheat for the occasion... we'll see.

Happy birthday! I got my ears pierced with a gun as a kid - and they got horribly infected.

I do eat grains, but the big grain grown around here is corn, and generally, farmers harvest the bulk of it in October...so, it seems kind of silly to celebrate the grain harvest this early. I'm eager to see other ideas about what to do.

Originally Posted by Valerie.Qc 

Congratulations Revolting! Sending Healthy Pregnancy/Healthy Baby vibes your way!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by vydalea 

Hi mamas!  Happy July!!

I've spent the first two week days actually taking naps during Z's nap so July is looking like it's going to be awesome!  haha!  We have been busy so far.  A friend lost power in Baltimore during that big wind storm and her parents live here so they have been visiting.  Her son is 2 as is Z so they have been having a blast playing together.  I just adore her, we are very much on the same page about most things in life and it's been nice to have a friend like her around.  

Revolting:   I keep sending prayers/energy for a healthy, sticky little baby in your direction when you cross my mind.  Keep us posted.  How did the house viewing on Sunday go?  The property and home sound lovely!    

The morning/early afternoon of Independence day will be spent with my dad, his wife, my sister, her hubs and the 3 of us (DH, Z, me). Grilling meat (spiedies, maia!!) and whatever else my step-mom has in mind.  We're going over there TONITE with pizza for a bon fire.  Originally, step mom wanted us to spend all day at their house and end it with a bonfire but of course my sis and DH have to go to work on Thursday.  So, I suggested we have it tonight.  It's a lot for us.  Next year I'm gonna put the kibosh on the extended celebration.  There is only so much family time I can do.  Ya know?  

I haven't even started thinking of Lammas yet, except to pass by it in my new "circle round" book I purchased since I keep hearing such good things about it here!  Does anyone have the CD that goes with it? And if so, is it worth buying?

Yay for naps and friends!

Well, we've been out to see the property twice. We're interested...but having second doubts. I'm worried about money. My partner is worried about the commute. We'd be moving out there in part for the schools, and I'm worried about how my vaccination exemption letter will go over (but my five year old really really really wants to go to school rather than homeschool and there's a lot of family pressure...I worry that the school will challenge the exemption letter and refuse to let my kid in school: IL isn't an easy state to object to vaccinations). That said, the place is beautiful. Oh man, is the property beautiful and could totally be us. I can imagine cleaning up the woods and pond and raising some fowl and bees and it just being so so nice. I'm not sure what we're going to do, but I definitely feel like there's a lot of pressure to decide soon, since school would start in mid-August there and the market has only been on the market for a few weeks: what if someone else takes it?

I have trouble limiting extended family celebrations, too. Last year, when I decided that our family was going to do only one Christmas and one Thanksgiving with family, my mother threw a fit, but it ended up being so much nicer for us. I'm hoping that if when we buy a house, we'll have more holidays at home.

I don't have the CD but I've been thinking about buying it for years. The thing is that there's really only a little bit of Pagan music I actually like.

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

I have a thing about the flag, now, and patriotism, after I saw Phyllis Curott speak at PSG one year....after that, the chant of choice (yeah, instigated by me) at the main ritual fire was "It's MY FLAG TOO! MY FLAG TOO!"-- because this flag of ours was meant for ALL of us. All. Pagan, Christian, Muslim, Jew, no religion, any religion, every religion. Every immigrant. Everybody. So my patriotism is very personal, but I do fly the flag.

Oh, and I'm way into the Revolutionary War in the past couple of years. Every year I watch The Patriot-- I want to be reminded just exactly what the forming of this country entailed. Not shopping, or fireworks, or buying stuff, or plastic red, white, and blue things, or American flags made in China. I'm all about the biggest, boldest, most in-yo'-face F*ck-You letter on the planet-- our Declaration of Independence.

I'd love to go to PSG some year, but it's so pricey. Did you go with your son? I think maybe when I don't have a child under three I might go.

On patriotism: Of course I love my country. I'm a Pagan, you know? And part of being a Pagan, at least for me, is loving and worshiping the little patch of earth where we find ourselves. On the other hand, a while ago, "Dissent is patriotic" bumper stickers became popular, and that really helped me change my mind about letting right wingers own the word patriot. For a long time, I had thought that lefty songs like "Fortunate Son" and "This Land is Your Land" (which I taught my five year old to play on her uke this year) kept popping up around the Fourth of July because people were stupid and didn't listen to the lyrics, but now I like to think that more like this leftist interpretation of patriotism is just as much "cannon" as "God bless America" and all that pro-military stuff that's so popular this time of year.

Originally Posted by Mommy2Austin 

Alrighty, now that I'm up :-)
We got our food stamps approval. It was less than I expected, but if we get WIC again too, it should be enough to get us by until the financial fog clears up.
Financially (I hope), all the pressing things have been taken care of (the kind of things that would put DH without work.) This past week he busted his tush (I haven't seen him in almost 3weeks because he's been working so hard to get us caught up) and it has us almost in the black. By next Friday everything will be squared up and we should be able to start getting a little ahead.
I sat down yesterday and planned out an entire budget and included what dates what bill gets paid on and what check the money comes from. I'm quite proud of it.
We might just be able to get our heads above water. Here's hoping.
As for today, we aren't really doing anything. I'm kind of hoping the neighbors are doing fireworks so the kids can watch. Otherwise it will be just another day.
As for Lammas, it is my birthday! I'm hoping to go out and celebrate but money will still be tight so we shall see. I'll at least go hang with my family and maybe BBQ with them. I don't know much about the pagan holidays, so what does Lammas celebrate?
On a stranger note, someone bumped a 2 year old thread up that I had posted in on God and animal cruelty the other day. I had to find my post because I don't normally read or post in topics like that. What I wrote kind of blew my mind. I felt so detached from what I wrote. It was all very we're-all-sinners-from-the-moment-we-were-born. Its strange to be on the other side and going wooooow I was that indoctrinated. I don't even remember believing in what I wrote. Its very strange to say the least and I'm much happier not looking at an eternity in gloom and doom like I was.
I'm off to make a skeleton grocery list so I can try and plan out how best to use the money we've got!

I'm glad finances are looking better!

Our neighbors set off fireworks until well past midnight last night. I added it to another reason why I kind of hate them, since it kept me and the kids up to have fireworks going off right outside our window. I probably would have called the cops if I thought the cops would do anything other than roll their eyes, since fireworks are illegal in this state.

Originally Posted by mary3mama 

Oh, I totally agree. I wouldn't go back to any previous age. Especially childhood. Ever.

At 47 I am getting more and more comfortable and at-peace with myself.

 

I hope I get to this point. I still really struggle with my desire to please other people, including my parents.

Originally Posted by Mommy2Austin 

Maiasaura- Thanks for the info! When I had looked up the calendar I got all excited because my birthday was a holiday lol August 1, 1986. I turn 26 this year.
Having a frustrating morning and a lot of conflicting emotions. Its going to be a blah day.

I hope your day improves. I turn 26 this year, too. I don't like getting older, mostly. When I was younger and hadn't really figured things out, I just felt like I have time. Now I just feel incompetent.

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

Today I am making chicken, maybe making a room-deodorizer spray for the bathroom (I think I have all the ingredients-- I know I have essential oils), going to my meeting, and ds has martial arts later. Oh, and finish watching The Patriot.

If the spray works, let me know the recipe. Our toilet has a bad seal, and it makes the bathroom smell, but our slumlord won't fix it, and our lease is up at the end of this month (trying to ignore the panic I feel about not knowing what we'll do then), so we don't want to fix it either. Still, I wouldn't mind the smell being gone while we live here.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by revolting I got my ears pierced with a gun as a kid - and they got horribly infected.

I don't have the CD but I've been thinking about buying it for years. The thing is that there's really only a little bit of Pagan music I actually like.

I'd love to go to PSG some year, but it's so pricey. Did you go with your son? I think maybe when I don't have a child under three I might go.

I got my ears pierced with a gun, too, when I was 13-- and they didn't get infected, but I cried, and I felt like an idiot because right before my turn, this little 7 or 8yo skipped out all happy. I felt like a baby!

The CD is pretty good. I don't know lots of Pagan music either, unless it's floaty and Goddessy (like On Wings Of Song), but this one isn't cheesy or over-the-top kid yuck. I hate kid music, as a rule. I would equate this one with the kinds of things they play for Music Together classes. Not adult-obnoxious.

I don't think PSG is pricey at ALL, for what you get. I mean-- you have to buy food for the week anyway, whether you're camping or staying home. It's under $200 for a whole week of music, 300 workshops, rituals, community-- can't beat it with a stick, I think. The only extra money you'd spend on top of that is for gas and for vendors, if you want to buy stuff. I mean-- if you compare it to a cruise, or Jamaica, or anything with a hotel or whatever-- it's not expensive at all.

Yep, my son goes. His first was in utero, and every year thereafter was almost on his half birthday. His 2nd was at 4.5 months old, his 3rd was at almost 1-1/2 years old, and so on. Our last was in 2009.

They have an excellent kid area. You'd also have to remember that whatever you do, wherever you go, whether PSG or anywhere, you have to modify and not have high expectations, with a kid. You know this, mama

If kid cries, you might have to leave the workshop and go back to the tent while she naps. I didn't get to do much at all when mine was little, but that's to be expected, and as long as I had ONE ritual and ONE workshop that I could go to, I was good. As he got older, I could do more things

Now that he's older-older, though, I don't want to take him at all unless he can get his behavior under control. Even on meds, he's a huge handful, and since that asshat called DSS on us in '09, I am nervous to go. Even though there are 899 other people there, I don't trust that idjit and I don't trust ds

Off to shower! Gotta get my day going!

[revolting]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura 

I don't think PSG is pricey at ALL, for what you get. I mean-- you have to buy food for the week anyway, whether you're camping or staying home. It's under $200 for a whole week of music, 300 workshops, rituals, community-- can't beat it with a stick, I think. The only extra money you'd spend on top of that is for gas and for vendors, if you want to buy stuff. I mean-- if you compare it to a cruise, or Jamaica, or anything with a hotel or whatever-- it's not expensive at all.

Now that he's older-older, though, I don't want to take him at all unless he can get his behavior under control. Even on meds, he's a huge handful, and since that asshat called DSS on us in '09, I am nervous to go. Even though there are 899 other people there, I don't trust that idjit and I don't trust ds

Off to shower! Gotta get my day going!

I don't mean it's overpriced. I've never paid for a cruise or a trip involving air fare, or a stay at a hotel. We've done some camping and last year we did a regional burn which was *the* most expensive trip I've paid for, and we paid less than $100 for both adults to go for four days. It's just way more expensive than anything we've done, and by the next PSG comes around, I'll have three kids, so I'm pretty sure there's no way I could handle it alone, which makes the trip pretty expensive - way more expensive than anything we've done.

What is DSS?

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by revolting I don't mean it's overpriced. I've never paid for a cruise or a trip involving air fare, or a stay at a hotel. We've done some camping and last year we did a regional burn which was *the* most expensive trip I've paid for, and we paid less than $100 for both adults to go for four days. It's just way more expensive than anything we've done, and by the next PSG comes around, I'll have three kids, so I'm pretty sure there's no way I could handle it alone, which makes the trip pretty expensive - way more expensive than anything we've done.

What is DSS?

Oh, pricey for YOU-- that makes so much more sense! Yeah, it is; we don't ever go anywhere either, but when we did go, for me, that was worth it. Lots cheaper than Ireland, which is where I really want to go!

DSS= Department of Social Services. They cover all sorts of stuff, including Medicaid, but in this case I meant what most people refer to as Child Protective Services.

Two of the people I was camping with (met online on a PSG private site and all agreed to have a "family camp" together) decided they didn't like my parenting-- which, that week, included majorly bad behavior from my ds and huge frustration for me and a couple bouts of spanking, and called social services on me. AFTER the event. On the way home from the event. They said I was an abusive parent

Did anyone say anything to me AT the event? Nope. They said they tried, but the one guy was a huge bully-- you would never have known he was concerned. It came off as "you don't parent like me, therefore you're doing it wrong". And the other person at one point expressed concern, but not enough to raise my red flags that authorities might be called. And to top it all off, both these families had been "under the gun" of DSS in the prior year. And for the one family I was a major source of online support. Gah.

So anyway-- leaves me especially skittish anymore. Especially since, since then, ds's behavior is really erratic. He's older now, and can't be in the childcare area. He refuses to have anything to do with the "tween" area, and isn't old enough for the teen area.

He wants to be a free agent, but I can't trust his behavior. He's in puberty and has NO discretion with what he utters. At the campout this past weekend, he was quoting some lyrics that included "I've got passion in my pants"-- and when I yelled at him, shocked, he was like wide-eyed "what?" and even later, when we had the discussion about that, and I asked him what he thought that meant, and he concluded "erection"-- he still didn't get why it wasn't OK to utter that out loud!

So yeah-- I'm (hopefully understandably) nervous about going there ever again. I want to. I miss it terribly. And even though Selena (Fox, the founder of PSG) and Sharon (Moonfeather, the organizer) and everybody "up top" knows about this because I wrote an extensive letter about it afterwards, I'm still skittish.

[revolting]

Popping in to share this poem:

Catechism for a Witch’s Child

~ J.L. Stanley

When they ask to see your gods
your book of prayers
show them lines
drawn delicately with veins
on the underside of a bird’s wing
tell them you believe
in giant sycamores mottled
and stark against a winter sky
and in nights so frozen
stars crack open spilling
streams of molten ice to earth
and tell them how you drink
a holy wine of honeysuckle
on a warm spring day
and of the softness
of your mother who never taught you
death was life’s reward
but who believed in the earth
and the sun
and a million, million light years
of being.

[Maiasaura]

That's awesome, revolting!

M has been sober since last week. Really trying, but fighting it with white knuckles, sometimes, poor guy

I am basking in A/C for the remainder of the summer, if I can help it. I'm done with hot. Though I know it is the beginning of the dark half of the year, which is what keeps me going through the dog days.

Think I will take ds to the only "beach" we have around here, tomorrow-- a small natural lake in the middle of national forest. If we get there early, we can get some swim time in before the crowds show up.

[vydalea]

Valerie: How did ear piercing go?  I had all my piercings in my ears with a gun and would probably rather had the last 2 (in the cartlidge) done by a piercer but what did I know.  I got the last 2 done in college and don't wear them anymore.  I barely wear earrings at all, really.  

I agree with the conversation having to do with age (i'm feeling too lazy to use quote boxes this afternoon)... Everyday I get better at just accepting who I am and being me.  i like me!  I also don't mind getting older - I feel so blessed that I'm here to get older!  

Patriotism: I am 100% patriotic - that's why I stand up for the things that I think are going wrong and cheer for the things that I feel are going right.  I'm pretty much a lefty in general.  I love the song "this land is your land" for the same reasons.  I don't think that every thing our country does is perfect but I am happy to live here and have the option to dissent like you said, revolting. I cry every time I hear the national anthem.  I grew up in a very patriotic family.  When I was asked to go home and find out what our ethnic heritage was my parents told me "AMERICAN!" haha.  No wonder my 3rd grade teacher looked at me when I was crazy when I raised my hand when she asked if anyone in the class was Native American.  I look back at that and laugh thinking of me little blondie, blue eyes, pale skin girl.  Obviously, I had no idea what she actually meant.

revolting: I love that poem.  Thank you so much.  It's definitely one to print out and hang on my fridge.  Beautiful.  I hope that you come to the best conclusion for you with the property.  It sounds tremendous (minus the worries).  

Maia: yay to M for a week of sobriety!  One foot in front of the other!  

I've been weeding my garden today in between rainstorms.  I love feeling mud on my toes and on my hands.  My DH and DD went to a birthday party this morning.  I wasn't able to go since I was diagnosed with hand foot mouth disease yesterday.  WTF?!  I think I picked it up at the local kid hands on museum.  The worst part about this is that I'm not supposed to kiss my baby!!  Aaahh!  It's transmitted through saliva.  Anyway, I'm totally sad about having it.  It could be worse, I'm not pooping my brains out or anything but I hate feeling like I have to keep away from people.  On the bright side, while DH and DD were out I got lots of random house stuff done and I was so bothered yesterday that I contracted it that I cleaned the hell out of my entire first floor.  I mean I moved furniture to vacuum beneath and switched out toys, cleaned THE CEILING FAN (been meaning to do that since we bought the place!)...the whole 9.  Productive pity party, I suppose.

Does anyone here have a bike that they travel around town on?  I'm thinking of getting one and wondering what you mamas think or if you have any experience with them.  They have the kid carrier for the front of the bike now and I think DD would love it.  

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by vydalea Maia: yay to M for a week of sobriety!  One foot in front of the other!  

I wasn't able to go since I was diagnosed with hand foot mouth disease yesterday.  WTF?!  I think I picked it up at the local kid hands on museum. 

Oh, vydalea... You poor thing! When can you touch people? You can touch your family, just not kiss them, right? Man...that would so stink if I couldn't slobber all over my boy.

M says thank you very much I am proud of him. He really tried hard. He's not reading the stuff or anything, just white knuckling it, poor thing, but whatever works for the moment. Maybe one day he'll hurt hard enough to want to do it the AA way, but I have to really try to keep my mouth shut about that, and be a living example.

We were going to go to the lake today, then ds said he'd rather the pool because they have diving boards, and then we ended up slacking around the air conditioned house all day. I didn't even go outside. I think that's what my life will look like for the next 8 weeks or so

Unless we move. I really, REALLY want to be moving. Please send vibes for people to look at this house! Can't sell it w/o people looking