summer

The first unofficial start of summer in my family is Mother's Day, when we celebrate the coming season with a cookout.

The actual unofficial start of summer is Memorial Day weekend, because here in AZ, school (at least my school, and up to this year, my kids' school) conveniently end just before that.

Of course, science-wise, summer doesn't officially start until the summer solstice, which is some 3 weeks away.   My brain seems more atuned to that calendar, because I'm surprisingly not exhausted and ready for long, lazy days.  I have a long list of tasks I'd like to accomplish, both work-related and house-related, and I've been chipping away at it all week.

Which is not say that I'm being super-productive.  Just moderately so, as in, "not completely lazy and doing nothing."  But it doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment to spend hours trying to schedule medical appointments, and still be without any for my long-delayed whole body scan.  I did schedule an ultrasound, though, and I may just skip the WBS for now... again.  It just seems like a lot of money and hassle (Low-iodine diet? No, thanks.) for very little information.

I had my vision field test and eye exam on Tuesday.  My eyesight is holding steady which shocks everyone. There is widespread disbelief that I can function well with the same lowest-level cheaters I've been using for years.  I guess it's unusual.  The VFT, however, showed a gap in my left peripheral vision that I actually noticed during the test.  Directly to the left, there's a blind spot.  Upper left and lower left, I could see all the flashes just fine, and close to the center, no problem. I requested records be sent to both my endo and my head & neck doctor at MDA, so we'll see what they say.  I can't remember the last time they imaged the pituitary, but I do know my pituitary hormones are still behaving themselves.  The doctor is having me repeat the VFT in six months to keep an eye on it, so that's something to look forward to, just before Christmas.

I'm still processing the fact that I have only 2 college students now.  DS1 is home and diligently applying for jobs but he's going to have do something about his inverted sleep schedule!  He's getting lots of interviews and we're all just waiting for something to click.  DS2 is also home, post-high school graduation, and we gave him this week to be lazy, but he'll be looking for a job now, too -- the kind of job you can have and still be a full-time college student.  We'll see how that goes.

DD is spending the summer up in Flagstaff, and is looking for a job up there.  I've seen a bit more of her recently as she's come home for Mother's Day and DS2's graduation.  I've made the drive up to Flagstaff multiple times, too, helping her furnish her new apartment.  I have to say it's much nicer than any of my college apartments ever were, but then, my parents didn't help my furnish mine.  She has great taste and we've been lucky finding her good used furniture at good prices in resale and antique stores.   My mother-in-law (visiting for DS2's graduation) found her an awesome little table and chairs set absolutely buried in stuff at the antiques mall.

I'm sure my restlessness will settle down eventually.  My classroom is in great shape for the fall, I just want to give my desk a good cleaning and a thick coat of wax to spruce it up a bit.  I had the luxury of time to go through all my files and clean out stuff I didn't need, and organize what was left.   I'm working one week in June at a STEM camp at my school, but I'm also seriously thinking of applying at Pearson as a scorer for piece work over the summer, too.  Otherwise I think I might go crazy doing nothing?

Last summer I had to sit around with my foot up because of the broken toe.  I certainly don't want to do the same thing by my own choice this year!