A follow-up!!!

I am so grateful to an old friend who has called my attention to the sweeping generalization I made re: the iPotty and the Apptivity Center. While I still do believe that ensconcing most children in technology before they are even in school inhibits many kinds of development -cognitive, physical and otherwise- I am gratefully humbled by my friend's reminder that for some children, like her daughter with autism, such technology is invaluable. In  her words: "My daughter has autism. She was first diagnosed when she was 2. She is now 8. She also has numerous other delays, including speech delays and a sensory processing disorder, as well as severe ADHD. Also, she does not play with toys and has not (until very recently) ever engaged in "imaginative" play (baby dolls, cars, etc). The only 2 things that have ever held her interest for more than 5 minutes are her 4 wheeler and her ipad. Obviously, it's not possible for her to ride her 4 wheeler around in our house, so the ipad wins. Before she had the ipad, she had every single Leap Frog electronic toy/tablet/etc and 2 Kindle Fires. These electronics have taught her things that her teachers and we, her parents, have not been able to. Specifically regarding speech. Because every time the apps on her ipad say a word, it sounds exactly the same. She can repeat the words over and over until she masters a word, then move on. Also helps with "social stories" - learning to properly interact with people and the world around her. That said, I can certainly see how some of these products would be beneficial. Yes, even babies. Early intervention is very important. We knew something was different about our daughter before she was even a year old. And she wasn't completely potty trained until she was 3 1/2. So, yes, even the potty chair would have been awesome, since part of the reason she wasn't able to potty train successfully was the ADHD, and also autism which causes notorious potty training difficulties! It sometimes took her 30 minutes to "go". And for kids like my daughter, that is a loooong time to sit still. Just my 2 cents!"

Beautifully written and very valuable. Sending thanks to S and to open lines of communication from which we can learn and connect more deeply!

Here's what I think

No-nonsense Dawg here... 1) People need to Get.A.Grip. about the weather. Literally and figuratively (in warmer climes), get a grip. If you have a home, which the people watching the hyperbolic weatherpeople likely do, one day of 3[deg] is not a naked death sentence in the Arctic. Is it cold? Yes it is. But good lord. Fairfax County canceled school today because of cold. COLD! I would like to thank the boys' school for not cancelling school. Keeping recess indoors is definitely reasonable on such a cold day, but to not have school?? What the hell? Get a grip and be thankful you have shelter. Otherwise, go help someone who doesn't. And whatever you do, please don't go all Donald Trump and mock the people who believe in climate change: "global warming?! Hah! What idiots! Who can believe in climate change when it's this cold?" I do admit to being glad I no longer live in Chicago; with all respect Chicagoan pals.

2) I cannot abide by fruit in concert with chocolate, especially raspberry-chocolate anything. Gadzooks! Too sweet; cloying; ick; way to downgrade both the chocolate and the fruit. It's like coconut in granola. Egads!!!

3) I made the ugliest dinner ever on the books, in the world, tonight, and frankly, it wasn't that good either. Cubed eggplant turned into baba ganoush turned into puree turned into burgers with dissonant seasonings turned into some weird frittata atop pita and arugula. If you were blindfolded and fed, it's possible you would think this was average, but to be served and then have to deal with it?? Yikes! Pass.the.wine! And know when to call in a pizza.

4) Who's heard of the iPotty? This is such an abomination of a product. Way to link bathroom time to complete ignorance of your body and its functions. Way to turn all small beings into men whose "constitutionals" are nothing more than ludicrous excuses to read multiple chapters of anything. Do I think I'd kill for a babysitter sometimes? Yes. In those times of need would I instead sit my kids on this? Hell no.

Lovely Monday, awesome soup, back to Downton

Lawd a'mercy was it nice to drop my sweet boys off at school this morning. It is absolutely remarkable how much I can do and how quickly I can get it done when I'm on my own. I took a 45 minute nap! Ran four, count them FOUR, errands! Worked out! Made them a wonderful hot dinner! Built and lit a fire and played Brain Quest in front of it! And so forth. It was all so nice and really, it felt good to get back in the saddle of everyday life. Normalcy is often underrated! Do you know what I will now suggest any parent gift to their children in addition to empty boxes and rolls of tape? A rotary pencil sharpener! You know, the old manual type that you can bolt or suction to a surface. I have had so many crappy electric ones over the years, and while we have many of the small plastic ones that look like a rectangular lip- or eye-liner sharpener, they just don't get the job done like the old-fashioned model. Because my three-hole punch has literally disappeared -odd- we went to Staples after school to get me a new one. While there, I shrugged off pleas to buy enormous fake money, a box of 1,000 paper clips and other random don't-needs, but I did acquiesce when we spied the pencil sharpener. The boys proceeded to over-sharpen every pencil in the house and finally I had an intervention; the sharpener is now in a time out. That said, if you need an inexpensive and (mostly) beneficial/functional tool/toy, consider adding this to your list of ideas.

T returned home just as we were about to start bathtime and took over like a champ so that I could make our dinner. A friend who is neighbors with a master gardener recently shared with me an enormous bushel of fresh sunchokes. I love sunchokes and while I enjoy them in many preparations, the cold front blowing through made soup seem like an awfully comforting meal. So, I made my Leeky Sunchoke Bisque which I loved even more this time than I ever have before. It.is.so.good! You simply must try it next time you come across sunchokes. Gah!! I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow.

Now, I heard that Downton had jumped the shark, but I myself enjoyed most of this newest episode. The sitch with Carson and the other singing Charlie seemed rather preposterous and Edna just blows, but the Dowager was fabulous as ever, and I was happy to be back with the Grantham clan. How does Thomas find the energy to continue being so conniving?