avoiding termites

[jay]

I feel like my teenaged son, in one sense... it is raining outside and there's not much to do. "I'm borrred!" (golden stapler) "Watch out for termites, then!" Boredom... I wonder myself why I took vacation time this week. Yesterday I spent the afternoon working at home... on a long-overdue impact crater journal article, while patgreene took the kids out. At least Pat and I joined a group for a birthday dinner for p3aches last night -- then went home and fell asleep watching PBS documentaries.

No plans for this week, at least not until NYE. I'd hoped to be more social, or seeing friends, or taking the kids skating... and working on home improvement, but I can't sand and stain outside when it is raining. I'm having less contact with friends and partners this past week than I normally would -- let alone having more time. People seem busy, off doing their own holiday activities... at home my kids keep playing their new video games, so the noise and visual distraction there flushes me out of the main living/dining area. My refuge is my tiny bedroom in the garage, which is unheated but at least no one's loudly zapping ogres or dodging banana peels.

Retail therapy... browsing stuff on eBay... I lost an auction for a pair of Raiders tickets for next weekend (I'd have given them to Pat, to invite someone else, anyway) but won auctions for a half-dozen salvia (ornamental sage) plants. The ones we already have along the front walk are practically the only landscaping there that hasn't withered. Not that I can plant anything in this weather...

Comments

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

what happened to your plans for tonight and for Wednesday night?

(and if it helps any, I feel like I'm the only one at work this week, so there are very few people to keep me entertained on LJ or email).

and you should have already gotten email from me with some suggestions.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Tonight? Couples therapy appt. at 9pm, still. Pat may go to her covenant group beforehand...

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

at home my kids keep playing their new video games, so the noise and visual distraction there flushes me out of the main living/dining area. My refuge is my tiny bedroom in the garage, which is unheated but at least no one's loudly zapping ogres or dodging banana peels.

Please take this with all the good intentions and warm smiles it is accompanied with.....You're the Dad. Turn off their games. Shut down the TV. Take out a board game. Is there some "wood" project that doesn't involve staining that you can get them involved in? Is there some way you can make a vacation day at home with your kids *with your kids*? I'd be doing the same if my middle wasn't doesn't down with the flu.

Just a suggestion.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

The games and TV were turned off awhile ago, they're now reading and playing with Bionicles (except for James, who has disappeared). James or David could probably run an orbital sander, but our small house means that the cabinet refinishing all has to be done on the patio or driveway. And I don't want their assistance in doing the electrical re-wiring (wry grin). If the rain holds off, Pat called the local skating rink and they're open from 3-5pm today... it's an outdoors rink, so rain matters there.

[vokzal.livejournal.com]

Play a family game or two. Ok, which might be hard, given the highly differing age groups.

I suggest Apples to Apples as your best bet. There's a junior edition with easier words.

They can always play their video games later. Having you there is a treat. And then maybe later when they are adults and back visiting they will all clammer for "family game, family game!"