Saturday, July 29, 2023

Talk about steamy! The sun is coming out now so it will dry a bit but after several inches of torrential rain yesterday there is water everywhere (and bugs). We already took our morning walk to avoid the worst of the heat (it is 9 now), but the mosquitoes were out full force. Still itching... It was cool seeing the women golfers on the course as there is a Florida Women's Open golf tournament here this weekend: https://veronews.com/2023/07/21/florida-womens-open-senior-o pen-to-be-held-at-grand-harbor-golf-beach-club/#:~:text=VERO %20BEACH%2C%20FL%20-%20The%20Florida,is%20a%20record%2Dbreak ing%20%2465%2C000.

The fish out front are jumping out of the water to eat the bugs like crazy. DS pointed out that that is why the dolphins come: to eat the fish who eat the bugs - the cycle of life.

It is a bit of a challenge finding things in the condo but we are getting there. Justice is settling in and enjoyed finding his stuffed animals and bowls. No barking from the lanai so far and he met a neighbor in the elevator and was friendly. We are going to try to move the couch from a guest room to the living room. We also have the new table and chairs for the lanai to set up.

Time to get motivated. Have a super Saturday!

Steam free here today with a "stout" north wind. Love it! Today's plan is to get the guest room tidied for my cousin and cousin in law. Also need to think about what to make for dinner. Next week is all fish as my cousin in law is a pescatarian (because I love him, it's not nearly as annoying as I find stuff like that normally), so not fish.

Not much else to report...

East Coast is just not getting a break from heat and humidity. We did yesterday, and sounds like Michigan did too. Maybe it will make it's way eastward...

This morning I realized that I am going to Mexico on Wednesday, not Tuesday. Yeah!! Another day to get ready is welcome news.

This morning I weighed what I weighed on June 25, so officially no weight gain from my trip left to deal with! If I can do the same in Mexico, that would be awesome.

I didn't get much done yesterday: tidied the kitchen, did a little weeding in the flower bed. I did indulge in one of my favorite activities: reading a book from cover to cover.

Today's plan: meet with some friends for an early dinner at a restaurant with a smoking patio. Guys want to have a cigar.

My dad got the all clear from the orthopedic surgeon yesterday. NO SURGERY!!!!! His fracture is healed, the implant has not slipped in the past 5 weeks, so Dad gets to start PT to support him back to bearing full weight on his leg! Whoo hooo! It has been a long 3 months.....

I am going back to his place today to give him a hair cut. He needs one and I pointed out that I cut his hair during the pandemic, so he agreed. Poor guy doesn't remember that I gave him hair cuts, but that's okay. He does know there is a barber shop down the street from his assisted living apartment that he likes. To me that's a positive.

I had a pound bounce up today. I gave the scale the finger! HAHAHA! I know it's water weight from my intense workout yesterday, but it gave me joy to flip off the scale.

Seriously not much on the docket today: a quick puppy evaluation and Pop's haircut. I may see about getting a massage while Ron is doing music at Mass.

Satisfying Saturday, one and all!

Wonderful news about your Dad!

So happy for your Dad (and by extension, You)!!

Excellent news about your Dad!

Okay teachers, I just read this ridiculous article about a kid who's parents were getting vouchers from the state (to the tune of $84k annually) to send their child to private school because of behavioral problems in public school. The diagnoses were ADHD and "Pathological Demand Avoidance". I have never heard of the latter and it sounds like a ludicrous cop out for kids who don't listen to their parents or teachers. Have you heard of this? Must we pathologize and make up diagnoses and excuses for every bad behavior a child engages in?

I think I have Pathological Demand Avoidance as it relates to healthy food choices...

I would have to know more about the child. As an FYI, there are many "levels" to the multifaceted diagnosis of ADD and ADHD. Severe ADHD can include self mutilation, self harm, Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) symptoms, learning disabilities made far more severe by the ADHD. I'm hesitant to make a judgement on this particular case because there is not enough information presented. Also, a child with these types of disabilities would be served (financially) by the district, not the state, and placed in the least restrictive environment in which the child should be able to be successful and learn.

I had a third grade student who was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and had behavioral issues so severe that he was eventually placed in a county school that specialized in educating these difficult types of students. It was a very good placement for him. Back then (probably at least 15 years ago) that school cost the district upwards of $60K per year, plus the district had to provide transportation back and forth from school because the new school was not the neighborhood school.

Does that help?????

It does. The ADHD made sense, but the "pathological demand avoidance" sounded made up (and like every kid I've ever met). Your case sounds more severe than this did. They described his behavior as not doing what he was told and putting his clothes in his mouth, which sounded in range for a 3 year old, but there must be more to it to be expelled (I would hope). He's in a normal private school now. I think this article triggered my feelings on over-diagnosis and pathologizing human behavior to the point where everything is a disorder requiring special handling. Certainly if the child can't function or detracts from the rest of the class it's problematic.