I'm Back......but only until Friday!

YIKES!!!

Yes you read that right. My last regatta of the season is this coming weekend. Out of town. TWO weekends in a row! How often does that happen?  While some might be thinking "What's the big deal?!?" and some might be thinking "You get to go away ALONE!!!"...it is true that at 19, Riley is better able to cope with me being away. Yet there still is a certain amount of ummm stress for the three of us.

For Riley the processing of information starts as soon as he finds out I am going away. This involves updating his visual schedule and talking himself through it.

Last week R updated his schedule because I was stalling before I was able to.

For G it is having to listen to R recite the same script over and over and over for the entire time I am away while at the same time trying to convince R that I have not indeed died. Oish.

For me there is that fine line of when to tell him. “You will be gone. You are not coming back.”  It is so hard for me to hear every…single…time R sees me before I leave. Do I feel guilty leaving R at home with G?? Hell no! It just drives me bat sh*t crazy!!!   :)

One thing that has worked so well with Riley has been his visual schedule. If it is on the schedule...it is concrete for him and therefore will be happening. He can see what/when and for how long the activity/event will occur and/or whether it is a desirable one (therefore can stay up on his schedule) or well ummmm...not (will be removed ASAP - see photo below). 

R removed all evidence that I was ever away (with the exception of McD's).

My only saving grace is that after this weekend, the next time "we" put up going away on R's schedule it will be for a family trip. While R keeps asking/hoping to be going on "the big airplane"...it will unfortunately be a "long drive" (13 hours) kind of vacation. A VERY loooong drive indeed. Not sure who is more disappointed about the long drive...me or R?!?  

Although G, R and I all survived the weekend my one and only live plant...well let's just say has seen better days.

Gee...it actually looks rather healthy this picture.  :)  

  Have yourself a great weekend!!!

I'm Leaving......for the weekend!

This morning when I came downstairs I noticed this...

Riley obviously was tired of waiting for me to update his visual schedule. Was I stalling?  Hell yes!!!

While it has not always been this easy to slip away…looks like I am good to go this time. Of course I will be surprising him with McDonald's when I come home.  :)

See you next week!

Random Thoughts...

Not sure whether it’s just the time of year when there are lots of things going on but lately I have been asking myself a lot of questions of no particular importance or relevance.  Then I had an epiphany...what better way to get some answers than through my blog. 


Random Thought #1:  “Why do they have to put green flecks in seasoning packets?”

Has anybody else wondered why there are “green” flecks in seasoning packets?  In particular instant noodles (chicken-flavoured), chicken noodle soup or even chicken bouillon.  I’m sure it happens in beef or veggie flavoured items as well but those are of no concern to me as I don’t buy those flavours.  R only eats chicken flavoured things.  


Why green???  I don’t recall seeing anything green on chickens…at least not on the outside.  Is it supposed to be some type of dark green veggie substitute?  If so…how many green flecks make up 1 serving of vegetables???  Why are the green flecks all different sizes?  I mean why not make them all the same size…uh that would be large as in large enough so you can pick them out easily; large enough so they don’t slip through the sieve you use to catch those little suckers before they appear in R’s bowl.  Lastly…why not make them a less obvious colour?  I’m pretty sure it’s not a “natural” green seasoning. 


Thought…comments…anyone???  D

"Something Different!!!"

I’ve been a little preoccupied this past week with a “paying” job!  Sure cuts into my “me” time.  Tee hee.  Anyways, I’m sure you were curious to see what was going to be different this week.  Perhaps some type of interactive game?  3D movie?? or even better…a “different” look???  So as not to disappoint, I went with the “different” look!!!

Why the big to-do about “something different”?  Well when R was younger, anything “new and different” in Riley World was usually cause for a valium and magnum of wine in my world.  While most kids love getting new things and being surprised at birthdays, Christmas or any other special occasion…Riley…not so much.  So I’m sure you can imagine just how excited he would be when a “surprise” fire drill would happen at school.  Not a pretty sight. 

One of the many strategies FG introduced us to was a visual schedule using PCS (Picture Communication Symbols – an example being the picture in the previous post).  This worked particularly well with R.  He’s had a visual schedule at home since early elementary school and it still has its place on our fridge.  He has innate hearing for ripping Velcro and will drop everything and come running from anywhere in the house.  Heaven forbid you try and change it without him knowing and one of the reasons no one in our house wears any type of Velcro shoes. 

As R’s gotten older and has experienced more “new and different” things, his ability to cope with “something different” has increased considerably.  Preparation is key even though, as with anything, things can go sideways at the most unexpected time only thankfully now...not nearly as often. 

Something to think about…D

Watch for Something DIFFERENT this Week!