Wednesday letters

[rere]

Dear Board,

Thank you for the generous raise!!!! With the raises of the last few years, you are making it increasingly more enticing to stay several more years. If I can just get in the mindset of do the job, get my money, and ignore the other shenanigans around here.

Signed, grateful, long term employee.


Dear Dd,

Happy birthday! I'm sorry you have to work. No you're not old, or almost 30 (she's 19). Let's pick you up a pizza tonight, eat ice cream cake I made and watch a movie like you want. I also spent $$$ at a local boutique, so if you hate it, go tomorrow and return it to get what you want. And I think you are getting 5 sweatshirts that you asked for from dad, because he keeps ordering and shipping gets delayed, so he went out and bought 2.

Love mom.

[186momx]

Dear DD
I'm so sorry you had an allergy reaction to something and puked at the gym. I picked you up 30 minutes after practice and you were covered in hives. After Benadryl, a cold shower and 90 minutes you were back to normal and asking for dinner.
Mom who can't figure this out

Dear Doctor
Next week you are going to listen to us about these reactions and get us a referral for allergy testing. Viruses don't magically go away in less than 2 hours. This is the 3rd time it has happened over the last year.
Momma Bear

[k3am]

Dear work,

It has been 17 days. Nearly 3 full work weeks. WTAF. I wish you'd given even half the consideration to shit-canning my division that you're claiming to be giving to this offer letter.

Signed,
Frustrated.

[sdlaura]

k3am do they still expect you to do the old job day to day? Going in on normal days and stuff? That’s so frustrating.

[k3am]

sdlaura, YEP. And now they're freaking out because they didn't think through any of the logistics of what our division being dissolved will look like and how they manage our clients going forward. It's been fun.

I have a meeting at 1:30 and should know more. Supposedly. Just like last week?

[dglvrk2]

Dear middle school teachers and school leaders at DD1 's school,

Why is the last day of school always such a complete free for all sh#$ show? Your no cell phone rule is out the window. DD1 has texted me several times this morning complaining about being bored and that teachers are just letting kids do whatever today. I know it's like June 357th and we have a very late end of the school year. May I remind you that you negotiated a mid winter break in place of finishing earlier, so....just why do you tolerate such chaos as middle schoolers with nothing to do?

Frustrated moma and perplexed former teacher

[mae0111]

Dear WP -

Life is really crazy. My BIL woke up today and didn't feel well, so my sister took him to the urgent care where she works.

Now he's in the hospital getting prepped for brain surgery tomorrow morning. I have no other information.

I've known him for over 30 years. He's been my BIL for 25 years. I am trying to see if I can get a hotel room tonight so that I can sit with my sister tomorrow. I won't be able to get to the hospital because of the stupid Celtics championship parade in the city tomorrow, so if I go, I need to go tonight.

For anyone that has gone through something like this with a close family member, what was helpful? I offered to book a hotel room for my sister, but she wants to sleep in his room with BIL tonight. I offered to bring a bag and she refused. Should I get a hotel room near the hospital for a few days? Their house is about 90 from the hospital, and tomorrow she is locked in there... I would assume she'd like a shower or something...

If you pray, kindly think of BIL if you could. He's a special guy.

Mae

[k3am]

mae0111 , we have gone through two brain surgeries, but neither on an emergency basis.

I didn't want to talk to ANYONE in person, let alone think about them or logistics, until I knew DD was out of the woods. Don't take her response personally. (I don't think that you are)

If she needs anything and reaches out, you can get it delivered to the hospital for her - long charging cables, dinner, boba tea, whatever either of them want/need. I really liked getting random deliveries of stuff for DD once we were in the recovery stage - I could send a quick thank you text and didn't need to socialize with the gift giver.

Our hospital had options for us to stay at their version of the McDonald house - it was basically a super plush HUGE home, you can stay over night, use it for day use, do laundry, shower, stop by just for dinner, etc... and still be walking distance from your loved one. I'd imagine most places have something similar. Can you look into this for her? Perhaps make a donation to cover the cost of a couple nights stay whether or not she ends up using it?

I'm hoping BIL's surgeon is as awesome as DD's were and that he has as smooth a recovery as possible.

[mae0111]

k3am, thank you. Yes, definitely not taking it personally. I don't think she would ask me for anything, so I'm trying to be proactive.

I did look into the hospital-related lodging. A friend of mine was in long-term housing there last year when her twins were born at 22.5 weeks at the same hospital. They are booked until Saturday. But there are other hotels about .5 miles away. She already refused that.

I don't know that she would want anyone with her. I wouldn't. But if something goes south I don't want her to be alone.

[waverly]

Dear Girl Scout camp,

I'm glad that you were better than last year, and that the counselors were nicer. This is all volunteers and the counselors are upper middle school and high schoolers. She had a fun field trip and ice cream. She stayed late for swimming and somehow got burned at 3 pm, maybe the ozone was different that day because usually by 3 pm it isn't usually a problem. It wasn't a large patch just where she forgot sunscreen, not that she will admit it.

I'm sad that Girl Scouts is over with. No more activities, meetings and camp. I am happy that there is less stuff to do and manage and to not have to sell fall products and Girl Scout cookies, but it is the end of a 6 year era. I have one last thing to do which is get the leaders gift card and thank you notes.

Girl Scout Mom signing off

[k3am]

I waited 17 days for them to give me an offer that expires in 5. Le sigh.

[mae0111]

k3am - was it at least an offer worth considering?

[k3am]

Jun 20, 2024 16:19:19 GMT -5 mae0111 said:

k3am - was it at least an offer worth considering?

Yes? Ish. Base salary is fine. Bonus structure? I don’t have PHD necessary to figure out. All to decide if I can swallow the distaste over how everything was managed, which honestly, not so sure if I can or want to. I’d have to decide if I’d give up severance for a position that I could just be biding my time at.

[campermom]

Thinking of you k3am. And hoping for positive news mae0111

[dglvrk2]

mae0111, I'm sending your BIL and sister all my well wishes.

Perhaps book a hotel so you're near and can be on call. Your sister may want to be alone with her husband, but you being close just got in case something happens seems like the best option.

Do the have any kids? Will they need help with child care?

When your BIL comes out of surgery -if it's anything like my sister's two brain surgeries - he will need a very quiet environment for the first days to week. Very little conversation and other forms of stimulation.

And like k3am said, don't take any declines for help or company personally.

Your BIL and sister have to take things moment by moment right now, so don't be surprised if they cannot this think about anything in advance.

Keep us posted. Hugs!

[mae0111]

dglvrk2 thank you. I just saw him - it seems so crazy. We are piecing things together but it sounds like there was some bad blood work so I don’t know what that means.

Their kids are older - ages 24, 22, 19, and 16. They don’t know anything yet. The 22 year old happens to be visiting for a couple of months between graduation and his job starting so he’s with the 16 year old. They are 5 mins from my parents.

I’m taking nothing personally - it’s certainly not about me. I just want to be ready, available, and helpful when needed. Maybe I will cook something tomorrow and just have it available to the “kids” as needed.

Thank you for the thoughts and advice.

[rere]

Jun 20, 2024 19:37:06 GMT -5 mae0111 said:

dglvrk2 thank you. I just saw him - it seems so crazy. We are piecing things together but it sounds like there was some bad blood work so I don’t know what that means.

Their kids are older - ages 24, 22, 19, and 16. They don’t know anything yet. The 22 year old happens to be visiting for a couple of months between graduation and his job starting so he’s with the 16 year old. They are 5 mins from my parents.

I’m taking nothing personally - it’s certainly not about me. I just want to be ready, available, and helpful when needed. Maybe I will cook something tomorrow and just have it available to the “kids” as needed.

Thank you for the thoughts and advice.

Prayers for your BIL! I know when dad was in the hospital several days out of town, we got a hotel room and it was very helpful to have somewhere close to shower, take a nap, take a break. That particular hotel had a decent restaurant attached where we could grab one decent meal. Maybe a care package of personal items? Because after a while you start to feel gross and want to clean up.

[twinmomma]

mae0111, I'd grab a hotel room close by, knowing how totally insane the city is going to be with the parade and celebrations. It will be nice for them to have a "home base" without dealing with traffic and crazy people. Maybe stock it with some snacks and things so that if your sister runs over there to shower, she can refuel too?

[macmars45]

Jun 19, 2024 13:17:08 GMT -5 186momx said:

Dear Doctor
Next week you are going to listen to us about these reactions and get us a referral for allergy testing. Viruses don't magically go away in less than 2 hours. This is the 3rd time it has happened over the last year.
Momma Bear

I found out the hard way you just have to firmly tell them what you want them to do.