On the verge...

It's strange, but lately, I feel like I really on the verge of something -- again. But I don't know what.

The kids are now 13 and becoming teenagers. They're not my little buddies anymore. Well, to be honest, The Girl never really has been -- autism has a way of making that sketchy at best. The Boy is becoming a teenager, sleeping all the time, getting almost as tall as I am, getting a fashion sense. In ways, though, he's still socially a ten-year-old. Asperger's has a way of making that sketchy at best.

Either way, I'm getting lonely again. No buddies here anymore. And I really can't afford to be The Boy's buddy anymore anyway. He has to stand on his own, order his own fast food, learn to talk on the phone, that sort of thing. Time to toughen him up a bit, I think. He's not a baby anymore. Note to self: stop asking if he has to go pee before we leave the house. ;)

On a brighter note, my sister may be moving down, at least part time. Seems that all those years in Our Nation's Service has paid off handsomely for her and her husband. She's retired on 30% pay, and he's retired at 50% pay -- they're making more than The Husband does, just on retirement money. Note to self: don't tell husband. Anyway, they're both telecommuting for some contractor right now, doing technical writing I think, and they're feeling exceptionally rich. So rich, in fact, that they're buying a house here that's selling for $50K more than ours. Mixed emotions.

Yeah. The Sister's kids are all grown and flown mostly. The Niece is 25 and finally in college. The Nephew has recently joined the same branch of Our Nation's Service that his parents did. (I think he wants to clean guns for a living. Hoo-kay.) Anyway, they're just waiting for the last dog to die, and they're free.

I'll never be free. Ever. Autism has a way of making that sketchy at best. But if I can avoid trying to suck the life out of my sister, maybe I'll have a buddy here. My girlfriends that just "pop out to the movies" don't understand. I'll never be free until I put The Girl in assisted living. And maybe The Boy, too if I don't get on the stick. Too scary to think about.

But the back-to-school shopping is finished. (Hey, homeschoolers need a good deal on shorts, too!) The curriculum is all ordered -- Calvert, and Life of Fred for The Boy, and Paths of Exploration, Science Odyssey, Math-U-See for the Girl.

I've spend the last year trying to jump-start The Girl's reading comprehension, but it hasn't clicked yet. We read, ask, re-tell, imagine, rinse, and repeat. But still no huge improvement. Still waiting. But while I'm waiting, we're going to go ahead and learn something. Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

So. Eighth grade, eh? Yup. Buckle up.