The weather has been warm and sunny, except for today which is cold and rainy.  Jack and I took Heidi for a walk at the dog park on Friday.  Like most boys it seems, Jack found a stick, and had to throw it, or whack it against a tree.  It was hot enough that he had to take off his shirt and wanted me to carry it.  I told him that he could figure out how to carry his shirt, and he did.

We spent a lot of time outside on Friday, he was playing in the back yard, moving wood (for his treehouse) and just generally enjoying being outside.  By bath time he was exhausted and grumpy (6pm, not late).  He got in the tub, I washed him quickly and pulled the plug.  He wanted the plug back because he wanted a longer bath.  I said, you're tired.  How about you get out and get ready for bed.  NO!  So I gave him back the plug and told him he could decide.  He sat there with the plug in his hand, crying, I can't decide.  He got out of the tub after that, dried off, pyjamas on, and into bed pretty quickly.  Like most people, myself included, he has a hard time dealing with life when he's tired.  I'm trying to teach him how to notice when he's tired, or hungry, or overstimulated, and how that makes him feel.  Trying to teach myself that too:)

 

This is the back northeast corner of our garden.  The previous owner built up some planting beds against the fence, but didn't protect the fence.  Over the years the fence has rotted.  There was probably about two feet of dirt piled up against the fence.  This is the same corner where we removed most of the chokecherry tree, infected with black knot fungus.  I dug down two feet and then built a retaining wall on our side of the fence.  When it comes time to replace the fence, the retaining wall will protect the new fence from the dirt.

The retaining wall is a foot high, built of pressure treated wood, to resist rot.  Holding the wood together are eight inch nails which look really cool and take awhile to pound in.  A very satisfying project and now I get to do it two more times, because the fence is rotting in the other corner and along one of side fences which Charlie would throw himself against when we first got him. 

It's quiet in the house this morning, Jack is at his mother's.  I miss him when he's gone but it's a lovely little respite too.  Like so many things, it is bittersweet.  I get to recharge my batteries, but Jack gets dysregulated. Sigh.  And like so much of life, there are no easy answers.  

Jack sees the pediatrician this coming Friday and I will ask about putting him on medication for his ADHD.  He's very distruptive at school and basically pisses off most of his classmates.  He doesn't know how to make friends because his social skills are lagging, and this hurts his feelings, which means he acts out even more.  A vicious circle.  Slowing him down and helping his focus might help.  I know the medication helped his father at school.

And me, I'm happy I can get back out into my garden.  The grass is greening up, the trees are ready to bud out, and my zinnias are doing well on my kitchen counter.  One of the zinnias is blooming already.

I realized last night that I don't miss work anymore, and I'm thankful for that.  I'm settling into retirement and enjoying it.  Of course, spring and summer just make life easier for everything, but I am thankful I have time now to get at big jobs in my garden, like the retaining wall.  I also enlarged one of my borders which I've wanted to do for a while.  I have some shrubs that need digging up, which always makes me sad, but they should never have been planted where they were.  

My husband is off for ten days and he's more relaxed now too which is good to see.  He can nap when he needs it and he's planning on replacing our old shed, and building a treehouse for Jack (a very simple treehouse, more of a platform I'm guessing).  Jack's terribly excited about it.

What Jack expects.

Versus reality.

Regardless, it will be cool.