Family Dynamics

Chris is going culinary! Now that Mom and Dad are back in Texas it is up to Chris and Rufus to provide meals. To that effect, this is Chris's chance to exercise his culinary chops. He loves reading cookbooks but up to now has lacked the self-assurance to actually cook without assistance. Last night he made penne pasta with a bell pepper/tomato sauce  and turkey sausage. Yum! It was delicious! And he made grilled asparagus with orange sauce tonight. Double yum! So, my physical limitations have forced Chris into the kitchen. Who knows. We may have the next Master Chef in the kitchen!

DD (Dear Daughter, Cassie) is home tonight. She's been complaining of light-headedness and dizziness lately. When she went into Solantic her BP kept skyrocketing when she sat up (as opposed to laying down). The doctor there wanted her to go to the ER, but Cassie refused. So, she'll be going to her GP tomorrow. Thank God Rufus has FMLA. He will be able to take her during the day. I just hope it isn't anything too serious. One serious illness at a time is more than enough for this family.

Cassie will likely also be moving back home the first of the month. Methinks her primary motivation is that she will have wheels - my wheels - for the price of insurance and gas. Me hopes some of the motivating factors include the stability of home and nearness of her family. Cassie knows her presence in the house will be very helpful. If she lives at home she will be able to take me to appointments, run errands, and the like. DH and I just don't want our relationship with her to degrade to the point it did before she moved out; constant push-back fraught with heated words and a pervading tenseness. In other words, we need for her to understand that we rule the roost and she can go anytime she, or we, please. The hope is that Cassie moves in so she can go to school and get her head on straight surrounded by people who only want her happiness. Yes, she will have to abide by our rules, but is it no different from how she lives now? No transportation, no friends, people only wanting money and a 'party atmosphere'. I am sure she sees it a bit differently, but as I keep reminding her, friends come and go but family is forever. We will always have her back.

Not much more to report tonight. Next appointment is Thursday. What a learning experience!

Signing off...