Archive for February, 2014

ASL Music Video “We’re Going to be Friends”

It has been awhile since I’ve used any ASL. In the past, I worked with autistic nonverbal children that communicated through ASL as well as brain-damaged children unable to speak. With the help of a book, various videos, and the children themselves, I picked up a little ASL. We used other communication devices as well, such as books with simple signs and pictures of what they wanted.

When I was transferred to a school with older students, sign language was not used. Instead, they were using Ipads with various phrases programmed in for the children to use, for the thought was what good is sign language if nobody else can understand it? I understand this, really, for police aren’t exactly sensitive about deaf people. If they give an order and you do not comply instantly, you could be shot or tazed or thrown to the ground and your voice handcuffed behind your back. OTOH, walking around brandishing an Ipad while nonverbal can be very dangerous for the students.

As a result of not using sign language for three years, I’ve lost a lot of my signs. *sigh* My granddaughter is very hard of hearing, but she is not taking sign language classes. Swampman is very very hard of hearing, but refuses to learn the signs. Heh. He gets some very rude things signed at him occasionally. Perhaps he should learn.

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Typical Democrat Bullshit on the Military As Per Usual

Tommy

I went into a public-‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-‘alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;
But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.

Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.

We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.

You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot;
An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
An’ Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool — you bet that Tommy sees!

I would like to know how much civil service salaries and bennies, including retirement and health care, are being slashed, and how many of their jobs are being eliminated. Federal government retirement and health benefits (and I’m looking at the Congressmen, Senators, and Presidents) need to be eliminated entirely. Most of the Federal government should be shut down. HHS, IRS, DoE, EPA, DoJ…all of these agencies are being used as political tools against the populace instead of helping citizens and improving services on behalf of their constitutents.

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And Six Weeks Is the Charm

Well, as of today, SwampMan is actually seven weeks out from right total knee replacement, but he went in for his six week checkup last week and was doing great. He pulled his knee up without assistance into 122 degrees of flexion.

He did great in his first outpatient physical therapy session last week, too. Our inpatient physical therapy was discontinued at three weeks, and it took that long for the swamped insurance company to give the okay to the doctor’s office to pass on to physical therapy so that SwampMan could begin. They told him that many people did not have the knee flexibility that he did now EVER. What can I say. I made sure that he did his exercises which he does not want to do.

“When’s dinner?”

“Right after your exercises.”

“Has anybody told you you’re a real bitch today?”

“No, not yet.”

“Just checking.”

Last week, though, I caught a norovirus that had me at a temperature of 102 degrees, and five straight hours of diarrhea/vomiting, which was much my reaction after the state of the union address. After that, I didn’t eat or drink anything for 24 hours, then cautiously had some liquid and an apple the next day. I spent a lot of time tossing and turning in uneasy sleep with my joints feeling like they were on fire. I still hadn’t caught up with all my chores neglected during SwampMan’s recovery, and now I’m even further behind! I suppose my stressed-out body just needed some rest, and it certainly got it.

AAAAACK! I just realized I have only FOUR WEEKS to get everything caught up/ahead before Swampman is in the hospital for his next TKR, and as soon as he recovers from that, the Swamp Grandkids will be here while Mommy is in the hospital with new baby!

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New Granddaughter Under Construction

Jenny and New Granddaughter

Here is the new granddaughter a little more than halfway through construction. This will be granddaughter number three for me, daughter number two for daughter and son in law. They will have two sons and two daughters plus another daughter from son-in-law’s first marriage. After this, daughter is planning to permanently exit the childbearing business.

“But wait!” says MeeMaw. “I only have two grandsons to three granddaughters. I need another grandson to make things even!”

“You better talk to your son then!” says daughter.

I dunno what’s up with the alien-looking fingers clutching the camera. Last time I looked, her arm was completely normal.

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“I Not a Baby Anymore!”

zoe's 3rd birthdayZoe  I Not a Baby Anymore Zoe went to Mommy the day before her third birthday, and declared “Mommy, I NOT a baby anymore!”

“Well”, said Mommy. “What are you now?” expecting maybe she was going to be a puppy, or a kitty, or some imaginary creature.

“I a KID now!” declared Zoe triumphantly.

And so she is. Happy third birthday, little Zoe!

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