picking up the pieces

[topaz]

Now that Ellen's status seems to have stabilized a little bit I'm looking ahead to figure out how the rest of the summer will work.  We have arranged to move in with my parents for the next several weeks, at least until Ellen is confident of moving around on her own on crutches.  My folks have a part of their house built to be wheelchair-accessible, and at least one of them can be home all day to help.  That's an enormous relief.

Many of you have asked if there is anything you can do to help.  The answer is yes.  We do need help.  Even with my parents' assistance, we're going to need help.  For the last week I have been trying to figure out what I need to ask for.  Here are some of the big things that have come up.

Kids.  School ends for Morgan next Thursday.  We have lined up some summer activities for him -- swimming lessons, theater workshops, a week at camp with his grandparents -- but there are a lot of gaps in between.  We will be welcoming any other parents who would like to get their kids together with Morgan for play dates, as long as you can come over here :-)  (either to pick him up or to play in the yard here).

Even more than Morgan, we need to figure out something to do with Quinn.  I've been wanting to reduce the amount of time he spends in day care, and at the same time increase the amount of sustained physical exercise he gets.  Ideally I'd like to take him out of day care at 2:30 in the afternoon, and have someone take him walking or bike riding for a couple of hours after that.  His grandpa can help with some of that, but it's a lot to ask to expect him to go for a two-hour hike every day.  I'm hoping here that some of our un- or under-employed friends are in a position to be able to help with this.  If anyone were available to take Quinn out even one afternoon a week it would be an enormous help.

Housework.  Cooking, laundry, etc. - all of these are things that we could use help with, of course, but most especially cleaning.  Before we move back in to our own house, it's going to need a serious cleaning.  We have crates and boxes and piles of stuff all over the floors that will need to be organized, triaged, and dealt with somehow.  It's a huge task.  I'm not even sure how to begin looking at this one but I know I'm going to need help with it.

Food.  This is always a popular one, of course.  Anyone who would like to bring by some food is more than welcome to do so.  If we could repay the favor by feeding you dinner, that would be even better.  (My parents have expressed interest in meeting our friends on a more one-to-one basis than our hectic get-togethers usually give them, so this would be good for us and for them.)

I'm welcoming ideas -- things are still massively in flux and I'm not sure how to orchestrate all of the things that need to be done.

Thanks, y'all.

Comments

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

I might be able to help with the housecleaning when the time comes -- please please ask again, since I suspect it would be easy for us to come over some weekend day and take turns holding Natalie / haulin' boxes, and the only question is "which weekend?" since we're out of town some -- but I can DEFINITELY bring over food. What are your food restrictions?

[jacflash.livejournal.com]

It probably goes without saying, but I'll do stuff. I don't know what stuff, yet, but stuff.

[ghislaine.livejournal.com]

So, I'd be willing to put in some hours of housework/organizing. My worry, though, is that people have very different ideas of what should happen to stuff that is in need of organizing.... I'd hate to do something and have ya'll hate it. You know?

[pancua.livejournal.com]

Uhm...ship M & Q to Texas for a couple of months? ;)

Seriously though, I wish I was local so I could help. Know that I am thinking of all of you.

[nitouche.livejournal.com]

Hey there -- can't help too much from here, alas, but I *can* arrange a food delivery; tell me an evening & what manner of food you'd like and I can make it happen.

Or I could arrange for a Molly Maid session, or some equivalent; again, just let me know when.

Umm, something I've been wondering... Is Sappho ok? You mentioned the dog in the back of the police cruiser in the first post, but she hasn't come up since...

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Much-belated reply -- yes, Sappho is fine! She was very anxious that first night, and I think by now she is quite convinced that we have all gone nuts, but otherwise she is handling things quite well. The rehab facility that Ellen is stationed in has a very liberal pets policy and Sappho gets to visit her there quite often.

[mizarchivist]

I would be more than happy to help clean and organize the house when you're ready and I'll sign up for food help, too. I'd recommend reminding us what's on the can't eat list.

[fj.livejournal.com]

I have a trash chute in this building. If I throw in enough styrofoam peanust first, they could have hours of fun.

[blk]

if you ship 'em to pittsburgh, I'll happily watch them. :)

wish I could do more. you're doing a fantastic job.

[mzkero.livejournal.com]

I'm volunteering food, as everyone else has said, what are the restrictions, don't likes, and the likes. Let me know when and where too.

[entrope.livejournal.com]

We can certainly run Quinn ragged from time to time. We have a couple weeks that we'll be gone and Fridays are traditional Sabine picking up days but other than that, we're easy. We're also good for some cleaning and food. Just let us know!

We're also willing to take your dog if you need a break.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Foodstuffs is probably the best I could offer right now. What are your restrictions?

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I can make time to come and hike (or whatever) with Quinn.

Maybe you could post a more specific schedule regarding what days you could use what and then people could grab and commit particular slots?

[points.livejournal.com]

Drop me an email with the addresses, and what is most liked, and what can't be eaten? I'll put some food together, and we can chat later about cleaning/organizing. :)

the best I can do :-)

[dbang.livejournal.com]

I offer to continue to lend my husband for all sorts of care-taking tasks. :-)