College Chase

Okay, I thought this blog would wrap after she turned, but I guess it will do so after she leaves for college...and maybe past that.

So far, Jennifer has applied to 10 colleges (including the holy grail, Stanford) and been accepted to four- including PLU, Baylor, Willamette and U of O. Three (PLU, Willamette and Baylor) have offered scholarships. We just finished the FAFSA last night, so we'll see if we get and $$ from that. But we're not holding our breath. Being solidly middle class, we'll probably just be told to take out loans or raid our 401Ks. Neither, BTW, is happening.

But we have hope that the tuition exchange will kick in, And no matter where she ends up, Jennifer will be fine, and on that point, we've already hit the jackpot.

Moping in her room

Sometimes you just need to cry I guess. Jennifer will be 18 this fall, yet today, she crawled on my lap (more like plopped herself) to talk about her day, and then she's back in her room crying just now, because she's stressed ....and started her period. She has our old cat ginger (14 years old) to keep her company. And a kleenex box, and her texting friends to keep her company, so I'll leave her alone for now.

OK, a few more posts, this one about cars

Jennifer wants a car, and she wants it now.

When I gently remind her that she will get a car, and probably grandma's car this month (we've agreed to buy her 1999 accord for $3500) she then sulked about the color. Yes, you'll get it painted, but only after we have a look at the breaks.

And frankly, once she gets a job...she can paint it any color she wants once she gets the money in the bank.

"What, you mean you're not paying for it," she said, truly amazed. Yes, darling, welcome to almost adulthood.

J's 17th today

She's watching Dukes of Hazard of all things, while eating her favorite pancakes that dad made for this big day.

Tonight, it's off to dinner with friends and then bowling. Dad and I are chauffeurs I guess.

Where did all the 17 years go? I'll be posting the final post in this blog tomorrow, as my alien nation girl, isn't so alien anymore.

Mom,where are you right now?

J was up at the house with her b-friend (erstwhile) and wanted a ride down to Kent Station through the rain.

Mom and I had just sat down to lunch (and saw gov. gregoire sitting kitty corner from us). J asked for a snap, but I was afraid of getting tackled by  her security detail.

Anyway, we'd just sat down to lunch and I didn't want to get up (I'd been having work interrupt via my b-berry at 2 min. intervals), and dis my 82 year old mother, who was probably already ticked I'd been taking work calls in the first place.

So, Jennifer, use an umbrella or get wet. but I'm sitting here and eating my soup.

Grandma, step away from the eye candy!

It was one of those moments that I wish I was one of those people that packed a camera everywhere.

Mom (J's grandma) had decided the music was just too loud inside Gilly Hicks, so I walked her through the maze to the outside, where a 18-year-old with six pack abs that was the greeter outside GH today.

Later, mom told me (to the horrified look of her granddaughter, that she'd talked with the "nice young man" and asked him what his job involved (greeting folks, looking hot, was probably the answer), and if he planned to go on to college. (Not sure what he said to that.)

Jennifer was horrified she'd talked to Mr. Eye Candy at all. But what are you going to say to an 82-year-old woman?

The perfect schwinn

The bike was absolutely perfect, red, and a Schwinn. Unfortunately, it was probably somebody else's.

I was starting at the bike, one that I'm sure my daughter would be delighted with, as it was stashed behind a shrub near the Kent Station. It was red, had good tires and was a girl's bike.

Was it dumped there, or had someone stashed it there, hoping someone like me wouldn't take it?

When I first spotted it on Wednesday, I told Jennifer about it. We decided to leave it be until today. Then we'd check back. If it's still there, it's likely it's dumped and we're going to do some picking.