having fun with viruses, free time, & limited funds
So, here we are, nearing the end of the kids’ school holidays. The three older kids seem to have more or less shaken off their colds, but Arden and I are a different matter. Upper respiratory infection, throat infection, and the start of an ear infection – and I will eat my unmated socks if it doesn’t develop into a full-fledged ear infection by tomorrow ! Naturally, the doc says there’s little to do but wait it out. With the uncooperative weather, it’s difficult to find suitable outings … and trying to stay in all day with four kids in varying stages of health is just a recipe for disaster in my humble experience. So today, after a quick visit to the doctor with Arden to confirm my Mom RX, we played the exciting game of Mate the Socks. I’m a little embarassed to post pictures of this, as you’ll see how many unmated socks we have – but please keep in mind that we do have a houseful of strange creatures who believe that socks actually belong inside the couch cushions and in other mysterious locations.
After Mate the Socks, it was time to relax. (That’s really quite a competitive game, and certainly not for the faint-of-heart.) The plan was to head to the cinema downtown and enjoy Madagascar 2, but a check of my bank balance put an end to that idea. With 2 euro to spend, we headed over to the Moroccan grocer (about the only place you can get popcorn that doesn’t require a mircrowave, and which is about a tenth the cost) and then to the library. Nothing beats a half hour or so at the local library. I came home with, among other things, a Stephen King novel (oh-so comforting for this misplaced Mainer). Home again, popcorn was popped and and then we popped more. Hot chocolate was made and happily slurped. We had fun watching our own DVDs on this cold wet day. And I still have 50 cents left!
Phew, another day survived!
Hi! Barbara,
That looks like such a fun game and a good way to get the kiddies involved in some chores, lol.
I love a trip to the library, then come home to a warm cozy home for popcorn, can’t beat that in my book.
Ranae
02.19.09 at 11:46 pm
lirary is one of my very favourite things to do..and it doesn’t cost a cent.I always try to find craft books I can borrow which is good because if not I would be spending a fortune on books.
why is popcorn so expensive? I love popcorn
sue
02.19.09 at 11:48 pm
Sounds like a wonderful afternoon that you spent with your children – the library (one of the best places ever), popcorn, hot chocolate and a DVD.
I hope that Arden and you will be better soon.
Brigitte
02.19.09 at 11:57 pm
Sounds like a perfect day, Barbara!
Leah
02.20.09 at 12:09 am
Oh boy, you’ve sure had your hands full with everyone getting this cold/chest infection. Riley is just in the last few days (hopefully … he’s been really poorly with it) of it and I am just starting with it tonight grrrrr.
Sounds like you made good a day that could have been a nightmare though. Well done. I should take some lessons in how to make a few pence last all day and still have change
)
Little Cat
02.20.09 at 12:24 am
What a nice day you guys had in the end even though everybody is ill. Why did I think you were in Maine? Who knows where I get these weird ideas from – not me that’s for sure. Anyway I do wish you all get better soon and just think just one more day of half-term then the weekend and then most of them are back at school for another 6 weeks or so. Love Patti xxx
Patti
02.20.09 at 12:38 am
OK picture this…….years ago my sis and I stuck in the house with 6 kids for days during March break. Rain, rain, yet more rain. We found a bottle of wine but no cork screw! Do you know that a small crochet hook can get out a cork if you are patient? Remember to use a sieve when pooring the wine into glasses afterward.
Maria S.
02.20.09 at 12:39 am
It sounds like a fun day and I don’t know how you manage that when you are sick. I’ve never been a mother, but I had one and she was just as competent. It’s a mystery to me since when I am sick, I’m just no good to anyone, even myself.
Annie
02.20.09 at 12:56 am
Oh! the lonely socks syndrome that also affects my family. I still don’t understand how we can loose so many and NEVER find EVER
we don’t have a dog who could eat them or a cat so the mystery remains complete. (maybe I should write to Stephen King: he may have an idea … 
)
Weather is not nice here either and we are spending our 2 weeks vacations home (it’s good as I’m not walking very far …
) But tomorrow we meet a friend at our local fast food for lunch (and kids play).
Chiloe
02.20.09 at 1:28 am
I love the “mate the socks” game! Heck if you don’t have an actual match, you can just make a new pair with different colors. You’d probably have another pair just like them somewhere!
Peace,
Terri
Terri (TerriBoog)
02.20.09 at 1:43 am
Being sick and having sick little ones is such a drag!
Love the sock game – very clever
Kim B.
02.20.09 at 2:35 am
I bought nonmicrowave popcorn as a snack that fits our new budget too! It’s the New England sensibility.
Of course I have to use the big pot and do it the old fashioned way. We also had a giant bag of mismatched socks when I was a kid. I don’t understand how so many socks got lost when I was a kid. Maybe just more socks?
Anna
02.20.09 at 3:55 am
Nothing beats a trip to the library! Especially if you come away with a fabulous book. Or three.
Your pile of socks is quite small in comparison to my mountain. I swear they reproduce themselves! I actually now try to just buy white socks for everybody–black for me–and buy multiple packs so that I have a hope of at least matching a few.
Hope you’re all better soon.
Siobhan
02.20.09 at 4:18 am
What a great game with the socks! Highly creative. Libraries are just wonderful things! Hmmm. I’ve never thought of Stephen King as comforting before.
Hope you and Arden feel better soon!
Melissa
02.20.09 at 4:30 am
Just loved your captioned “Mate the Socks”LOL
Do you believed my kids will just wear any socks as long as its the same color? I am buying blacks and whites
only now
Get well soon!
Lillie
02.20.09 at 6:21 am
Hi Barbara,
What a cutie.
Ugh – there’s not much I hate MORE than matching socks! Oh I can’t tell you how much I hate it – well, I gather you know. LOL Cute picture – think I should enlist Ben to sort the socks but then, I tried that once…lol Hey – Arden is sporting some familiar shoes!
FEEL BETTER!!!
Tanya
Tanya
02.20.09 at 7:32 am
Ah…hope the bug gets out of your home soon! Arden is a sweetie-all smiles.
I have a bag of unmatched socks too. I look in it once in a while thinking the mates may have found there way back to no avail. I think my washing machine eats socks-that’s my story and I’m sticking with it!
Dianne
02.20.09 at 8:52 am
I hope your kids are all better with each passing day. No fun when they are all getting sick. Going to the library is great fun. I think they need to do more activities at the libraries like they do back home, don’t you? A DVD and popcorn sounds like great fun! This is their last day of vacation being Friday but just think, all your odd socks are sorted…lol!
Hugs ~
Heidi
Heidi
02.20.09 at 1:32 pm
I’m sending a hug to that dollbaby Arden! Did you know there is an Odd Socks SAL Barbara? Here is a link – maybe Max would even be interested!
http://grandmaskitchen.web-log.nl/grandmas_kitchen/odd_socks/index.html
Oh, Nancy, that’s hysterically funny! Max is away for the weekend now, but when he gets home, I’ll be sure to mention it to him. LOL!!
Nancy
02.20.09 at 3:04 pm
Wish I could convince my children that “mate the sock” was fun
Christine
02.20.09 at 3:28 pm
Hope you and Arden feel better soon Barbara!
KarenV
02.20.09 at 3:52 pm
Great idea, the matching socks game. I want to do that in this household.
You survived the holidays; mine just started!
Have a great weekend, Barbara!
Carin
02.20.09 at 7:55 pm
I do hope this was the first and final round of the bugs for you, Barbara. Pelle’s just started a new round (or was it me?). Anyway. Great way to kill time, the game with th socks. Not so great about the bank balance. Sorry to hear it. Just remembering being in that situation makes my head pound…
Annemarie
02.20.09 at 9:52 pm
Feel better soon!
Sherry
02.20.09 at 10:13 pm
I need to play the sock game at my house! LOL! Great idea! I do hope that everyone is feeling better now!!
Cindy
02.20.09 at 10:18 pm
Hope for better health for your whole family!
What a great afternoon, I would join you in a second. My idea of a fun afternoon is together in our home. And the library! Ah, I would spend every Saturday if I could, but only two kids are member at the moment… And only one does go from time to time.Puberty seems to do that to library-visits, I was assured.
And the unmated socks is a very very familiar problem. I have solved it for a part: I buy lots and lots of white and black half socks (the girls have the almost the same shoesizes) and they can grab the socks themselves in the morning from a big chaired box (I pair them as a service…). It’s a lot easier this way…
anneke
02.20.09 at 11:00 pm
That is a great game for the children to play.
We are lucky that Heidi prefers to wear unmatched socks so all our unmated socks go into her sock box. Makes everyone happy
leechbabe
02.22.09 at 1:20 am
I need to get my kids together for mating the socks! Something I hate to do. I hope you guys are all feeling better by now.
sharon
02.22.09 at 9:01 am
I love the notion of playing match the socks. The trouble is in my house everyone seems to wear black socks, I now have to insist they have something on them to identify which male owns which pair of black socks.
Angela
02.22.09 at 11:17 pm
Oh, when I saw your ‘Mate the Socks’ photo for the first time the other day, I hooted!!! And it still makes me smile every time I see it!!! We used to do the same thing and we always said the dryer ate the socks or the ghost ran off with them… We always had a huge laundry basket of mis-matched socks with nary a mate to be found! And Brandy got so fed up with ‘Mate the Socks’ that she took to wearing mis-matched socks and still does to this day – she doesn’t even mind if they are different colours!!! We’ve all gotten used to her mis-matched socks… and Nick laughs along with all of us now! Now my boys are a different matter entirely and they would be horrified at the very thought of wearing mis-matched socks…
What a lovely day you all had, Sweetie!!! I love the photos… Arden is such a Cutie-Pie! I’m sending you all healing {{{Hugs}}} and hoping you are all keeping well now, Sweetie!!!
Lots of Love and {{{Hugs}}}
Lizzy
02.23.09 at 5:58 pm