Big Thoughts = Brain Dump

[flea]

I am in big planny-head mode. Some aspects practical, some not.

1. Immediate planniness devoted to Thursday AM trip to Ohio. Must contact Cincinnati friends tonight; presumably father will be home in Cinti by weekend but need to touch base there too. Am working out mental list of what to pack for the baby - bought some portable baby food at the Whole Foods yesterday (got wild and bought yobaby and veggie booty, both for names, and on recommendation of other parents. Casper does not like yobaby peach). Must not forget to pack for self, also to nag husband into packing before 11th hour. (He will delay anyway). Must procure additional diapers. Must get husband to do baby laundry tomorrow.

2. Longer-term planniness devoted to the possibility of nanny-sharing with a woman at work. She has a potential nanny, and is assessing her needs. What could work is the following: We each pay the nanny $7 an hour (she wants $14, because she is a grownup and needs health insurance). For 40 hours that's $280 a week (ugh). Care to take place at coworker's house (must think on transportation issue, but it is walkable for me if a bit long. Nice walk, though. Would suck in hard rain, though.) Possibly switch houses week by week, but coworker's house is much bigger. (Though I have a park across the street) Maybe when coworker's son comes home from school, I pick up Casper, thus reducing our weekly hourage/payment? Not sure when coworker's son comes home from school. Not sure how much his current afterschool care costs, and if coworker would be willing to pay the whole $14 an hour for late afternoons. Other issue: coworker and husband both work 9:30-5:30ish; I get home by 4:30 and cannot shift my schedule later. mr. flea is, of course, flexible.

Also, if I decide to take a couple of afternoons a week off to spend with Casper, could get C. and her son E. in on the action. I think they need Monday and Tuesday 12-5. This could help us only take 30 hours a week, which is the most we want anyway. But coworker and C. do not know each other. But I think they'd like each other. C. and her husband both have cars so transport would not be a big issue.

When coworker comes in, ask her if she talked to prospective nanny. If she wants to move forward, should I introduce the idea of C. and E. now or later? Invote both over on a Sunday (with kids)?

3. Grandmother's house. It has been my completely impractical dream for 10 years to buy it on her death. How to broach issue of grandmother's will with father (who is executor)? What would the house sell for on the open market? (No doubt way more than I can afford). What is it assessed for taxes for? (I think rather more than 200K, which is already more than I can afford). Could we purchase it jointly with mother (using stepfather's funds)? Would this cause father to freak out? Mother has been longing for a beach house. Why do I want to buy a house in a place I don't live? How would we pay rent and a mortgage? (I guess, rent out grandmother's house - there is a rental market). If sister goes freelance, she could live there!!

My head is way too busy a place.

Comments

[orthoepy.livejournal.com]

I think I would broach sharing with C and her son sooner rather than later -- wouldn't you feel bad if the co-worker brought in a different third party just to spread the rate around? How old is C's son? I think inviting them both over on a Sunday is a good idea.

I am having to figure out what we're going to do for the summer -- LB's incredibly perfect sitter is going to be a camp counselor all summer, and then she's going to be a REAL teacher in the fall. Sniff. We only pay $10/hour but we hire college students who already have health care. If we hired a grownup we'd be paying $15 or more, I'm sure ...

Good luck with the house ... it sounds both complicated and rewarding at the same time. Would your father want to keep it in the family?

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

Coworker S. has daughter E., just turned 1, and son A., about to be 4. Friend C. has son E., 14 months. Casper is the baby (and her real name starts with E!) Deary me, if this actually happens I will need to make up noms de LJ for everyone. Too many E. babies for initials.

Good luck to you on finding a replacement who knows her Superman. Is LB's school off for the summer, then? Surely there are day camps and stuff for others in the same boat?

Family is generally unsentimental. I can see my father getting the ick at selling the house to my mother (acrimonious divorce 20+ years ago) although he has been pretty okay with her continuing relationship with his parents. Note to self: remember to consider feelings of YOUR OWN HUSBAND when thinking seriously about buying a house. He might, you know, care.

[orthoepy.livejournal.com]

LB has a summer school, but only for half the day, and only for half the summer. He's just a bit too young at four for any of the local day camps, and of course DH is paranoid about them all, too. There's hardly anything for kids until they hit kindergarten age, plus there's the problem of LB not being too excited about school (already! and it's Montessori!) and his essential homebody-ness. He would be perfectly happy to spend every day indoors, drawing pictures and reading comics. And of course DH and I are in perfect, if guilty, sympathy with this desire.

Next summer, though? Tennis camp.

[stephl.livejournal.com]

E-mail me if you'd like to get together/have time to get together this weekend. If you have the time, I'd love to see you, and meet Casper!

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'd love to. We're flying into Columbus and actually staying in Chillicothe, but are thinking of doing a day in Cincinnati. We need to se my family, and possibly some grad school friends (2-3 tops). Um, I'll take this to e.