Making a phone list was the first thing I ever used Excel for, about ten years ago or more. I quickly discovered instead of listing name first to list the ten digit phone number since that column will always be the same size. And it is easy to keep alphabetized since a new entry can be inserted anywhere. I've never re-typed the list once. Just add or delete to the original. I print copies and three hole punch to put into a folder by our phone. Shrunk another copy to half size for the glove compartment of my car. At some point I started using the tabs at the bottom of the page to make new pages for: medical, school #'s, stores & restaurants, car info (insurance & parts & mechanics) and at least 5 or 6 more catagories. It is probably the most useful thing (even though it is fairly simple) I've ever done on the computer. The other very successful Excel file I started ten years ago was for medical appointments. I made a few columns that I fill in each time I schedule and complete an appointment. When I get the Explanation of Benefits in the mail weeks later and wonder what THAT was for I can check my own notes, in laymans terms. I also cross reference if I had a copay or needed some kind of follow up. It has helped me at the end of the year when I've had to claim Flexible Spending Account money. I have a medical condition so it has also been helpful to track my meds. The most helpful book I ever read on organization discouraged the use of PDA's. One of the common negatives that people fed back to her was the inevitable loss of data through a dead battery or "accident". I would never trust my dayplanner, medical history or address book to a PDA. At least on Excel you can have a hard copy printed out. I also have a copy on a flash drive. And I'm not that computer saavy!

I'd like a full week with nothing to do. Everytime I'm off from work I have some appointment or other. I'm now off for four days BUT, I have to go to HR on Monday to turn in paperwork so I can get my tuition reimbursment money. I may also go to work (which is across town from HR) to help a coworker fix her TSP account. I also have to take Lauren to her friend's birthday party tomorrow and probably Sunday we will go out to celebrate Lauren's birthday, at the movies. So, the only day I'll really have to do nothing is Tuesday.

Involved- Knows what's going on in the child's life. Calls to find out if the child is okay or at least answers the phone when called by the child. Goes to school conferences and events or at least asks for the progress report/report card & shows an interest in what the child is doing. Uninvolved- Absent. Doesn't call. Rarely visits. Doesn't really know what's going on in the child's life. Doesn't inquire about school, health or extra curricular activities the child is involved in. May spend time with the child but not involved in much more than having fun. Doesn't help with homework during visits, leaves that for CP/SP. I don't think my stepdaughter's mom is completely uninvolved but she isn't here day to day to do anything for her daughter. She sits three hours away with her new boyfriend, demanding that we do things her way and threatens us with court if DH says no. My husband doesn't have ANY sick pay. He gets a low hourly wage but works for commissions. If he misses a day here or there (and he works an hour away so even a short doctor visit means he could miss half a day's work), he doesn't get paid at all when he's not there. and I didn't say an 8 year old 'authorizes' her therapist to talk to SM. I said that the therapist won't discuss what SD says in her sessions without her permission. Her counseling is 'confidential' and what is said is not discussed unless the counselor feels there is something reportable. Otherwise, SD is assured that her sessions are confidential so she will feel comfortable talking freely. If the counselor wants to tell me, DH, BM or anyone else (it's usually me because I pick her up), then she'll ask SD, do you mind if I tell SM what you told me? She doesn't break her confidentiality. The therapist doesn't discuss everything that is said. And BM doesn't want to meet with her therapist because she found out on the first visit, where she coached SD into saying she wanted to live with BM, the the therapist knew SD was being coached. If BM can't manipulate the situation, she backs off. BM has no interest in helping or guiding her daughter through the trauma of her leaving. And I don't know how you define abandonment, but when a parent has their child every other week and calling during the weeks they don't have her, and all of a sudden, without any warning, packs up and moves several hours away and is no longer there every other week and doesn't call at all, and doesn't answer her phone or write back when she sends a letter, I think most young children would feel abandoned. Especially a young girl that is close to her mother. Especially after the mother had been telling the little girl for months that she wanted her to live with her and that daddy is trying to take you away and I won't let that happen. Then a month later, she leaves. I call that abandonment. That's more of an abandonment than my kids that were left and NEVER saw their father's. At least the father's didn't come into their lives, build a bond & hope and then leave and shatter their world. My kids were abandoned but they don't know what it feels like to be left and I think that's much worse. It's harder to miss something you never had than to lose something you want more than anything.

My quilt class was supposed to start today, but didn't, of course. We're on Safer at Home, and everything is shut down. I look like a sheepdog. We were away for a month and returned to an empty fridge. Within three days I was ill. Fortunately just pneumonia. Took six days to get the negative Covid results. Now recovered, as is DH, who caught it from me. Two people in Mom's assisted living have died. Fortunately they were in the separate memory care unit. Sixteen more residents and six staff are positive. Yesterday I picked up a quilt the longarmer did while we were away. Will post a photo when I get it bound. Have 100 scrap pinwheel blocks made, likely for a baby quilt. This thing could last ten years and I'd still have stash left!