a list of needs while I am gone

Ok, now I am getting practical. I figure if I am am lucky I have about three weeks before I get THE LETTER! The letter telling me where and when to report to begin my two month prison term. I will be the first in my family, I think...I hope, to go to prison. Maybe it is a badge of honor as well as a source of embarrassment for some. At any rate, I am thinking of what I need to have happen so the kids will be OK when I am gone.

Here is a list...

Charu school rides....She goes on Tuesdays from 9:00am to 3:30pm
Wednesdays from 9:00am to 12:30pm
Thursdays from 9:00am to 12:30pm
She can go with another family to play for the afternoon on Wednesdays and Thursdays but would need a ride sometime in the afternoon on those days. If someone feels brave and wants to coordinate a list of rides, this would be a great help.


I am planning on having my mom, Inez Bocklage and Doris Arteaga rotating to live at the house. Sandeep leaves early in the morning and returns home around 6 or 7 in the evening. I thought if someone was here even if the kids are away, then it would be safe for them to be dropped off after classes or play dates. I will put on a calander when Alec and Sarah have co-op classes so they can get a ride. Also if anyone is interested in play dates, I know they will be as well. I will post their work for the before I leave. They will know what they need to do.

Meals: Sandeep is not good about asking for what he needs. He, like most men, I think, will say he is fine. But I really worry he will feed the kids, either frozen Indian food or their favorite when I am gone, Butter bread and warm milk! This scares the hell out of me. If they could get a meal a couple of times a week, they could live on the leftovers for the other days.

I am thinking of hiring a cleaning service come every other week when I am gone. This will be about four times in all. Sandeep will try to clean the whole house every week but I think it will be too much for him as he will also have laundry and child care on weekends...Laundry he will insist on doing himself.

Sandeep is a social creature but he is also a proud man...I know he will be fine. I just don't want to wear him to the bone. He loves to be with the kids so I don't think weekends will be anything for him. If someone wants to take them for ice cream or to the park or City Musuem or something like that every once and a while, I think they would feel special.

Also, (now I really pity the poor person who takes up this challenge)I will need someone to put letters up on the blog and out on e:mail. this means you will have to read my HANDWRITING. Sorry I have really crappy handwriting. I try but I flunked it in grade school. the only class I ever flunked! Honest! I will provide the how to get onto the blog and a list of e:mail addresses to get letters out to. I plan on writing at least once a week... Maybe a book comes out of it, eh???? Letters from Federal Prison??? Seriously, I just want to write but there is too many folks to write to individually. so I hope to use this blog and e:mail to try to keep in touch.

I think that is all I can think of. I really am so grateful. Honestly there are no words to express my grateful heart. I will be well. I am taking a writing class when I am in prison. That should keep me centered.

tina