Another Helen update

I finally got through to Helen around 4 this afternoon. They just rang me to her room and I woke her. At first she didn't seem to know just who I was, but then her head seemed to clear and we had a reasonable conversation. She had trouble telling time. I told her it was around 4pm and she said she thought it was 9am. Then she asked again what time it was and I said 4:15, she said no, it's 6:15 and we had a few more of those. Brenda had told me that she wasn't eating, so I asked her about her weight. She said she weighs about 100lbs. But she has trouble eating and I suggested something liquid like Boost or Slim Fast or the like. She said she'd ask Brenda to bring her some. She's not meeting folks there, not getting around, not going out into the gardens. She says she's too tired and just wants to sleep. Brenda said that she didn't think Helen would ever leave there. For Helen's sake I hope she's wrong.

Helen update

I got a call from Helen's daughter this morning. Seeing her name on the phone made my heart sink...I felt sure that something had happened with Helen.

I haven't talked with Helen for 6-7 weeks or so. We didn't part on such good terms the last time we talked and I stopped answering her calls for a while and then I didn't get any more. How stupid and small of me!

Anyway, Helen fell and broke her hip on August 9th. She's in a nursing/rehab place. She hates it "in her lucid times", Brenda said. Helen has been officially diagnosed with dementia. Helen has suspected this for a long time, 3-4 years. She really has fought and feared this and now when she has good times her worst fears are her reality. Brenda said she sleeps a lot and when I tried to call her earlier the attendant said she was sleeping. She said she'd wake her, I said I'd call back.

So sad.

Those nine little words...

Finely, I've heard Mother say those nine little words I've waited all of my life to hear, "I don't want you to lose any more weight"! I still feel I should lose another 10-15 pounds...we'll see.

Glorious weather! 58 degrees this AM...59 yesterday!

I've so many things I want to get done in the yard and the weather is perfect. I'm hoping it'll hold for the weekend. However, we do need rain.

My step-brother-in-law ran for mayor of Apalachicola. The run-off was yesterday. I just heard on the news that he lost. Sorry to hear that.

Summer's end

The slight hint of Fall in the air is just enough to give everyone here cause for joy. There's a touch of color in the foliage everywhere and the days smell differently than they did just a week ago. The promise of Fall is the only thing that gets us through the brutal summer weather with a little optimism, sure that conditions will improve.

I'm still working 5 hour days. Actually, I like those hours. The pay check is severely impacted, but the quality of life is greatly improved. I know there will be times when I'll need to work full days, even full weeks, but I don't think that'll be the constant. We'll see. I need to work for 4 more years in order to draw full Social Security...66...that sounds like forever, but I know it's a little under 48 months. Doable.

Well, so much for Thanksgiving!

My contractor met with me yesterday. He's in great demand in the area and is a friend from high school...a couple of years ahead of my class. He's the one mother had do some work on the house when she bought it.

He said what I want is very doable and will make a big difference, however, he thinks it'll be the middle of November before it can be begun. Tomorrow he and his cabinet guy will be coming by for a further consultation. RB (contractor) said that his cabinet guy does beautiful work and usually comes in hundreds of dollars under Lowe's, sometimes thousands of dollars under. Sounds good to me. Of course, Mother's paying for it, but saving money is saving money.

Labor Day Weekend

Three days off in a row! Even if we don't get paid for today, three days off is grand!

Saturday I had Nancy, Leah Jane and Ann over for an early supper. We pigged out on shrimp and cocktail sauce that LJ brought and an olive w/ pesto and cream cheese w/ crackers that NEP brought. We sat on the patio until the mosquitoes threatened to carry AMK off! We moved inside for supper. We ate tuna casserole with a salad (curly leaf lettuce, cucumber, dried tart cherries, a lovely/crisp pepper from the garden and feta...tossed with my blueberry vinaigrette) and crescent rolls w/butter. For dessert I made the easy, fat-free, low sugar, pineapple cloud pie! To die for! Three ingredients and a graham cracker crust...it's pretty and it tastes soooo evil while actually not a bad thing! (1 fat free pkg. Jello French Vanilla pudding mix, 1 20oz. can crushed pineapple in juice (don't drain) and a 8-oz. bowl of fat-free Cool Whip. Mix pineapple w/ juice and pudding mix, fold in Cool Whip. Spread evenly in crust, cover and freeze 10-12 hrs/over night. Take out of freezer 6-8 hrs. before serving and thaw in refrigerator. Enjoy!) I'm still eating what's left of this pie a bite or three at a time!

Then, Sunday I met NEP at her house and we "did" Lowe's. Picked out counter top, cabinets, floor, dishwasher and microwave/vent hood combo. Finally found paint chips that work and am so excited! My contractor is coming sometime this week and I'm thinking it should be finished in time for me to host Thanksgiving or earlier.

Today I plan to do nothing, well, laundry but then nothing maybe a movie or two.