Happy Fourth of July!

Today actually went quite well with Mother today. We were all to meet @ Mother's at 11 this morning. I can't believe it, but I was the last to arrive. I left early, but they actually had a road crew working on 90 and there was a long stretch that was one laned. I sat first in line for what seemed like hours (probably 15 min.) and got to follow a truck with "FOLLOW ME" on its tailgate! I do believe he traveled @ around 15 mph the whole way! Anyway, I was almost 10 after 11 getting there and everybody was in the waiting room waiting!

Mother had thrown up on herself and we were to all wait until she was changed. I went back to her room twice before it was done! I wheeled her out to the little garden out back and it was so pleasant! The temperature was quite moderate and we had a little breeze. The children had room to move around and interesting things to look at. However, the little one was really taken with Mother and Mother with her! She chatted with Mother quite a bit. I think I got some good pictures of the visit! and, KC was manning their camera and I'm sure he got some good shots.

Mother really got tired rather quickly and Nancy suggested we take the children to eat and Mother thought it was a good idea. Bert wheeled her back to her room and stayed with her for a while and we all 3 car caravaned to Chrispers. Bert slipped me an envelope with money before we left the nursing home to pay for everything. They wouldn't have heard of it had it been me trying to pay, but they had to let Bert pay! He joined us a little later.

A really good visit

ETC and husband and 2 children (my grands) visited today!!! Both of the children are as smart as a whip and so precious. Needless to say, ETC and hubby, too, both look great. It's so interesting to see a very grown up daughter with both her poise and wits about her, who enjoys what she doing so much! I guess most parents do, but I have little snapshots of all of my children, as children, all stored in my head that from time to time do a slide show presentation. When I see the children all grown up I'm often surprised, it happened so quickly!

You know how I fret when someone's coming over (even Nancy). Well, I've known about this visit for several days and every day I've worked at certain projects, trying to get this place under control, it didn't quite work, but I did vacuum and really worked on the sofa and got my old computer out of the dining room (it's in the guest room now) and, you know, just put things away and such. Well, anyway, I didn't vacuum until this afternoon. Had things looking okay, sofa wise, until the puppies wallered in their mud pit and bounded into the house and onto their sofa. I wiped both the sofa and the puppies down, but I'm afraid it didn't help too much, there are a couple of large muddy paw prints on the toss pillows on the sofa and the cushions feel quite gritty.

The dogs were just awful while they were here! Finally we ended up outside with Maggie in the house. It calmed right down. I do think I'm going to have to take her to the humane society (as much as I hate to do it). She just too rambuncious for me and for the size of the house. She's a sweety and I've tried to find her a home, I've even passed out pictures of her, just no takers. But, tonight along with last night, just pointed out what a disruptive force she is. Oh, last night, a friend of mine (she's 85) stopped by with her young dog. These dogs were so bad that she almost didn't stay. Her dog was terrified! I put them in the house and we sat out back. I don't like that.

This evening the five of us went to Sage. They paid for mine, shame me for allowing that! It was so nice and I think the children enjoyed it , too. I took some pictures at the house, so did ETC. I'll try to put some on another post when I get them developed.

Tomorrow morning the four C's and Nancy, Bert and I are meeting at the nursing home to see Mother. I hope it goes well. With Mother, there are no guarantees. I'll go in with my fingers crossed.

Oh, you want to know something that's the pits? I finally found a hairdresser and now he's not there. Actually, he was Nancy's hairdresser and she turned me on to him. Well, my hair needs cutting now and he's not there! Nancy went to another girl there after work today and got a cut, I'll see it tomorrow and maybe make an appointment with her.

The continuing saga

Last night was our night to get together in a local restaurant for dinner. As always the food was good, the company was fun and all in all we had a really good time!

Was home in time for "What not to wear"!

Nancy called a little after 8 this morning. Bert had called her. Said the nursing home called him after 9 last night to say that Mother had some how gotten out of her wheel chair and had fallen and had scraped her leg and was screaming and disturbing other patients. Well, Bert right away told Nancy that they were going to kick her out and he & Nancy needed to meet with the head people out there at 9:30 this morning (his idea, not a requested meeting). So I told Nancy not to go and called Bert. Told him that I knew every time something awful happen with Mother his heart broke a little more, but we all knew this was going to happen. She's always going to have her ups and downs and that because of her brain injury her downs are more pronounced and quite embarrassing. Told him NOT to go talk with anyone, to just let it ride. They have other patients with similar problems and they are trained to handle things like that. He then said he'd have to hear this from Nancy, but that today is his day to visit and he was going. I told him that that was okay, but to let it ride. Called Nancy, told her what was happening and told her to call Bert. She did and he said okay.

Bert called a little after 10 this morning and had gone to see Mother. She was still asleep when he got there, but woke up when he opened her door. Said he only visited for about 15 minutes, but she was in good spirits and calm.

This just can't go on and on, or can it?

Mother/Nancy Update

After work yesterday I stopped at Arby's picked up lunch and dashed to Tallahassee. Took lunch to Nancy. The bruising has started coming to the surface and is massive. Funny, she never felt the shoulder injury, but that bruise is really bad along with a bad scrape. She's quite stiff and very sore. She's going to go in to work for a while today. I folded the rug up and dragged it across the street to her neighbor's trash, put clean sheets on her bed, watered some of her outdoor plants for her and dashed across town to see Mother.

Mother had a visitor when I got there and was very sane!!! After her visitor left we chatted for a little over an hour. We actually laughed until tears ran down our cheeks when she said (in response to something I said) "I hate when butter falls" and I said, "Mother, I hate when butter falls, too!"...we both got so tickled and laughed and laughed!

Bert called last night and said he got there 10 minutes after I left and had the best visit with her that he's had so far. That's always a relief!

It was around 4:30 when I finally got home to no puppy poop and intact magazines! I thought I was home free until I walked into my bedroom. They somehow got my newest batch of photos and chewed up not only the pictures, but also the negatives...thank goodness I've been getting a cd with the prints!

We have rain predicted for the next 5 days! Hope it does!

3 reunion pictures

Three pictures that were sent to me via e-mail. I didn't take a camera, so am please these were sent to me...I'm the chubby one in black.

Nancy

This was certainly an interesting weekend. Not only was it out 58th annual Watermelon Festival, it was also out 45th class reunion.

Friday night Ann and I went to the mixer after I had dinner with the group of Women I've been joining lately on Fridays at a local restaurant.

When we got there it was in full swing. It's really a hoot to see a bunch old folks with a snoot full acting like they are 18 again! We only stayed a couple of hours, but it was fun. The only thing was I guess we're all getting hard of hearing and everybody talked so loud! I really couldn't hear a thing that was said and my ears rang for hours after I got home.

When I got home the puppies had shredded several magazines all over the house. What a mess!

Saturday morning Nancy came over and we did the Watermelon Breakfast at the Farmers and Merchants Bank. Quite a spread...eggs, country bacon and country sausage, grits, biscuits/jelly, orange juice and coffee. Well worth the $5!

After breakfast Nancy and I went looking for mimosa seedlings. We found 4 really good ones and dug them up. Nancy's wanting to fill her front yard with them. Then we came back to my house and sat on the front porch and drank coffee and watched the traffic go by. And, I mean to tell you there was TRAFFIC! The population of our town triples or better for the festival each year and between the vendors set up all over town (in the streets) and the parade (over 100 entrants) and the gazillion people walking everywhere it was almost impossible to drive any where! After we dug the mimosas up we had to go back through Aucilla and then west on 90 to get back here! Amazing!

Saturday night was our class reunion dinner. We all met at 5:30 and it started with cocktails and once again lots of noise. We had a fantastic prime rib dinner at 7:00 and some class business and lots more visiting afterwards. When the live music started at 9:00 I tried to quietly slip out, but got caught. Had to explain about pooping puppies, etc. in order to get out. It was fun.

Sunday morning was filled with chores (laundry, floors, etc.). Around 2:00 I had just finished cleaning out the refrigerator and the phone rang. It was the Leon County sheriff's office calling to tell me that they were transporting my sister to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital with a back injury. Talk about setting me into a panic! I had talked with her a couple of hours earlier and a tree had fallen across her driveway in the storm and she was trying to get in touch with her neighbor (neighbor's tree). Well, I figured she had hurt her back trying to do something with the tree. Anyway, the fellow that called told me to go to Nancy's neighbor's house and get Nancy's keys and then go to the emergency room. He said he had no information other than it was a back injury and they were transporting her.

Well, getting from here to the emergency room is a total blur, but I changed clothes, got the keys and got back across Tallahassee in 45 minutes (it usually takes 30ish minutes to get to her house from here!). She was on a gurney in the hall rolled on her side facing the wall with an iv going when I got there. It seems that she was trying to get a rug out from under a large marble topped chest while sitting on the floor in front of it. This chest had a 6' solid oak, antique mirror resting on it, but also attached to the wall. Well, a good jerk of the rug topples the mirror off of the wall and smashed down on Nancy! Luckily she had her phone with her and was able to call 911! (She was waiting on a call from her neighbor about the tree!). They had given her morphine in the ambulance and then had injected something for pain in the iv shunt, so she was pretty out of it when I got there. A while after I got there they did x-rays and later 2 CAT scans. It turns out that there are no breaks and no damage to her liver or spleen, thank goodness, just deep bruising. I took her home (picked up some supper and 2 prescriptions on the way), made some calls for her and got her settled in. I stayed with her long enough to make sure she had her land legs back and came home.

Got home at 9:10 to another house full of shredded magazines and puppy poop. Everything I'd taken out of the refrigerator to toss was still sitting on the counter in the kitchen and there were no sheets back on the bed. I tossed the puppies out and tackled their mess first, then the refrigerator stuff and then had to take the garbage out to the road! Put sheets on the bed and collapsed!

Talked with Nancy a little while ago and she's doing okay. Very sore and stiff and uncomfortable, but okay! Thank goodness!

Didn't go to work today. I feel like the mirror fell on me!

Mother again

Well, it seems that Mother has recovered from most of the symptoms of the TIA she had Monday night. After doing a lot of reading about TIAs it seems the affects usually only last 24 hours. That's a good thing, but often they are the precursor to a larger stroke. She'll be watched. They found that she's also suffering from a major bladder infection...she's now on antibiotics.

Nancy found out yesterday when she went to see Mother that Bert told the nursing home "no more physical therapy". So that means Medicare will no longer cover her stay. A semi-private room is $203.00 a day. Not sure what we'll end up doing...that's not affordable.

Mother

I just got home from seeing Mother. It seems she had a "mini-stroke" (they called it something with initials...can't remember what they are) during the night. She is having a terrible time finding words, bad hand to mouth coordination and her vision has been impacted in an odd way, it's almost like certain random spots of vision are blotted out. Her right foot is bothering her. When I got there today she was dressed and in her wheelchair sitting outside her room door. She was very quiet and still, almost lethargic, very unlike the agitated state she's often in. I think they had her there so they could keep an eye on her. Both her aide and another one were within 2' of her, even while I was in her room with her.

Before leaving town this morning I stopped at Tupelo's and got two huge slices of their wonderful quiche and went next door to Miladies and got her a pink t-shirt that has a picture of a queen on it and says something like "you who think you know everything really bother those of us who do know everything".

Got to the nursing home a little before noon and found Mother in the hall. Took her into her room and said we were having a quiche picnic. Had to open her gift for her...(Barbara had wrapped the t-shirt in paper with a magnolia print and beautiful sagey green ribbon), she liked it. She ate most of her quiche, but unless I put in on her fork and put the fork in her hand she wanted to use her fingers. It was too big to pick up so it finally dawned on me to break it into chunks that she could pick up. DUH, I feel so dumb when the obvious is slow to dawn! I stayed about 2 hrs., left her watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and she loved it and was okay.

You know, this feels like losing her pieces at a time.

Tomorrow RM will be 43. Impossible!!!!!

The damn puppies are determined to dig up the shrubbery I've planted out back. The 1 poor Knock Out rose is really looking poorly! And they are undermining one of the Loropetalums. Sooo, last night in pure desperation I liberally sprinkles about 2 cups of red pepper flakes around all of the new plantings in the back and in the mud mire they've made of my herb garden and let the puppies out. They immediately ran to the line of bushes and started licking the pepper flakes. Licked them pretty good, then all of a sudden started running around with their tongues out and then drank a lot of water! Then the i-dots went and did it again! The 3rd time they headed that way it was with great caution and they stopped short of the bed, stretched their necks out, sniffed and ran to the herb garden. Their encounter there was similar, but shorter and only once. Who says you can't teach idiot puppies!

More Gardening

Yesterday I was up around 4:30 and waited forever for enough light out to see what I was doing. I planted 4/3 gal. red Knock Out roses, 3/3 gal. Radican gardenias and a 5 gal. oakleaf hydrangea in the bed out front where the nasty lantanas were. They look great! I moved 5/3 gal. pots of loropetalum and 1/3 gal. red Knock Out to the area in back where the aspidistra was and called it a day for planting! It was mighty hot by now!

Today I stayed in bed until 5:30 and got the paper in and made coffee and marked time until the light came. Then I planted the loropetalums and the Knock Out, but both that area and the one I did yesterday out front looked unfinished. So I dashed to town and bought 5/3 cu. ft. bags of cypress mulch. I parked in front and wouldn't you know it, the five bags were one short of covering the area! So I dashed back to town and bought 6 more bags. I finished the front area and the back with one bag left over. There are a ton of places that could use it, but I think I'll probably try to cover the mud pit the puppies made of the herb bed...that sure would help the tracked in mud problem!

Today's newspaper has gone to the garden. It sure is looking good, except for the little weeds that are sprouting everywhere. I'm really looking forward to tomorrows paper as it will cover lots more area!

Nancy came over and we went to Sage for lunch. I brought home enough left overs that I don't have to worry about supper!

Oh, met the group of older ladies for supper again last night. There were 8 of us (we each brought a bottle of wine) and we ate outside. It was great fun! I was asked to join the Founders Garden Circle. I'm told that's a great honor. I think I will join.

Just went out to glance at the plantings out back and found Maggie head down, butt up digging up the Knock Out. I scared her to death, I hope, and got it squared away again. Damn dogs.

The paper said 70 percent chance of rain today. I hope it hurries.

My new watch

You may remember my favorite watch, multi-colored beaded triple strand band with animal charms. Well, it's about to hit the dust. Some days it works, some days it doesn't. It was used when a friend of mine found it in a thrift shop years and years ago and said she saw it and knew it was me! I took it in to have a new battery put in, but they said it's not the battery, it's age...just like me! I sure will miss it! The really good news is I did a major search on the internet and found a gazillion sites for beaded watches. I looked at them for days and found a watch. It's wonderful! Green glass leaves that move with my movement and make a little tinkling sound. But the best part is the little glass lady bug nestled among the leaves. The craftsmanship is excellent and the watch so pretty! The site: www.craftsmyths.com you owe it to yourself to look at the wonderful things they make...not just watches.

Just earlier this week I was complaining about how dry it was...well, now it's just the opposite. We have gotten rain every afternoon and evening for 3 days now with the same in the forecast for the next week. The area in the back where I had the aspidistra taken out is a mire and the puppies have made it their favorite spot. The only thing in the house that isn't muddy so far is my chair and I guard it like a hawk...after all where would I sleep while I watch tv if not my chair?

Bits of this and that

I'm posting this morning from my Thursday job. Not much to do yet, however HWB tells me that there will be some things to do later...hope so...just sitting KILLS me!

Got a call from Bert this morning. He said the nursing home called him early in the evening last night to tell him that Mother fell out of her wheelchair, but was okay except for a skinned knee and there was no need for him to come over. Every time I visit her lately she tells me that she can walk. Bert said that yesterday she actually stood up by herself from the wheelchair. We think she was probably trying to walk when she fell.

I have planted!

Yesterday I planted my garden. It's awfully late in the season to be planting and awfully hot & dry, but I had the bedding plants (and had started some seeds) and had a tilled plot and a day off from work...so what the heck! I did it!

I ran out to the office rather early Friday morning and planted some annuals and a few pots of perennials, checked on the 4 dogwood trees I'm tending and checked the planters I planted on Thursday (Jasmine on a trellis with salmon colored impatiens underneath/2 planters) and was home by 8:30! Then the real fun began! I put out 18 peppers: ceyenne, jalapeno, banana, red bell and green bell, I think that's all, 18 tomatoes: cherry, big boy, some hybrid I can't remember and a bunch that Nancy's neighbor's father started in a cup. Then I put out some green beans (once again the name eludes me, but they're another hybrid and are somewhere between being a bush bean and a pole bean...should be interesting!) and some straight neck yellow squash. I started both the beans and the squash only 1 1/2 weeks ago and they're 6-8" tall already with true leaves! The beans sprouted and came up so fast that I covered them with an inch of soil 3 times! I also put out some basil, parsley and spearmint. I have some cucumbers blooming their heads off in a hanging thing on the fence...unfortunately, the foliage is almost as yellow as the blossoms! Think I need to feed?

I finally planted the banana tree I got a week or so ago and it really seems appreciative. It's not in the garden plot.

I had the plot tilled in an area that gets full sun from early until about 3:30 or 4 and so far the hand watering I've done twice a day seems to be enough. Our current temp is 96.3 degrees and I sure hope this isn't an omen for the summer.

I met Nancy this morning at 10 til 7 and we went to the Village Inn for breakfast. I had the most wonderful bacon and mushroom omelet topped with holaindaise(sp) sauce, hash browns cooked to perfection and 3 fluffy, luscious pancakes! Ate about all of it!

Then I went to see Mother. Took her a biscuit and sausage, but she didn't eat it...nibbled at it a bit. She was in a rather difficult mood. I only stayed an hour.

Went to Big Lots and went slightly nuts...my best buy was a 45 gal. garbage can on big wheels! It actually fit into the back seat of my little car with floor room to spare. Pretty good!

I've been reading so much about how to extend your gas mileage. There are a few of the things I was already doing like not parking so you have to back out and avoiding left hand turns, etc., but I really thought the bit about coasting was hog wash, well, I've been coasting for a few weeks now and I really can tell a difference. As of today gas is still $4.09.9 a gallon here, but it seems that it goes up on Mondays...we'll see. I got gas in Tallahassee today for $3.97.9 and was thrilled!

The dogs are sound asleep under my chair in a wad and so cute and sweet. I'll have to be so careful not to wake them when I get up from here, they turn into hellions!

Yard progress

The young fellow who's doing my yard clean up has worked on it for 3 full days! Bless his heart it's so very hot and dry right now and the main part of the yard is full sun almost all day. I do have good heavy hedges on 3 sides and those usually are quite shady and that's where most of the work is. Saturday he hauled off 8 trailer loads and today several more! He took out all of the Lantana and the Aztec grass...it's wonderful seeing all of that gone. Tomorrow he'll clean the roof and tidy up a bit and then he's done. Nice guy and very good at what he's doing.

I went to a graveside service for the mother of a long time friend of mine this afternoon at 3 o'clock. The cemetery is in an old pine grove and is beautiful...but it was hot! There was an occasional small breeze, enough to make you acutely aware of just how hot you were! There was a very large turn out and I saw people I hadn't seen in 45 or more years! Saw lots of folks that I've seen more recently. It was very much a reunion of sorts! and I rather enjoyed it.

Stopped on the way home and got a pint of butter pecan ice cream. There's something about a funeral that makes me feel the need to "do it now, who knows about tomorrow"!

Dog Days of Spring

The computer shows 93 degrees as out current temperature, but the thermometer on the carport in the shade is showing 95 degrees! Whichever is correct, it's HOT!!! Our humidity is in the mid 70%, I guess it could be worse! Week before last I had to wear a sweater on the way to work as it was in the 40's. This morning I went out at 7:30 to rake out the new garden plot and had to come in at 9ish. The humidity was higher and it was in the 80's!

When I came in I got on the computer and began a new posting to my blog. Lost it when the power went out around 10:00. Power was back up in about 5 minutes, but I was already away from the computer. Tried again to post around 1:30 this afternoon...almost made it, but, you guessed it, the power went out. This time it was out for a little over an hour. I put a batch of sun tea out on the patio and camped out on the front porch. There was a lovely little breeze the entire time and I read the Sunday paper from cover to cover and did the crossword. I missed the power coming back on and was only aware of it when the phone rang. That was a nice little break! I think it's going out due to usage being mighty high.

Speaking of high, I got gas Thursday morning at the station I mainly use and paid $4.09.9 per gallon! On my way into work that same station had it for $3.99.9. It went up that much in 3 hours! The week before at the same place I was paying around $3.79.9. Wow!

I have some pork spareribs in the oven. Was going to do them on the grill, but it's just too dang hot!

I have the thermostat for the A/C set on 78 degrees, but it sure does run more often than I'd like.

I went to see Mother yesterday morning early. She was still asleep when I got there at 8AM. I woke her when I knocked on her door. She was so clear and sane and pleasant...I exhaled! I'd picked up a couple of country sausage biscuits at the meat locker on my way out of town and we both enjoyed them! Her breakfast came as we were polishing them off so she drank her milk and ate her bacon from the tray. We visited for over an hour. When I got there I told her that I had a 9:30 appointment across town and to not let the time slip up on me. Reminded her several times throughout the visit and when I did leave she was perfectly fine with it. Nicest visit we've had in a while.

I met Nancy at the hair dressers about 15 til 10. Popped in, said "hi" and went next door to Publix and got my shopping done. Popped in once more and said "bye"! Had time to put groceries away, walk in the yard with dogs and of course, picked up poop.

Then Nancy got here. She's no longer a red head. At the moment she's a med. brown/blond with honey colored highlites. It needs to be cut a little shorter as it really will not spike. I had mine cut again yesterday for the same reason.

When she was here Thursday she bought a nice, comfortable 4-piece patio set at the Humane Society pulled pork dinner and was to pick it up Saturday. The plan was for both of us to go get it and what couldn't fit in her car could stay here until she could get it. We both have little Hondas. Anyway, we got there and she and a couple of the ladies took the legs off of the table and with a bunch of trial and error got it all in her car. A love seat bench thing (with a back), a round dining table and two dining chairs! All in her Honda! Amazing!

Then we went a ate lunch and she went West and I went East.

It was a tired evening.

New hairdo

Saturday I was transformed...well, at least my hair was. I now have white-blond hair with dark blond roots and it's rather "punk"...sticks up in lots of places. It's a fun do and elicits lots of comments. Nancy and I went to the Seinyard for lunch after I got it done and people sure looked! Nancy liked it so much that she's going to get hers done like it this Saturday!

After lunch we went to a really special nursery, "Just Fruit and Exotics". We didn't have enough hours to see everything. Nancy bought a pear tree and I bought a banana, a couple of pepper plants and some seeds. We'll go back!

The puppies are growing up! They are just as bad as ever, but are hitting the puppy paper most of the time or going outside to potty. Hope this gets better and better!

Mother has her good days and bad ones. Saturday after we finished our running around Nancy got a call from the center Mother's in. It seems she's learned how to propel her wheel chair with her feet and was running from outside door to outside door opening them and setting off the alarms. Nancy fixed that by putting the breaks on...simple fix, you'd think the staff there would have thought of that! She was also hitting and scratching and spitting. That's our momma!

Today a young fellow is coming to do some major clean up on my yard. He's going to get the dead wood out of my trees and hedges, remove some plants and till me a garden. How exciting! This is mighty late to be putting in a garden, but better late than never!

Some pictures

The first one I'll try to attach is one I took of Mother a week or so ago before her last move. The rest are just fun ones, maybe even the kitchen...who knows? Well, here goes....

They aren't in the order I down loaded them in...I'll have to work on this. The shots of the kitchen don't really do it justice. The blender in one of the kitchen shots is the same blender I've had since Christmas 1965! Still has all the original parts and works like a dream every morning when I do my protein shake! The one of Jazzy is after a hard session of trying to dig under the patio, that's why she's covered in mud. The cats eating are, in order, Goodness, Bandi, Mercy and Smokey...cute shot I think!

Just a continuation...Mother

Friday, was it only yesterday?, Nancy was able to finagle her schedule at work and got off before 9am. I met her at her house at 10am. It was a dark and stormy morning. We went to the last nursing home Mother was in as our first choice, and without any groveling (which we were prepared to do) she was accepted back and we were able to move her yesterday! Thank God.

Nancy and I went over and told Bert the wonderful news (however, he said he didn't remember them saying in the meeting the day before that she would have to move and that we should try to do it quickly). We told him that we really thought this was best for her and he didn't have to worry about the move, we'd pack her up and make sure she was moved comfortably.

Well, we had lunch and then went to pack Mother up. (Do remember that it was storming this entire time & we shared one umbrella.) Every place we parked had rain water running through it and puddles and we were both in sandals. After the first and only run with the one umbrella we just dashed and dodged the rain and by the time we got to Mother at about 1pm we were both quite wet. The van didn't come for her until after 4pm. By the time it arrived I had packed her things (a large suitcase, a valise we couldn't even zip, a big shopping bag and a couple of small bags) and we'd walked her to the rose garden and Nancy had checked the ETA of the van often. We kept Mother entertained (I do think we even sang) and in good spirits the entire time. She didn't know about the move or need for the move until we told her. That was touchy, but worked out okay. We got Mother outside and her things in the car and just waited. We were all so tired and ready when the van finally arrived. I rode with her and Nancy followed with all her things which I hung up or put away when we got there. (Bert's paying extra for a private room.) Nancy called Bert and let him know the move was over and when he got there we passed the torch and left.

It was after 7pm when I got home and arrived to a house full of hungry animals and dog poop.

Nancy called and we rehashed the day and both being sooo tired it didn't take us all that long. When we hung up the dogs and I went to bed! I was asleep shortly after dropping my head to the pillow. Nancy called a little after 9pm and told me she'd gotten a call from Uncle Buddy and told him about the move. She'd told him the night before what the committee had said about needing to move her and what we'd hoped.

anyhoo...

Nancy went to see her this morning early and called around 9ish to let me know that Mother didn't remember anything about why she was in there or how long she'd been "sick", but other than that she was okay. Well, a couple of hours later she called back, the nursing home had called and Mother was creating a major disruption. She was screaming "Daddy" again and again and again and again, etc.. So Nancy called, asked me to bring fried chicken and went there. When Nancy got there she could hear Mother screaming from the front door and people were talking about her. She even screamed in her face! Well, by the time I arrived they were outside and things were rather level. I almost blew it when I castigated Mother mightily, but Nancy made me stop and Mother forgot and we ate fried chicken, french fried and slaw and fussed over Maria and just visited. Took her in around 3:30. Stayed with her until close to 5pm. Was almost 5:30 when I got home.

I hated the feeling that we were feeding into her tantrum and even though she promised not to do that anymore I don't believe her. She gets what she wants when she does things like that.

Hungry puppies and a house full of puppy poop!

Leah Jane called and was going to have wine and cheese and crackers at Norma's and would I join them and I did (you know I usually don't)! Really needed that. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I'm holding my breath that we don't get calls tomorrow!

Take nothing at face value!

Well, it seems that Mother will have to move yet once again. Bert was so wrong to move her out of the last place. This past Sunday Nancy and I found her living will and her appointment of medical surrogate and her blanket do not resuscitate order. Nancy is the appointed surrogate and we have been running on the assumption that Bert was, because he told us he was. Had we found this sooner she would never have had to do this last move. Nancy and I are meeting later this morning and visiting several long term care centers. We are hoping to get her back into the last place, but that's a long shot.

Oh, the reason she'll have to move...we, Nancy, Bert and I, had a meeting yesterday with the evaluation team at the place she's in now. It was to have been a 15 minute meeting and ended up lasting almost 2 hours. The one thing they did say was that Bert was told when he moved her there that there is no opening in their long term care facility and that there is a very long waiting list and that when her 100 medicare days were over she'd have to move. The director spent a long time explaining how the remaining 54 medicare days are bargaining tools and the more we have available to bargain with the more likely we are to find a place for her. Isn't that the pits?!

We are sooo dry here. My yard is crisp...but at least I'm saving money on the mowing! It's been over 2 weeks since we've had rain and I am watering containers, but can't afford to water the lawn. Thank goodness none of my neighbors are watering either...I'd stick out like a sore thumb! We had rain in the forecast for last night, but it fizzled out before it got here...it's in the forecast for today and I will take my umbrella to Tallahassee, but I'm doubtful.

The puppies are baaad! Jazzy and Maggie have done away with all of my basil and are tunneling under the patio. They have about 20 feet to go...I suspect they'll be surprised when they get to the other side and are still inside the fence! I'm planning to fill the starter hole with gravel and maybe cement. Don't know what else to do...maybe pepper in the hole.

A change in life style

Beginning this week I'll only work 4 days a week, from 7:45am to 2pm. I'll be off on Fridays. How nice is that? I got my first Social Security check last month...not enough to live on, but with a part time job I'll be just fine...no frills however.

Mother's Day

Nancy & I met at the nursing home yesterday at 9am. Mother was still in bed when we got there and hadn't had breakfast. She said she didn't see any reason to get up or eat, but would since we were there. We sat with her for breakfast and then went out to the putting green/rose garden and visited for a couple of hours. At one point Mother introduced us to an aide as "her two pets"! We got tickled. Went to Berts house after that and stayed until 4.

When I got home at 5 the house was a total disaster! Can't leave those puppies that long. There were little pieces of styrofoam everywhere...no idea where they came from...and puppy poop!!!!!

The highlight of my Mother's Day was a call from Rosie. She is so centering and bright.

Yesterday

I visited with Mother for about 5 minutes yesterday. She was just frightful, angry and very verbally nasty. After just a few minutes of it I told her I had to go let Shirley out and left. Spent about 30 minutes with the head nurse of the unit and then she & I went down to the therapy department to talk to them about Mother. It seems that most days she refuses to even go to therapy and when she does, she doesn't do anything. Things are just not working out for her there. Today they are having a psychiatric evaluation done on her with the probable out come of moving her to a psychiatric facility.

Mother update

Mother was moved Wednesday. Thursday morning I had such a feeling of dread or fear or something and by the time I got off work it had really intensified. So I headed to Tallahassee. I'd never been to this new place and was thrilled to find it about 15 minutes closer than the others. When I finally found Mother she was in her wheelchair sitting at a dinner table with 2 other women and their caregivers. She had her hands folded in her lap, her head down and was crying. When she saw me she thought I was there to rescue her. She said the place was evil and they wanted to kill her...wouldn't touch her food as she was sure it was poisoned. I spent a little over 3 hours with her. Took her outside and talked with her about where she is and why. Met her new speech therapist and was able to talk with her alone and told her of Mother's fears. Bless her heart, she made sure to tell the head nurse who made a point of spending time talking with Mother with me there. Mother had been refusing to take her medicines and did finally while I was there. She had calmed down a lot by the time I left.

Nancy went to see her yesterday and got there in time for her lunch. She actually ate quite a bit and was fairly calm.

I've got to run as Nancy is coming this morning for breakfast at 7:30 and to see my kitchen.

No Pictures

Went to see Mother yesterday. She was in OT when I got there and being very nasty. When she saw me she got worse. I moved across the room out of her eye sight and watched a few minutes. Ended up leaving the area completely for unlike last week I was a total distraction. Went to the parking lot and waited for my sister...am still unsure why she was there. Bert showed up around 3pm. They are moving Mother today to another facility. To quote Bert "She'll be with a better quality of people"...what the hell does that mean? I think this move is a big mistake as far as her recovery goes...but a semi private room is $6800.00 a month and she's going to have a private room, but you know what value she places on costly things. Nancy and I told her that if she doesn't work at it she'll just vegetate in the wheelchair for the rest of her life. I'm so close to washing my hands of her...know I won't and even that makes me mad. Possibly it shows this morning that I'm quite angry about this whole mess. Took my camera, forgot to take pictures.

Life as I knew it

Well, it seems that life as I knew it is over! I woke up this morning at 4am to find Shirley, Mercy, Smokey, Maggie and Jazzy all in bed with me...and it's only a double bed. Goodness and Bandi had chosen to sleep out last night! Thank goodness! What a way to wake up!

I'll visit Mother today. I put my camera in my purse last night and hope to get a picture or two of her. Will post after I get them developed...I've been getting a cd burned when I have them developed and am posting from that...it's not as easy as I thought it'd be and is a new learning experience each time. You know, it's that old dog, new trick thing.

The missing counter top and knobs were installed in my kitchen yesterday. The knobs have been discontinued and the building center ordered them from somewhere. The ones that came in are slightly different, same shape (oval), same material (porcelain) and same color (white), but slightly different. I said to just go ahead I can live with it. The counter top is a different story...it isn't installed right, it's not even and sticks up above the level of the stove. I don't know what the answer is, but this really hasn't been a good experience...I feel like I've been experimented on. It's my guess that the fellows who did the cabinets and counter tops have never done it before. At least that's how it seems! The kitchen floor was supposedly jacked up from under the house, but it still dips. And the puddle I thought was coming from the dishwasher is in fact coming from my refrigerator. That never happened before they moved it around a bunch.

Mother's birthday

We celebrated Mother's 83rd birthday today. Actually it was Wednesday, but we have always done something either on the weekend before or after if it falls during the week.

Bert got hamburgers and fries from Wendy's, Nancy P. furnished tea and plates and cups and ice and I had Tupelo's (new bakery here in town) make sugar free cupcakes with piped cream cheese as icing. Nancy and Mark B. joined us and it was quite festive with cards and gifts and a balloon. Mother had her hair done in the nursing home beauty parlor yesterday and looked quite pretty. I could kick myself for not taking my camera!

Mother told me that she wanted to run away...and cried when I told her she couldn't yet, but that as soon as she was able we'd take her to the mall and go eat and see a movie. She calmed down a bit after that. After we ate and opened cards and gifts we sang old songs and she joined in on some of them. It was a pretty good time.

Lables for pictures

Forgot to name pictures...don't remember the order...
There's one on the beach with Nancy, Maria and Shirley. One in lounge chair of Shirley and Maria. One of Maggie...Maggie & Jazzy...St. Teresa...Shirley, Maggie and Jazzy. That may be all.

Saw Mother yesterday. She was in bed when I got there at 2pm. Got her dressed and down to pt. They got her up on her feet and with 2 people supporting walked her in a complete circuit around the unit and then after a small rest another shorter walk. That's the most I've ever seen her do! Her mind can be crystal clear on minute and gone the next, but it's better.

Gotta dress for work.

More Pics

Look!

#1 is Mercy and Smokey

#2 is Shirley and Goodness

#3 is Mercy

#4 is Goodness

Jazzy

Here she is! Isn't she a cutie? The oddest thing happened yesterday, dog-wise. I was vegging out in front of the computer and Shirley and Jazzy were playing and running in and out of the house. Shirley's barking broke into my game induced fog and I went out to investigate. When I went out onto the stoop a dog jumped up on my let to be petted and in a very absent-minded way I rubbed ears and head...then I did a double take because both Shirley and Jazzy were standing on the patio watching while I rubbed a perfect stranger! Someone put a puppy in my fenced back yard! There's no way she could have found her way in, it's fairly dog proof, and all of the gates were tightly closed. I hollered out "Has someone lost a puppy?" and ran out front and looked up and down the road. There wasn't a car in sight and not a single walker! So I walked around the entire yard and found no one. What a cheap trick! The last thing in the world I need is another puppy! Well, she was too young to put out and it was late, so I sat outside and watched the puppies play and the cats investigate and fumed! The new puppy looks like a hound of some sort. She's probably 2-3 months old with feet the size of saucers! She's mainly white with black and tan facial markings a large black spot mid-tail and tiny black polka dots in her white back...seems there's another marking somewhere...She's very sweet.

I crated her last night and she was very good. Not sure what I'll do (notice no name), the Humane Society is full to the brim right now.

Isn't Jazzy something? Eight weeks old.

New family member

We have a new addition to our family. Her name is Jazzy and she's 7 weeks old. She's a puppy of rather dubious parentage and cute as a button! Her feet are much bigger than Shirley's and she probably weighs almost as much. Cute, cute, cute! My builder brought her over on Saturday for me to keep on trial...well, you know how that goes! She's mostly house broken and will eat most anything (I'm missing a slipper this morning).

The kitchen was painted yesterday...it's a most astonishing pear green. I do like it, but it sure is an eye opener! Still missing knobs and a piece of the counter top. It feels never ending. I hired a painter to paint the living room, dining room and funny room. He said he'll get it all done in the next week or two. We'll see.

Sunday Nancy baked a large salmon filet, roasted asparagus and fixed loaded mashed potatoes (I made tea) and we took it to the nursing home and had a picnic on the screened porch with Mother and Bert. It was very nice and Mother ate well and was in good spirits. The weather was beautiful and I was home by 2 o'clock. Nice.

Last night at 9:45 Bert called. He was rather distraught. Mother was a mad woman yesterday. She yelled at him and accused him of seeing other women. Bless his heart he was really upset. I told him about all of the research I've been doing on the results of strokes and that one of the main things that was stressed was mood swings. I'm not sure it helped him a lot, but he really did need to vent. Glad I was available.

Nancy had a house break-in yesterday. A little after 11am her neighbor called her at work and told her that her house and the neighbors house had both been broken into. She said she got home in 7 minutes. They had tried to open her garage door and bent the door pretty badly but couldn't get it open so then they used a crowbar and broke her front door frame and locks and got in that way. She said that drawers and cabinets were opened but she couldn't see if anything was taken or not. Then they went across the street to her neighbor's house and broke in the back door which triggered the silent alarm and the police were called. The police were in Nancy's house when she got home and wouldn't let her in...she was franic about Maria and the cats. They were okay, but really upset, as she is. The neighbor got a carpenter to fix both her house and Nancy's...she hopes to have her locks fixed today. Isn't that all the pits!!!!!

Life seems to be a lot like a good thick book and each chapter brings new mini-plots while the main theme goes on unfolding.

More kitchen

Well, it seems the knobs for my kitchen have been discontinued and that's why I'm missing 16 of them. These knobs were among an assortment that I was given for choices. Go figure! Also, I used the dishwasher for the first time last night and it leaks pretty good! Big puddle in kitchen. Called builder last night. He'll check it out today. Still have a missing piece of counter top. Soooo close, yet so far away! Have unpacked 3 boxes (just a drop in the bucket), but hesitate to put much back in before it's finished...am having it painted pear green!

Waiting to exhale

I feel that in just moments I'll be able to exhale! The kitchen is very close to being done! There is still a section of counter top missing and 16 knobs are missing. The painter has to come back and paint the trim around doors and do touch up. Oh, I'm having a wonderful wooden screen door put on the front and that needs to be painted too. I'm sure that I'll probably find other things this weekend as I move stuff back into the kitchen, but as of now that's it.

It was so nice to walk into the kitchen yesterday and have a sink! I think I've missed that the most. Both the dishwasher and microwave have been installed!!!!! As we speak I have a roast in the crockpot IN THE KITCHEN! and...last night I moved the coffee pot out of my bathroom and back into the kitchen! Yeah!!!!!

I spent 2 hours with Mother yesterday. To use her words she's "awake for the first time"! I've been cast in the role of "bad guy". Spent most to the time telling her that her recovery is her responsibility and that our hope for her is to have her back home, but without some major improvements she may not make it. The staff is talking about her being uncooprotive, antagonistic and just generally bad. She refuses to mingle with others, refuses to do rehab, refuses to go to the dining room, refuses to get out of bed and has a rotten attitude about everything. When she's "holding court" with visitors she's nice enough, but her language with the staff is just awful! Bert has finally seen that side of her and told Nancy about it. I was totally exhausted when I finally got home and couldn't get the smell of her (she wet herself twice while I was sitting on her bed) off of me or out of my nose. After letting the animals out and glancing at the kitchen I stood in the shower until I ran out of hot water...still couldn't totally get rid of the smell.

Mother's 83rd birthday is two weeks from yesterday. I think that Nancy and I will pick up from the Seine Yard and take it to the nursing home and picnic with Mother.

The reason I went to see Mother yesterday instead of my usual Tuesday is that I needed to have my hair trimmed and the fellow I've been using doesn't work on Tuesdays. Well, I probably should have waited another week or so as he had a bad head ache and butchered my hair! Oh well, it's just hair and will grow...

The job's feeling better. They've finally found some work that I'm doing on the computer and that fills in some of the blank time for me. It's nothing special, but it's better than nothing which is what I've been increasingly doing. The busy season is winding down and usually by 8:30am I've finished any filing that needs to be done and the phone has slowed down. I heard yesterday that crape myrtle season starts up the first of next month and we'll be rather busy for a few months with that. Thank goodness!

It's supposed to be a rainy and chilly weekend and I'm really looking forward to that!

Jumping the gun

Well, it seems I jumped the gun when I thought the kitchen is almost done. The counter tops are wrong. They are the Formica I chose and that looks great, however they don't fit right. Some parts hang over the edge (as they should) by about a quarter of an inch and some are actually negative in overhang! ISH! The piece that is missing is still missing and only 1/2 of the knobs are here. They did move my refrigerator into the kitchen spot on Friday (only with the urging of the painter and me) and it fits just right. They broke a shelf bracket in the freezer and a leg on the stove. They've propped the stove up with a piece of ply wood and I'm not too happy about that. They also scratched the hard wood floor outside the kitchen pretty badly. And they still have to trim off the shingles on the overhang outside the French doors. And, of course, the microwave/hood and dishwasher are still in the carport. I am not a happy camper.

Bert told Nancy that the rehab folks actually had Mother on her feet and walking with a person on either side of her and one following her closely with the wheelchair in back. Neither of us have seen that yet, but it certainly sounds promising! He also told Nancy that she was hollowering and cussing the entire time! Surprise, surprise!

I got 3 1/2 inches of rain here yesterday! Sure needed it!

Oh glory! I have counter tops!

Well, the title is a little misleading...I have most of my counter tops. One small one is missing. This process is really a pain, but I think it's almost over. The refrigerator is still in another room, the dishwasher and microwave/hood are still in the carport and the sink is still on the side porch. Other than that it's mighty close to being done! The painter has repainting to do and the roof on the overhang outside the French doors still needs work...but it's all coming along! Thank goodness!

I feel like throwing everything away that I took out of the kitchen and stacked in the dining room and just starting over. If I could afford to I just really might do it!

Tuesday Bert and I (with the help of an ambulance) moved Mother to a nursing home. Before she left the rehab center she called almost everyone there "Nincompoops"! That's Mother! I do hope she'll not make folks angry at the new place.

Nancy and I have talked (lots) about visiting Mother. She actually doesn't remember if we were there recently or not. We both work (and I drive over from another town) and this trying to see her so often is taking quite a toll on both of us. This is going to be a long term thing with Mother and her physical health is fine. Soooo, we have decided to each see her one day a week each on a different day. I saw her Tuesday and Nancy will see her today. I feel sure that this isn't going to sit too well with Bert, but we're both tired and have to take care of us too. Wonder why I feel so damn guilty?

Just got my high speed internet service up and running. That's been quite a process too! It's amazing how much faster than dial up it really is! So nice to be able to post from home!

Got my power bill yesterday. It was the lowest I remember it being...$46.39! However, air conditioning season is just about here...

The light at the end of the tunnel

I'm just hoping that the light I think I see at the end of the tunnel isn't a train! The kitchen floor went in on Saturday and looks great! Yesterday the cabinets went in...no counter tops! They only measured yesterday for the counters!!!! and say it'll probably be a week before they're in...but the cabinets (except for the one falling off of the wall) look good, but the doors aren't even at the top or bottom...this is very expensive and is taking sooooo long and damn it, I want it right!

I was to get high speed internet service through EMBARQ yesterday. They say that order has been processed, however, something happened and I have no phone (thus, no internet either!). That should be resolved by 3:58 this afternoon. Can you believe it?

I know that other shoe is hovering!!!

Mother was to be moved to the nursing home tomorrow, but a bed came available in a private room (hard to come by) and she's being moved today. I feel sure the rehab center will be happy to see her go as she is very uncooperative, cranky and cusses quite a bit! We (actually Nancy) overheard two of the nursing staff one day last week say they could only hope she was leaving soon! I told Bert I'd be over there after work. I went yesterday but she was sound asleep and I didn't wake her. I did, however, put a sticky note on her chest so she'd know I'd been there.

The kittens are now mostly outdoor cats and they love it. I think they spend a lot of time under the house, but I've seen them in the main yard and out front. That worries me. I try to pray them safe. They do come in for meals, but getting the back door closed with them in isn't easy. If I happen to "trap" them inside the yowling is unbearable! Litter boxes are much easier to keep up with! Now instead of scooping 4 boxes twice a day I'm scooping once a day. Better!

The 1st Fletcher First Cousin Reunion on Saturday was fine. Nancy and I were not treated as cousins. Things were given out to family members. Nothing to us. Oh well...I told her that we were afterthoughts when the post marks on our invitation letters was 4 days past the RSVP date! She insisted and we went. We did get a free meal and I finally got to meet some of the people I hear about quite a bit. Ferrel Samms (sp?), the author, is a family member and was at our table. Nice to meet him. There were apx. 65 people there from new borns to Bert who is now the oldest at 90.

I just got off the phone with Bert. I'll meet him at the rehab center after work today and then go with him to the nursing home to help settle Mother in. Oh joy!

Bye Bye AOL

Yesterday Nancy sneaked her dog Maria in to see Mother. She put her in a purse and walked right in. She had to wake Mother, but she knew Maria and even said "Oh look, Maria came to see her Meemaw"! They didn't stay long.

Tomorrow Nancy & I will be going to the Waukulla Springs Lodge for the 1st Fletcher First Cousins Reunion. Should be interesting. We'll go by to see Mother before hand.

I just ordered Embarq high speed internet. They said I'll be up and running after 7pm Monday. I've had AOL for so long, but they have really not given me the service I've needed this time...and high speed will be nice!

My flooring and cabinets were delivered yesterday. They are in my carport, but at least they are here! The builders had to jack the kitchen floor up from under the house and got that done yesterday, so I'm hoping (I know it's foolish) that the floor or something is done when I get home today!

I think my ankle is finally getting better. I had to go upstairs twice this morning (here at work) and it didn't absolutely kill me. Yeah!

Probably won't post again until Monday or Tuesday.

I saw Mother yesterday

I was with Mother for a little over 2 hours yesterday. She seemed the most lucid that I've seen in the beginning. She made a pitiful stab at her lunch eating a total of 5-6 bites. She asked me why her parents haven't come to see her and I told her to think about it. She thought for a while and then asked if they had died and how long ago. While I was hanging up some of her clothes I had my back to her...she said "oh look at him, isn't he sweet, look at how nicely he just lays there". It was like she had a kitten or something. When I went over to see what she was talking about it was her right hand in her lap and she was petting it. Next Tuesday she'll be moved to The Consulate Nursing Home. This is a very sad time.

My kitchen is painted!

The beautiful tongue and groove ceiling and crown molding in my kitchen was painted a bright white and the walls an off white...I can live with that...yesterday. Looks great, now if there were just some cabinets and counter tops, etc.!

My new French doors are almost installed. They are in the hole, but that's all. They put a board across them, so now when Shirley needs to go out I have to put her leash on her and take her out the carport to the fenced in area. I sure do hope that's finished today! and, I hope they'll take the plywood down between the living room and the funny room. Oh, the house is such a mess, I can't imagine that I'll ever get it put back together or clean. The building dust has made it all the way to my bathroom, Every lampshade is covered and my bed even feels gritty! What a mess, what a mess!

Will go see Mother for lunch today.

Change is the norm

Years ago it dawned on me that the only thing that's really normal is change. Nothing ever stays the same, relationships, health, jobs, and all of the various day to day things that we often aren't even aware of undergo change constantly. Damn it, why can't we just find that comfort zone and stay put? I am so tired of the feeling of being tossed into the air and wondering where I'll land.

Not much change with Mother. Don't remember if I mentioned that she'll be moved to a nursing home on the 2nd...which one is still to be determined.

Chilly this morning.

They put beautiful spring flowers on my desk yesterday. Dogwood, redbuds, loropetalums, cherrys and something else. Now my office matches outside! Pretty. Sweet!

Oh, the builders installed wonderful old crown molding in my kitchen yesterday! Didn't know they were going to do that and it's really, really nice! Love it! Of course, the rest of the kitchen is still empty...oh well...maybe it'll be ready for Thanksgiving!

Wild weather

Yesterday was extremely windy! Wild day.

Yesterday Mother was more lucid than I've seen her since her stroke.

My internet access at home has been down for several days. Posting at work is hard. I'm waiting on a disc from AOL...they say 2 weeks! Ish!

The wearing of the green

So far everyone coming in to work this morning is wearing at least a touch of green. I think everyone should always wear green here as we are a nursery!

Mother fell out of bed Friday evening trying to reach her water...at least that's what they say. She wasn't hurt and doesn't remember it.

Saturday Nancy and I spent hours and hours looking for her tax information. We went through one closet and didn't find anything for taxes, but found stacks and stacks of magazines dating back to 1996! We tossed them along with one of the most extensive stashes of used tissue paper I've ever seen. She had empty boxes and shopping bags which we also tossed and lots and lots of just plain junk. There is another closet which we plan to do on Sunday.

We had taken shampoo and blow dryer with us when we went to see Mothero on Saturday, but she was asleep both times we went there so we didn't wake her to do her hair. Yesterday Nancy went there and washed & dried her hair. It had gotten so bad and smelled. When Nancy called me after doing her hair she was almost yelling. She had worked herself up with so much anger and wanted to take it out on me. When I told her finally that she had to get hold of her anger she practically hung up on me. Wouldn't answer my calls later. Oh well.

I was gone from home for 13 hours on Saturday. I told Bert that I'll not be visiting Mother this week as I need to stay off of my ankle as much as I can and I'm very tired. Also, gas is eating me alive!

I reinjured my ankle Saturday by slipping twice on the piles of stuff we'd tossed out of her closet and now it's very swollen and painful again.

Smokey and Bandi spent all day Sunday outside. They loved it. The builder had accidentally let both of them out on different days last week and every time the door is used they both rush it. I really hadn't planned on letting them out at all, but now it's a done deal. I do hope they'll stay close!

The builder thinks my new French doors will be in the first of this week. No news on the cabinets. I pray they finish soon. The was I'm living at home is worse than camping and there is a thick coating of dust on everything, even the bathrooms. No wonder the cats and I sneeze lots!

Mother update

After work yesterday I went to the rehab center to see Mother. She was in physical therapy and doing much better than the day before. Her nurse had washed her hair and it looked terrible, but clean. She said she wasn't feeling clean and I asked her what was bothering her the most and she said her teeth. Among the items Nancy and I took to her on Saturday were her toothbrush and toothpaste, but they haven't been used. I went back to her room and got them out and put them on her tray. I couldn't stay as long as the day before as I had an appointment across town. When I told her I had to go she burst into tears and said "Oh don't leave me Mommy". Needless to say not only did I cry, but her therapist did also.

Spring has sprung!

Everywhere you look something is blooming! The dogwoods, redbuds, cherry laurel, azaleas, bulbs of all sorts are in bloom and the camellias are still holding their blooms from January. It's beautiful!

My kitchen renovation is coming right along. Last week they gutted it. When they tore down the ceiling tiles they uncovered the original ceiling which is a wonderful tongue and groove thing. I'm going to keep it! Monday they did plumbing, Tuesday electrical and yesterday the insulation and drywall went in! I'm trying not to be too hopeful, but I do believe I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel! Yeah!

Monday when I got home from work I couldn't find Bandi. I thought she was just hiding and didn't really begin worrying until it was their supper time and no Bandi. She's never been outside and I know the workmen are careful about leaving the door open (I sorta yelled a lot about that in the beginning) so I was concentrating on the attic and the walls, in fact, last night I was sure she was behind the new drywall. But this morning when I let Shirley out I heard her and called and out she came from under the house. Thank goodness! My little group is now complete again!

I went to Tallahassee yesterday after work to see Mother. She was in physical therapy when I got there, in her wheelchair, slumped over with her head down and her eyes closed. Two girls were saying "Miss Jane, open your eyes, Miss Jane hold up your head" and she wouldn't. I walked over to her and said "Mother, what in the world are you doing?" Her head snapped up and her eyes opened and she said "Exercise"! I stayed with her for the remainder of that session and for her speech therapy. Then I took her back to her room and put her jacket on her as she was very cold. She was very cooperative. I'll go back after work today.

She's seeming much better!

When Nancy and I got to the rehab center yesterday Mother was in a wheelchair! First time and was much more lucid! She knew both of us and called us by name. First time. They brought her lunch and she fed herself (left hand). First time (as Bert fed her her breakfast).

She still has almost no use of the right side, though her nurse said she'd kicked the covers off the night before and she made a fist for us and flexed her fingers. She has trouble putting thought to word and trouble finding words.

We were so pleased with the progress.

Chilly here this morning.

Bill, thank you so much for your comment. I'm embarrassed, but do we know you?

More Mother news

They moved Mother to a rehab center late yesterday. The ccu unit nurse told Nancy that the main reason they moved her so quickly was that she was fighting them and was uncooperative.
Nancy and I will visit her there today. I pray this will be the stimulus she needs. The MRI of her brain showed massive damage. I don't know how much improvement we should expect. Her general physical condition has been upgraded from critical to fair. Her heart, lungs, etc. are good. This is so hard.

Yet another update

Bert called me at work twice this morning. He (and her attending Dr.) wanted to surgically implant a feeding tube in Mother's abdomen. I've heard such horror stories about people having to get court orders to remove same when the patient wasn't going to recover and told him that. I really thought we should wait a few more days before doing something that drastic. After all, she's being fed IV and the chance of recovering her swallowing ability should improve as she improves. Anyway he called Nancy and she was all for it, so they overruled me and did it. She came through the surgery quite well and I was there when she woke up in recovery. She was pretty alert, though her speech isn't good at all. She seemed to know me, or at least liked me. She tried to talk, but got very agitated when she couldn't. Bert went home for a much needed rest and I called Nancy who got there around 3 o'clock. We left at 4 o'clock. We told both Bert and Mother that we wouldn't be there tomorrow, but probably would be there on Saturday. Mother has no concept of time or days, etc. But I explained it to her a couple of times and I figure it may sink in some day.

Mother update

There is no significant change in Mother. The doctors say she had a major stroke and it will be a week to 10 days before we really know anything. They had a music therapist in with her yesterday and she tried to sing along and move her good foot with the music. That sounds good.

They began tearing out my kitchen Tuesday. It has been totally gutted, cabinets, walls down to the studs, floor and ceiling. Friday I bought a tomato and an avocado...can't find them...I suppose that if this cold ever goes away I'll be able to smell them out!

Mother

Mother had a stroke yesterday. She's stable now and in Cardiac Intensive Care. I haven't called anyone as I'm so scattered and can't find my address book. Rosie, I have your # on my cell and when I get it charged up and know something more I'll give you a call. Nancy, Bert and I were with her until midnight and then Nancy and I left. Bert stayed...we're worried about him as he is 90 and really not handling this well at all.

She is having speech problems (counts a lot) and is partially paralyzed on her right side and very confused, doesn't know her name or the date or what happened or where she is, etc..

We have a big storm coming in today with tornadoes, hail and such.

Daddy died on the 5th of March.

Back to work

Went back to work yesterday. Probably should stay out for a few more, but you know about the old pocket book! My ear is still bothering me even though I finished the antibiotic yesterday and I'm weak as all get out! This past week I did nothing but sleep and then toward the end of the week watched movies on DVD's. If you haven't seen it, "No Reservations" is really a feel-good movie!

We got over 7 inches of rain last week...really needed it...and we have more coming today. Yeah!

Work's work. Found some porn (actually, lots of porn) on the computer in my office yesterday. That idiot that moved to my old desk was dumb enough to leave it on the desk top unprotected scattered in with pictures of his grandchildren! Stupid! Sick! Ugly!

Catching up

I started the new job in Home Office last Wednesday. I have a lovely office with an antique computer. I'm filing, answering the phone and going to the post office. Not good.

HWB and the guys at the old job sent flowers and candy with a card saying it was for my first day on the new job and an early Valentines Day wish.

Wednesday afternoon I went to the dermatologist in Tallahassee. Several of the places my GP was concerned about were nothing. The place on my nose was removed and required a stitch inside and one outside. There were two places on my lip that he froze. The shots in my nose and the freezing were most painful.

Thursday was Valentines Day. Got several things of candy and another flower. One of the girls brought in homemade chicken and dumplings and a large salad. Nice.

I was sick all weekend and when I got up Monday morning was much worse. Was at my doctor's office at 7:30 when they opened and told them I wouldn't leave until I could see someone. They said they'd fit me in at 10:15. Went to work. At 10:15 went to the doctor. I have flu (had the flu shot, but it seems the shot is only covering around 40 percent of the strains going aroung) and a secondary bacterial ear infection and fluid on my lungs. He perscribed an antibiotic for the ear. Went on to the post office and back to work. Sorted the mail and came home.

Had only been home a short time when my builder called and wanted a key to the house. He came by and picked it up and asked if I could do without a kitchen for a few weeks. Ha!

Yesterday I called work and told them I didn't know when I'd be back.

Still feel rotten and the antibiotic has torn my stomach up!

It's been quite a week.

A little progress.

I still haven't made the big move to home office. I'm told it'll be this coming Wednesday. That also is the day my skin cancer surgery is scheduled for. I've already told them and I'll have to leave an hour early on my first day there.

I am seeing progress with my office. Monday there was a desk with no drawers. Tuesday there was a stack of drawers in the corner. Wednesday the drawers were in, two don't fit too well. Thursday there was a computer on the desk and today a red leather (old) chair had been added. There is still no desk chair and everything is rather dirty. Watching this has been fun.

I really was a wreck on Monday. I didn't sleep very well over the weekend because of fretting over the move. And a fellow who is moving into the office I'm leaving was there when I got in. He's a nice guy, but sharing a phone and a computer has had it's challanges! But, when I left today I was just fine and feel sure I will be this weekend.

Those storms that ran through our midsection (our as in our country) two days ago were unreal!
So many people have lost so much. Our driver said he saw several flat bed semis carrying what looked like FEMA trailers while he was on I-10 today.

Neither of my daughers, who live on the fringes of the horrid weather paths, have posted lately. That's not really odd, we all go through spells of not posting. I'm just an ol' worry-wart, always have been and probably always will be!

I've been cutting pennies a bit finer lately. I dropped Callwave, though I loved it and dropped the call forward busy feature that I had to have from Embarq in order to use Callwave. That's going to save about $12.50 a month. Then my sister told me about a calling package that she just got with Embarq that includes local and long distance (.10 a min.!) and is $19.99 a month. So I called and changed to that and that's another $10.00 a month savings! Then I changed my newspaper subscription from 7 days a week to Sunday only. That's going to save me about $12.00 a month! So with just a few changes I'm saving ball-park about $35.00 a month! That's $420.00 a year! That's a new TV or a tank of propane! I'm going to try to put $35.00 aside each month and at least I should be able to get at least one tank of propane! If I'd quit smoking that'd be another $140.00 a month...then I could stop eating and then stop feeding the animals and stop doing electric and water and damn it, that is how it feels! The prices of things are going up so quickly and the money in the pocket isn't!

Tomorrow I'm going to try to dig the lantanas out of the front bed. They do take over and are frightfully ugly in the winter and I want them gone. I was thinking that if I can't dig them out I'll tie a rope around them and into the tingy in the trunk of my car and yank them out. We'll see, it should be fun! The weather is supposed to be wonderful, 72-75 degrees day time and high 40's night times!

Still no progress to report on the kitchen. I'm down to 2 forks, 1 plate and three bowls. I'm ready. It'll take me less than 1/2 an hour to clear it totally! Need to call my builder.

A Wonderful Friday

Earlier this week I asked for a day off to take care of some things and HWB suggested Friday as both he and Paul would be gone off and on during the rest of the week.

Yesterday he told me that I would be going to the home office as of Monday. That's what he'd said earlier, but changed it a few days later because of painting. So now it's back on for Monday.

Anyway, I was off today and slept a little late, played on the computer, went to the bank, paid some bills, gassed up the car and went to Thomasville. Had a nice day and fretted the entire time about the upcoming change.

Today is Nancy's 59th birthday. I woke up this morning early, 3:40ish, and called her office and sang Happy Birthday to her answering machine. We'll celebrate both tomorrow and Sunday!

It's going down to the low 30s tonight and I'm out of propane. They'll be here Monday to fill 'er up, but in the mean time...thank goodness for pets! We'll sleep warm!

Another small delay

Monday HWB told me that I'd not be moving to the main office on Monday after all. It seems they are painting the floor in the office that the girl whose office I'm moving to is moving to and they think the drying time will be a bit longer in this weather, so he said to expect 2-3 days delay. Why am I not surprised? This has been hanging over my head since October...what's a few more days?

I voted yesterday at 7:15am...was only the 12th person in my precinct to vote, but heard this morning that the final turn out was quite large! November should be interesting.

Cold rain this morning.

No kitchen news other than everything, except for the few things I use daily, is packed away and in the dining room and what's left in there is in boxes and just will have to be moved when the time comes...hope that's soon.

Friday my sister will be 59 years old! Told her that I wasn't old enough to have a sister that old! Saturday she and I will be going to Talbot's to spend some coupons and later we'll meet Mother and Bert at the Seinyard to feast! Then on Sunday Nancy & I will be going to Quincy to see Bye, Bye Birdie. Should be fun.

And yet another rainy, cold Saturday

How fortunate can one be? Another rainy and cold Saturday. My favorite kind of day at home! I think weather like this gives me permission to stay in and bundle up and cook a little and watch movies and read. And, not to go anywhere!

I worked on the kitchen both Thursday and last night. All the upper cabinets are emptied, 2 drawers are emptied and about a third of the lower cabinets are done. I've packed up all the do-dads and stuff and taken all the pictures off of the 'fridge. I'm thinking I need to empty the refrigerator, or at least clear it of all but the bare necessities. I'm going to move the coffee pot to my bathroom and the microwave to the bedroom...maybe the electric skillet, too. Wonder how long I'll have to live like this? I started packing the kitchen the end of August and here it is the end of January. Not a real calming place to say the least. The kittens love it...new mountains to climb almost daily!

One more week to go at work.

There's something I don't understand about this tax rebate thing. How in the world is it going to make any kind of long term difference if they don't also slash income taxes? This feel like a bandage on a severed limb...the blood's still going to seep out.

I filed my income tax this past week. I am getting a small return, thank goodness! Last year I didn't do my withholding at work right and had to pay $270 something. My goal is to break even, not owe and not have any of my income being used without interest for a year and then have to jump through hoops with forms to get my own money back more than a year later. There's definitely something wrong with out tax structure.

There, I'm done.

It's Unofficial

Well, unofficially, I'll be moving to the home office on the 4th of February. That's a week from this coming Monday. I'm looking forward to getting away from the gloom and doom that covers us where I am, but I'm really dreading what it looks like from this side of the glass...I've been told twice (yesterday was the second time) that I'll be handling the phones and filing...yeah! Talk about potential boredom and really torn up hands! Oh well, I guess I can do anything for 31 months (that's when I plan to retire).

Leah Jane came by yesterday with soup and wine. I can tell this morning that I ate less soup than I should have and drank more wine than was wise on a "school night".

We've had almost 3" of rain since Saturday and more in the forecast!

I've almost emptied the kitchen. Ran out of boxes, but brought more home from work yesterday. My shoulders and arms and hips and legs hurt quite a bit from climbing up and down the ladder all weekend in order to get the things from the top shelves. I'd climb up get a small armful and climb down and put it in a box...must have done that 80 million times! Probably have another good mornings worth to do. I'm hoping that I'll not have to do more until this weekend.

Well, it's over.

My divorce was final on Thursday. I filed with sadness.

Not much other news...it's a cold and rainy (thank goodness) Saturday, my favorite kind!

Work's still uncomfortable, but both HWB and Paul were gone Thursday and Friday and even though that increased my hours both days (I closed) and my work load (which I enjoyed) I found it a restful break. No dark, gloomy moods to deal with.

I'm going to try to get to Tallahassee to the Social Security office on Monday.

I'm having skin cancer surgery on the 13th of next month. On my face. Two places. There are other places I need to have looked at.

Atlanta got a good snow. That should decrease the rain deficit a tad.

And the year builds up speed!

This is actually my first posting of the year and it's already the 13th of January! Wow! How in the world can that be?

A lot is going on at work. Not good stuff. Two of our guys (out of 7) were fired yesterday and one was transferred to another division a week ago. A few days back I asked HWB again if I was going to have to go to the home office and he said yes, but not in January. How Weird is this? Orders are slow coming in, the phone is very quiet and walk-ins are few and far between. We have gotten several rather large orders and that's keeping the fellows in the nursery pretty busy...but the office is awfully still! And, it's very tense and moods are rather dark.

We are having rain! It began night before last and has rained off and on. I saw on the computer yesterday that it should continue through tomorrow! I pray it does!

Last Saturday I met Mother and Nancy at the mall and we shopped one store for a couple of hours and we all got some neat stuff. Nancy and I got lots of socks that were half price! We ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday. I shopped Publix on the way home and still got back home by 3pm!

Tomorrow Nancy and I are going to brunch at 11am and I'm going to try to get back early because I've got to clear out the kitchen. Even though I'm starting today I'm sure there will be more to do for a few more days.

The cabinets have been ordered and they'll tear out the old cabinets in about 2 weeks and re-do the kitchen window. Then they'll do the floor and then the new cabinets and counters will go in. They'll replace the French doors and put a little overhang outside because the water splashing up from the stoop is causing the doors to split and warp and put in a pocket door between the kitchen and the funny room. They'll have the lighting fixtures I've gotten installed and paint the living room, dining room, funny room and kitchen. They say that once they start it'll be 3-4 weeks. I'm going to put the coffee pot in my bathroom and the microwave on my dresser. I guess the refrigerator will go in the living room. I have a feeling that time is going to slow down considerably during this process!

Mother and Bert are going to Italy in May. Sure hope they get there, at first mother told me that they were taking a ship but a second later that they were flying! I guess I'll hear.

Yardman mowed earlier this week. Looks so much better. Actually it was only weeds and fallen Spanish moss and pecans that were cut but it made a major difference! Whew!

Someone is taking my firewood. At first I thought I might be imagining it, but I counted a couple of areas and sure 'nuff the count went down. Damn it! I paid good money for that wood and I use it and I want it! Wish I knew what to do.