I've done so much recently that you'd think I'd have something to show for it! My 3 main focuses have been rendering the dining room usable, organizing the side porch and working on my work room.

The dining room is getting there. The table and chairs are once more centered in the dining room under the wonderful new chandelier that the kitchen renovators installed for me. They also left greasy black hand and finger prints on the relatively white ceiling! I must get up there and see if I can do anything about them! and...today I recovered 1 of the 6 chairs in there. It makes such a difference! Adds a wonderful pop of color and ties in the wall paper with the chandelier. Just looks great!! Now only 5 more to go. May have to do 1 a day or something as my hands are killing me from using the stapler. I'll just have to see how it goes.

I got a recycling bin last week and put it out Tuesday night for the first time. It felt good. I have put a great number of boxes out for recycling and I've taken recycle things to the dump. (They have special bins for certain things). But, it really did feel good just putting it out front!

Nancy and I have talked about needing to sell Mother's car. The sooner we do it the better the profit, but I guess that's dependent on actually be able to sell it. It's a 2008 Lincoln Town Car, I think. Anyway, it is a 2008 and you'd think it'd be easier to sell it in '08! Nancy broached the subject to Bert this week and he's dead set against it! He told Nancy that he really believes that Mother will "snap out of it"! and he wants her car to be there when she comes home! Oh, so sad!

Had dinner with the ladies last night. Always fun! I love being the youngest for a change! Had fried shrimp, cheese grits, cole slaw and hush puppies! Wonderful! Brought home a slice of pie to die for, Cool Whip, coconut, chopped pecans and caramel in a graham cracker crust! So good! Brought home enough left-overs that I had everything for breakfast and again for lunch today. Yum! Sure hate that it's all gone! Week after next is Halloween and we're all going to dress in costume for dinner! Fun! Oh, they finally pin-pointed me down on joining the Founders Garden club. I am.

I'm thinking this quietly as I type it in: The puppies seem better. A couple of times this past week I actually caught them doing something and swatted them pretty good with whatever was close at hand. Also, they've pretty much chewed up everything. They did a number on the bench that I bought to use as a coffee table. I can make it usable, but it just pisses me off when they do things like that! I coated it with hot sauce and that's working for now.

Guess I'd better go, no puppies in sight and it's mighty quiet!

It was one of those days!

Have you ever had one of those days when everything happens wrong? Well, today was one of those!

It all began before I left the house this morning.

When I got up this morning the puppies had torn up one of the last of the dog toys all over the bedroom. Fuzz and stuffing everywhere! Calmly picked it up.

Put the gate up between the back hall and the dining room as I was leaving for work. Saw I'd left the kitchen light on. Stepped over the gate right smack dab in the middle of a fresh, steaming, smelly pile of poop. Tossed purse to the table, grabbed the shoe and hobbled to the kitchen. Used the hottest water the pipes could produce and the sprayer and got the poop out of all of the grooves on the shoe.

Scrubbed the sink with Comet.

Only worked until 10:30 this morning. Then it was off to Tallahassee to see Mother.

I was closer to Hwy. 27 at work than I was to Hwy. 90 which is the usual way I go to see Mother. But somehow it made more sense to me to go Hwy. 27. Wrong! Because of the time of day and traffic and the fact that I was on the opposite side of town, it took me almost twice as long to get to the nursing home. Mother was in a group activity when I got there and I watched for about 15 minutes and left. I didn't want to upset the apple cart.

Stopped at Publix on the way home. They were out of my cigarettes.

When I got to Monticello I went to Fred's and got my cigarettes.

Since I was on that side of town I decided to go home the back way and stopped at Leah Jane's to get some more things out of the yard. Couldn't pick up the bird bath, but got 2 large pots of asparagus ferns and tossed them into the back seat.

Got home and opened the back door of the car to take the ferns out and a rather large green and gray snake fell out. (Use your imagination here.) After hopping around for a while I decided to try to reach over the cats that had circled the snake and take my groceries in.

As soon as I opened the back door I knew that I wasn't going to be a happy camper...there was cushion foam in large chunks all over the dining room and into the living room and the fresh aroma of puppy poop. Now I got home about 30 minutes earlier than I usually do from work and the distruction had already begun. I think they decorate for me. I'm glad I was early! After tossing the dogs out I started in on cleaning up the mess and found the remote for my TV under a mess of foam. The end that you point toward the TV was gnawed. Pointed it toward the TV and pressed "on"...nothing.

You know, at this point I'd about had it! I left Shirley and the puppies in the yard (which I have never done before) and took my remote to Radio Shack. Well, wouldn't you know it they didn't have one that was compatable with my TV! Said I'd probably have to go back to where ever I got it (Thomasville) and get one there. I moaned and groaned and the fellow said why didn't I let him check the remote out for me. It turned out that he was able to unstick a chewed button on it and said it should work. Got home, it DID!!!!

When I backed out to go to Radio Shack the snake wasn't in the carport. He rode there and back under the car somehow, 'cause he fell out when I got home!

Thank goodness, the remainder of the day has been rather uneventful. The snake got into a flower bed and seems comfortable, the puppies haven't done anything else that I've found and I'm having wonderful leftovers for supper, so no cooking! And, Biggest Loser is on tonight! All's right with my world for now!

Just catching up

Friday was my night to have dinner with the ladies. As always it was very good and much fun! The nicest thing about it was how we all dressed...in our fall clothes! We all looked so warm and fuzzy!

I sat on the computer almost all day yesterday playing a new game I found, Peggle Nites. Simple and totally captivating! Gotta watch it! It's hard to get much done that way!

Left home at a quarter to seven this morning and headed to Tallahassee. It wasn't quite as cool as its been the past few days, but cool enough! The fog was funny. It was very heavy at ground level about up to the hood of my car and perfectly clear above. There was a stretch of road where the fog pretty much covered it and the going was a tad slow. It burned off as soon as the sun came up.

Nancy and I went to The Village Inn again. They do know how to make breakfast important! Good food and brought some home!

After breakfast we "did" Walmart. I'm in the process of weather stripping and had run out, so I got some more. It's quite cheap for such a good fix. I also found some self adhesive bottom of the door strips. I'm hoping all of this will help this winter. Got some jerky and puppy chow, too.

Things at work are okay. Now that I'm really part time I find that what goes on there takes on much less importance. Funny how that works. I get up three days a week and put in 15 hours at one place and another 1-4 hours at another. And then I'm my own person. Getting the house in winter order and just order in general is a joy. If I ever finish all of my "home improvement" projects then I have a million and one other projects waiting in the wings. I'm enjoying looking forward to them!

The poor yard has really "gone to hell in a hand basket" as Aunt Maude used to say. We haven't had rain in 3+ weeks and I'm really not watering much at all (money you know). I had the fellow who mows my yard mow the pitiful garden spot, so that's gone, thank goodness and 'most everything else is dying in pots. You'd think I'd be upset by this and on some level I am, but mostly, it's a funny relief. Gets me!

Hold your breath, the puppies are better. Not good, better.

Gotta go put a bird in the oven.

Baby, it's cold outside!

We in Florida do tend to become accustomed to the oppressive heat and humidity we live with 6 or 7 months a year, so when there's almost no humidity and the temperature is in the mid 50's we are COLD!!!! That's how it is this morning...WONDERFUL!!!

Just yesterday the two space heaters I ordered from Lowes were delivered. I won't be unboxing them today, but the thought did flicker through my mind. Fuel cost this coming winter have been on everyone's mind lately. I know it's a topic of conversation at some point at every gathering. We don't have natural gas available here which would be my fuel of choice. And, even though a fire place is wonderful, the range is limited and it does require a lot of tending and cleaning. I figure that I've been able to keep up with my electric bill this summer and shouldn't use more electricity with a couple of those oil filled radiator-type heaters. And, of course, bundling up is easy enough...and I do have wool socks.

I checked the gauge on my propane tank yesterday and there's a little less than 45 percent in it. I'm thinking that I'll have it filled soon and that WILL be the only time this winter. For the past 3 winters that I've been in the house I've had the tank filled 3 times each winter and have kept the thermostat on 62 degrees. I read an article on the net that suggested keeping the thermostat on 50 degrees and using space heaters. These radiator-type heaters are supposed to be energy efficient and safe to run. I'm going to have to have several outlets replaced because plugs won't stay in them...that's another expense, but one that I need. And, the furnace uses both propane and electricity!

I have had puppies up to HERE! This has been a horrible week for both them and me. Monday when I got home from work I walked in to a mess. The puppies had torn a hole in the orthopedic pillow I use in my chair and there were chunks of foam everywhere. Tuesday morning they brought in a dead bird and played tug of war all over the living room. I found the mess as I was leaving for work and had to call in and tell them I'd be late. Was only 20 min. late, but that matters to the pay check! Then when I got home I discovered that I'd left the gate down from the dining room to the back hall. They had gotten every pillow off of the bed and had completely torn up 2 throw pillows and had pulled the stuffing out of the main pillow I sleep on! There was stuffing from the bedroom all the way to the front hall! Not only that, but puppy poop was mixed in with it! Yesterday they completely uprooted a blueberry bush and were running around the fenced part of the yard with it. I whacked both of them with the bush and replanted it (raving all of the time) and liberally sprinkled pepper around it. Poor bush, it'll be a miracle if it makes it! When I got up at 5 this morning the first thing I saw when my feet hit the floor was pillow stuffing all over the bedroom. Another throw pillow bit the dust. It's not like they don't have toys and dog chews, etc. They have many of both...maybe too many?

I did try to find a home for Maggie when she was tossed into my yard...in fact tried for several months. I probably should have taken her to the Humane Society then, but they were so crowded. Now they are talking about having to euthanize to reduce the number of animals...don't know what to do. As angry as the puppies make me, I'm so attached to them and they to me!

Didn't visit Mother this week, nor will I next week. Nancy and I are trying 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off with the visiting. Mother's in a routine (she's been banned from the dining room again) and doesn't know who we are when we visit (she visits like with a stranger), nor does she remember being visited. Nancy and I both find the visits quite stressful, so we're trying this for a while. Of course, I feel guilty because I really COULD visit.

Another Mother visit

Yesterday after work I headed to Tallahassee for a visit with Mother. Once more she was waiting in the common area for her aide to take her in for her nap. She was again quite calm and rather lucid. She said it was lucky I got there when I did because had I been later I'd have missed her. Asked where she was going and she said "home", but not to stay, just to visit. Asked her how she was going to get there and she said her "partner" was taking her. Asked if she meant Bert and she said "no", it was her aide she was talking about. Asked if Bert knew she was going there and she said "no". She had all of the details worked out in her head and said if Bert wasn't home she'd just wait outside until he showed up...and that she wasn't taking her clothes, but would be coming back to "here". Then she said she'd probably stay a few days as she thought the trip would be hard on her. When I told her it was only 5-6 miles to the house she got a little agitated. I don't know, but I imagine she had forgotten all about it when she woke from her nap. We visited for about 30 minutes before her aide came and got her.

Bert told us a week or so ago that Uncle Buddy was coming to see Mother this coming weekend. Neither Nancy nor I have heard any more about it.

This coming Friday the Methodist Church in Waukeenah is having a fish fry. Nancy and I plan to go! Last year it was just wonderful and we are anticipating yet another feast! (we are taking plastic baggies!!!)

The puppies are just awful. One of them chewed on the door frame between the dining room and back hall yesterday. I coated it with hot sauce. Hope that works. If it does I guess I just buy a giant supply and a sprayer and douse the entire house, furniture and yard. It's worth a try!

HWB and his wife and family were named Jefferson County Farm Family of the year! Didn't know they farmed!

A little while ago I checked the temperature and it was 73 degrees! Absolutely wonderful!

And Autumn Begins!

Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn!!!!! We are feeling the vaguest hint of Fall in the air...the humidity is lower, the temperature is lower and the air smells different. The dogwood trees are turning and other trees have that russet hue that promises more of the same! I LOVE FALL!!!

I visited Mother on Tuesday. She was in the common area waiting her turn to be put down for a nap. As soon as I sat down with her she asked if I would be upset when her aide came to get her. Of course I said no. We had about a 15 min. visit before it was her turn. She seemed very ready for a nap.

Mother's roommate, Stella, died last weekend. Mother didn't mention it. I don't think she knows. She has a new roommate, but I haven't met her yet.

I had jury duty Wednesday. Because of the evidence, or lack of actually, our verdict was "not guilty". We didn't reach a verdict until 5:15 that afternoon and by the time I got home at 20 till 6 my phone was ringing with a call from the judge's mother. That bothered me.

Nancy and I had breakfast at the Village Inn yesterday and then shopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They were having a wonderful sale. I got shelves to put on the side porch in the hopes of clearing out the last of the mess from the living room, funny room and dining room. I got home around 11AM.

It took me a little while to put the shelves together and fit them in on the porch, but it was well worth the effort! I can see the tops of tables in all three rooms! Yeah!! It's not completely done yet, but I plan to finish today. I moved the dry cat food from the back hall to the kitchen. Poor Goodness is really unhappy about that and acts confused. He'll adjust but not happily.

Survivor starts Thursday!!!!! Biggest Loser started last Tuesday and The Amazing Race starts next Sunday! Finally!!!

Birthday at the Seinyard

Yesterday Nancy, Bert and I went to the Seinyard to celebrate my birthday that was several weeks ago. It just wasn't the same without Mother...in fact it really was quite sad. As always, the food was wonderful and ample and I brought a ton home. There's probably three good eatings in that box in the refrigerator.

Years ago the coffee with the best brand recognition and the coffee of choice for most folks was Maxwell House. When I was given the choice of so many brands I tried them and settled down with some that met my taste and never went back to Maxwell House. A few weeks ago Publix had Maxwell House on sale 2 for $5.00 and, being the frugal shopper that I am, I couldn't resist such a deal.

Well, I now remember why I never went back. I don't like Maxwell House. It smells awful while pouring, tastes bad and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth after drinking. I'm wondering if those folks ever try their competition. They should!

It's horrible what damage Ike did to Texas! Those folks are really in a mess. Nancy and I were talking earlier this morning about what we'd do if a storm of that magnitude headed this way. We are about 25-30 miles closer to the Gulf of Mexico than Houston is and just look at what happened there. Can't you see me evacuating in my little Honda with 7 animals! It'd be a wild ride!

I was planning to make brownies with a coconut/pecan frosting for the storm, but since Ike headed the other way I didn't. Maybe I'll make them and take them to work tomorrow. Or not.

Season of storms

Not just hurricanes, but the inner storms are mighty this season!

I went to see Mother yesterday. It was the first time I've seen her since I was sick. The medical staff seems to have gotten her medications regulated, or something. She was calm. She was alert. She didn't have as many word problems. She was so much easier to be around! She is still as mentally and physically impaired as ever, just not as agitated and addled. She's still bad. She made fun of how one of the aides talked. AND, she's not allowed to eat in the dining room 'cause she's disruptive. There's 3 other ladies who have also been removed from the dining room and they along with Mother and 2 aides do meals in a classroom sorta place.

When I got to the nursing home I went straight back to the area Mother's in and couldn't find her, not in the different groups, not in her room. So I checked out the beauty salon, not there either. I asked the nurse in her area about Mother and she said she'd seen Mother with "her husband" earlier and that was probably where she was. I thought that maybe they were outside and went out back to check...nope. I was on my way back to Mother's area when I saw an aide go into that classroom and saw some wheelchairs. Stuck my head in and saw Mother. Sat with her in there for about 15 minutes and was asked to leave when the food was delivered. So I did.

Hurricane Ike is really looking nasty! Not for us, thank goodness, but LA and TX better look out! We're getting outer bands from Ike now...I just got an alert that a baaad band of storms is moving this way. Better get off of the computer.

Labor Day

We are so fortunate! No hurricane for Labor Day and actually little bad weather forecast for us either. Well, it's relative...at 4:30 this morning the temperature was 81 degrees, it's cooled down to 80 now! They did just say on TV that we can expect gusty showers w/possibility of tornadoes this afternoon.

You know, I would never want our government to tell people where they can or can't live, but it seems to me that if folks are dumb enough to keep moving back to areas that are lower than sea level and storm prone they should be penalized somehow. Perhaps no government assistance in any form is the answer. Rather harsh, but something needs to be done.

When I woke up this morning I felt better. Still have a cough (bad one) but soooo much better!

Gustov update

Just heard on tv that Gustov has sustained winds of 85mph!

Aftermath of Fay

Fay lingered for quite a while in each place she visited. Of course she's still creating havoc north of Florida and it looks like she just will not quit! We got 22" of rain here (maybe more, but that's the most I've heard officially) and Tallahassee still has major roads closed due to flooding! Nancy's creek roared and rose, but never challenged her house. She said yesterday that she can still hear the roar from inside the house!

It's possible we may be in for more this weekend or early next week. Hurricane Gustov has 70 mph winds and is currently taking more or less the same path Fay did. I'll just leave all the porch and yard stuff as is and see what happens.

I had to go to the doctor yesterday. Stopped on my way in to work and begged to be seen. They couldn't see me until 10:30. Well, it seems I have bronchitis bordering on pneumonia. Dr. Scoles said I was just a day or two away from pneumonia and the hospital. Gave me 4 prescriptions and sent we home to bed. Really feel awful and it's my birthday. Guess I'm just lucky to be here!

Today was my day to see Mother. Nancy's going in my place. Like she said it'd be horrible to infect Mother with this...maybe even the entire nursing home! I'll go next week.

Fay is arriving

We finally can stop waiting for Fay to arrive and just batten down the hatches. The first of the heavy bands arrived around 2 this morning. Of course, we've been getting wispy outer bands for a couple of days with winds and rain, just nothing continuous. Now she's showing us that she may "just be a tropical storm" but boy can she dump rain! As slowly as she moving we should have this for 2-3 days and possibly 10-12 inches of rain! I'm not too worried about my house, she's built up several feet above the ground, but Nancy's house is on a flat slab and she has a creek that borders one side of her yard. I suggested she get sand bags, she's not going to.

Got up early this morning, made coffee, a pasta salad with black beans and pan grilled a rather large rib-eye steak.

All of the animals are in and not too happy about it...told them just to settle down and enjoy, 'cause this is how it's going to be for a while.

It would be nice if we didn't lose electricity. It would also be nice not to lose any trees! I have several large, old pecan trees that seem to loom toward the house and my neighbor to the east has several old trees that seem to lean over my new kitchen!

Got a reminder call from one of the ladies I dine with on Friday nights. She seems to think we'll have supper together tonight. I'll have to see how the storm's doing before I go out.

Nancy's thinking we'll still go to the Seinyard Saturday to celebrate my upcoming birthday. Told her that we can always do it next weekend. I'd just as soon not head for the coast in this. She's not too happy with that. We'll just have to see how it goes.

Tomorrow is Moonies 17th birthday. Can you believe that?!!! Happy Birthday Moonie!!!!! I love you!

Fay

Fay has certainly been an odd storm. She's been all over the place and her projected path is just as odd. The two most likely scenarios are: (1) she'll get out into the Atlantic and get her wind back and turn due west at Jacksonville and head across the panhandle and: (2) she'll make an abrupt u-turn when she exits around Cape Canaveral and pass across Florida out into the Gulf of Mexico and stall, gain strength and head here. Wow! It seems that either way come tomorrow night we'll have us a little storm!

Last night I got flashlights ready and made ice. I've gotten 3 battery operated fans (one a year) and haven't even gotten them out of their boxes...I did last night. Put batteries in them and tested them. I thought I had a little radio that took batteries, but all I can find is the big green one and it takes so many battries...of course, one of the fans uses 10 D batteries and the little tv uses 10 C batteries. I've been collecting batteries for over a year...still in the packages, so I guess they're okay. They worked last night.

I'll get more cat and dog food on my way home today and then I'll be set. Maybe I'll get some jerky, too. This is sorta spooky!

The living room is painted!

I spent all day Saturday painting the living room and it is done!!! Looks good. Feels good to have finished it! The hardest part was dragging that 8' ladder around the furniture and avoiding the ceiling fan! Of course going up and down the ladder constantly was a challenge too! The cats (except for Mercy) took turns keeping me company by sitting on the paint shelf on the ladder while I did my thing. This room had soooo much cutting in. There are 5 doorways (counting the front door and the closet door), a double window and the fireplace.

Yesterday I was so tired and sore that besides feeding the animals and myself I didn't do much. Read the newspaper, watched the Olympics and read my book. Still feel a little stove up today, but better.

The track for soon-to-be hurricane Fay brings her ashore right here in Jefferson County! I filled an oil lamp and set up my weather radio yesterday. And, of course, made a list. I look for her arrival late Tuesday or early Wednesday. She's still far enough out that lots could change. I just heard on TV that her track is moving slightly to the east. That's good news for here!

Early morning

Wow! It's 7 o'clock on a Saturday morning and I've already done a million things. In fact I just got back from running out to work and leaving a birthday card taped on the door for one of the guys. Having these 4 am furry alarm clocks sure does start the day off with a BANG!

Went to see Mother Tuesday. She was in the dining room having lunch. There were two other ladies in wheelchairs at the table. I sat with them and found it all so sad. Mother really has lost all of her social filters and is really nasty with people. At one point she yelled across the table at one of the ladies "Hey stupid, I'm talking to you"! Both of the women just ignored her. You don't hear yelling from any of the other folks in long term care. Why her?

I finally saw her roommate awake (if you can call it that) for the first time. She has Alzheimer's, is blind, is frozen in a very stiff, uncomfortable looking position and is mute. No wonder she and Mother get along so well! And, Bert told Uncle Buddy that they communicated well and enjoyed each other's company!!!!

Starting this next week I'll go to my old job after work on Wednesdays. This won't cut any of the time out that I'm working, but will cut one day out...so I'll have 4 day weekends! Sure am looking forward to that as there just isn't enough time to do everything I'm trying to get done around here.

I've almost finished painting the living room. Should be able to get it done today. It sure is looking good! Still have to take the tack strips up in the dining room and the staples out of the floor. Dread that job as it's killer on my back to sit on the floor any length of time and my hands just don't work too well. Still have carpet under the corner china cabinet and it looks ratty. If Nancy's shoulder ever heals she'll try to help me move it out.

Bless her heart, earlier this week Nancy got stung by a wasp at work. She's very allergic and had to dash to the doctor's office. They gave her two prescriptions...don't remember what one was, but the other was for an antibiotic. Interesting. They told her that insect bites can carry some really nasty germs and they'd like to nip it in the bud. She's doing okay, but like with me, the weight of Mother seems to magnify everything that happens. Stress is mighty powerful!

Yesterday Jazzy was 6 months old. That makes Maggie about 7 months old. I am soooo looking forward to them growing out of this puppy chewing stage! Now that they've emptied all of the stuffing out of the box spring of the bed they are working on the wood frame of it. Damn! Oh, they've chewed the right arm of my newish recliner terribly and the lever that you use to recline it, too! It's said that they aren't mature until they're around 18 months old. Just a year more! I was hoping that having them spayed would slow them down just a bit. It hasn't yet.

A chilly August morning

It was amazing to wake up to temperatures in the low 60's this morning! Typically August in the Deep South has early mornings in the mid to high 70's. So this is really a treat! Our high is to be in the low 90's today, but that's a decent swap off!

This long weekend has been wonderful and productive! Wednesday afternoon I got the majority of the carpet and padding out of the dining room, Thursday it was laundry (still have a couple of large spreads that I used to cover doorways with to do), Friday cleaning and having dinner with the ladies, yesterday I was in Tallahassee until 3ish and got a lot more taping and some painting done. Today, if my sore muscles hold out I want to plant some grapes and Altheas and finish painting at least one whole wall!

I went to see Mother yesterday. When I got there she was on the outskirts of a group of wheelchair bound patients. She was fussing loudly and yelling at real and imaginary people. I just stood there for a few minutes and watched her. She was the only one making such a fuss. It was so sad. Then I went up to her and took the brakes off the chair and whispered in her good ear that maybe we should go out to the porch. Bless her heart, she didn't know me for a while. We sat out on the porch and I tried to visit, but she was incoherent. Was raving about things being straight/in line and once more was dipping her finger onto the table and wiping it on her cheeks. The only really coherent moment was when after taking her back inside I told her I loved her and she responded that she loved me too and said my name.

Went to see Nancy afterwards and then to Walmart for my weekly shopping. Got another gallon of paint...the dead/dried fern paint was just wrong. This time it's dried mint...still a deep color, quite rich, but is brighter than the fern one was. I managed to get enough on two different walls to know that I DO indeed like it and will go with it. I was unaware that Kilz makes paints...have used the block out (what's that called?) they make and it's wonderful! Anyway, they have an astonishing array of colors, all guaranteed 1-coat coverage. That's what I got. It'll be interesting to see if it covers that red wall in the funny room in one coat!

Well, I think I'll go out and get the paper in, pour another cup of coffee and start my Sunday off right!

Long weekend!

Officially I've been off work since 11:30 am yesterday! There's a large nursery convention in Atlanta this weekend and all of our guys have gone up to set up our booth display (I had no idea it took sooo many guys to set up!), so the phone isn't ringing at work and I'm all caught up with the filing, etc. Carolyn (my immediate supervisor) asked at 11 if I was bored (been surfing the net for hours), of course I said yes...she suggested I go on to my Thursday job and then I could have a long weekend! Did. Actually spent less than 30 minutes there.

When I got home I ripped out the rest of the carpet and padding from the dining room (except for under the china cabinet) and got it out to the street. The house sure smells better and even though the floor in the dining room isn't too good, it looks so much better than that nasty carpet!

I started taping off woodwork in the living room this week. Boy is that a tedious job. So far have only taped as high as I can reach on the front door on one side. At this rate I may finish taping by Christmas! I'm not sure about the color of paint I got...it's called dead fern, maybe it's dried fern, and it's a bit dull, may be a bit dark too. I slapped a bunch on two of the walls (with a 1" foam brush, bad technique) when I bought it last week. Like a fungus, it seems to be growing on me...we'll see.

Took Maggie in to have her stiches removed on Tuesday. Take Jazzy in today. Boy, dem dogs is wild!!!!

I have so many projects in mind and a few actually in progress. A 4 day weekend may not be long enough!

I started not to blog today...

I'm not sure if I'm just a little agitated or "Mad as hell" and can't take it anymore. I got a call from Mother's twin brother last week. He and Bert talk often and he calls Nancy on occasion, but this was the first time he'd called me. The start of the conversation, which lasted apx. 45 mins., was just family type chit chat, but he really wasted no time in getting to the guts of his call. He told me that Bert wants to take Mother home and that he thought it was a good idea. Well, he hasn't even SEEN Mother since she had the stroke and sorta talked to her once on the phone (he told me that she seemed just fine on that phone call). Bert had her outside on one of her good days and called Uncle Buddy on his cell phone and the chat didn't last very long...Bert told me this at the time. Then UB told me that he'd been talking to our cousin in Panama city and SHE'S a nurse. Said that she said Mother should go home. Well, I told him that she had no business saying anything like that, she hasn't even seen Mother and that he hadn't either! Mother's doctor told Nancy that Mother needed round the clock nursing care and shouldn't go home. Anyway, it's just boiling up to a big nasty mess and Nancy and I seem to be cast as the Nasties! It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Muggy Summer Days

We've been so fortunate lately. It's the doldrums of summer now with highs ranging from the mid to the high 90's (actually hit 100 early last week) but we've gotten fairly frequent rains that off set the temperature quite a bit. One evening last week I went out to the front porch to sit and watch it rain and had to go in and put on a long sleeved shirt just to sit out there. The temp. dropped from the 90's to the 70's in a matter of moments! It was lovely! But, being the Deep South, after the rain the temp. goes up and the humidity becomes thick enough to slice! The plants seem to love it, I think they think they're in a green house!

Last Monday I went to see Mother after work. Bert pulled up right before I did and we went in together. Mother asked me who was driving. When I told her that Bert was driving his car and I was driving my car she said "Well, I guess I just drive mine, too!". I told her that was fine with me and she said "Well, we better get going, I don't want to make that little boy wait too long!". It seems she thought we were going to Gainesville. I never could find out why or who the "little boy" was. I didn't stay very long, she really does better one on one and I sorta infringed on Bert's visit. This week I go on my regular day of Tuesday.

Picked Nancy up at her house a little before 7 this morning and we went to Village Inn for breakfast. Boy, do they ever do a bang up job of breakfast. It's almost 1 in the afternoon now and I'm still so full that I really feel like a nap! and, I'm not that much of a napper!

On my way home I stopped and took a look at my 4 dogwoods at work. You know, sometimes it rains at my house and not at the nursery. It looked like there was a good rain there late yesterday as there were still puddles everywhere and my dogwoods were quite wet. Thursday I fertilized the various trees (maples, crape myrtles, birches, eucalyptus and some others) that have been planted around the office and I wanted to be sure they got rain, too. They did.

I'm in the midst of a rather nasty job. I'm ripping out the wall to wall carpet in my dining room. It's awfully nasty (puppies, etc.)...actually it was puddle stained when I moved in a little over 3 years ago and has just gone from bad to worse! I'm finding it a tedious job. In the doorway to the back hall there were two tack strips...one was metal and nailed down with what looks like long roofing nails. I popped the heads off of several of them and just hammered the shanks on down. The other tack strip was wooden...very old and broke into small pieces as I used the pry bar and hammer to get them up. Then the padding for the carpet was stapled down. I'm having a very hard time getting the staples out, they're long and rusty and very little of them stick up enough to get the pliers underneath. So far I've only gotten a 3x3 foot section out, but it looks much better already. Don't know how I'll handle the corner china cabinet as Prentice secured it to the wall so it wouldn't tip over...and it's heavy and akward to handle. I guess I'll figure something out. The floor underneath looks like an old porch floor that had been painted gray and then looks like someone tried to strip it or sand it or something. Rather an interesting look. Will probably leave it as is for a while (if I ever finish). I'm thinking I may paint it at some point...I'll see...

Just made some ice tea...think I'll go out to the front porch and watch traffic and read the newspaper and sip tea.

Some pictures of RM & family visit

July is half over!

Can you believe it, July is on it's downside! Wow! How can we slow the march of time?

Went to see Mother after work yesterday. Both she and her roommate were asleep (she doesn't know she has a roommate) and I didn't wake them. It was almost a relief. When they moved Mother to her (final) room all of her clothes and an arrangement I made for her didn't get moved with her. They have no idea where things are. Damn.

I think I mentioned that I lost the hairdresser I was using. Well, after visiting the nursing home I ran to the mall and got some canvasses and some dog stuff and headed to Publix. As I pulled into a parking spot I saw a walk-in beauty salon and went there instead of Publix...may have made a mistake, but it's only hair! When I got home Nancy called and the fellow we've both been using had called and he's back. Oh well....

Got this picture of our class of '63 in an e-mail this morning. Don't know how it happened that we all got so old!

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy

Another visit!!

Rosie, Mecho, Moonie & Bean were here yesterday! Talk about feeling like Christmas, 2 of my young'un visited in 2 weeks!

I couldn't believe how grown the girls are. Moonie'll be17 next month and Bean is 12! They are beautiful and sweet and so smart!! The only 2 pictures of family that I've managed to hang in the house are one of each of them on or about their 1st birthday (two really good pictures I took) and now look at them!!! Of course, it goes without saying, both Rosie and Mecho were great!

We visited here for a little while (the puppies were fairly good!) and then went to Tallahassee to visit Mother. Both Nancy and Bert joined us there. Mother has been moved to long term care in the same center and was in good spirits. She had some word hunt problems, but other than her normal physical and mental problems was just fine. They started her on Haldol (an anti psychotic drug) on Tuesday and it has seemed to have a calming effect on her. She had her hair done on Wednesday and looked nice. Got a few pictures. Hope to have them developed soon.

Afterwards we all went to Crispers and then we scattered in the wind...wish for a longer visit sometime soon.

More Pics

I figure if I keep doing this picture posting thing I'll catch on sooner or later!

Pictures

Finally! I got the film developed from last week's visit with Terri, Keith, Andrew and Anslee. Some of the ones with Mother aren't as cute as the actual visit was, but I'm going to put a few on here anyway...and of course, some of the animals.

This first one is Mother, Bert, Terri and Andrew. Well, I'm not going to try to name them all, because they show up in a different order than I do them. Odd.

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.