Another Helen update

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

Helen update

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

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

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

So sad.

Those nine little words...

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

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

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

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

Summer's end

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

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

Well, so much for Thanksgiving!

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

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

Labor Day Weekend

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

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

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

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

A slight hold on the kitchen

Well, it seems the kitchen will be delayed. My sister suggested last night that I just go to Lowe's. They install everything from floors to cabinets. So in the next week or so she and I will go there and get everything under way.

Bud and I just had a major clashing of ways...maybe this is for the best.

The birthday was okay.

Surprise, surprise!

Prentice is here! He and Chester got here yesterday! I'm thrilled!

We brainstormed the kitchen for hours after work yesterday and Prentice drew it out on graft paper. We've come up with some pretty basis designs and ideas and it's going to be wonderful. I know I'm going to hate the process, but will love the results. Am soooo excited.

Tomorrow we'll go to my sister's house and from there to the Seinyard for a birthday meal! How great that he's going to be here for that! Haven't had any of my children around for a birthday in years and years. I'm thrilled!

The high temperature for today is only to be in the low 90's! That's a gift too!

A chance for a break in the weather!

The past few weeks have been so hot. Many days of 100+ degrees...100 yesterday and they're saying 100+ for today...not so good for the agriculture industry. However, the weatherman just said that this weekend should be wetter and cooler! Yeah!

The kittens are growing like weeds! and, are soooo funny! Nothing is safe. They have been banned from my bathroom, perhaps for the rest of their entire lives. I walked into my bathroom one day last week to find both Smokey and Bandit on the counter top methodically clearing it off! Within seconds their litter box and water bowl were moved to the back hall and the door was closed. Bless their little hearts! It really is nice having one animal free room...I find I'm spending a little more time in there now!

Sunday I will be 62 years old!

Another tale of Mother

I got a phone call a little before 7 Saturday morning. It was my sister. She and Mother were going car shopping, but Bert called her and said Mother couldn't go, she had fallen and her back was giving her fits. So I dashed to Tallahassee and Nancy and I went to see how she was doing. The way it had sounded to Nancy we thought that Mother should get x-rayed at least, but Bert said she didn't need it. I took her some Icy-Hot patched and Bert had just gotten her some Alieve (sp?).

Well, Mother gave Nancy her checkbook and off we went to the Honda dealership. Three and a half hours and one trade-in later we drove off in a pretty little new Honda Civic (for Nancy).

We stopped and had lunch at Cedar River and went on over to return the checkbook and to check on Mother. Well, miracle of miracle, Mother was up and dressed and wanted to go out for lunch. Of course we didn't as we had just eaten, but they went ahead and went out.

By the time we got back to Nancy's house it was raining. I drove home in a major storm with fingers of lightening on the road in front of me all the way home.

Mother called shortly after I got home and was soooo much better. In fact she was getting ready for them to go to a cocktail party. She does heal fast.

We're getting rain a little more often than we were earlier this year, but the weather map is still showing the entire region in a severe drought.

Look what I did!!!

Last night Rosie told me how to put a picture on my post and here it is! The year is 1963, the place is the Drifton Florida Train Depot and the event is our senior trip to Washington DC and New York! The woman in the dress and dark glasses is Mother, she's 38 years old here. The one in colorful slacks and a blue sweater is me. I'm 17 years old here! Talk about a blast from the past!

Extended summer hours

Well, the first of August has come and gone and we are still on half days at work. Our projected date for full days is now the 15th of August. Keep your fingers crossed...we all (hourly workers) need to get back to full time. As it works out we will have had 2 months of half days. I have a rather low profile of living and am quite frugal, but this has really put a dent in my life style! I went to Burger King last week and got a Whopper Jr. value meal with a senior citizen discount and kicked myself all weekend for spending almost $4.00!

These kittens are soooo funny! Last night I got something out of my purse and didn't close it when I turned around almost everything in it had been removed and both Smokey and Bandit were nestled in it. They knew they were in trouble when I found them as they hunkered down and tried to be invisible! I laughed and dumped them out.

It rained all night.

My first recliner!

This is a bit premature...but both my sister and I bought recliners yesterday. Premature because it hasn't been delivered yet. We went to Badcock's last week (or week before?) and found chairs we liked and were able to order them and get them 20% off if we waited until the 25th! Plus, since I live in town and Nancy lives this side of Tallahassee they only charged us one delivery fee! They'll be delivered today!

After our purchases we went to Sage to eat. We love to eat there, we sit outside and can smoke. It was mighty hot when we got there (around 4) so they turned the misters on for us, but by the time we left it was storming, heavy lightening and thunder and pouring rain and had cooled off quite a bit!

Nancy was playing bridge at 6 in Tallahassee, so we left Sage around 5:30. I came home thinking I'd veg out and watch some tv....well, the cable was out! the storm...so I took this as a sign that I needed to rearrange the living room in order to fit my new recliner in. What a challenge! The room is small and there are openings in every wall. Took several hours, but I think it'll work. By the time I finished the cable was back on.

Have an appointment at 2 today to have my hair cut...think I'll cancel it so I don't miss my delivery!

The kittens are hootier and hootier! Constantly into things and perpetual balls of energy! Shirley of course loves them and has from the very beginning. Goodness and Mercy really didn't! They have come around however. I actually saw Mercy bathing Bandits face and Goodness eats with them and submits to butt licking!

We've had RAIN!!!!

Friday afternoon at 3:30 the bottom fell out of the sky! In 1/2 of an hour my backyard received 1" of rain! Then on Saturday it rained lightly all day and into the night! No rain on Sunday, but yesterday I got 1 1/2" around 5pm. Glorious!

On the other hand, my sister lives about 27 miles from here and she hasn't had a drop since June! Crazy! In fact, Nancy came over Saturday (we're looking for recliners to sleep in while we watch tv) and was soooo envious that I was getting rain! I feel awful for everyone who isn't getting the wet stuff and always try to send it to her!

Work's slow, money's tight.

Heat wave

Tuesday morning at 6am it was 83 degrees in Apalachicola. It was only 78 here! The heat has really taken hold and according to the latest forecast we aren't to expect a break from it any time soon. At 11:30 yesterday morning our heat index was 102! It makes it awfully hard to get anything done outside...just watering my garden at 8pm is very taxing!

Work is tediously slow. It's amazing to me just how long 5 hours can be! Today is a 4 hour day.

My last post was on the 7th...that would have been Daddy's 91st birthday!

Helen called last night. Very upset. It seems Mike had called her and told her I said she was dieing. She is. She hasn't been told. She thinks that she's just going for x-rays every week. I told her I not only hadn't talked with him in 2 years that there had been no contact including e-mails, true. Couldn't think of anything else to say. I can't believe he did that.

Goodness is actually getting into this kitten thing. He lays on the floor and flicks his tail back and forth for their amusement and even will eat from the same bowl with them! Mercy touches noses with them and watches them like tv!

No real news, it's quite quiet in town now. Everyone that's able has gone to the coast or the mountains trying to escape the heat. I'm afraid that they've all just gone to another area of heat. Leah Jane left on the 1st for a month and of course Mother and Bert are in Waynesville.

Prentice called last night. He and Harvey are heading to the Marshall area today. I'm afraid he's going to get so much work up there that he'll not make it here to do my kitchen. I'm so anxious to get it done.

Catching up once more...

This has been an odd week. We closed at noon on Tuesday and won't go back to work until Monday. The only day we'll get paid for is the 4th. Of course we're on half days anyway and it'll be interesting to see how much smaller my pay check can get!

When I got up Wednesday morning the phone was dead...well, actually it was making a loud buzzing. Got up Thursday morning and it was working. Miracle! Got up this morning and the phone was dead. So at about 11:15 I went in to the office and used the phone to report it being out. (my sister chewed me up one side and down the other for not reporting it out on the 4th!)

About 3:30 this afternoon I decided to lay down on the sofa and watch a movie...the doorbell rang and it was the phone man. He worked around for a long time (outside) and then I heard his truck leave the driveway. Looked out and he was climbing up a pole across the street. Sat on the porch for a while and watched, but couldn't tell what was going on and it was hot so I went back in. The phone rang about a half an hour later and it was the phone man saying it was fixed. It seems lighting hit it! Glad it was the phone line and not a house!

So, most of my time off has been spent without phone or Internet! Actually it was quite nice!

We've had 2 rather nasty storms this week with goodly amounts of rain. Thank goodness!

The kittens have been loose in the entire house since 1 o'clock Tuesday. They are a riot!!!!! They are really quite good, they're learning limits not only from me, but from Shirley, Goodness and Mercy also! It's a lot more active around here than before kittens!

Mother and Bert spent 4 days at the beach and will leave tomorrow for a month in the mountains. That's something I'd sure love to do! Not with them of course, on my own. Maybe someday.....

Kittens

As I enter this I have a tiny purring black kitten in my lap that lunges for the keyboard periodically. I've never known one this small to be so totally focused on a goal! We should all be as focused!

The kittens have been such a joy! I had really forgotten how quickly they change and how very funny they can be! The one in my lap at the moment has been rescued from the bathtub and the trash can already today and the day is young!

They still are waiting to be integrated into the rest of the house. Smokey and Mercy did meet face to face in the bedroom door yesterday. Scared poor Mercy really bad. She ran and hid for a while. I keep thinking it'll be soon, but then I think about the hawks that live and hunt in this area and the kittens are smaller than squirrels! I leave the back door open when it's nice out...and, they dash so quickly at an opening door...not sure just what to do. If I let them out of here there are no other doors to close to contain them to an area...tried a gate. They scaled that in record time!

No real news. We went to 1/2 days this past Monday. I enjoy it, but I'm not quite sure how I'll hold up financially. I went ahead and renewed my drivers license and car tag yesterday, 'cause I had the money to do it and may not later. I have car insurance coming up soon, too. It's gonna be tight. Won't hurt for groceries...am stocked. May have to hit my change jar for pet food, thank goodness I have it!

I've taken Zocor for a week today. I am SO tired and wonder if that's not related to Zocor. My cholesterol was 306 and my doctor freaked out! He put me on 20 mg of the Zocor and that's the highest dose recommended for seniors. I'm rather small and react to drugs strongly. I've also modified my diet tremendously. Only whole grains, no suger, no refined carbs...mainly turkey and fish (grouper), no shellfish, more fruit than I'm used to and a fine assortment of fresh veggies. I've lost a few pounds as a perk, but I feel sure that between the diet and the drug my cholesterol level will fall nicely.

Helen's not doing great. She doesn't remember that she's just called. One day this week she called as I was walking in the door. Told her I'd just gotten home and she asked from where. When I said "work" she was totally puzzled because she thought it was the weekend. She tells me that she's been going to the doctor a lot to have her head x-rayed, but doesn't know why. So sad.

Not much to tell...

HWB's baby is two weeks old today. She's still in the hospital. Yesterday they were going to try to do a spinal tap. So far I don't know the results. Poor baby.

We'll be doing 1/2 days for the month of July. We'll be doing a 1/2 day today, too.

Prentice called night before last. He's still doing his father's roof. Said he may go to Vermont from there...then here to do the kitchen. Yeah!

Hot and dry seems to be the standard forecast here. Wish for rain!

Rosie will be 42 tomorrow. Hard to believe...seems just yesterday she was a tiny baby!

Baby

HWB's baby was a week old on Friday. Saturday she was hospitalized and is still there. She has blistering on her skin. I'm not sure where the blisters are as HWB has a hard time talking about it. She has not been diagnosed as of yet, though they have narrowed it down to several things...some of which are fatal and all have long-term problems, usually a much shorter life span.

There isn't even 1 pediatric dermatologist in the area and I was only able to find a small handful in the entire state. I found several hospitals that treat babies with the disorder, all far away. I feel they'll be going to Arizona or Minnesota, don't know when.

HWB told me yesterday that we'll be going to half days. He didn't say when...maybe today? It's so hot (101 yesterday, 86 at 11 last night and 78 now{6:45am}) and so dry. Business has come to a screeching halt. That's really going to hurt money-wise, though I'll love the time off!

The death of a friend

Martha Lynn Harris Kersey died Friday, June 8th. She was born January 6, 1941, here in Monticello. She was one of my bridesmaids when Bruce and I married 43 years ago.

It feels rather trite to post anything else right now.