"Ask Sherwin Williams"

Lots going on and it almost feels like Wednesday already.  Mom's room and bathroom repainting, and other repairs begin tomorrow and they'll move her and a minimum of her things out tonight after dinner.  I told her to pretend like she's going to camp and she laughed.  I had gotten an email from the Nurse Manager alerting me to the planned move and mom's TV's move.  They know it would be a total deal breaker for her without her TV and that made me howl.  We were laughing about it yesterday afternoon and how if mom's watching her movies, you might as well just come back later.  This will certainly be interesting.

 Late yesterday afternoon I ran to pick a paint color, so I wouldn't hold them up.  After all this, if they ask me to do a little something like that, you better know I'm gonna getter dun'.  I had to pick from a certain brand-Sherwin Williams-- because that's the brand they use facility wide.  I think what I chose will be pretty but told my siblings if they think it's fugly,  not to tell me.  They are to just act like they think its purrrfect. 

I do not pretend to be an interior designer so to get over it if they hate it.  What I wanted was a pale soft blue--not baby blue--but something serene and restful.  Soothing.  Mostly, I just want fresh and clean.  The carpet cleaning will come last, and I'm hoping to burn the '80's "track home" window treatment I had them take down that was worse than ugly, what ever that might be.  Not sure there's even a word for it.  (Sorry for the page weirdness above--I tried to post the color for you to see, but think with the green background, you can't see it and I can't fix it.)

 There was a murder on our block last night.  In fact, it occurred in our very own backyard.  Yep....there's one less baby opossum today and I heard it go down.  Sis tracked it, found it, and there was one thrilled, delighted "yeep" from her, as she chomped it. She was on her way in the house with it to show her dad, when he caught her on the ramp to her doggie door.  Barf.

It occurred to me today that it might be a good idea to write a book about how to choose a facility for aging parents and especially for parents with dementia issues.  There are so many things to consider, and so many angles, what do you all think?  The market may be flooded with them.  I've haven't even looked.  Your thoughts??  Tell me what you think and don't be shy.  Seriously...like ya'll have ever been shy.  :)

Sunday in da hood

Phase one is complete.  We have moved one whole whopping bush and decided after visiting with our neighbor who is a landscape designer, we'd a whole lot rather hire her crew to do the rest, while we drink ice tea and watch.  Yeah...we're those people now.  Gone are the days when we want to spend all weekend digging holes and ripping things out of the ground, sweating and cussing.  No way.  I'd much rather chase Claire around on the driveway or play with her on our front steps.  My neighbor also mentioned a product to put on all of the transplants that's like crack for plants.  It's a root stimulator called Thrive and she swears by it.  You can find it at Home D so add that to your bag of tricks.  I'll be picking some up today.  Her crew will be back next weekend to do the transplanting for us and I can't wait.

Claire has turned in to a member of the Hitler Youth, now that she's two.  Her latest thing is, she wants to boss her dog, Buddy, into sitting or doing something on our steps.  Not exactly sure what that is, but she seems to be crystal clear about it.  Buddy is as confused as I am and just stares at her when she tries to pull him by his collar.  She yells " 'Mon, Buddy" over and over, and her tone is as bossy as only a two year old little girl can be.  When he won't c'mon, she yells.  Kids are just the funniest things ever and frustrated ones are even better.

This morning, windows are thrown wide open, Sis is in the den napping and resting after all the patrolling she did earlier.  She got a bath  yesterday so she's one sleek manatee, as Moo called her.  Sis chased ardillas all afternoon yesterday--that's squirrels in Spanish--so she really needed a bath.  Claire's teaching me new Spanglish vocabulary words so stay tuned.

 I've forgotten the one for rabbit or bunny but the little cotton tail  is back and Bruce got a pic of him this morning.  It's not a great one for visibility but then he doesn't exactly pose either.   You can barely see him by the chunk of stone in Mary's side yard.  He's the brown blob and you can see his eye and barely make out his ears.


Here are my little three seedlings now attempting life outside with the bigger basil plant.  I have my fingers crossed for them. They are all watered in with fertilizer mixed into the soil, so now it's their turn.  Show me whatcha got, seedlings.

                                    

Brian's visitor

Holy Cow.  You know how I blogged about the Administrator at the Plaza and how I went over his head to his boss?  Guess who's no longer employed there and it wasn't even because of me.  His boss didn't get my email until yesterday (I left something out of her email address) and his last day was Thursday!!!   She and I have been in contact back and forth and she requested a wish list of things I'd like done for mom's room and I scorched cyberspace shooting it to her.  Soooo... it wasn't just me who was having a problem with him.  Just about the time I think God's on vacation, He steps in and takes care of several issues at once.  Man, He's good, isn't He?

 It seems my oldest son has a new "friend" who likes to sleep on his porch.  He was telling me about this cat and how he'd put an old blanket outside for him to snuggle in when it's been cold.  Brian wondered if we had an old kitty crate he could take the top off of to make him a real bed but alas, those are all history.  I did have a big box that I lined with a soft, folded towel (mattress) that he could then put the blue blanket on top of,  for a real bed.  Brian's comment with the text of this picture was "Wellll...that didn't take long."  I told Brian "I think you've been adopted" and sent him home with two cans of cat food I keep on my shelf for just such kitty emergencies.

Mary, my elderly next door neighbor, now has a job.  She's a volunteer at the Bush Library one day a week and says she simply loves it.  She can read to the children, answer visitors questions, visit with people and welcome them, and do whatever else is within her stamina range.  She's not an actual docent, since she can't stand that long, but what a great idea.  She's also taking a trip for three days with all of her children and their spouses to North Carolina--no grandchildren--to just kick back, visit, and have fun.  She's funding the whole shebang and Bruce said he could tell she was really excited about it.  You go, MARY!! 

The badminton net has gone up in the yard across the street so it's clearly "on" for upcoming fun.  I might  volunteer our yard if it gets too hot in theirs with the full on sun.  They do have a fabulous pool so I doubt I'll need to.  They can play, get sweaty, and run down their driveway (or shortcut through the house) and jump in their pool.  What's not to love??  Nah....their not going to need our yard. 

To wrap up, I had a call yesterday from Benji from Fargo, ND and I don't know what it is about him that makes me laugh so hard, but he just does.  He had a specific story to tell me and while I listened, I walked around Preston Center East before I had to be at an appointment.  They were having a sidewalk sale and an SPCA dog thing.  While I can't go into detail about the story--oh, lordy I wish I could--  I will say I finally had to sit down, I was laughing so hard.  My sons....the best gifts I've ever received. 
 

Here she is

This morning I decided it was time for you all to meet my new gal pal and since I was able to snap her yesterday, the timing just seemed right.  She was all smiles until I wanted to snap her and when her nanny said "Cheese", she went all stoic on me.  Never the less, here she is, all whopping two feet of her clutching her milk and snacks.  Hang on a second...I'm having technical diff. Heeeere she is...she's even cuter than this when she's all smiley.

Boy, could we hear the fireworks last night at the finale of the Bush Library celebration.  Yowser.  If you live really close to SMU, I can only imagine how loud it must have been at your house but, truthfully, I enjoyed it.  I love fireworks as long as they are just that and not something of a revenge nature, like what went down in Boston.  I'm so grateful that all of the security around all of the visiting Presidents, First ladies, and everyone else was successful and the security folks are definitely to be commended.

Lastly, I put someone on blast yesterday and, honestly, it felt good.  It's the Administrator over at the Plaza and after dealing with him, I'd just as soon play with a cooler full of live rattlesnakes.  So, I went over his head straight to his boss, and let it rip.  I copied my sister and she howled.  I wasn't nasty--just honest, direct, and with my gloves OFF.  I hate to go there but I'm learning I can say what ever I need to say as long as I'm not mean when I say it. 

Happy weekend to all.  And look at that pic again...tell me you didn't just melt.  Ya know you did.

La Biblioteca de Senor Bush

Though I am interested in seeing the newly opened Bush Library, I concur with Barbara--we don't need another Bush in the White House.  Been there, done that x 2. We are going to see the Library next month so that will be interesting and we've done the drive by scope out already. While I won't say I think it's very attractive, I guess a library doesn't have to be.   More on that later.

I have a new idea for the backyard and I've got to see if I can sell it to my partner.  I want to move this ginormous viburnum out from where it is, to a place I'm going to clear for it where it can get the sun it needs.  It makes these ultra cool snowball flowering things in the spring and so far, I think I've seen a whopping three because the old gal just isn't getting the right amount of sun.  Enter my plan.  The problem is, I want to move it now--I have total ants in my pants--which means she'd have to make it through a hot summer with a boat load of sun.  I take the view on this kind of stuff that it will either make it or not, and if you've got a sprinkler head giving you water and me giving you an umbrella for shade, well, honey...I can't do much more than that for you.  It's your turn.

I'm going to see if my assistant will help me transplant it on Saturday.  (If he's reading this, he's probably already shaking his head "NO", but he'll come around.)The plant pisses him off, too, so whatcha gonna do?  You gotta do it....you know you do.  Here's what it would look like next spring with blooms and it even smells good, too.  Time to just do it.

I'm almost ready to take my little kitchen raised basil seedlings outside and introduce them to the great outdoors.  My only hold up is the cool weather.  After all the seed raising, it would be just my luck to plant them outside and have them die.  I'm going to sit tight another week and see what the weather looks like.

Time for me to go gather up the towels and plop Sister in the sink for a bath.  I told her I'd do it before her dad got home and if she sees me get the towels, she's going to run hide under the bed.   But I have a secret weapon.  Cheese.  She's simply no match for cheese.  Any kind of cheese and she's a goner.   Sis...you're sooo easy.

Lookey heah...a girl flower

This came this afternoon and made me scream.  Thought you all might enjoy seeing Avery in her dance recital costume.  Cutest baby girl in the whole wide world!! 

Reality sucks sometimes

Sooo....here's the drill on yesterday and my visit to look at yet another Memory Care unit for mom.  Seems the prices are all pretty much the same, ditto the clients and staff and surroundings, plus or minus.  Hold on for a second while I bang my head some more.  On any given day, the sad news is they're all pretty interchangeable.  Given that, I think what I will do is give myself a vacation from my perfectionism and just try to deal with life as it comes.  Let's face it...hyper vigilance doesn't look good on me at all and tends to make me one unhappy camper. I will continue to observe and see what I can change and get realistic about what I simply cannot, and pray for the wisdom to know the difference.  Yeah.... the Serenity Prayer.

My confusion stemmed from a goof made on the tour which greatly influenced my decision in the beginning.  Once corrected, I was again comparing apples and apples--not apples and beef tenderloin.  Just a tad bit of difference there.  I'm not saying we won't move her--I'm just not saying we will, either.  I'm just going to see if and what God tells me to do.

On a much lighter note, my gal pal Claire was outside yesterday with her baby brother so I went over to play for a little bit.  She calls me "Mommy" because she can't quite say my name and knows that somehow I am a Mommy.  It cracks me up and melts me into a giant puddle when she runs to me with her arms out to be picked up, saying Mommy.  If she ever figures out just how powerful she is when she does that we might have to move.  I pushed her on the swing, she slid down the slide while I clapped like a crazy old lady, and then she'd take a brief timeout to munch goldfish and juice at her little table with the shade umbrella. 

Last but not least, I am still laughing over a martini talking Reese Witherspoon telling the L A cop who arrested her husband (and then her) "You're about to find OUT who I AM".  Girl friend...No. You. Didn't.  You did not throw that card.  That was definitely too many martini's talking. 

Looking real glam here, Reece.

They're baaaack

In the wake of last week's awwfulmess--no, that's not a word but to me it is--my brain is still in shock.  When I woke up this morning, I still had that low grade feeling of anxiety like "what can possibly happen today" and then I let that feeling go all the way though and then pass.  Feeling all of my feeling is important even when I don't want to.  Otherwise, they'll just crop up later.  Word to the wise: just go ahead and deal with them the first time.

There's been lots of animal activity on our block this past weekend.  Mr. and Mrs. Duck have been back.  They were out front yesterday evening when my niece, Dit, came by to pick up cowboy boots to give a friend.  We stood and watched them for awhile and I told her how the Mallard stands guard while the hen eats and he always lets her eat first.  My kind of guy. Not sure why the ducks like to come on the weekends but they do.  Then Fred spied a small cotton tail bunny Saturday morning across the street munching breakfast at the Mean lady's house.  The hawks have been out in force flying over Northwest Highway and my latest count is three at one time.  I have yet to see the bunny that lives one street over but I'm hoping he'll be back soon.

I am going with my gut and investigating somewhere other than the Plaza for mom to end her days.  No, I don't want to move her at this point but I also don't want to leave her where she is either.  I'm just sick and tired of the filth, the construction, the lack of response to repairs, and the lack of caring of the Administrator in general.  If you are thinking of placing or helping your parents choose somewhere, look elsewhere.  It may look all fancy and Park Cities, but what you get is anything but, and I most especially do not recommend the Memory Care unit.  Assisted Living is simply OK.  Edgemere is barely coasting on what's left of it's earlier reputation and even that's almost shot.  Stay tuned.  We'll see what shakes out.

Now, let's all go out and make today excellent.

Cray Cray

Still reeling from last night's manhunt and capture.  Nuttin' to say except thank you, God.  

Pull up a chair and sit a spell. Just relax and enjoy the peace.

Here's my theory

Since I can't explain what's going on in this world, here's my theory.  No matter what happens in the world, God can use any situation for good.  I'm not saying what's going on is good--just that potential good can come out of it.  Do I know what that will ultimately look like.  No.  But I am willing to trust. You bet.

I'm wondering if all this negative stuff that's happening has to somehow reach critical mass in order to really change the world we live in, for the better.  The old, "things have to get worse before they can get better" idea.  Lord knows there's plenty of fodder out there for the things we all know that need to change.  Hang in there and say your prayers.  If you don't think God can work miracles, get yourself a bigger God.  Mine sure as heck can!

Have a good day despite what's going on in the world.  Go be of service to someone who needs it.  Keep the prayers coming as they are the most important part. 

Staying positive is work

Jeeze, Louise....I'm all for taking the month of April off next year's calendar.  After the last few days, that might be a fairly good idea.  We could have two March's or maybe just rename April. Either way there is just something wrong with what seems to happen in April. 

That said, here is a list of good things:

1. The ducks were back yesterday and were looking fat and happy.
2.  Good people continue to rise to any occasion where others are in need.
3.  Carter Blood Center had to turn people away yesterday when they hit capacity. 
4.  Last nights rain cooled us off and watered our yards free of charge.
5.  I saw one of my niece's (Daley) last night at Tom Thumb!!
6.  There's a brownie pan you can buy that makes every brownie a corner and I'm soooo going to buy myself that today.
7.  Andrea's mom and dad are coming Saturday night for dinner and I can't wait to see them!
8.  Mom has a new hospital bed that actually works. :)
9.  Flowers are popping out all over in the neighborhood.  Ditto blooming trees.
10. Won't be long until it's summer which means Farmers Market tomatoes, peaches, a slower pace, vacations, and hopefully a safer and more chill world.
11.  God's in charge so we can all relax and know He's got us, and our back.
12.  It's almost the weekend.  Hang on. You're almost there.

Nutty buddies

What is it that makes April bring out all the crazies?  Is it the delayed effect of Daylight Savings?  The change in seasons?  Off their meds?  What...what...what...because I'm ready for all of them to crawl back into their holes and pull the dirt in over them.  Enuf with the bombs, Ricin dusted letters, etc.  Just get some help, you wackadoodles. 

OK.  I feel much better.  Now, here's what's shakin'.  Yesterday I took my neighbor's advice and purchased two bags of azalea dirt for my gardenia bushes and spread one bag around each plant.  Given yesterday's muggy atmosphere, I was dripping afterwards but am hoping this top dressing will spur the girls on vs deciding to die on me.  Azaleas and gardenias are both acid lovers so this is supposed to give them the right ph in order to go forth and prosper.  If not, see ya.  I'm over you, gardenias.

The ducks were back last weekend and almost caused a couple of wrecks.  Somehow a drake and a hen waddling in a front yard of a neighborhood is just not what most people expect, flying past in their car.  One lady took the time to pull over and just stop and enjoy watching them.  All I could think of was "Good for you, lady!" for taking the time to give herself that gift.  Yesterday I spotted two hawks flying above Northwest Highway soaring on the gusts of wind.  I have not seen the one who used to hang around our alley lately and I hope he or she comes back.  They are so fun to watch and I love when they panic the crows.  I hate crows.

For those not in the know, we had a dead opossum in the backyard yesterday that was a total gross out, from my perspective.  I don't think Sis got it--I think it was the poison bait boxes Luis had just baited that got it. If Sis had killed it she would have wanted me to "come see her kill".  She's a hound after all and a killing machine when she gets the chance.  I managed to sneak out and dispose of it while she napped. I'm totally over opossums, rats, and racoons and our hood is full of them.  Nasty.

I've decided to punt on buying the fresh chicken eggs from that super nice guy, Mark.  I think I underestimated the time and gas involved in driving over to his house way out yonder, when they have organic ones at Whole Foods.  Not exactly the same but a time and gas saver none the less.  My hair dresser laughed his skinny white pants off to think that I'd be that dumb.  I am just gonna QUIT telling him stuff. 

It's Tuesday--all day

Rather than discuss yesterday's horror--and it was a horror--I decided to concentrate on the positive and good things happening in the world, no matter how small.  First up, mom's broken hospital bed is supposedly getting replaced today for one that actually works.  I'm learning over and over again that the squeaky wheel gets the grease and when you catch the Administration in a huge gaffe, it's the perfect time to really "squeak". 

Next up was a visit from my favorite neighbor last night when she came over to play on our front porch.  What is it about the energy of a two year old that gets your blood pumping and your heart cranked wide open?  LOVE just starts spewing everywhere and you can't stop laughing.  Enter Claire.

  Claire and her dad were out front while her mom and baby brother got dinner ready so the natural place to explore was our yard.  I can't quite explain the force field that surrounds our yard and porch exude but suffice it to say, it pulls in kids like a magnet.  Claire wanted to come inside and see our house so inside she and her dad came....her wish was my command.  Luckily, Sis was on a walk with her dad because Claire knows Buddy, her own dog, but she's not 100% sure she likes Sis, though she knows Sis is a "Buddy" (dog).  We are working on both Sis and Claire to like each other and that may take years, if ever.  Since Claire is learning new words at warp speed, neither her dad nor I have a hot clue what she's saying most of the time so we just look at each other and shrug, and then laugh.

When dinner was ready, Laura and baby John came looking for Claire and John and, of course, by now we were outside again on our driveway, so Claire could see Mary's flowers and pick a few to take home.  Finally, we all linked up so I got some baby John love, too.  Seeing Claire bend over in her little dress and leggings to smell the flowers just sent me into orbit.  Even her dad was laughing.  She. is. a. pistol.

I finished the Rooster book and while I liked it, I hated all the backing and forthing a la flashbacks.  The story was essentially good--it just seemed to really drag in parts.  Just tell me about the damn Rooster, not all the other yakety yak.  The part in the beginning about his dog was sensational, though, and I cried.  Not saying why.  Just take my word for it.  Weep city.

 Now I'm on to a fabulous book, The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene' Brown, who you may have seen on the TED videos.  She is brilliant, funny, authentic, honest--I could go on and on-- so I plan to read everything she's written.  She's more Self Help but, honey, after yesterday, I think we could all use more help.


OK...onward and upward and make today really count.  HAVE FUN!!

Ying and Yang

 Sis and chew bones.  There is no greater ying and yang.  Total love, total anxiety.  Sis scored one this morning when she heard her dad filling up the sugar holder with Stevia.  Sis thinks that sack sounds just like the bone sack, and you cannot convince her otherwise.  She will moan and groan until you give her a bone,

so it's just easier to go ahead and do it.  She will take it gently  from you and disappear to her bed in total rapture (ying) until she's down to one of the knots at the end of the bone.  And that's when the trouble starts (yang).

Right now, she's yanging and I'm about to take the damn thing away from her.  I remember when Wigman got this same way.  He carried his bone around the house, tried to hide it mewling the entire time, then took it outside to the backyard, buried it, dug it back up, and would bring it back in the house, all muddy.  Sis has just made her second trip up and back down the hall, with the remains of her bone hanging out of her mouth like a cigar, still hunting the perfect hiding place.  She's in 100% anxiety (yang) mode.

What I don't get is this: she is a solo dog so does she think I'm going to take it and chew it?  I'm sure it's just an ancestral thing but over the ages, with more and more animal evolution, I was hoping maybe we'd skip this part.  Clearly not.

I just walked in the den to check on her bone hiding progress and she had abandoned her bone knot on the rug by the den door....omg...what is that?  I picked it up and she came flying.  I think maybe her jaws are tired from all that chewing.  I put it back on her bed and she jumped on it.  We are back to ying.

Happy beautiful day to all!  Enjoy it!!

UP Library

Just back from lunch and a cruise around Preston Center East.  Neither my partner nor I had been inside the new UP library so that was our post lunch activity.  To say that it's cool is an understatement. Shooo weee...  I love me some library and all those books about sent me into orbit.  Fred kept trying to tell me "we're in UP schools--not UP--so we can't be members" to which I told him to "just go ask".  Mr. No quickly found out from the gal at the desk that "if you are in the school district you qualify-- you just have to show your DL to prove where you live, and then we can give you a card".  Oh, baby.  I was so busy grabbing books I must have looked like a shop lifter.  I now have my card and my quick scan do-hickey on my keys.  Heck...I can even self check my own books.  (I watched a little girl do her's.) 

Touring around, the library is really top notch.  Hands down, both of our favorite spot was the glass enclosed room at the back with the gas fireplace where you could snuggle in and disappear.  Seriously, if you wanted to go off the grid, that would be the ideal place to do it.  Plug ins for all your charging devices, food down the street,  peaceful and quiet.  Who in the world would ever find you there?  Answer:  Not even the UP Police.

The study areas were quiet and comfortable with computers everywhere and because the library is on the top floor, the view is lovely.  There are lots of comfy chairs, too, which I also think is always a crowd pleaser.  I know where I'll be hanging out this summer and what a fun discovery.  Coming home, we walked though and critiqued a house that's being built down the block.  Four words came to mind: what. were. they. thinking?  Ugleeeee and weird, and that's about all I need to say since that's not nice...factual.... but not nice.

I briefly considered going over and rolling mom outside for some fresh air before her nap until Fred reminded me that  the last time we did that, she hated it.  Seemed she was cold and hated the wind.  Ohhhhh, yeaaaah....so I punted that idea.  Sometimes I have to be reminded that what I might like or think would be great, might be pure deee torture for someone else.  Specifically, a wind hater.

Friday...finally!

I'm on my second cup of coffee so forgive me if I'm not totally with the program yet.  Is it just me, or does anyone else out there want us to just pop Kim Jong Un and stop all this missile nonsense.  He strikes me as a fat little bully who thinks this is a video game instead of real life.  I know it's not right to pop everyone we don't like or who isn't doing life our way, but I still wanna. 

My glasses arrived yesterday and I'm delighted with them and boy, can I see better.  Same RX--just more seeing space and new lenses.  I think after awhile the anit-reflective coating on lenses heads south and considering how old mine were, that's no jive.  Since my new ones have a bigger visual area, it's almost like having your eyes "fixed"-- until you take them off.  Then it's back to reality.

I have to announce here to non-family what will take place in Kansas City on May 18th, 2013.  My precious niece, Austin Dennard, will become......drum roll, please.....Dr. Austin Dennard.  I know......what a

milestone.  She will come here to UT-Southwestern to do her OB/GYN residency and I am just busting the drawstring on my scrubs for her.  For awhile it sounded like she might do Emergency Med or even general Surgery but I think those thoughts flew out the window with all the baby catching and OB/Gyn surgery she got to do. Here she's pictured with a friend and check out her cool spec's.  Love those!

Finally, my condolences to Julie Wilson, a FB and a blog friend I've known since grade school whose mom passed away yesterday from Alzheimer's.  Julie is one of the first people who supported me way back, when I shared about my mom and my struggles with this damn disease.  Hugs to Julie and her family.

Happy weekend to all.

Whadaya eatin'?

With my ice coffee sitting here waiting to be slurped and my Ranch dressing just made getting thicker in the refrig, I was thinking about how hard it is to come up with things to fix for dinner around this time of year.  It's technically Spring, but one minute it's hot and the next minute it's freezing.  Dang...dinner is hard enough without all the yo-yo-ing back and forth.  I try to switch things up around here but I can only go the meatless route so often to shake things up before someone around here starts yelling "where's the beef."  Specifically, tonight's beef is going to be a steak salad with the sliced chilled steak on the top.  I do the old timey Ranch DIY dressing because 1) it tastes better than that bottled junk 2) it's on the South Beach diet and while we aren't doing SB, I tell myself we are 3) it's a nice change of pace and kind of summery.

The good news is, my partner will eat anything (remember, he ate a squirrel once) so that does make things easier.  I'm the one that gets bored and, dare I admit, lazy.  There.  I said it.  And, yes, I am well versed in the art of picking up dinner elsewhere, God rest Brother's Chicken chicken fryin' soul.  That was one of the few places I could get Bruce to stop by on his way home and pick up dinner.  Never mind you needed your concealed weapon permit in order to go there--even for the drive through.  I figured if he was gonna die, Brother's Chicken was as good a place as any.  Just let me eat my chicken first, then you can shoot him.  :)))) 

Brother's used to load up your order and put it all a brown paper bag with sliced pickles that would leak on the sack every time, and by the time you got home, the sack also had a matching grease mark from the chicken.  The also threw in slices of white Wonder bread.  I guess that was to absorb the grease once you ate the chicken.  Better the white bread than your arteries.  I don't think that sack ever made it all the way home that Bruce didn't eat at least one piece of chicken and about half of the fries.  He'd always try to lie his way out but the grease on his face gave him away every time. 

I know Brother's used to have a North Dallas location--maybe they still do-- but I just can't see myself going there.  It's just wouldn't be the same.  No bars on the windows, no sketchy types hanging 'round drinking out of their paper bags, none of the local color.

Good fried chicken.......it knows no season.

Wellllllll...it's Tuesday, ya'll

Sis and I have been laying low from the weekend.  Funny how a visual image can derail you but it sure did for me with mom.  Now, it's onward and upward gently, and going forward I plan to call over to mom's unit and find out what kind of day she's having, before I go.  I'm learning.

Thank you to all of you who have been so kind and supportive when I blog about mom.  Some of you have been there or are there, and sharing your stories with me some how makes it easier for me.  I guess it's the shared load theory.  It also has made me so grateful.  Grateful for your wonderful friendships, indescribable kindness, and knowing other people have been where I am.  I know that intellectually--but heart knowledge is different.  You all soooo get it and while that's a comfort to me--I hate the hell out of it for all of us.  Crappy club to be a member of but whatcha gonna do?

I finally found a pair of new frames so in a week or so, I'll be sporting new face jewelry, as one of my pals calls them.   They are the nerd look I was going for with a little color.  No, I don't look like Diane Sawyer in mine--wish, wish, wish,--but I like them, they're NEW, and I'm happy.  When I went online to find a picture of them, I found pictures of  lots of stars wearing the same brand that I got, even though they were shades.  Whoa.  My cool quotient might have eeeked up a whole point. (head shake)



                                                                                  

                                                                           

I just saw on the internet where a lady claims she was raised by monkeys.  I didn't read the story.  My first thought was "Gee....my parents weren't perfect but I wouldn't say there were monkeys".  Egads....it's just always somethin'.

C & E omg

You know how sometimes something happens at just the right time when you most need it?  Yesterday was that day.  I'd ordered some pj's over the internet and they finally arrived but that's not what I'm talking about exactly.  First, there was this enormous box on the front porch....I'm talking big.  Brian was here and saw me bringing it in and said "What is that?" and I told him pj's.  As usual, he assumed I was lying.  Sure mom...pj's in a box that big.  Right. We both started laughing.  He couldn't wait to see what it really was.  I opened the shipping box, and my pj's are no where in sight .  There were folded sheets of brown paper--several dead trees worth--totally covering the next box.  Finally we found it and out comes a gorgeous purple/blue Crabtree and Evelyn box, double wrapped in their signature matching grograin ribbon, with Crabtree and Evelyn spelled out in white, and tied in a perfect bow, up in the left hand area of the box.  I swooned.  Brian looked at me like "Whaaaat", thinking this cannot possibly be pj's, so what in the hell is it?

I took out the beautiful box, placed it on the counter and just stared at it.  Brian looked at me and said "This is pj's???", but I was off in my own little world and didn't even answer.  Slowly, I untied the perfect bow, hating that it was going to mess up the total impact of the box, but wanting to see the pj's.  Off came the lid....and I swooned again, only longer this time.  Inside, the box was lined with beautiful paper and the tissue paper was sealed with a Crabtree and Evelyn seal, and that familiar Crabtree smell wafted up.  Now, I'm almost comatose.  I broke open the seal, pulled back the tissue paper, and lifted out the pj's only to see that they'd been resting on a bed of perfectly folded sheets of tissue paper--zillions of them-- all packed tightly together like a bed, to cushion the pj's. 

The presentation was so gorgeous, so splendid, so over the top spectacular, that I almost cried.  I haven't opened anything that special or that moving in a long, long time, if ever.   I'm going to call them on Monday to thank them.  Never, ever, did I need a lift like that, than on Saturday.  The pj's?  They didn't fit but who cares....I just want to place another order.

Man, oh, man....the ravages of Alzheimer's have their claws in mom and won't let go.  I got two separate reports yesterday that mom had had a rough day, and I went by late in the afternoon to see if perhaps after a nap, she was feeling any less agitated and upset.  Well......no.  I hung around for about as long as I could stand it and then bolted for the car.  The person who was gibbering and upset was not my mother and it was simply too painful to watch.  I conferred with my siblings and we all just basically commiserated.  Then Bruce and I  grabbed dinner and I disappeared into mindless TV shows for mental and emotional escape TV.   Dang.  I am a really fun partner.

Being a glutton for punishment, I wanted to see if today might be any better, so after lunch I ran by with Bruce.  Mom was in the dining room but had barely eaten anything.  Still stuck in yesterday's black hole, mom was again clueless as to who I was, appeared angry and aggressive, and was gibber jabbering  yesterday's same old stuff.  Georgia, one of her wonderful care givers told me "Sister...we're just not having a good day and we aren't eating either".  Georgia had seen me try to feed mom with zippo success.  Georgia had already tried, too, and knows me well enough to know what I look like when my heart falls out on mom's lunch plate.  I hugged mom, thanked Georgia, and beat it out of there.  I immediately gave both of my siblings a heads up NOT to go over there if they didn't want to--mom was still status quo-- all three of us didn't need to experience it unless they just wanted a real Debbie Downer. 

On arriving back home, I decided to exercise my rose snipping privileges over at Mary's and took fat girl Sis with me.  I knew there wasn't anything I could do to help mom, so instead I needed to help myself.  Flowers always perk me up and even though Mary's roses aren't going full tilt yet, I snipped the ones that are my most favorites, and put them beside my bed to enjoy.  These smell like something out of this world and will cure what ails you if you smell them enough or that's my theory anyway.

I think I'll bathe Sis later on and wash her bed fluffies so they're fresh and soft for her after her bath.  If I  can't do anything for mom, at least I can do something for someone else.   It's amazing to me how much comfort an old black dog can bring me, and she sure delivers. 

Think about it....

Always.  Never.  Every.  Good.  Bad.  Right.  Wrong.  Black and White thinking.  Limiting.  Judgmental.  Marginalizing.  Minimizing.  Critical.  No room for options.  No room for seeing the world or people differently.   No choices.  One perspective.  One view point.  Cut off from life.  Cut off from other people.    Hate.

                                                          =

Loneliness.  Avoidance.  Obsession.  Missing all the fun.  Missing all the opportunities.  No learning new things.  No trying new things.  Stalled growth.  Sad.  Angry.  Miserable.  Blaming.  Repellant.  Shut down.  Shut off.  Alone.
                                             


                                                         or

Open.  Validating.  Willing.  Encouraging.  Welcoming.  Accepting.  Broad minded.  Choices.  Opportunities.  Fun.  Friends.  Joy.  Peace.  Abundance.  Laughter.  Attraction.  Sharing.  Comforting.  Encompassing.  Valuing.  Open ended.  Limitless.  Nurturing.  Soft.  Endless.  Kindness.  Helping.  Being helped.  New experiences.  New perspectives.  New ideas.  Spiritual growth.  Replenishing.  Building.  Love.

                                                        =

                                             Heaven on Earth and life abundant


Ask yourself honestly, where do you fall?

Baby basil

I forget why this shocks me every time but it still does.  You find something that you 1) really like  2) it fits and works great for you  3) fills a very necessary niche, and they either quit making it or offering it, and you need it.  They offer the long version but not the short one.  So, do they think you are going to buy the long version, and cut it off ????  And did I mention they sell out of this item every year???  It's that popular.  And, yes, I've got my tail in a knot over this.  Oh, well.  Guess that's just money saved.....quit laughing.  We both know it isn't.
                                                                  

                                                
Here is a shot of my latest experiment.  They are home grown, from my own harvested basil seeds.  In the beginning, there were loads of spouting seeds and plants but trying to separate them is hard and they are so fragile, you can pinch them in half very easily.  I decided to take more of a survivor attitude and just let nature take it's course--survival of the fittest.  Very Lord of the Flies of me.  I'm trying to see if I can keep them going until I can transplant them outside.  One is pretty stubby but could catch up.  We'll see.  I transplanted them with a baby spoon to dig them up, reposition them, bury them up to the neck in soil that was sprinkled with fertilizer, and watered occasionally.  No, they weren't intended to hug the edge of the pot--that's just sort of how they all settled.  It doesn't matter anyway since they'll ultimately go outside to live assuming I can keep them alive.  Not sure why they're wimping along but then we already know I'm not exactly gifted in the growing department.  Remember the year of the 5 pitiful tomatoes that ended up costing  us close to $100 in our garden plot at the church??  As a result of that less than rousing success, I have lowered my expectations considerably.  Since we are big basil eaters during the summer and early Fall, I figure if these totally hit the skids, I'll just go buy 2 plants.  I just wanted to see if I could do it.

The Alaska book I mentioned last week was a total flame out so I won't even mention the title again here.  Not awful but just not worth the time it takes to read it and most of it was totally deeeeeeepressing.  Avoid it like the plague.  Watching mom's steady descent, I don't need help in that department, thank you very much.  I am, however, just snobby enough that I won't read "beach fluff" but escape fiction is fine.  Sometimes the bigger the escape, the better.

Today's little bits of genius

I've already learned two great things today so I thought I'd pass them on.

THINK:

T- thoughtful
H- honest
 I-  important
N- necessary
K- kind                         Think before you say it or do it.


And now for the best quote of the day:  "You've outlived more problems than you've solved."