FAREWELL MY FRIEND!!

BOB BOWERS..OUR OLD MSN SPACES "RUSERIOUS" FAMILY MEMBER
PASSED AWAY AND THE WHOLE BLOG AND FACEBOOK FAMILY HAS LOST A TRUE FRIEND.

Many prayers are sent to BECKY and all the Bower family.  He truly was  a special person. Here is a link to his memorial page.  
         http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Robert-Bowers&lc=0427&pid=152310383&mid=4729223   

HAVE A NICE DAY!!

So I am minding my own business, when Sis drops by and she has this new fangled  "THINGaMaGig" on the dashboard of her car. It waves itself up and down and bobs to and fro and I instantly smile. How cute that is and boy the guy who invented it must have made a fortune on it. It is so hard to resist. She goes on to tell me they can't keep them on the shelves where she works and they come in all kinds of colors and have neat sayings on them. NOW I am intrigued. What do they say, cost, and how do they work???   Maybe you have seen them already. We are a small town..seems we get things way after everyone else. These little things are a real eye catcher because they MOVE.  The leaves bounce up and down and the flower bobs ever so slightly.

            So it works on solar power, no batteries and only when it is in the sun. If you are of the generation that I am, that saying and that smiley face is a neat memory for you. Some of the other sayings..well I heard that they are not so, shall we say, nice!! LOL.. not repeating them here. Look for these things in your area in convenience stores and gas stations and maybe even dollar stores. They will put a smile on your face or make you laugh one. This one is mine and it keeps me company on my dashboard. WISH I HAD INVENTED IT!!!!  Retails here for a whopping $3.99  No..I didn't buy mine it was a present. 

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!        

THE SAGA CONTINUES

They couldn't fix it.. left at least 10 inches of pipe sticking out of the ground. Took about 6 guys working on and off through the day to get it to that point. The next day it rained almost all day long. I took this picture on Friday and guess they won't be back until tomorrow to try to finish it up. Something about old pipes and fixtures fittings etc. NO KIDDING..the house is over 130 years old..it's never had replacements. This was not going to be an easy job by any means!! Glad we are not footing the bill that is for certain. Quite a topic in the neighborhood. They are wondering what comes next???
Mom and Dad are just chuckling over this one I am sure!!!

WATER WORKS!!

                         

You won't believe what happened! All the hub-bub surrounding getting things closed up on the house, Sis and I stood waiting for the city water dept guys to come turn off the water. We called them quite awhile back but decided to wait until we finally had the house empty to finish the job. GOOD thing we did.. one day it was like an oven in that house with no air. I stood under a COLD shower and boy did it feel good. LOL at least we could cool off.  SO....

  
Anyway, today the guy finally came to shut things down and he tried and tried to shut the water off at the curb. City crews do this almost on a daily basis so it is no biggie.. but this time.. well he ran into a problem. NOTHING budged..he hit it with a hammer and used a large turning wrench and it still would not move. I know you all know that picture of guys standing around ONE guy working..THREE guys later.. they broke the darn water valve. Seems it had been so long since the water had been shut off the valve was "frozen". I laughed and told the guys that probably was about 50 years worth! They will have to replace the whole thing! Glad we don't have to pay for it.. then one guy comes inside the house and into the basement and again.. he has trouble with the meter he is supposed to remove. It won't budge!  (I think MOM may have had something to do with this. She was sooooo stubborn!) The number two guy says he will step in and "help" it come loose. Can you guess what happened? YEP..it broke into two pieces.. but they got it off. The city will have to replace it with a new one anyway when and if a new owner comes along. One guy asked me.."did the gas company have any trouble here?". I told him .."no, the meter was no problem..  he laughed and said."poor electric guy is next, I hope he doesn't electrocute himself trying to disconnect it here!" Gremlins..spirits..MOM..whatever it is..seems the old house just won't give up. The electric connection is way up the pole, between a tree and a fence and hard for a ladder to get to. I sure hope I am no where NEAR when the guy does it. If I hear an ambulance I will surely stop and see what's going on though.
Who knew there was such a real life in the old house..a  sort of will not to give up.
Sis and I left the house with echos of laughter over the antics of those fellows. Nice to hear it there one last time.

HOME SWEET HOME!

Thought I should at least update once a month when I get time.. I truly miss my blogging time a lot. Journaling time has been cut too and that is just not good for me

as I tend to forget a whole lot these days with so much going on.  Here is the picture of the house we used to own. NOW that I don't LIVE there any more I can finally show you it and all it's glory.  Three floors including the basement! Sixty years of STUFF! 
It is finally empty! Took a lot of time to do and lots of sweat and black and blue spots to prove it. Looks a lot better from a distance but I assure you up close you would see
all it's problems. To the side is a large double driveway in dire need of sealcoating and a two car garage. YES, it was full of STUFF too. NO, I didn't call it junk, because it had some very useful things in it.  Imagine trying to get all that stuff into a small house or apt.. no way!! So many sales and donating had to occur to help out. Don't ask me where things are right now.. I have NO IDEA.. put all urgent stuff in a shoe box and pray I don't lose it. 
I find myself very tired these days and want to sleep a lot. WONDER WHY??? I think it will take weeks to be able to walk through my small apt and not stumble upon some thing that is in my path. This too shall pass, they say, and sometime soon I will feel settled in a new place.. can't come fast enough for me!!   

MAY DAY!!

The end of the month is fast approaching. I feel like the fire is under my feet to move quickly to get things done. Deadlines are good, I keep repeating to myself, trying to be convincing at the same time. I  came across this yard filled with tiny violets, it was soothing in a way, mother nature is waking up from such a long winter's sleep.

So many flowers blooming and standing tall after the snows we had just weeks ago. It amazes me. The work continues here and the new temporary place takes shape slowly. Not wanting to unpack a whole lot because the future is kinda cloudy, I can say my new kitchen is looking better and better.  

Some of the old things from the old place are there and some new things too. It's a work in progress, not sure how l will be there so sure don't want to unpack a whole lot. I still have to get used to a way smaller space again. I loved the small place I had in Ca. years ago..I don't think it will take too long. This kitchen was built probably nearly 80 years ago. My place was the servants quarters, compact and useful and not over the top. The kitchen was redone in the 40's and is very much like the kitchen that mom and dad had in their house before it was re done in the 60's. Love the light over the sink and the little shelves. The larger shelves go all the way to the ceiling. Not using those much as  it would take tall ladder to access them, but it's nice to have that storage space anyway. Time is wasting..got to get moving.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY!!                                                                    

OK UPDATE TIME...

Thanks for your patience with me.. I heard you Seth..it was wayyy past time....

 I have so much on my plate my blogging time has really suffered. I miss it so much. I went from blogging every day to several times a week, to once in a while.. that really is just not me. I have so much in my head  running around that I want to say. What's happening isn't the easiest to hear, it's the same old thing. Losing mom was harder than on me than when I lost my dad.The whole having to deal with the estate and what to do with things and moving. I am juggling about 5 things all at once and it is certainly overwhelming.  I find time to just get away and not think about stuff and make myself enjoy some down time when I can, but it sure doesn't happen as often as I would like it to. Writing always helped me out with any problem I had..journaling has been private thoughts for awhile and that is why you haven't seen me here. I assure you I have been keeping track of things though. Laptop..you have been a lifesaver, as the old desktop is packed away..the storage has been a challenge..trying to get things not to topple as it is piled in there over my head. Trying to put your whole lifetime in a 10x10 storage has been scary. It makes you really look at things a new way and know what is the most important to you.

I had the best friend in the world come and help me pack up stuff and move things and she  was such a joy and help to me. She knew just what to say and was there when I needed support and that was so important, especially this holiday weekend. What in the world would we do without our friends? I have had such encouragement from all mine in person and here in my blog family. I appreciate that so very much, you will never know.

YES I still have been taking pictures,
 almost daily of things, don't think I will ever stop that. On my travels I captured this tree that obviously had been grafted..it was quite the site to see..two colors and types of tree in one.

Well, that's about it from here.. same old same old.. packing and re packing and moving on to what will be..whatever that is, is what GOD wants it to be. I may not be ready for it, but will be confident that it is supposed to be that way.

Until next time...Hope you all have a wonderful SPRING!!

BREATHING...

LIFE moves on.. we all know that.Sometimes it moves in mysterious ways and we wonder why. I learned not to wonder..just to accept the fact that God is in control and he doesn't make mistakes EVER. I went to a Senior health fair to connect with others and seek out information and network for job opportunities in our area. I drove through the fog in the early morning on the road I took so many times with my mother.   I noticed the country-side trying to come back to life after this long, long winter. Several deer were chomping on the remnants of cut fields of corn, trees were beginning to turn greener with some buds here and there. I arrived to find many people gathering eating donuts and coffee and chatting about how gas prices were unbearable, and the checks just don't cover increases in living any more.

Long rows of tables lined the cafeteria from many different area companies. I walked and talked with so many about how life is hard for those who cannot deal
with their disabilities and need help sometimes. They all agreed with me. The volume level of so many speaking at once made me think of a giant party without the music.
 I turned a corner and ran smack into two people from the care home where mom stayed. I took a deep breath and hugged the man who spoke at my mother's funeral. The nurse standing beside him was on duty the night mom died. She gave me a hug and asked  how I was doing. Do you lie and say fine or speak up and tell the truth? I spoke the truth.. I told her how hard it has been to try to deal with 60 years of life and giving and selling it to strangers. How quiet the house is without "the boss" around and how I try to cope and do the best I can. He spoke up and said to me.. "your mom was a life-force that is hard to miss..you must give yourself time."..I had to agree with him, she was bossy and stubborn and opinionated that was a fact. Her words still echo in my ears about this or that. All I have to do is listen.

I came down the aisle of tables and another smiling face came up to me. A worker from the local nurses home care hugged my neck. I was very glad to see her again and thanked her for all she did those many months. I had not thought about how many people I would see there I really DID know. Two hours later, I left after having a great conversation with our local librarian. New changes there sound very exciting. I recieved a call later stating that I had won a door prize after I left. All of the prizes were donated of course, but the one that I got  will last me a whole year. A membership to the local senior center and all it's services. Technically, I am barely a senior, but I am sure some of the services will really be helpful. What a nice surprise..I rarely win anything. Will let you know later how it goes.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! 

  

LIFE IN JAPAN AFTERWARDS..

 I came across this link and address at Facebook from a person who is really in Japan reporting in English from there. The videos and reporting tell the real story there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MR7u8xSr-8
It is so hard to watch from afar and wonder what will happen next and what, if anything, one can do to help. They need everything, much like those people who survived after Katrina happened here in America. Most people are sending the Red Cross
their donations. It's a start, but they will need much more. So much of the gulf states area is still standing exactly like it was 10 years after that horrible hurricane, you have to wonder will Japan ever recover from this all? Time will tell, the Japanese are a strong and honorable people, if anyone can do the work to recover they can. May God Bless Them
and keep them all safe from harm in the coming days and months.     

SIGN OF THE TIMES

I ran across this sign in my travels and whether or not it was against the law to change the slogan of this company, the message came across loud and clear....

I hope no one says or does anything, and it remains as a reminder to the youth

of the town.

THE MOON

WE went on a hunt through the house for certain pictures to be included
in Mom's service. One picture she loved we could not find was the "moon
picture". It was taken back in 1944 at a county
fair. There were several ones taken that day and one of both of my parents. We
haven't found them yet. I search through so many things daily looking for certain
items. TODAY I came across one of the smaller "moon" pictures. How cool
it looks to see your parent in a different light. What was happening the day
it was taken is not known to me, but Mom told me that Dad loved to go to fairs and
ride the rides. We took him to visit the fair even into his elder years while in a wheelchair. Going through the multitude of boxes there is something new every day to see.

I did find a nice tea pot and sugar and creamer set of Blue Willow that mom saved. What happened to the rest of the dishes is a mystery, I wish I had them too. Along with the treasures, an old hat and a coat mom wore in the 40's. Who knew
that they would be back in style someday. They were preserved well and could be used as a costume in a play so may be donated. Each day I travel back in time
wondering what new thing I will find in the next box.

ICE!!

IT is everywhere...heavy and cold and sidewalks and roads are slushy and slippery. Tomorrow is another day and the daylight will reveal the wonders of it all.. 

PM

A.M.

The trees and bushes are crackling..more snow on

the way. Hurry Up Spring!!

RESTING

MOM is finally at rest. She struggled so in her last days that we are so glad she no longer has to endure. My brother died twenty years ago this April and my mother spoke about being reunited with him and my father. I know she is happy where she is but her presence has left a large space in my heart. I had left the center for only a few minutes when my Sis called me back and I raced as fast as I could to get there. When I
ran into the room they told me she had just passed away a moment before. We sat with her for a good long time.

                                  
Upon hearing that mom had passed away, staff came from all over the center where mom was. The room was filled with people coming and going and praying with us. We truly had no idea what kind of affect she had on the staff there. Some staff called employees who were at home and broke the news to them. There were many tears and many hugs and many stories passed in the hours we sat and talked while arrangements were made. We truly did have mom in the right place for her passing. The next days will be stressful but we know mom is in a better place now and resting with loved ones and very happy. That is truly a comfort to us.

Please KNOW I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers from all of you at this time. It what helps me get through my days. My cyber family is THE BEST!!!
  

WINTERS FURY

Wow a blizzard!  We got one and it lasted all night long. Sometimes the snow was  coming sideways and sometimes one to two inches an hour. When all was said and done..about 10 inches or more. The drifts were more like 14 inches in my driveway.

It wasn't a silent night that is for sure. Usually when we get a snow storm everything is pretty quiet except for the snow plows. This storm was noisy.. wind blowing and knocking around everything not nailed down. That is the view last night out my front door. Scary looking and not any vehicles on the road either.

After the snowplow guy came and moved all my snow out of my driveway you could hardly see the neighbors who walked by next door. They are standing up behind that pile.

The porch wasn't too bad itself but my steps were completely snowed in. Took me quite awhile to dig them out. Snowblowers are working overtime this afternoon now that the sun is shining. The groundhog did NOT see his shadow.. SPRING cannot come fast enough for me.

QUICK UPDATE..

THINGS are happening sometimes here at lightning speed, at other times at a snails
pace. Hard to tell what will go on from one day to the next. Have had little on line time to catch up with everyone. This I truly miss a whole lot. I miss all my blogging family.
Mom's condition has deteriorated lately and we are continuing to speak to counselors and doctors,. therapists and Hospice workers. The whole process is mind boggling. What will be paid for and what isn't covered is sometimes shocking. I have years of experience under my belt with elderly care and their concerns and tribulations. I sure am glad now, because it is really coming in handy.I would hate to be traveling down this road without some prior knowledge of how things work. The things that happen daily could be written in a book...in fact... I have been documenting Mom's whole

journey from the beginning. No wonder I completely wore out one computer and one camera. They sure did the job admirably. Above is the long hallway to the end of the  building. Many times I have found mom rolling down that hallway to look for deer out the doorway windows. The handrails on either side of the hall help the patients by them reaching and pulling themselves along. Probably the one of the most germy places in the building as they rarely are cleaned. The floors and walls and bathrooms etc are always done but the railings not. I avoid them like the plague. 
Well just wanted to catch you all up on what is going on.. lack of time, energy or wifi at home make it extremely hard to get computer time. January is grinding down and
February is at hand..Spring can't come soon enough for me.

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT...

THAT is the question! We continue to struggle every day to get Mom to eat more. I have asked just about everyone I know for help and advice. The recent health problems that Mom had caused her tongue and taste buds to be so bad that she doesn't have much desire to eat anything. Mom always loved her coffee but doesn't even drink one cup now. Yesterday we did the happy dance because she actually ate

a cup of pudding. I said "What does it taste like Mom?" and she said "White!" I guess there just was no flavor at all. She has the desire..she asked for a cheeseburger without the seeds on the bun. When she got the burger, she took one bite.. that was all. We were crushed. Best I can do is keep trying everything I can. If it were not for those high protein supplement drinks like ensure etc., I just don't know what we would do.
We did find out that some medications do cause things to not have the greatest taste for her so maybe that was the problem..time will tell. The latest thing is, that a side effect of the antibiotic was that she broke out all over.. now her skin is peeling like
a sunburn. It is the talk of the center.. no one has ever seen anything quite like it. The doctor and the surgeon were really surprised. Leave it to Mom to be different from
anyone else in the place.

WINTER VIEW

Took a  pic the other day of this snowman.. it's the only kind we have here now and
he is pretty lonely. There is a promise of some light snow over the next few days,
but nothing that would make a nice partner for him.

Those greens are real. The city provides real garland every year. It's the city that has our county buildings so they have money there to use for decoration. This cold weather will make the garland stick around for quite awhile. It takes them a long time to get the whole city decorated no wonder they wait until middle of January to take them all down.

HEARTBROKEN...REALITY

Sobbing, I walked into the cold, windy afternoon air. I looked into the blue sky and wanted to scream that it is just not fair.. moments before, I watched my mother settle down for a nap. Her words echoed in my ears..

"You get old and then you die a long, hard, slow death."

It was not like anything I had heard her say before to me. I think that in a lucid moment she just could see the reality of what she was going through all these months.

I sat in the car a good long time, trying to clear the frustration out of my system. I have to be able to see to drive my way back home the two miles to my
house.  I started the car and slowly drove out of the long driveway, when something
caught my eye in a sudden motion.

Bounding across the road at least 10 deer running at full gallop.

I was so glad I had stopped for a few minutes and not traveled that

road or something bad could have happened.

2011 came in here with blue skies, green grassy fields and

many thoughts of what the year will bring.

My father died on New Years Day

seventeen years ago.

WE MISS YOU DAD!