Before the Day

before the day (title)
Of course, the day has begun. I've been up for hours, awake since dawn started appearing and the animals started moving about in anticipation of belly rubs and ear scratches and, of course, breakfast. But my daughter snores and Daisy has rejoined her after our nice walk. Some chores done.
I have decided not to try pursuing a part-time holiday help job right now. Takes the stress away of feeling I REALLY needed to get applying SOON. Any regular reader knows I'd be half nuts to consider it with my limited time, but, my monthly budget has no squeeze room.

(I think I'm missing child support this month, too, due November 1st. It may have come Friday or Saturday, however, being I missed the mail carrier both days.  I'm still missing my main set of keys which include my mailbox key, so I have to time being home for when the mail carrier, the one who knows me, delivers the mail. Usually misplaced items show back up by now so I'm getting more worried. I almost lost my spare set the other day; Boss found them on the floor near my desk oy.)

Two pairs of pants I'd bought M don't fit, so she has just two and that doesn't work unless I'm doing laundry almost daily. She and I both really like the one pair, too, good jeans gotten for great price. I can't find that receipt, so maybe M will just keep that pair until she is that size:)   Returning the other pair in my "spare" time later this next weekend after Thanksgiving proper.   Doing laundry mid-week is hard enough as it is; I'm often rewashing clothes that sat wet in the washer, waiting to get into the dryer.

I felt so badly when M also wanted a skirt yesterday, not even a fancy one or expensive, just a new skirt, and I had to say no right now. She doesn't require a skirt right now, but she likes them, and honestly I'm not sure that any of her dresses /skirts fit except a summer one.  Nota big deal, really, just would be nice to let her try it on, it was classy and modern and more grown up but not sleazy, not worrying about an extra $20-40. once in a while. (It looked great with that winter vest, too! M didn't complain; she understood.) Even when putting back the red polartec-sweats she can really use. (I'll look for them to go on sale.)

Oh, and a solo dress. And her school activity fee, and gosh I'd forgotten, dentist coming up for her. (Mine's long overdue.)  

I'd enjoy someplace like PetsMart, with a 20% discount, that'd help my petfood budget!, then again, what pets want most is time and attention.

I don't wish to go insane, working a place that'd not send customers home until midnight. When would I sleep? When do they sleep?  I'm much less grumpy when I get my sleep, heck, I'd likely eat poorly, and insufficient sleep most certainly wouldn't help me control my ADD.   And, I won't take time away from M, not much, anyway. So, how often could I work, and would it really be worth it?

Maybe after I get my father more situated.
Two Meals on Wheels called me back right away, giving me such relief, and hope, both saying to please contact them again to let them know how it went with the one for my father's region, that they'd help if need be. The one for Dad's area did call me back, but said she'd get more info, hopefully by that afternoon if not later that morning. This was last week, so, trying not to be discouraged, I'll call again Monday. (Note a link in my sidebar to a national locator for food programs such as meals on wheels.)   Amy told me that in her area of New Jersey, Meals on Wheels is FREE!   Seems that they are lowcost, or free, run individually.  One for my father would be $29./week for two meals. I forget if that one is a one hot and one cold meal a day, or what. I do think this would be of social AND nutritional benefit to him:)  I'm so excited for it to work out.   It just hasn't YET.

And getting those utility aid forms completed for him, what a nightmare to me, who has trouble with forms to begin with, and I can't tell if it's one form for all, or different ones for each. Would it benefit for him to get to a doctor FIRST, so his new prescriptions could be included, that he may receive?   I think I can't wait. His bills this month are higher than his income, his mortgage outrageous.   I felt like a heel having him repay me for some of the groceries and supplies I'd gotten him recently, but, I needed that.   Even if I KNOW I'm covering him for the first half of December.   He doesn't have it.  

At least I got his range working again the other week (bought matches and relit the pilot lights), and ha, his one toilet unclogged:)  Of course, some overflowed so THAT wasn't exactly fun. M was proud of me for having fixed it, however.   M fixed Dad's cell phone to ring instead of just vibrate. She pointed out that she figured out that on Nextel phones, it's buttons on the side that control this, not via menu.  I'm not getting Nextel ever for my purposes. Too confusing for me.

Resoaking up water from his kitchen, needing more lightbulbs, the list is non-ending. Getting a plumber through church is still in process, and would go much quicker if I had more time.  My father really needs me to spend more time moving him along, not less. I cannot stay doing this alone, and he needs so much more, his plumbing needs even more crucial now "Dad, do you know where the mop went?"  "Oh, it's upstairs, I tried to mop the bathroom floor up there; there's water on it." UGH.  I did what I could, for now.  Found a tub at a dollar store, which helps. The main grocery store wanted a minimum of $10. for their buckets. The good thing is that Dad tried, too, had iniciative. The bad thing is that he failed to remember to mention it until I asked about the mop, and doesn't seem to fully comprehend the importance of this. I cleaned up what I could in THIS bathroom, too, but it needs a lot more. 

Maybe a part time job after I have a chance to go through things in my home more completely. I've started, of course. We give things away here and there, or toss out.
"Samoas! We got Girl Scout cookies; a Girl Scout gave them to us!" It made my morning last weekend to hear and see a young Cub Scout bouncing about, excited for the 3+ cases of cookies I'd left outside our front door for his pack's food drive. Of course, they were tested first, just to be certain they were still good enough to eat:)  Hehe.   Besides, can't go giving anyone something one wouldn't find acceptable for oneself; I do strongly believe that.
M had orders for all of these, the second or third round of orders, but the GS cookie season seems to stretch so long, and coordinating getting them all to everyone, individually, a 3rd time, and money, it just gets to be too much.

Step by step, those steps again:) I have places to take some of this other stuff, just needs to be DONE.  Like my dishes in the sink, just needs to be DONE, more time.  Never mind painting my bathroom, and putting up blinds, both of which we have supplies for and not yet the time:)

Narnia movie last night, until M got too tired. She enjoyed her friends birthday party Friday night.  Last night, M was resting on me, along with two cats and a dog (before we got M into her bed). We'd gathered Thanksgiving meal supplies for this afternoon, talking with my mom and my SIL (really my stepbrother's ex-wife but what the heck). M started her day off with drumsticks and hardshoes in a choreographing / rehearsal session for dance which would wake anyone up.

I like it NOW. Quiet, typing but also getting things done. I have to multitask, sweeping or folding laundry or something, while I'm typing. We'll get to church, and enjoy it:) then drop Dad's frozen foods off to him which ended up staying in my truck yesterday and not brought in there. He's fine w/out them, butmay as well have them. Besides, I can dump water out of various pans. Then, Thanksgiving at my mother's:)

Actual Thanksgiving Day I think I'll take Daisy out for a nice long hike at one of my favorite spots. Check to see if the barn can use a spare hand, so others can celebrate with their loved ones. Relax. Maybe take some banana bread to my father. I'm careful not to announce this to IRL people, so they don't feel obligated to invite me over, or me feel obligated to go. I'll celebrate with M today:) miss her on "thee" day, but hope she's having a great time with C and that part of her family.

I'm hoping today goes well. My mother is all excited for it, so that's real good.  M is excited, too.  We'll drive up there with my SIL and niece, which will limit my mother's chances for digs against me. 

Mom sent an e-mail yesterday that I didn't know how to take. I thought the offering of aspirin from my dad to her, had triggered her simply wanting the rest of the money he owes her. She wrote that we may have to cancel our trip to see the Rockette's if she doesn't have that back. Mind, at the time, she said she knew she'd not see it, so if it could just be repaid her whenever the house sells.   My first reaction is that she's trying to have me think, oh no, we can't not go!!!! let me get him to write a check! Well, heck, he is negative money for the month as it is, not as if he wouldn't be happy to repay her.

He did repay just over half of it, so that's good. He'd gotten some refund check in about the time we went to Maine.   Mom always implied (or said?) she'd get M her solo dress (for dance), then was saying she can't without some money reimbursed. Well, planned to repay her some, anyway, and that was a lot of money he repaid her thus far.  Mom still nixed the idea of stopping by in PA for M to try on a dress enroutehome, which was the idea on the way up.  She'd gotten, um, not really liking our company (or mine more like it) any more it seems, by that point in our trip together, I guess. I don't know, but I hate that stuff. Visiting her family in Maine brings out all sorts of emotions for her, I do know that. AND, she is due the money, AND it's HER money. Just, ACK.  

Ends up, she's acting all happy and everything, and yet saying she'll be really ticked if she has to cancel the NY trip, hmm, so maybe her recent heart/ER scare has her with more bills now. She has insurance, but I don't know what it'd cover.  I'll let M bring up the great solo dress she tried on yesterday, well, Mom knows of this one already, but not that it's been tried on. I don't care if we go to NY, except that I know Megan and my mother really wish to, and yeah, it'd be a lot of fun. Minus the leaving HER town NLT 5:30 a.m. part. I may have M spend the night before, so my mom is less stressed. She won't care if I'm late (and miss it), but she'd be upset if M missed it.  Well, unless she'd be out the money spent on me.   It is her Christmas gift to us, and near her birthday so us spending the time with her in a manner she choses is also our "time" spent with her, too.

Mom did reserve a room overnight for the Oircheatas in 2 weeks, which is so not needed for M's purposes now. They posted the schedule, and M is on early Saturday, and late Sunday. We live so close by. The idea was for M to be able to enjoy the event more fully, and give Mom and Bob a chance to rest during the day, etc. They'be both real supportive of M, and that's good.  Mom says she'll keep the room, so I'm thinking it's for her purposes more.   The awards won't be given out until late in the day.  

Maybe Mom is overextended, so fine, we'll cut back. Maybe she's just wanting her money back. Maybe, it's something inbetween. 

But, for a couple more hours,I don't have to worry about that:) Shower, wake up M. Oh, wait, sleeping dance diva is stirring. Only Daisy is snoring now, lol. Okay, what's for breakfast? (My second one, I have to eat two a day.)   Actually, a nap sounds good to me right now, too:) Gotta hustle now. Have a blessed day, all. Maybe I'll see the construction business owner guy today at church who may help me at Dad's, too.....

"Bubba" the panda hamster

Actually, I heard the OAR interview this a.m., just busy every since.   My break times today have been spent tweaking my list of other journals.   Oops, I found out AFTER doing this, that I was to limit myself to 6-8 suggestions.  LOL oh well:)   This has been fun! and lifts my spirits. 

Daisy, our beagle, and I, run into Brandy, whose owner commented that "This is going to be a good day."   Yes, it is!   The sun is back, the crows have reclaimed the tops of trees, cawing away.   I save a drowning worm.  Daisy practices agility under downed branches, missing two squirrels chasing each other then catching the scent of something else VERY exciting.  Off she takes me.   (Cat) Indie didn't join us today.   Oh, he did join us again one recent morning, but still mostly peeks outside and stays inside.   I let him breathe in the air by leaving the door cracked open, only to find Captain in the bushes, lol, come on in, buddy.  

M was trying to wrap a hamster cage and supplies.   "Herding cats" for breakfast, I'd been glad we didn't also bring home the hamster last night.  

At the time, I just didn't wish to keep "Bubba" in my truck that long.   Good thing, too, for the storms last night caused much flooding, a bridge washed out delaying us almost 40 minutes enroute to dance rehearsal.   (Teacher Ma calls us as we're going home, "If M is running that late again, I feel badly, I don't wish her coming all that way for almost no dancing, just have her stay for the next class."  This is the class we'd LIKE M to be in, we think, but AFTER Oircheatas is over so Ma can concentrate more on others, too.   M made the work on new steps which they'll finesse tomorrow a.m.)   Various traffic reports, freight train derailed disrupting travel between B'more and Washington, car fire on 270, beltway/495 completely closed down in one direction....... we're all alive, no running out of gas.  I slipped in a cd by Dan Nelson, featuring music from Narnia and M "rested."

Ah, yes, "Bubba" is a panda hamster I relented to having put on reserve.   M is going to a sleepover birthday party and the parents okayed the birthday girl getting a hamster, which the girl has already named "Bubba" for some odd reason.   M thinks it's cool.    M has always wanted one herself, or other small rodent.   "Are you nuts, child?  We have five cats and a beagle, and you think a hamster wouldn't feel stressed if it stayed alive in our home?"   "PUULLLEEZZZEEEE."   The night before, we'd dined with friends, MegMAID of Shawn's ZandB blog, actually.   Lovely company, relaxing time I've so needed.   The girl there has a cute hamster, too.   I discuss finances with M, who finally agrees to contribute $10. reminding me that she's been friends with birthday girl for 8 years now.

Billy investigates the empty cage and "helps" with the wrapping paper.   M thinks calling Billy, Billy Bob, is cool, too.   Kids.   Wow, she woke up happily and early to reels repeating itself on her clock radio, yet somehow still running out of time to pack and dress and wrap.   If we don't focus on what we're doing to get ourselves ready, it's easy to not be finished by thee goal, especially with anything else added, such as subtracting $10. from allowance owed and wrapping odd-sized gifts.   Of course, I agree to help so she could dress and get to school on time, so now I'll head out to finish the wrapping, or, rewrap what the cats unwrapped, and pick up its new inhabitant.  Bubba, the panda hamster. 

Update:   M looks out the door into the cold, "Mom?!"   Five squealing preteen girls soon run down the driveway.   Birthday girl, arms wide open, "Bubba!  Bubba!"    As the ad says, "priceless." :)

The parents invite me to join them for dinner, where I learn that the dad is almost as excited as his daughter for her to have pets.  She was also given a betta fish, Bubbles.

Guest Editor!

I love a heavy rain; it'd be great to curl up under a blanket, hot mug of cider, cat or two purring away, and read:)   These days, much of my reading and dvelving into others thoughts are via the aol journals.  I'd forgotten all about the idea of there being guest editors, and am surprised and a bit excited to have been "found" and asked!  So, thanks, Jeff / MagicSmoke:)

Quick notes:   This journal was started 7 months ago, mostly to just write out my thoughts as I seem to be in front of a computer much more often than I have a pen in hand.   (Usually the pen is in my mouth.)   I'm a 45 year old single mother of a fantastic 12 year old daughter.   She and I are both involved in Irish dancing.  I have ADD, which is a bit obvious if you try to read some of my more circuitious (sp) or rambling entries.   I also care for my 73-year old father who has dementia and lives alone, for now, anyway, until I can figure out how to pay for any other options.  

Some of my "must read" journals I so enjoy and have on alerts include:

Let's start off with Giving Tree.  The Giving Tree  Canyonsun04 is coordinating the good spirited of us in Journal-Land with those who could use a helping hand, or perhaps another item or two.   I personally know of someone only from online AOL who was laid off of her job and unable to get coats for her children, until someone else nominated her to The Giving Tree, and two others had spare coats to send along for her cold family.   (Her journal is private now, or I'd definitely feature hers on here.)  Tis the season for thanks giving -- please do check out Giving Tree by Canyonsun04 :)

Fred is a relative newcomer, who already has developed his own sort of online journaling fanclub:)   Intended to be a place for Fred to write about his forays into the dating world after being divorced, his journal has since evolved into tidbits from his life, starting in Russia and emigrating to the US, and searches for love, and who he is, through college and today.  Look back a bit and you'll even find a romantic recipe much too ambitious for my domestic, um, "skills."   Sit by the fire and sip wine kind of read indeed.    Those Eyes That the Cherubim Drew

Mike's journal I stumbled upon while he wrote of taking care of his elderly mother.   He's a single non-custodial dad with custody issues many of us sometimes have, who also plays air-guitar to classic rock and tries to see the humour and good in life (at least, I picture him as always smiling), seemingly always debating whether or not to make that next blind date.   He had quite a childhood to overcome (THAT journal is here: Crystal Clear Days of Insanity).   MikeV009's main one is:   I'm Going Sane in a Crazy World

Single parenting is the theme -- Sharon is a single mother of four children, living in the greater Amish area of Pennsylvania.   Her journal captures her emotions as she and her children grow, through her illness and past a cheating spouse, with love and hope in her heart.   This Momma's Drama gave me the encouragement to start journaling myself.

When Mary does post, it always has me either touched, or laughing.   (Check out her entry "don't date a man with four kids" if you're in a place where you can crack up out loud.)   Just a few words from her, and she's captured completely the essence of the love between a father with Alzheimer's and his doting daughter.   It helps me to hear her.   Just Mary

Milwaukee's best includes Dan's homage to his bit of world, and cheese, can't forget the cheese.   I wish sometimes that I had the computer and writing skills that Dan does.   I almost always love his entries, wry comments and perspectives and light-hearted pontifications on his world and life.   Deafcat makes me think of mine, even his writing of an unrelenting spider had me smile, a week or so later, when I had just the beauty of an aging spiderweb to keep me copany for a couple hours. The Wisdom of a Distracted Mind

I hope to add more later.   Jeff, aka, MagicSmoke's e-mail asking meto be guest editor went into my SPAM folder, of all places, so I didn't see it until a bit ago, almost past his requested deadline.   Back off my break and back to the world of meetings and printers, and hey, even some sunshine coming in now (but still a tornado watch, so be careful out there).

-- Robin

Guest Editor part II!   The rain is gone!  Even before I dashed off yesterday, I KNEW I wished to add more journals, my Uncle Len corrects me, bia my aunt Beth, that this is blogging.   Nor did I realize I could add non-aol blogs.  

The funniest non-aol blogs I know of is written by dance-parent Shawn, taking pokes at the inside world of Irish stepdancing, particularly if competing (in feiseanas).   Zebadiah and Beauregard's Front Porch  Check out "do you have what it takes to be a feis mom."   Admittedly, I've had M's stepdance shoes and my dance shoes (for ceili and set dancing) in my truck for two funerals in one month this fall..... I'd have prefered weddings, which merited me a score of 19.   We've since traveled to the Rhythm of Ireland feis, and for some reason will stay overnight in Arlington for the Southern Regional Oircheatas, so I may score higher soon.

In the "I really wish he'd write again" category -- I could so relate to the descrition of a day living with ADHD, and he gives some practical medical information as well -- a very good writer.  The aol journal:  Confessions of a Madman: Insights into Living and Coping With ADHD and also the blogspot one:  Mending the Dream:Out of the ADHD Nightmare

Looking for blogs in all the right places - check out Paul / plittle's Carnivaol.   He collects blogs to feature on a weekly basis CarnivAOL

Struggling for a better life out of cocaine clutches, for herself and her daughter, is Jenn.   God give her the strength to stay fighting the good fight.   Please lendher some support and hope that she CAN do this:)   She's been living with her daughter and her now deceased grandmother who had Alzheimer's.  Jenn's Lost Life and her previous journal is:  Jenn's lost life

Ever bored and wondering what it'd be like to visit some town in the US?  I followed them during their road trip -- hey, they live in Maryland, too, just got out for a bit.   Road Trip 2006

Flat Stanley is on the move -- what stories he could tell?!   Great kids project.   Perhaps more hosts and hostesses will contribute, too.   The Flat Stanley Project

Briana ends her quick read journal with an entry about a road trip to her new life, one without her recently deceased alcoholic father.   She's a kid.   I suspect she'll find a new voice somewhere, sometime.   Briana's Journal

Journals new to me which I've been enjoying and hope to read more of! include:

Barbara lives in a unique Texas town, with faith and introspection.  Life & Faith in Caneyhead

Ginger cheers up residents in an assisted living center, in ways that work best for THEM, cheering up her readers while she's at it.   Assisted Living Center Activity

Well read, but with reason - good prose and other writing abounds in Rebecca's In The Shadow Of The Iris

Going to be a bright, bright, sunshiney day:)   Enjoy your weekend reading, everyone.  -- Robin

p.s. -- Not having seen a Guest Editor spot before, and given no guidance other than to try to include non-aol and those with limited readership, I didn't know I was to limit myself to 6-8 selections!  Oh, well:)  Gives you more to chose from.

Tags: blogplugs

Thanksgiving feast on a tornado watch day

Grey rainy warm day -- perfect for tornados apparently.   While multitasking here, as always, getting one call, "the barn" called me on my cell.  Not about reenrolling, but that she has to cancel classes today.   M will be very disappointed, safe, but disappointed.   She loves her riding, and looked forward to class today.   Wait, this means, I'll have to pick her up after school! it means her daycare is canceled! oh, we can use a few hours to just us.   I'll miss some of staff meeting, but my boss will understand, he's a family man, the "younger" viewpoint on how to manage employees.

In a few moments, the Thanksgiving Feast.  I'm not really crazy about lunching with tons of people.   I suppose I'll go comb my hair first, put on a dab of lipstick.   No winter holiday party this year, being it'd be me doing it with people assigned to help me, and my boss really liking the idea of our traditional, 7th annual secular Thanksgiving feast, i.e., no one overtly enthusiastic about it.  I admit, I built the Thanksgiving feast up to him, also, cuz I feel it's been an important tradition here for many.   Our hundreds of employees are mostly introverts, and many won't travel home or have others visit them and may be alone on "the" Thanksgiving Day.   It's a good thing.

Have to admit, controlling manager was annoying me yesterday and today, so I ignored the one thing, took a breathe, and handled the rest in a way that seemed appropriate (nicely).   Talking with another manager, the interim boss for me whom I know well and knows HER well, he told me "You should have been a diplomat.   She is just being controlling, that's her thing."   lol   It was SO nice to hear someone else say that.   And, oh yeah, Boss told me he told her that he wants ME doing those things, too:)   I was wondering if he'd ever pick up on it. 

Still smiling at nyboots journal "leaf day," too.   I love fall leaves, even in the blowing grey clouds and almost leafless trees of today in the heavy warm rain.   Assisted Living Center Activity   I may have to take inside to Dad a few of those colorful leaves at his house, so he can see them, too, well, that may also confuse him as to what the heck I'm doing, lol.   He wants M to come by and fix his cell phone, also, as in, get it to ring and not vibrate.   She's likely the only one who can figure that out.   Perhaps AFTER the tornado watch:)

 

 

Steps and Balance

Been busy with a lot to write for this past week, later.   Caretaking means balancing ones own needs in there, too, along with my father's, and the dog's and the cats' and especially M's! but I'm not always so good at taking care of mine.   Breathe, BJ writes that sometimes he just needs space to breathe (in life cuz he's really busy right now), and how am I....

M dances and I get some dancing in and I see that as helping us balance out our lives in a way to keep us sane.   And, finally, I think I get it.   To take steps, one needs balance.   To obtain greater technical and fun accuracy with ones steps, includes refining ones balance as well.   To take greater steps, the next step by step by step, as I'm trying with my father, but in life as well and in walking and dancing, balance is critical.

Thanks, God:)   For the glorious site of fallen Japanese red maple leaves at Dad's house Sunday that I just had to rake off the driveway to be outside, and Daisy walks especially on Friday morning near M's school after dropping her off there.   Children were laughing from the playground behind the main building, beautiful warm mid-70's day predicted.   That teacher must have decided to let her young students play for 15 minutes before starting her class, understanding the balance needed of academia and physical / social time, or, well, play and swinging on such a fall day :)   I wish I had time for this every weekday.   For M dancing in the large festival on Saturday, I heard an estimate of 700 but I suspect that number was way too high an estimate of the particular audience watching her and her dance school's show.   She had fun:)   I'm so glad.   It went well (Si dancing, too).   Thanks, Lord.   For the youth pastor calling me back after our first conversation, checking on the status of things at Dad's, for I'd called him amongst others, yes, I finally broke down and am asking for help.   Doug hasn't, for he has his own issues, but, to have others call me back, it's great:)   Thanks, Beth, for her continuing support.   And even for my father, who in the midst of me spending 5 hours there mostly cleaning up the soaked kitchen floor, et al, but some shopping and mail, and getting his feet traced, too, for remembering the social aspect.   The balance.   That upside down Jenny plane stamp he's told me of forever, recently found (or a copy of) on an absentee ballot in Florida.  I'm glad he'd noticed that article.   He pulled out his stamp collections and showed me the "what it should have been" stamp, and retold me the story of the sheet of 100 upside down ones:)

Taking lots of steps lately, I sometimes feel as if I'm going to just SSSSSSNNNNNAAAAAAAAA getting close to adding that PPPPPP on there, but not yet I haven't.  Somehow.   I can't do this all.   Some steps forward, some steps in place, but, if I don't remember to balance, if God's not there with me, or with M, or whomever, we couldn't dance:)  (i.e., couldn't stay living life without falling)

Sometimes I do feel as if I'm going to break, I can't do it all.   I've known that.   This slap of a reminder that if I DON"T take care of myself enough, too, I can't take care of others, well, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"   Rainy pouring days, bright warm colorful fall days, all of them.   Life goes on, and I am not alone.  

Besides, I have Algebra to try to remember with M lol, and discussions as to just what the last chapter in Animal Farm truly means, and yes, okay, we can go shopping one night for she'll need a birthday gift for a classmate this weekend, and me pretending I can stepdance (very laughable as if "dancing at Lunasa") and silly stuff.   These things aren't chores; time with her is a joy.   Even if balancing.

so which month is this?

National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, 2006

The current President George Bush proclaimed on October 30 that November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.   Rather cool, I suppose, not sure if this means people will do more for it, but hopefully so.   At least it's more recognized now, which is a good step.   Now to include other forms of dementia along with it:)  (My fathers dementia is still undiagnosed officially, but from all I've read, which a slew of information yet TO read and absorb, he does have cognitive impairment, and it's the dementia caused by mini-strokes (he's had a few of those).  

November is also Eat Healthy Month!   Oh, yum, yum:)   Does this mean we can eat Thanksgiving-meal foods all month long?!

It's also deer mating season, which is all the more obvious for having to be extra careful lately while driving.   These young beautiful creatures:)

Is any of this related?  Perhaps.  I DID have venison for Thanksgiving one year in Maine.   Alright, so that was dinner while waiting for some of the family to return home, before the age of cell phones, and turkey was later on.   Venison was on hand, the men anxious and figuring they should feed us kids (or perhaps they got hungry themselves).   Quite the Thanksgiving memory overall, lol.

Oh, ticks are out, too -- found one deer tick on my hand this a.m. and then M found one on Daisy.   (Found another on Daisy the next day as well.) 

Dad says........

 

Dad says, "I didn't think you'd come so late."   I got his groceries at lunchtime, not enough time to drop them off until night.  M is in the car reading; I tell him she's asleep so he doesn't feel badly as she doesn't wish to come in.   (He may ask her the same question over and over, the same questions as last time, or smell badly, she feels uneasy around him.)   She'd be reading at home, too, it's schoolwork.   Too much schoolwork.   She's in a good mood, though, we got in a nice talk again on the ride from dancecarpooling (Bob took her there yesterday, my mom sounding MUCH better, but best to have Bob this week).

 

Dad says there's no light (for the outside light), but I see a bulb and put it in.

 

Dad says, a bit anxiously, "I can't pay you for these."   "I know that, Dad."   He remembers he has $10. left in his account, but not that I'm the one who figured it out for him.   "I'll pay you when I get paid again, you know I don't get my social security money until the (day of month)."  "It's okay, Dad."

 

Dad says, "The valve is downstairs in the basement.   You can't do that, it'd turn off all the water in the house."

 

Dad says, "Doug didn't look at it," re: the clogged toilet.  UGH.  I can't unclog it myself.....   Dad says, "I didn't ask him about it," for other items.   Like clipping Dad's nails which somehow have grown a ton in a short time.   I dump the pot of water into the sink, couldn't Doug have seen that filling up overflowing onto the kitchen floor?   It didn't used to drip constantly, see, and Doug didn't realize that's what I meant now, but he put in new light bulbs in the kitchen.   I know Doug couldn't see the newspapers at the end of the driveway, so I brought those in, soaked in the rain which Dad lays out to dry, and his latest mail.   The leak doesn't bother Dad somehow.

 

Dad says his stove doesn't work.  Huh?  Since when?  I will check the burners when I go Friday, bring matches.   I didn't know what I'd do for certain on my day off of work, but it seems too obvious now, as M has school.   I'd asked him if he has a tea kettle, thinking he could use it for his instant coffee.   Dad says he puts his coffee cup in the oven.  Oy.   These don't bother him.

 

Dad asks, "Did you call the mortgage company?   I have written down, here, take this," his fingers pointing to dates scrawled on a paper as to when he'd sent checks in and when they've cleared based on his bank statements he's looked over and which are laying there as well.   This is very lucid and organized of him, his accountant days showing forth.   I retell him that it's okay now, that his October check DID clear, that he's caught up to date.   He holds out the paper he's worked hard to prepare, so I take it anyway, telling him I'll call them.   Dad says what I'm thinking, that neither of us understand why a company would say they're going after a foreclosure for missing one solitary payment, and yet also cashing the supposedly missed payment.

 

Dad says, "No one visits me, I'll change later.  I'm fine."   Both his children visiting in one day, he's worn out, yet, he had that shirt on the other day, also.   He WILL have people coming in for the plumbing, but I don't press it right now.  

 

Dad says, "Here are $3."   He points to three dollar bills on the table by the couch where he sits.   He usually keeps his cash on top of the piano, right now it's less than $10. cash in dollar bills I know, so he'd planned this.   "I want you to get a bottle of this aspirin for your mother.  Didn't she have a heart attack?"   This is the lower-dosage aspirin Bayer with calcium that he's been taking, and he has me take when I visit, too:)   And, I do.   "Didn't you say they gave her an aspirin?"   Well, she didn't have a heart attack, her siblings have, but they did give Mom aspirin and other medicine when in the ER last Friday.   I try to figure out how to spin this for my mother.   Dad means no romance by it, it's just because he thinks it'd help, and he cares about me, and holds no hard feelings for my mother.  His world of people is so small now.

 

"Here, take this $3., I want you to buy this for your mother."

Tags: elderly, dementia