This To Shall Pass

I don't think I have quoted the Bible in my blog yet.  This might be a first.........

I took Amy to her appointment today, she had a surgical procedure on her back - Amy said that even though it hurt, the doctor thought the damage looked almost the same as the last time, so she was pleased.  

We had a long chat about Mom and stress.  I laughed at Amy because she stresses about Mom and the pain in her back and I have no stress about Mom being the pain in my back, or butt as the case may be.  Until...........

I had my Victim Impact Panel tonight so I made Mom pasta with Alfredo sauce and left it in the refrigerator.  No worries.  I got home and found Mom in the kitchen with the vacuum cleaner, the swifter and the dustpan.  The dogs were milling around.

Mom had dropped a glass, but she told me she had "gotten it all cleaned up".  Nope.  There was glass all over the floor.  My only remark was that from now on, maybe Mom should use plastic instead of glass.  My resident diva was not happy with that, her nose went up and she went to the library and said "Just bring me my drink".  

I cleaned it up and took her the drink (in plastic) and she said "where is the worse nursing home?"  Diva, diva, diva.
I told her she didn't need a nursing home and that no matter where she was, it wasn't a good idea to be nasty or mean to the care giver.  

I think we ended on good terms.  I think.  But as I said to Lori, we can handle anything.  And that no matter what, we would make it, get through it, work it out, and be alright in the end.  

Much Love,
Leslie

The APPLE ipad

Amy and I took Mom's ipad to the Apple Doctor's Office at the Mall.  For some reason, Mom's ipad would not allow her to send e-mail.  It was very frustrating ~ especially since I have not yet fallen into the Apple miasma.  

So, we go in and are set up immediately with Alex.  I was surprised since my first thought was that this place is like the Verizon store - ALWAYS crowded!!!! Alex asked us the problem, set up shop and went to town.  It did take him 15 minutes - BUT, he SOLVED the problem!!!!!! It was like magic!  I tried to adopt him and give him a room, but no go.  

Maybe APPLE is a GOD and Microsoft is the Devil???!!!!!

Still mystified.
Love,
Leslie

Constant Surprises

In case you didn't know, I do prowl around the house and look around.  I open drawers, closets ~ YES, basically I snoop around.  Occasionally I find something that I have misplaced or lost.  Usually I find stuff in strange places and I try to put stuff where I think it should be so I can find it again.  Like stuff to like stuff.  

Yesterday, I was looking for an extra ipod cord.  I had seen one in Mom's room and I was looking for it.  Of course, it was no longer there.  However, I hit the mother load (an unintended pun!) 

If you can tell, the meds are displayed beautifully on the postcard Nancy sent me from Disney - I LOVE postcards!

Notice that the majority of names on the pill bottles is DAD'S!!!!!!! And there are lots of pills in the bottles!  I have a big box of medications that I have been collecting to take to the pharmacy for disposal and quite honestly, I am surprised that I keep finding these.  In weird places and not together.

Well, they are together now and are going to be disposed of together.  The very sad thing is that no matter how much stuff I take out, the other stuff swells up so it doesn't look like anything has been removed.  It must be some spatial physics thing that I did not learn in school.

Love,
Leslie

Is it Me?

Today is normal or should I say it is always...situation normal AFU?  You know what I mean, SNAFU.

Started out ok and actually has ended (so far) ok ~ but it began with Verizon.  Truly our nemesis.  Mom and I have spent hours on the phone with customer support.  Why can't it be a one stop shop?  It took me awhile to realize that Verizon Wireless and Verizon Landline do not speak to each other, do not look at each other's computer screens and cannot help you with the other.  That is bizarro land to me.  And to mom.

Today, the Verizon bill arrived and Mom likes to pay it on-line but for some reason, it wouldn't let her LOOK at her wireless bill on line.  Turns out, she is registered to view her landline bill, but not to view her wireless bill on line.  Of course one cannot register for one and go to the other.  Didn't I already learn that???!!!!  Isn't the definition of chaos doing something multiple times and expecting the end to be different?  Or maybe I have the wrong word ~ insanity?

I feel like pounding my head against the wall and going back to AT&T.  But, the job is done. Let's wait until next month and see what Verizon does.

Then I decided to go and work on my ipod ~ which has not allowed me to download songs from the computer to the ipod.  For some reason, the usb connection was not being recognized.  I played with it, fiddled with the cord.....if I told you I sprinkled it with eye of newt and hair of fly and it worked, would you believe it?  For whatever reason, it worked.  Magic.

I am going to quit working with electronic devices and go into the back yard and water the pots and have a soothing outdoor experience.  And meditate.  And maybe self medicate. (Notice how the changing of one letter to meditate makes it easier to meditate!)  And drink.

I think I fried my brain.
Love,
Leslie

Slow Sunday

Well, everyone is home again.  It was a very quiet Sunday ~ I didn't have to go over to Nancy's house because they got home at 1 am!!!! But they said they had a good time - but the drive home was LONG!!!! 

I did take some new pictures of the front porch ~ I also got out the ladder and the hedge trimmer because I could not stand the new growth on the climbing hydrangeas.  It was totally taking over. I didn't cut it back, I just trimmed it up ~ and I must say, it does look better.  I will have it trimmed to the porch railing in the early spring.  

Mom called me to come and check her face ~ she thought it was drooping on the left side.  Not so much.  I told her that it did look swollen a bit to me and that I thought she needed her Lasix dose upped, but that her cardiologist would make that diagnosis when Mom saw her (in case no one knows this, I am not a doctor).  So no stroke today.  

On the positive side, I went to the Verizon store to replace my phone.  I researched phones and was going to get an upgrade  the one I had.  I really don't want a smart phone.  But I was ready to make a switch to a more modern old peoples phone.  

Why is that place a madhouse all the time?  Is it ever not busy?  And I also found out that since I am on Mom's account, I have to bring her.  What a fun field trip that will be.  Hopefully I can keep her away from all new gadgets.  As I waited, 30 minutes, I played with my deceased phone and wonders of wonders........it powered up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bought a new car charger and was done. And hustled out of that den of craziness.  

Ok, check out the little box turtle that I found while walking the dogs.  

I waited ages for him to peek out and move, so as soon as he peeked out, I took his picture and put him in the back yard going in the direction he was going in.  

And, here are my Black Eyed Susans ~ Love them!!!

And the tomatoes growing in the bag.  Supposedly, the plant, itself, gets bigger and drapes down out of the bag.  I think the tomatoes are of the cherry size variety, but stay yellow. 

:) Leslie

Pizza and a Movie

Yesterday, Amy and I ate pizza and watched the Veronica Mars movie.  It was great.  I loved the series and have seen it several times.  The movie hit all the high spots.  It reminded me of all the great series that we have enjoyed:  The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Harper's Island (which none of you probably saw ~ but it was very scary!)  Oh, and how could I forget Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

And then I thought back to this great memory:  do you remember when Linda Tuthill from Willingway Hospital taped every episode from Miami Vice and Moonlighting?  And I borrowed them and spent a couple of long weekends watching episode after episode?  I think we watched them in the big room in the house in Statesboro.  I believe I could do that again.

Get the popcorn ~ I am ready.

Love,

Leslie

Mom Update

I took Mom to the doctor ~ she has a new doctor and she said she does like him.  I had two concerns, her antidepressant might need to be upped a bit and she was having some issues with indigestion.  And she was wheezing when she breathed.  So that makes 3, but I THOUGHT the doctor would catch the wheezing.

The doctor upped her antidepressant .5 mg, which is fine.  He also told her she needed to lose some weight.  But, she sees him again in two weeks ~ so maybe he will address the wheezing. 

On the home front, Mom has decided that she only wanted my computer off the kitchen table for the dinner meal.  The computer is still upstairs and she continues to have all her meals in the library.  But, the downstairs is neat, if you can overlook all the painting stuff in front of the door to the deck.

Had a lovely visit with Lori and Jim over the weekend.  Lori and Amy did the usual trip to TJ MAXX where Lori found the most amazing T-shirt for her camp on cowboys at her pre-school. Picture this (if you can) ~ it is a black Ralph Lauren ~ has fringe, is short with minimal sleeves, and has a red, white and blue abstract of the skull of a long horned cow.  Amy gave her a cowboy hat and some boots to complete the look.  Lori, I hope you take pictures!!!!!!!

Lori and I drove to Alexandria to meet Jim at his reserve center.  Lori had left her phone with Jim and my phone had crapped out, but we had a good idea where we were going.  We only made two U-turns (one was illegal) and we made it.  

The California side of the family is still out of range camping at Yosemite and Sequoia National Forest and the Maryland 1/3 is still at Disney.  

What would you like to do?

I HOPE they packed their food better!

A campsite at Yosemite

The Disney Floridian Resort (note: probably no bears roaming around.  Only mice! Ha ha ha)

All look pretty nice to me.  

Now it is time to clean out the bird cages!  (Lots of summer fun!!!!)

Love,
Leslie

Just Sayin'

Just so you know......Mom is tried very hard to make me crazy today.  I am better than that.  I am a good person.  But.....

She has decided that she wants my stuff off the kitchen table - so she can sit where she has sat for the past 30 years.  So, the kitchen is clear.  My computer is upstairs as is all my stuff.  I was only downstairs so I could be close to where she was in the library.  Not no more!!!!!

I am having a drink now and may have several more.  Just sayin.

Love,
Leslie

Nancy's Wild Kingdom

While Nancy, Drew and Zoe are out of town, I go over every day and take care of her wild cat, wild foxes and tame bunny rabbits.  I took my camera today and I was glad I did!  It was Wild Kingdom!!!!!! 

Here is her menagerie:

This is Sonic

This is Helen - she is eating Fruit Loops - the bunnies love them!

This is Rusty

I was in the bunnies room, waiting on the foxes and got this surprise of a raccoon and deer!  

Sorry this is blurry, but it is taken through the window and screen - it is a young red fox.

This is the same fox - he was hard to catch with my camera - he kept moving.

And another surprise, I got home and the Long Fence guys were there (before 7:30 am??!!!) And, luckily, Mom did wake up and get up and the guys fixed both sections of the fence!  So, all is done before 9 am and won't tie up the day.  I have to go to the grocery store and liquor store - Mom is almost out!!!

Lori and Jim and Snoopy will be here at ~ supposedly ~ 6 pm.  It will be great to see them.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love,

Leslie

Another Tree Another Dollar

All yesterday afternoon while I was driving ~ to Nancy's house to take care of the animals ~ to Homestead Gardens ~ to grocery store, the guys on the radio sports talk show (Zabe, in particular) talked about this huge RED line of thunder storms coming our way to wipe us out.  It was a beautiful summer hot afternoon.  

Then as I was working on the front porch ~ it arrived ~ black skies, high winds - I put all the plants down on the deck, put the umbrella down.....not much happened here, some rain, the power didn't go out here (it did go out at Nancy's).  However.....

So this morning, as I went out in the back to feed the birds, I saw that another tree had come down and this one really took out the fence.  Luckily, Long Fence hasn't come out to fix the first part of the fence. Check out the pictures.  This section is in the corner, one section to the right from the last place squashed.

A little humidity on the lens, but you can see the poor fence.

And, a lot of poison ivy, that I have sprayed. 

We have a $500.00 dollar deductible on the insurance, so the insurance will pick up after the price goes over $500.00.  Too bad that the first fence charge is $480.00 and we have to go thru the deductible again for this piece.   It is only money.  Right?

Now this is my supposedly squirrel proof bird feeder.  I have gone thru about 3 and this time I decided to just let it go.  There is no top, I just pour the seed in and let the birds and squirrels have at it.  Occasionally, something will get the plastic cylinder out and I will find that on the ground.  It is hanging on.  And it works - it is just not squirrel or random animal proof.

And, a very sad farewell to my phone.  It has died, it was quick and a total surprise.  Now I have to go and get another one.  I am getting lots of advice on what to get:  the new iphone or one like I had.  I am dragging my feet on the iphone.  

So sad.  :(

It isn't even 10:30 am and already it is an expensive day.  May the rest be quiet and cheap.

Love,

Leslie


PS ~ on the mom front, she told me she got teary eyed when Amy came in today.  ****AMY DID NOT MAKE MOM CRY****  Amy is wonderful to Mom.  Amy wanted Mom's checkbook and Mom couldn't find it.  Mom did find it eventually, but she told me she "felt unable or addled or something" ~ I can't remember.  I told her what concerned me is that she got teary eyed over something insignificant.  So, I asked her to make a doctor's appointment with her psychiatrist.  Maybe her anti-depressant is a tad low.  I need something because my brain is going.  But that is another story.

In the Garden

This may occur every day ~ I do have to water the tomatoes and the pots on the deck every day ~ if you want it to be pretty, you have to work.  You meaning me.  

And while I was watering the tomatoes, with my faithful entourage with me (notice that I had them tied to me.  Kids on bikes, other dogs - I want no issues.  They may look like labs, but they channel their inner pit bull for the dumbest things.)

I know, what would they do?

So, while watering, I noticed that the other tomato in the front barrel has been chopped off! Some deer came back to the buffet and ate it!  We have never had issues before!  I may have to hang bells on the tomatoes.  

See the front barrel ~ no plants.  I have to do something.

Some more artsy shots ~ I am trying to get a photo of the black snake, but he only appears when I don't have the camera.  He is shy.

I watched a lot of baseball this weekend ~ the Orioles, who played pretty good against the Red Sox and then, last night I watched the Tigers vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.  I should have known that the Rays (who have the Orioles number) would be difficult, but Detroit?  I thought they would bring their A game.  Nope.  I finally had enough when Sanchez was running from 3rd to home and he fell down in the middle.  No slide.  Just fell down.  Tripped, if you will.  I was done.  And the Tigers lost 7-3.  We don't get to see the Giants much, so sad. 

This part is from later in the day ~ I watched a YouTube video on how to edge the garden. George likes to use a shovel and dig in......I didn't quite get it, so YouTube showed me how and I bought the sweetest edger tool and IT WORKS!!!!!!!!

You can see the new drain and where I edged and mulched.  I'd like to put some stepping stones in there.

And one last bug ~ a baby praying mantis ~ Can you see him?

Time for Mom's whine ~ I mean wine.  

Love,
Leslie

Happy 4th of July!!!

Yesterday, Jose from the Cimenelli's came over and fixed our outside drain - and since we had a ton of rain last night, I am grateful.

Here it is ~ finally fixed ~ a thing of beauty!

So now I can fix the beds and get that part of the garden looking nice again.

Here is the back deck today ~ it is so nice to be outside and enjoying the day and evening.

 I heard a rumor that Lori will be here next weekend ~ got to get everything spiffy ~ I know, it is not a contest, but I like the outside areas to look really good.


So, we are (Tim is) grilling steaks and I am bringing the brownies that didn't get used last night at the Maryland State Patrol dui checkpoint since it got cancelled due to rain.  I hope everyone is cooking out, going to watch fireworks, watching baseball and generally having a wonderful day.  

Happy 4th of July !

Love, 

Leslie

All of a Sudden ~ It is Hot!!!!

Life is ironic ~ got up early, watered the plants, came in and made brownies for the dui checkpoint tonight and as I sit down, thunder and rain.  Just a brief, little drip.

Amy and I are taking Mom to HomeGoods and then Lemongrass II for an early dinner ~ a field trip for the elderly.  And who says we aren't enjoying our summer?

I hope everyone has a fantastic 4th of July!

Get out and Celebrate!
Love, Leslie