The Lamb Lies Down with the Lions

The puppy has taken over the house.  Mom's trials and tribulations continue ~ and yes, she fell again.  This time in the closet at 10pm ~ and she had only a shirt on ~ and she was behind the clothes.  The vision is branded in my brain.  I got Amy out of bed and we got her up.  Now I get Mom ready for bed at 7:30/8pm ~ maybe this will help.  Now, back to the puppy.

When the big dogs bark, the puppy ducks under the chair.  Please note, he is not cowering.

 Cupid tries so hard to get Bennett to notice him ~ here he is licking Bennett.

Here is where he would rather be.

Cupid is now able to go UP stairs.  He hasn't quite mastered going DOWN stairs.

So far, all is well.  I hope your day is as much fun, sans the nudity.

Love, Leslie

What A Day

Yesterday ~ what a day!  Makes you wonder how one day can be more than the other, doesn't it?

It was Jim's birthday and Lori was doing the cooking and bringing all the food over here. That is very nice so all we do is straighten up and set up and clean.  Not a bad gig.

Cupid is settling in and a reminder to anyone who wants a puppy.  8 week old puppy teeth are SHARP!!!!! He was tugging on a sock I was wearing and I had to put on shoes! 

Such a cute face ~ such sharp teeth!

Cupid is determined to get the big dogs to pay attention to him.

Playtime.

So, dinner went well.  We had all of Jim's favorites ~ meatloaf, twice baked potatoes, carrot cake ~ all delicious!  All of us were there, except for Nana, who felt like she had a cold and stayed home.

Then the witching hour.

Amy and the puppy go to bed.  I sit up to wait to get Mom into bed.  I go in at 10 pm and she is sitting up looking at her ipad.  I have her pills and ginger ale  (she had given up alcohol until the antibiotics are done) and she says she isn't ready to go to bed, but she is ok.

I fall for it and go to bed because I am tired.

I wake up because Amy is yelling from downstairs that Mom has fallen.  I said that I hadn't heard her yelling and Amy says that is because Mom called Jim on the telephone to tell HIM that she had fallen and CAN'T get me or Amy.

I get up and go downstairs and sure enough, she is sitting on her floor.  She said she had a small cut on her knee that she was able to get a band aid on, but she couldn't get up. I wonder how long she was on the floor.  I look to see what time it is, and it is 11:30pm.  The witching hour.

Amy and I got her up and in bed.

While I was lying there awake in the dark, I thought of things to do today.  I have decided to take apart Mom's bed and take the frame off and have the box springs on the floor.  Then, I am going to move the computer table and her chair and place her closer to the bathroom. Amy agrees, so we will see if this helps.

I don't know why mom called Jim and not Amy.  I don't know where the alarm device is that Amy bought Mom (I know it is not with her little red wallet, because Amy has that)!  

So, Happy Birthday Jim!  Our pain is now your pain.  I wonder who Mom would have called if she hadn't gotten Jim?  911, old friends in other states? 

Happy Monday everyone! It can only get better ~ I hope.
Love,
Leslie 

PS ~ I just wrangled Mom's bed.  Amy helped take apart the frame.  The bed is MUCH lower with just the box springs and mattress.  I am exhausted.  

Mom Update

Just got back from taking Mom to the doctor for a follow-up of the cellulitis in her right hand. First, the swelling is way down.  It is still red - she is on the antibiotic for another 5 days.  

I have discovered that she does best on toast and ginger ale, as boring as that is.  She says she continues to throw up - she did that prior to the antibiotic.  I brought up seeing the gastro-interologist, but Mom refused.

She keeps telling the doctor that she has a torn rotator cuff in her left shoulder.  I also brought up seeing an orthopedic, but she refused and the doctor didn't feel as if was needed.

Also, her blood pressure is great.  

I did find out something interesting last night.  Every morning, mom is on her left side - like she has literally thrown herself in the bed and stays that way.  Last night, she couldn't get in the bed.  I decided that her bed it too tall and soft - and took off the pillow cushion and then I got her into the bed.  

Amazingly, when I went in this morning - she was up and in her chair and bright eyed and bushy tailed.  I know it is because the antibiotic has kicked in, but I approached her about getting a hospital bed - and she refused that because "it is so ugly".

So her arm is cushioned and raised up on a pillow and I am going to take her some ginger ale.  

So, I will let you know how life is according to Mom as it rolls along.

Love, Leslie

Cupid's First Day

There really is nothing like a puppy.  Cupid arrived yesterday and he is working on settling in.

Arrival and meeting Melanie

First meeting.

Cupid meets Mom.

 Then we take Cupid and the big dogs outside and Amy's feet become base.

Melanie keeps her eyes on Cupid.  Bennett looks at him, but tends to let Cupid be.

Now we move forward to Friday morning.  Amy has a riding lesson so she leaves the puppy with me.  So I take him and the big dogs upstairs so I can get dressed.

Cupid is exploring and appears to have been surprised by the fake dog.

Hiding under the bed.

Discovering shoelaces.  Yes, I have double knotted them - now.

 I brought the dogs downstairs and then lost the puppy.  We (the big dogs and me) looked around and found him in his and Amy's room, sleeping on her slippers.

And now, naptime.

So, come on and visit and get to know the new puppy, Cupid.

Love, Leslie

"I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!"

Mom had a fall this morning.  I awoke this am to the sound of something clacking.  An unusual sound.  The viscious guard dogs did not wake up.  The yellow one was next to me and the brown one was stretched out on the sofa.

It sounded like someone was making crushed ice out of cubed ice.  

So, I went to the stairs and said "Mom?"

"Yes, I've broken something."

So, I put on shoes because my first thought was broken glass, which is sort of normal for Mom - which is why I have tried to move her to plastic, but she prefers glass.

So I hop downstairs and there she is, sitting on the carpet inside the door of her room and she was using her device that allows her to pick up stuff off the floor to tap on the wood floor, which woke me up.

She looked fine while sitting there, so I said "What do you think is broken?"

"Nothing is broken.  That is what I said."   Okay.

I got Amy and we got mom up.  I am not sure why she didn't use her bed to stand up, but since she doesn't do ANY exercise, I imagine that she could never pull herself up.  Sad, but true.

I got her into her chair - because she says she can't get herself into bed.  Hmmmm.

She wanted me to get her foot stool and to get her blanket and to get her a drink of water. Which I happily did.

This may become a trend.  Amy thinks we will soon start the trips to the hospital.  We will see.

Congratulations to Zoe!

Congratulations are in order......Zoe was accepted at her number one school ~ New York University.  She is beyond excited and I know Drew and Nancy are thrilled.  And it is two hours by train (as mentioned by Nancy).

Way to go, Zoe!  I was lucky to be the baby sitter of choice ~ and it is very hard to believe that enough time has passed that you are going to college!  I guess the saying is true:  Don't blink.

Love, Leslie

Good Morning?????

I think this is a character defect.  Every morning, after the house cleaning crew has been here, I put a bagel in the toaster for Mom.  And this is what I get:

For some reason, the toaster gets wiped off and the toasting dial ALWAYS gets turned all the way up to Death By Burning.

Why can't I remember to check the dial?  Or is the dial turn up done on purpose ~ sort of a little "Gotcha".

Which sort of appeals to the conspiracy theorist in me.  

The truth is out there.

Love, Leslie

I Am the Bad Guy

Once again, I am the bad guy.  Do you suppose I could get that on a T-shirt?  

This is an ongoing thing ~ nothing new.  Mom had misplaced her red wallet......again.  So I had to do a search.  I went thru all the drawers and the closet.  

Mom kept insisting the wallet was in her black Gucci bag in the back of Amy's car.  And it wasn't.

I did find ANOTHER empty family sized bottle of Barcardi Rum inside a purse in her closet.  Where do they keep coming from?  I have done a search for the red wallet before - and found some empty bottles.  And I got rid of them.  So where did this one come from?  

And, I found the wallet.  Tucked inside a pocket of a coat in the hall closet.  I told mom that I was going to keep it.  And that set her off like a rocket.  I was nice and explained that it is really difficult to keep searching for it.  Which, evidently, was not the right thing to say.

She is mad at me.  And is now refusing to go to the beauty shop.  So I called and canceled.

Should be a great weekend.  And a Happy Valentine's Day.  Oh well.

Try to do better!!!
Love, Leslie

Behind Closed Doors......Christmas

Here is it, February and Super Bowl 50 is tomorrow.  Yes, we will watch, but there will be cheering for both sides.  Lori and her crew are firmly Carolina Panther fans.  Mom loves Peyton Manning.  Amy thinks the Panthers are going to blow up the Broncos.  I think there may be more to the game and am happy to just watch and cheer for both.

You may be asking what is the deal about Christmas?  Well, it is all down and safely behind guest room door number 1.  Wouldn't it be nice just to keep it there?  I would like to say Yes, but I know that is not the answer.  But, I can now start on the attic, do some purging of my Christmas Santa obsession and really start the end of our first year here right.

Hope the cake doesn't melt!

We finally celebrated Jesse's birthday a bit late.  The first snow storm got in the way.  The cake was one of Caroline's famous caramel cakes - delicious!!!!!!

Time to get moving.  Enjoy the game!
Love, Leslie

What's New?

Happy February everyone!  According to the news, the groundhog did not see his shadow, so hopefully, winter will end (as scheduled) in March.  It could still be cold, but Spring is coming.  How is that for really saying nothing?

But, it is February and one day closer to summer.  That is my benchmark.

Mom told me not to tell any of you this ~ but I told her I tell you everything ~ there are no secrets.  She keeps seeing Dad, usually every morning.  Which tells me she is dreaming him.  I am not concerned and I told her it is really alright.  And it is.  

Her concern is that he doesn't talk to her.  I reminded her that she is probably dreaming, which is never what she wants to hear.  

She called to me a bit later and said there was someone at the door.  I came to look ~ because NONE of the dogs, including Snoopy, were barking.  There was no one.  She said it was a lady and her little girl.  This is why I keep reminding her NOT TO OPEN the door and why I don't want her home alone.  She will open the door and all the dogs will get out.  I don't even want to think of what could happen then.

And on the positive, fun, good side.........say welcome to:

Amy's new dog, an Australian Shepard.  She will bring him home to the dog pack in a couple of weeks.  I am looking forward to the pandemonium.

Love, Leslie