Nuthin'

The kid took this as I was cooking dinner one night. Pans just-a-flyin'.

There's really not a whole lot going on. The hub is traveling the east coast. I've been trying to get the place tidied up--after Christmas stuff, ya know. Everything gets put places and you wonder what was there before Christmas?

Johnny finally got sprung from the hospital and was being flown home today. I am sure he is happy to be home. I am so happy for him that everything went well and now he can finally get back to living. Of course, I will miss having him only four hours away though. But that's ok. As long as he is home, healthy and happy, I'm good.

Mom was falling asleep in her rocking chair and as her head went forward, the rocking chair would tip and she would fall on the floor. I finally figured out how she was falling and bending her glasses. Poor thing. I found her one night curled up at the bottom of her bed as if she had just barely had enough strength to pull herself up--her glasses in the middle of the floor. And so, with the hub's advice (the smart one), I went and bought her a small used wing backed chair. She loves it! And no falls so far! BINGO! She is still fine with the gate. Now, if I could just keep her from feeding the dog all her food, I'd be in good shape. I have to now ration all her goodies because she gives them to the dog! Lord have mercy. That dog looks like a pot bellied pig, no lie. A tick ready to pop. Looks like he's prepared to give birth to a nation (as my mom used to say about her belly--tehe).

It's been cold here and you can always gauge the weather by Dave, the outdoors man. He'll come in (after I've chiseled him from the front porch) and go right to the heating vent under the kitchen sink. He literally crawls underneath. We call it the "fire."

It's supposed to get really cold tonight. Burr doggy. I took the teenager's car in today and had the oil changed, tires rotated and antifreeze checked. He doesn't drive it at school, so I'm glad he left it here so I can "store" it correctly like I do Ollie down at Riverside.

I finally downloaded the pics from Beth's. Lordy me. I won't even put the ones of Beth and I up 'cause we look goofy. ha. But Beth's mom, Lottie, always looks so sweet and grandmotherly. Look at the kitty curled up in her lap. Awww.

And this is Bethy's dog. Of course, I could only get part of her as she gets excited over flashes. But this is SO her! Too cute.

Hope everyone is staying warm. To the ones on the west coast, all I have to say is :-P. I'm sticking my tongue out at ya!

Home Alone, Again

The boys headed to NYC on Friday to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas. I stayed home to keep an eye on mom not quite knowing where her head is at this time. They got lots of snow and are headed back home as we speak.

Yesterday was a nice rainy day. So I stayed in and cleaned (chased dust bunnies all over the place). I finally got the kitchen cleaned up and vacuumed the main floor and even went back under all the furniture with a swiffer. I love those things.

This is ALL of this year's Christmas decorations! I took them all down and everything fit in one little chair. So easy! Maybe I'm on to something here.

By 3:00, I was on my way to Beth's house to watch the Titan's (lose). I think I jinxed them. I'm sorry Beth. I even left during the fourth quarter to see if they could come back, but no such luck. Oh well, there's always next year. (I haven't even brought my camera in from the garage so I'll have to add a photo later tonight. I'm too lazy and tired to go out there right now. Phew. It was wonderful seeing her and her mom, Lottie. Such wonderful folks.

Today, I had my tea before I began cleaning again. I am loving this jasmine mix. Yum. But right now, I think if I put my head down on the pillow, I could fall right to sleep. I gave mom a shower and washed all her bed clothes and she is now tucked away and dreaming of Regis, I suppose. Wish I were. Well, not dreaming of Reg, of course. Ew.

The bed was full of all my junk again in the hub's absence, but Bella and I straightened that up this morning when we woke up. Guess I better get ready to go pick the boys up at the airport. They're due in at 8:30. Maybe if I lie down for just 15 minutes . . . . z z z z z z z z z

Puttering About

Well, both boys are back at their schools. We drove the teenager to UT on Sunday. That was a long drive to and fro in the rain and fog through the Smokies. I think I had the easier drive to as we still had daylight. Coming home was tedious when the hub took the wheel. We were able to stay for a short bit before the teenager ran into an old football friend from high school who had just transferred over; so we took the hint and high tailed it outta there. The teenager's dorm room wasn't as bad as I had imagined. I suppose having a neat roommate helps. Wonder if I could hire one when he's in town with us? Oooooof. The hub and I went over to our favorite little pub in the old city only to find it closed. So we walked a block to find another restaurant on the corner. It was an old saloon and the food, pub fair also, was just what the doctor ordered on a cold, damp night with a long drive back home ahead of us.

Since the teenager has left, I can now get back to decorating his room. The first picture above is a set of old art deco door knobs I had found years ago. I just love them! I may install them in on the teenager's door. Hmmmm. I've just about replaced all the other door knobs in the house. Anyway, I had found this old frame at a shop while my brother was here in November and I had our framer install a mirror into it. It looks so good. I put a piece of lace over the old dresser I had painted and it's starting to take shape.

I put the last of the amaryllis on top to add a little color to the room as I haven't yet put any pictures on the wall. I haven't decided yet what I want to do there.

I found this little toy boy which was probably one of the boys on top of an old shelf there too. Will have to add some more knickknacks later.

Yesterday morning, I went into the laundry room and noticed all the clothes had been folded. Uh oh. Mom had broken out. I didn't sleep a wink that night and now I know why. I don't think she came up to the third level, but who knows. At any rate, the kid and I went out and purchased a gate that is actually installed and screwed to the wall. I can hardly get it open. So, unless she rips it from the wall, she won't be removing this one. It is safely put on the second stair and then raised and it swings open when not in use. I hope it works. Fingers' crossed. I go down at sun break to open her door for the dog to get out; and this morning she was doing really weird things. She had the dog bowl on the table, the dog's water bowl in her bathroom and all kinds of miscellaneous other strange things sitting about. I'm going to call an agency and see if I can get someone to come in once a week that knows about Alzheimer's/dementia. Perhaps they can help me through this. I never know what I'm going to find when I go down to her apartment any more.

The house is in total disarray and I hope to get to it this afternoon. When the kitchen is a mess, the rest of the house just seems to follow suit. What's up with that?

I had my first bioidentical hormone pellets placed under my skin. I'll keep ya posted if I feel like running a marathon or just chasing the hub around the bed a few times. I hope I feel a difference. The hub calls me Jane Bond. I wonder if this is really a secret government plot to keep an eye on me. What happens if I start beeping? tehe.

It's a lovely rainy day, one of many these past months. We had one day of warm and humid weather and I tell you what, I'd much rather have rain and a little chill in the air than that balmy stuff. I just melt when it's warm and humid. I despise it.

The hub is on his way home from Texas. The kid had an average first-day back at school. The teenager bought all his books for his second semester at university. Mom was happy when I took her lunch down. And I have implants. (grin) Could things get much better? Well, of course they could, but I'm happy with what I've got!

PS I never did get to the house. I hit it off with my new doc and we chatted for what seemed forever (over an hour!). I kinda felt sorry for the folks in the waiting room. She walked out of the office, turned back and said, "You're dangerous." I always felt I should have been a shrink! ha.

Lickety Split

The hub and kid are coming home tonight, so I've been trying to get the place tidied up. Bella and I have taken over then entire bed with our miscellaneous clutter.

This was earlier in the week before I really spread out. I went out one night and found a little lap desk great for reading and using my laptop on. I even bought one of those little book lights which helps tremendously. Now, the excitement of it all has worn off and things are strewn here and there. Didn't even make the bed this morning before I left! But, just like lickety split, it's all straightened for the hub's arrival.

Bella and Dave didn't stay far from my side, sometimes literally on top of my reading. Strike a pose guys.

I even got the poster hung by the hub's side of the bed last night. I love it!

Last night, I had a small bowl of hoppin' John to start the new year off right with a little goat cheese on some toast. Yum.

And today, I went and had my hair cut and colored. It was way over due and as they say "your roots are showing." My gray was showing, that's for sure! I went to the same salon that did the teenager's cut yesterday. I was ready for a little change. I have been using the same stylist for over six years and I still don't feel any connection with her. She did a great job, but like I said, I was ready for a change. And boy did I come out with one. My new stylist asked if I wanted my hair blow dried straight. Well, sure. I've never had it done before. Wow! It sure does look different. Don't think I would like it like this all of the time, but for fun, it's good. I was glad that she touched up the gray perfectly with my color. What a relief that was! You just never know, do you?

So, what's happening in your neck of the woods this third day of January? Have you tried anything new yet this year?

Locks of Love

With a little coaxing, the teenager decided to get his hair cut. With very little coaxing, he decided to donate his hair to Locks of Love, an organization that collects hair to make hair pieces for kids (and adults) who have lost their hair due to medical reasons. I was very proud of him and was ready for the backlash afterwards. (Ahhhhhh, my hair!) One last flip before the cutting begins!


Of course, I had to take pictures. Poor guy. I didn't use the flash though, thus the horrible photos. So solly. I was happy that, even after measuring ten inches (the minimum length to donate), there was still plenty of hair left. Phew! I was also glad it was done in two cuts.

Not so traumatizing. I think.

Then, boom, it was done. No tears or nuthin'. And someone will have some of the lovely curly hair that the teenager and I were fortunate enough to get from mom.

And look how healthy. I told him he looks like a human being again--not that I meant it badly. Lord forbid if I had told him it looked more in style. That wouldn't have gone over well. Even he admitted to it feeling so much better before heading off to work.

Kids. Gotta love 'em.

A Year in the Life--2008

I saw this in several blogs over the past couple of days, and what a wonderful idea I thought! It's actually quite fascinating to go back and read through your own blog and what transpired during the year. A lot, I had already forgotten about. But then, I am losing my mind, remember?

January turned out wonderfully after having a shaky start. While it all began beautifully at Riverside--no better place to ring in the new year, who can forget almost losing my brother Johnny to sepsis. All of you kept my spirits high during this difficult situation, and I hope you know how thankful I am. Above is Mary Jane's kitty (my SIL) celebrating my brother getting better. And who can forget all the presidential debates? How fun was that?

In February, we celebrated mom's 84th birthday. That's always a joyous occasion. Later than month, we received the wonderful news that the teenager was accepted into the University of
Tennessee. Big doings, indeed.

March gave us an extremely early Easter, which meant an early spring break at Riverside. The hub and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary on a snowy night which made it quite lovely and memorable.

April was marked by the hub's 50th birthday which we celebrated in San Diego with his brother and lovely family. We were even able to sneak a few days in at the Hotel del Coronado.
What a treat that was. Later in the month, as nature started to awaken, we rescued the little baby robin the teenager found. The kid and I rushed it to a nature center way on the other side of Nashville. Does the heart good.

May brought us much joy in watching the teenager graduate from high school and the kid graduate from Middle School. The kid also made us proud by his decision to be confirmed

in the church. We were all then on various trips through Europe. The kid and I jet setted to Paris and the hub later met us there. The teenager chose, instead, to hit Amsterdam. Go figure. One of the highlights of May was meeting up with my bestest friend Amy in Atlanta. This was also the time when mom's dementia began getting progressively worse.

June was spent travelling back from Rennes, France, to the US leaving the kid behind. It was our longest separation, I think. But we rallied upon his return and

headed off to Riverside. The rest of the month was filled with lots of cooking and lots of TLC for mom.

July welcomed the cuz (Jacq, my niece) back to Tennessee. We quickly headed back to Riverside. Upon our return, we found time (barely) to attend UT's orientation for the teenager.

Lazy days spread across the month.

August gave way to our last trip of the season to Riverside with a surprise visit from my brother Jim. It was wonderful having him with me to see the area through new eyes once more. We drove back to Nashville, caravan style, and it was soon

time to drop the teenager off at college. I even managed to repaint the teenager's bathroom and clean it up for the kid to use. The kid began his first year in high school with not so much of a whimper. We did, however, have to make an unexpected trip back down to Riverside with Hurricane Gustav heading straight for the Gulf. We were fortunate and were spared with only minor flooding. The kitchen depositions began which brought my being to an all-time low.

September rolled around and so did the gas shortage here in Tennessee, all blamed on Gustav. And, the hands of time rolled on. I was able to get some fall cleaning in and even got the teenager's room finally cleared out and ready to paint (and plaster).

October brought us more trips south--one to Riverside during fall break and several down to Atlanta to visit my brother John who was there for a long-awaited operation.

Fall decorations started popping up all over the house.

November was guided in with the excitement of new hope for the country. I cannot tell you what relief and happiness this brought to me. Perhaps we can begin to move forward as a nation.

Birthdays came and went--the kid's and mine. We had lovely drives in the country, I had cake classes and the kitchen was back into the "in progress" mode with the countertops being replaced. My brother and his family arrived and I just have to say our time together only gets better with age.

December? Who could have thought it would have disappeared so quickly? It started with a fun cookie class and ended with blessings of health and happiness to us all.

While we always have our ebb and flow, we are thankful to have each other. We have plenty of love that seems to conquer all.

Cheers to a healthy, happy and loving 2009.