Summer in the City

I always liked that song, Hot Town, Summer in the City, Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty...ok, anyway! So it's summer. This year has not been a good one, but I still don't wish for any year to fly by. This month, my MIL is coming for her summer visit. She is only staying FIVE DAYS this time (There is a God!) And, the day she leaves, hubby goes on a business trip. He comes home and I leave for Seattle for three weeks. I booked this back after my mom died. I just start feeling overwhelmed and feel like I have to get out of here and have a change. I would love to live in Seattle. I love where my son lives, but I know that would never be in our price range, but being within a bus ride of downtown would be fine with me. I love walking down to Pikes Place and buying fresh seafood, fresh produce, fresh bread--and then coming home and making dinner. Between all the fresh food, and all the walking I do when I am there- plus the R&R, I come home feeling so much better.
This time, I mailed a sewing machine there. I plan to pre-cut some projects to take to work on while I am there. I found a fabric store within walking distance that has rave reviews.
My sister and I started out very close right after my mom died, but now that summer is here, she is busy with her grandchildren every day, and our visiting went to texting, and now we are not doing that very much lately. I think everyone (at least my husband and therapist) was worried that I would get attached to her again, and that she would not hold up her end of the relationship, or would just suck me in and then decide to cut me back out of her life again. I told them both that I was taking this a day at a time. If we spent the day together, I enjoyed the talking, the activities, but I didn't expect there to be anymore after that day. If there were, great. If not, I was not disappointed. I've tried to figure out why she suddenly decided to take back up with me. It's been fifteen years! I know we lost our parents, but she was ok without me before they died. And she seemed to be making such a huge effort after their deaths. After all the times I had made efforts that went nowhere. She tells me she loves me. She asks how I am. I wondered if she promised my mom she would look after me or something? I really may never know.
But summer is taking it's toll on all that, and now that I'm going away for awhile, it will make it even harder for us to maintain the closeness.
I have gotten so used to my little family unit. My husband says we are like an island unto ourselves. Me, him, the kids, the grandkids. That's about it. In fact, with all the time the therapist spends trying to pound into my head not getting into relationships with people who have "inappropriate boundaries" and how I have to respond correctly when I need to be assertive, not be a doormat, etc. I feel like I would be so much better off if I didn't have many people in my life. My husband laughed at that, but I mean, really...It's easier to not have to learn all this if I just limit my world to those I feel safe with. And my FaceBook friends (and blog readers).
I have this one neighbor that sucks the life out of everyone. She's a big time gossip and backbiter, and she ran off everyone else in the neighborhood from being her friend. So...I felt sorry for her. No one wanted anything to do with her. So I started going to lunch with her, and she began to expect things from me, to ask questions I felt she had no business knowing, and to call constantly, invite herself into my life in times she was not asked. I don't realize this until I am totally knee deep into it, and then I have to go back and figure out where did I let her cross a boundary I should have stopped. Geez, I see I'm in the middle of it, but not how I got there. So then I have to go through a process of trying to discourage her from contacting me. It's exhausting. And she's just one example.
I don't work. I don't leave the house often. I don't have to deal with other people really. So why make the effort. I guess that sounds nuts, but it's how I feel.
Ok, here's my main rant for this blog entry. People who put pictures of their scars, ingrown toenails, surgery incisions, hemorrhoids (ok, not really) and other ghastly images on FB. Stop. Pleaseeeeee. Barf. I don't want to see it. I can take your word for it. I don't need proof you are hurt. I will believe you without having to see it.
I've been making patchwork travel pillow cases for gifts, quilts for the grandkids, baby blankets for the kids in the NICU for a project my daughter is involved in, and anything else I can find to "bust my scrap pile." I'm addicted to buying grab bags of fabric. I love getting that heavy box and not knowing what fabrics may be inside. So every other week, I order one. It feels like Christmas.
So I got an embroidery machine. My husband bought me a little table I can leave it set up on in the corner of my bedroom, so I don't have to take it up and down. I bought some blank napkins, placemats, etc so I can try it out.
Well, that's about all for now.

I did it!

It's short!





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Cut it all off

I've had times in my life that I've let loose, taken a risk, walked on the edge. Usually when my life has been shaken up, the dust settles, and I think I need a change.
Well, my world has really been shaken with the deaths of my mom and dad, plus a lot of other things. I have been having this persistent thought...I want to cut my hair. Now, my hair is short, but I want it really short. Like this.



I want to start doing some things that are a bit "out there."
I decided to start going to the pool. However, I've gained a lot of weight these last few months. I've found nothing makes me feel better when I'm teary than a DQ Blizzard. So bathing suit...cringe. So I ordered some swim capris and a long swim top that not only can I swim in but also have a high built in SPF. (Coolibar) Now I will look like a very old Olympian. Ha!

I Never Know What to Call These Things

Before my mom died, she ordered some flowers on QVC. She was so excited over them and had been watching for them every day. After she died, they were delivered and the females in the family divided them out. I put mine in a little planter on the porch, and they have bloomed. Mama would have enjoyed these.



We are buying Mama's car. It has been an ordeal trying to get it in our name, and we are not through yet. But it's a very nice car. In it were her sunglasses, some Time Life CD's she bought, and a marble of all things! I put the marble in my jewelry box, and have been wearing her sunglasses.
Mother's Day is going to be tough.
My sister is teaching me quilting, which presents a new dilemma. Where in this home do I store all this stuff! I don't have room for a separate sewing space. I usually just put my sewing machine on the kitchen table and then put it away when I'm done. But I have fabric, notions, etc that need a home. Any ideas?

Love in Different Ways

Today, my sister and I went through Mama's things. Mama was very neat, not a pack rat by any means, so the things she held onto through the years were the things that meant a lot to her.
When I was fourteen, I realized my mother had never said I love you. I went to the mall and found a card that told her I loved her. I remember how scared I was to give it to her, and how it took me a couple of days to get up the courage. I played it all out in my mind, and imagined I would give it to her, she would read it, and then she would say I love you, too.
I remember she had just finished putting away the supper dishes one evening when I gave it to her. She dropped it into her robe pocket. I said no, read it! She opened, read, and said that's nice. I was crushed. So crushed in fact that I still talked about that card in therapy decades later.
I opened Mama's dresser drawer this morning, moved a few papers, and there it was--my card. She had kept it over 40 years. Yes, I did the ugly cry. I brought it home, and realize she showed her love for me by the way she saved my card.



We also found Mama's credit cards, tied together with a rubber band, with a paper wrapped around them....and a note to herself...."Don't Even Think About it!"

Bye Mama

Saying still here is saying a lot considering the year I've had so far. After losing Daddy in January, my mom had a heart attack on April 9, and she died on April 10. I was able to see her at the hospital before she died, which I missed with my grandmother, so for that I am grateful. I'm still feeling shock from all this. It just doesn't seem real. I don't think that's a bad thing, though. I think if the realization of all of it hit a person at the same time, they couldn't handle it. They say God only gives you what you can handle, so I guess he knows I'm at my limit. Mama went very suddenly. The doctor said it was a blood clot in her heart. She's with my step-dad now, and I can't think of any place she'd rather be.
My sister and I are talking and are much closer now. I went out and spent the day with her Tuesday. We spent the morning talking and then had lunch. She's going to teach me quilting this summer. I'm not too crafty, other than drawing, but not sure that qualifies. I used to do cross-stitch back when it was the big thing, but have run out of walls to hang anything.  My eyes are not sharp enough to see the patterns anymore. I do need something to occupy my time, though.
I really do appreciate all of you who have sent your condolences. It means a lot to me.
My daughter had surgery yesterday, for an ovarian cyst that ended up being on her tube and not her ovary. So they took part of the tube and left both ovaries. Hopefully this will make her feel better as she has hurt from that sucker for years. We are here spending time with the grandchildren. My son-in-law has to go back to work on Monday, so we are going to stay and help out.
I feel like my life hasn't been normal in a long time. Hopefully it will go back to some semblance of normal at some point. I just feel so scattered, and usually some routine to my life calms me down.

This is the picture of my mom that my niece put on her casket during the funeral. She was always feeding folks. 

Crazzzzzy!

"I'm going crazy, oh crazy, oh crazy,
I'm going crazy, cause that's the way I'm going!"
--Granddaughter's original song, age 5
You tube video

I want to add a verse!
Her grandpa's at the wheel, driving me there.
When he retires, I'll be nuts but won't care!

Can you tell how my weekend is going? I take special notice of my weekends now. I figure they are a glimpse into the future, four years from now, when he retires. It's not a pretty picture. Ha.

If things continue as they are, we will spend our golden years watching TV and eating Girl Scout cookies. He will get up now and then to go to the bathroom, and will pause the TV at the good part, then stay in there two hours.
Or...he will scrunch up his nose when I mention a Lifetime movie, will put on some car-screeching, exploding, screaming war movie in a spaceship....and then hold onto the remote while he lays back and goes to sleep and snores loud enough to rattle the windows. When I attempt to confiscate the remote, he will get angry, say he was most definitely NOT asleep, and If I thought I heard snoring, I must be hearing things... Oh, I'm going crazy oh crazy oh crazzzzy!


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Home Again

I got home from Seattle last Wednesday. I really enjoyed my visit. I told my husband that since all our children are in different states, we should move when he retires in four years, because there is nothing holding us here, and I'd rather be closer to kids or grandkids than here. I guess Daddy's death made me realize we need to cherish the time we have. My dad was always super-duper thrifty. He saved all his life, and he was good at making money. He didn't take vacations, or eat out at restaurants. he used a wood-stove to heat his house. he raised his own pork, beef, chicken, and eggs. Since he's gone now, my step-mom let me know that her daughter is getting all the money, now. I said she should do that if that's what she and Daddy would want. Well, my own mom is having a fit that I and my sister were cut out, and she doesn't think we should have anything else to do with my step-mom. Well, I told Mom that I wasn't going to fight over money, that I would still treat them kindly, and do what I felt was right. She is not happy at all. My dad has a farm, and supposedly that will be divided four ways, between me, my sister, my step- sister, and my step-sister's two children. But that could change too. I've always hated the buzzards circling when there is a death, but I do know that's not what Daddy would have wanted. I see the therapist tomorrow. I'm about to quit, probably at the end of this year. I'm going to discuss what her goals for therapy are, and try to wind this up. I guess she may have a different opinion. I am feeling better. Warmer weather is helping. Sunshine is helping. I am sleeping well without Ambien for the first time in nearly 15 years. I take Melatonin, no caffeine at night. I got a hearing aid, and it's nice to be able to follow conversations without missing half. So far it's been a good year. I hope you all are having a good one, too!

I Ran Away From Home

Most of you who know me, know that I recently lost my father. My father and I were pretty close when I was a little girl, even though he was distant in so many ways. When my parents divorced ( I was nine) both remarried within three months. I lived with my mom and step-dad, my step-mom was not very nice to me, and so I rarely went out there.
I see a therapist and often told her that I wish I could see my Dad without my step-mom there, because she always hovered and interrupted our visit in some way. Since Daddy got Alzheimer's he was much kinder, softer, sweeter. He was more affectionate, and talked more about his true feelings. This was the dad I always wanted. In some way, as devastating as Alzheimer's is, it tears down some of those walls we put up in our lives.
In December, that all changed. My step-mom fell and broke her hip. She was facing a hip replacement and a long hospitalization and rehabilitation. She had been Daddy's caretaker, and he could not be left alone, so my step-sister, sister, and two step-nieces started a rotating schedule of staying with Daddy. I was able to talk with him, and while there was a lot of repeating myself over and over, there were also some very nice times when Daddy shared memories from his younger days. He made it clear he still loved my mother, even though he had been married to my step-mom for 47 years. He said my mom had left him, and he got "so low, so low I just didn't want to go on anymore. He said he wondered who would want him, and felt like "I'm nothing. I'm a nobody." I have been in that kind of place, but never for one minute ever thought my father had been. I guess we think of our parents as super-human without feelings. I told my Dad I loved him, and he said, "I love you, too, Baby Doll." This was the first time he had ever told me he loved me, and I have to tell you I drank that up like I was dying of thirst. I told him every time I saw him, and he always replied the same. In fact, before he died, I held his face and told him I love you and he said I love you, too. Those were the last words he said before dying.
After a few weeks at home with all us girls as caretakers, Daddy got sick with a cold, and it went into pneumonia. He had to be hospitalized, and we stayed with him there around the clock. He joked with the nurses, and stayed in the best spirit. Then he started to go downhill. He was released to go home on hospice, and lived a week after going home.
I am not handling this at all. I am totally in denial. Doesn't seem real to me. I am very grateful I got the opportunity to have that time with him, but I still expect him to be sitting in his chair when I go to his house.
In the midst of all this, I had Christmas, my mother-in-law's visit, and a Social Security hearing. I think I was at the edge and not dealing well, so I booked a trip to Seattle, and here I am. I sit and watch the seagulls flying around the skyscrapers. I stroll through the open markets. I've been journaling. I think I really needed to get some distance from my life. And now I feel guilty about leaving hubby. But he's coming out in a week or so for a few days.


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I'm Home

I got home from Seattle yesterday. Which has been a good thing and a bad thing. I am happy to see my husband and my doggie, sleep in my bed, and be closer to my daughter and her family. On the bad side, I worry about my middle son, and you wouldn't believe how nasty this house is after six weeks.
I have worked all day and still feel like I haven't made a dent in what I have to do.
My youngest son was recently on Suze Orman's "Can I Afford It" segment. He used his radio name, Jason. I recorded it from our tv with my iPhone so the rest of the family could see. I put it on Youtube. Here is the video.

Seattle

I left home on sept 22 driving cross-country with my son, David. He got moved into his apt and started his new job. I will be going home in four days. I've been gone from home a lot longer than I planned, but felt I was needed here for a lot of reasons.
This apt is great. It's right in downtown. Sixty steps from Pikes Market. I'm no good with distance but counted steps! His apt is on the 24th floor, with a tiny, narrow, metal balcony that I have avoided. The first few days, with my son leaving the balcony door open, I kept having these feelings I was going to accidently slide through the living room and over the edge. Then my stomach would flip-flop! Ha. That got better, but being up this high still freaks me out. I try not to think about what that elevator shaft looks like beneath the elevator!
One day a week or so ago, all of a sudden, a guy appeared on a rope outside the window! Just dropped down and there he was. I shrieked and probably gave him a coronary. But if he signed up to hang on a rope and wash windows this high up, he is not scared of much.
Christmas is coming and my mother-in-law is coming....It did not go well with her July visit! I cried all the way home from the airport, it was so stressful. The therapist said my husband should have intervened, but I still have the responsibility to defend myself. She has a way of saying snotty things and acting like she was just showing concern. And I immediately feel SO defensive. So I think this time will be even more stressful if I have to take up for myself. I suck at that.
The grandkids are growing by leaps and bounds. Claire is in Kindergarten. They are looking forward to Halloween. Claire is going to be Strawberry Shortcake, and Ben is going as Mickey Mouse.
My youngest, Chris, broke up with his girlfriend after two years, and she has been letting the world know of her displeasure on Facebook.
My sister and I have made some semblance (spelling?) of peace between us. We don't socialize but do text back and forth from time to time.
That's about all the news!


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I haven't updated this blog in awhile. After going through a pretty bad depression in December, I began to feel better due to new meds. I do find myself staying in quite a bit, but manage to keep myself busy. And I have taken a few trips this year, which I have really enjoyed. I've also had a couple of injuries back to back that I had to deal with.
In April, I discovered how very sharp a mandoline is, and that even if your potatoes seem to be hanging up in the guard, you should never try to push them through the slicer without it. I still have the pad on my pinky but it's numb and useless right now. The doc says that may improve, but we won't know for a year or so. The next week, my daughter broke her foot when she slipped off a concrete step, and although my granddaughter promised to go get her doctor kit and fix it, she had to be in a boot and crutches for awhile. I went up to try to help her, and with my one working hand and her one working foot, we were a funny pair.
In May, I went to Vegas with my middle son. He had been several times and had points for free airline tickets, so when he needed a travel buddy, I was happy to go. We saw the wax museum, one show, and had lunch at the top of the Stratosphere while crazy people bungee jumped by our window.
Later in May, I was so excited that Amazon's Vine newsletter was out (where I get free stuff to review) and so frustrated that my computer battery was dying, I sprinted through the bedroom to grab a charger and ran into a very heavy ottoman and fractured my middle toe. When I ended up going to the same ER, they accused me of being a walking MASH unit. It was taped and booted, and has been slow healing, because of the type of break and old age. Ha.
I have done a lot of canning this year- Silver Queen corn, green beans, pintos, squash pickle, etc. We also gave Earth boxes a try, and managed to grow some tomatoes and bell peppers before the high temps this summer killed them. I've had better luck with inside plants. My African Violets are pretty and growing well.I have all colors as I bought several new varieties on Etsy. I also have basil, thyme, rosemary, aloe, and a sequoia tree my son bought me last Christmas.


This month my husband, middle son, and I went to Chicago to visit my youngest son and his girlfriend. We saw the Sears Tower, the Field Museum, and just had a lot of fun visiting with them.
Right now, my mother-in-law is here visiting, and yes, I had so much angst over this visit, really dreaded it. She is a very negative and loves to explain what is wrong with everyone and what she hates about everything. My husband seems to feed off this and becomes very negative himself when she is around. So... Needless to say, I will be relieved when she has gone. I took this all into account when visiting Chicago and we only stayed for three days.
I'm learning to crochet. My mom tried to teach me years ago but she is a leftie. I bought yarn to make a granny square afghan.
Just finished this book. Liked it and now am reading Life of Pi before the movie comes out.
That's about it around here.

December Out of Town

Even though i have been fighting depression a long time, and have had many frightening times when the thought of how much of a relief death would be, nothing scares me more than when you find out your child is depressed. I used to blame myself. Of course he got this from me, since I'm the obvious nutjob in the family, right? But since I began to speak out more openly about it, others in the family have begun to come forward on both sides of my childrens family to say they have fought this dragon too, so i dont feel quite as much that some odd gene in me caused a curse on my child. I have one son who has depression, and he has been on meds and under control for many years, but they stopped working, and I'vee been in a battle with the doctor to get him an appt sooner than January. He saw the doctor today, and we now have hope through new meds. I am staying with him right now, as he called me last week and said he didnt think he should be alone. He didnt have to esplain that to me as i knew exactly what he meant. So i am here until i am convinced he is ok. My sis sent me two texts checking on him and i replied and added i love you, sis at the end. She does not reply to that part. But you know, i feel great saying it regardless. Im tired of pretending i dont care about people who hurt me. I do care or it would not hurt. Well, i seem to be sleeping a lot. My son has gone back to work, so i am going to get. Much needed nap.

Sick but Sane?

My last blog post, which I deleted, I wrote after taking my Ambien..and it was weirrrrrrrd. I should have learned by now to take that crap AFTER I'm in bed. But you think you're ok. Then you wake up and find out you've blogged something weird, or bought something online you didn't need, or written an email you don't remember. Good stuff for sleep, bad stuff for sanity. ha. Unfortunately, I don't sleep without it. I know. I've tried. Anyway, I apologize for that last post.
I've had pneumonia, but I think I'm a lot better. I have cabin fever so decided I just really needed to get dressed and get out of here for awhile. I went down to the thrift store, and started feeling really sick/weak. So I turned around and came back home. I'm not running fever anymore, and I can breathe better, so I know I just have to be patient, but I'm definitely better.
My step-daughter's husband has been emailing me, and I've decided he's maybe a little past eccentric. Some of his rants are reallllly strange. (Look who's talking. ha!) Plus his moods seem to be all over the place. He doesn't seem like dangerous weird, but I bet he's a challenge for her to live with. He goes from the depths of depression to a kind of ranting mania to being really angry with everyone and everything. Sometimes he gets so bad, he makes no sense. I haven't told my husband a lot about the emails, as there is nothing they will let him do (but send money) and I don't want him to worry himself to death about her. He's been under a lot of stress lately with work, and now the doctor said his blood pressure is up, even with the medicine for it. So he doesn't need me to add to it.
One of my buddies posts often on FB, and her favorite word is "torture." (Why do I torture myself, etc.) Only she spells it torcher, and it drives me nuts. She's done that several times, and I thought about just sending her a message and telling her nicely that you spell it T-O-R-T-U-R-E, but I'm just too afraid I'd embarrass her. I'm not perfect with my spelling either, so I'm not sure why it bugs me so much, but it does.
We have a cruise planned in May, and I wish it was May already. I need a vacation away from here. I'm really looking forward to it.
My son bought me a computer picture frame for Christmas, and I've been enjoying it for the last couple of days, since I figured out how to load the pictures on it. Now if I need a smile, I just look at the grandkids' pictures. I think it's a great invention. :)

All the Latest in February in Alabama

Hmm...News....Let's see...It's even harder not living close to the grandkids now that there are two of them! My grandson is growing so fast. My granddaughter does call me on the phone or we talk on Skype pretty often. She was sitting at her desk talking to me on Skype the other day and she leaned into the camera and said, "I gotta potty Granny- You stay right there." :-)
My hubby got me a big box of chocolates, a card, and a balloon. That was nice. He had left them on the counter when he left really early for work. When I got up, I walked around in the kitchen for an hour before I noticed this box of candy with a huge balloon tied to it. Gives much more meaning to "I'm still half asleep."
I'm still drawing some. I've been addicted to thrift store shopping lately. We have another cruise planned in May and I want some new summer clothes for that. I cleaned out my closet, which was a major job, and got rid of four trash bags full of clothes that neither I nor hubby could wear anymore. Put them on Craigslist for free and they went quickly.
My mom called to tell me my sister and her husband drove out to see my dad, and he was asking about me. She said I need to go. I planned to go yesterday, but then I came down with this yucky cold. I don't want to give this to anyone else. Almost made it all winter without a cold. I'm lucky that I don't get sick often, but when I do, it's usually a doozie.
I went back to therapy last week. Hadn't been since October. She said the depression is so much better (and the doctor agrees) and that we need to start working on some issues "that we couldnt' work on when you were depressed." That sounds lovely. ha. She also had me buy this book called Better Boundaries and start journaling again. Hey I wonder if blogging counts. I doubt it. But I do pretty much write on here what I would write in there.
My cleaning lady told me this week she hates the picture over my sofa because it looks very 80's. I said well that's when I bought it. I've had it since my kids were little. So now I keep wondering if I should take it down, or paint over it. It's a very large picture. Shouldn't waste a perfectly good frame. Maybe I'll paint over it. A little Jackson Pollack. :)
When she comes to clean, if I'm home, she talks to me...a LOT. Takes her twice as long to get done. I usually try to go somewhere because the exterminator was coming for his monthly visit, and the poop lady was coming. So I had to be here to pay them. She talked and talked and talked, and then told me she felt it was so easy to talk to me because I'm such a good listener. I figured out that people must like the deer in the headlights look, followed by silence. I thought I just was being quiet because I didn't have anything to say, or a chance to get a word in if I did, but evidently I'm a great listener and so understanding and easy to talk to. Go figure.
Well, nothing else happening.

Facebook Breakups

No one told me when I made a Facebook account.....

My son brings home a girl for Christmas...I add her as a friend.....He breaks up with her today.....I get to read all the "is it true that time heals all wounds" posts she is making. My daughter said we should write and tell her she's probably better off. ha. I just feel bad for her. I liked her!


I'm in Nashville having fun with the grandkids. My poor husband is at home, and water is out all over the city. (I didn't know water could go out.) He said barely a few drops coming from the tap. He said when he went to bed, the news said they would have the problem fixed by morning. When he woke up this morning, they said by tonight. We have a water cooler with spring water, so at least he (and the dogs) have some water. Anyway, I thought about them when I took my nice warm shower this morning. :)

This one is for Amy

I said I'd post more often--that is true, but I do have a good excuse. My dear loving mother-in-law that can't stand me is here visiting. She's been here nine days and I have one more to go. Now for the good news. We have a grandson, Benjamin Robert Williams, born Dec 28 and weighing 8 lbs 7 oz. Despite a little scare when the nurses thought he was not peeing and freaked us all out, he peed and pleased us all, so we relaxed. He's precious and adorable. Aren't those typical grandmother words?
I've had Claire, my granddaughter visiting, and we've had a lot of fun together. She got to sleep with me, and her dark conversations are so cute. For instance, this morning she woke up before the sun came up. She wiggled and grunted and finally, when none of that seemed to rouse me, she kicked me. I leaned up and looked at her, and she said, "Granny, I'm AWAKE!" I said, "Well Granny's sleepy and it's not daytime yet so why don't we sleep a little longer?" I got a big sigh, and then a resigning, "Ok..." We slept for about thirty more minutes and then she said, "Granny, I'm awake AGAIN!" ha.
We went to Chucky Cheese and she loved that. She has really kept me entertained for the last few days. She sang me Christmas carols. She taught me all about the cool kid sites on the computer, and I now know all the cartoon characters names.
Last night, she was in the tub, and I mentioned that Granny's bathtub has bubbles. After she was done, dry, and dressed, she decided she wanted to see the bubbles. I filled the tub back up and she peered over in there while I turned on the whirlpool. The noise scared her and she ran out of the bathroom and said Hurry Granny, get out of there! :)
We had a nice Christmas, but two of my kids could not come home. Cindy of course, was very pregnant and could not travel, and David had the flu. However, Chris and his girlfriend (Ok, he says she's not, just a girl he sees naked, his words not mine) came from Arkansas. I really like her and wish she was his girlfriend, but of course he would never want someone mom picked.
My daughter got me a gift card from Amazon and I found out my favorite author has a new book coming out, so I ordered it and can't wait to get it! I loved her Cold Rock River. This one is called All That's True.All That's True
I'm still drawing. Taking a class online at www.drawingtutorialsonline.com. I'm having a lot of fun with it. I'm going back up to my daughter's in Nashville on Monday to stay with her a few days. I'm looking forward to seeing the grandbabies again. That's all the news around here. Mother in law leaves TOMORROW!

Home from the Cruise

Got home today from a five day cruise I went on with my son (husband had to work). No, we were not on the ship that got stuck in the middle of the ocean with no electricity, thank goodness! We had smooth sailing and it was really nice. I hope to plan another one maybe for next fall.
While I was gone my husband had a security alarm system put in. He's a constant lock checker, and is always concerned someone will try to break in. So if it makes him feel better and check the locks less often, fine. We did have an attempted break-in in our neighborhood a month of so ago. And the people were home and it was at 10AM! They heard him break out the window and when they ran to see, he ran off. So as Antwone says...he was so dumb, for real.
I discovered karaoke on the cruise ship (I'm always behind the current events curve by years). No I didn't sing, but I had a lot of fun watching those who had enough nerve to do it. And singing ability was no pre-requisite, evidently. I wish I had enough nerve to have done it once. I think it's going to have to go on my bucket list.
Tomorrow I will actually weigh and see what I gained on the cruise, so I can get it back down this week. Usually, it's not as bad as I think it will be, because of all the walking. And we did a lot of walking, and took a lot of stairs (elevators take forever!)

Ewwww Gross!!

So ok....my daughter read my "update" and said I left out the best story. I told her I was hesitant to leave that story because I didn't want you all to think we were a trashy bunch. ha. But anyway, here goes.
About two months ago, my husband called and said a woman called him at work and said she was the manager of the apt complex where his daughter lives (the one he never hears from unless she wants something). The lady said her husband had been removed and taken to the mental hospital, and she was very upset, and they were there taking pictures..so he went over. I don't really know what her husband did, or how anyone knew anything about him, as he and my step-daughter are both hermits, but the sherriff's office came and got him and took him, with a court order. When they left, the people from mental health and the apt people were surprised to see that he didn't live alone. They said they knew he had a wife on the lease, but no one had ever seen her. Well, the apartment was beyond nasty (Have you ever seen the hoarding show on tv?) and they went in and took pictures.
Of course, she was crying, and my husband called and asked if he could bring her home, and he did. When she walked in the back door, I was all the way at the other end of the kitchen, and the smell made me gag. Her hair was all matted and sticking out everywhere, and she smelled to high heaven..I said, Wait. Let me get you a change of clothes and you can take a shower. I did, and she did, and she came out and smelled just about as bad as she did when she went in. We later found out the last bath she had was over six months ago....or washed her hair, or brushed her teeth (she was missing one of the front ones). I'm a germophobe, so I was freaking out. He tried washing the clothes she was wearing but they were really gross, so he went and bought some. I got all freaked out and was crying, scared to death she was going to move in with us, and scared she was going to bring some kind of bugs into the house. (She said her apt was infested with spiders, roaches, and fleas, and it was...) My husband took her the next morning to the apt, and he called back to say it was beyond anything he could ever imagine. He said he got garbage bags and shoveled garbage into them for hours and cleared a path about two feet from the front door. It took him days to get back to the other rooms. They had a cat that had long since filled the litter box and had gone everywhere for months, years?
He said spider webs were hanging everywhere like a haunted house, and the smell would knock you down. He later found out that the reason no one was bathing is the tub was filled up with trash just like the rest of the house. So if you're wondering, no, I never went over there. My husband said no way could I go, and he was right. He said he knew I'd have a coronary and he'd have to deal with me and that mess. So I stayed home and cried a lot.
Anyway, he and I talked, and we both realized she needed some professional help, so he took her to mental health, but they wouldn't hospitalize her because she was not suicidal or homicidal...but made her an appt to see a counselor in a month (which she did not go to, even though I offered to drive her). My poor husband spent days trying to clean the apt, and he had her helping, but after four or five days they hadn't made a dent. The apt people said they would help, and would send out a crew, so my husband let them as he had to go back to work. The plan was that they would get the trash cleaned out, and then move them into another unit so that they could go in, take out the carpet, fumigate, etc in that one, and that they would never be allowed to have pets, and that someone would be constantly checking on them to see the condition of the place.
Well, that was the plan, but we don't know if any of that ever happened. Her husband got out of the hospital, and despite our efforts, they have not responded to seeing us or us picking them up to go to dinner or anything. So we have no idea what happened. Of course, my husband was very upset that they had been living that way, and that she didn't seem to mind it really bothered him. And now he won't hear from her unless there is a crisis again. But he promised me, she will not live with us.
And yes, I'm a nutcase too, because I spent days washing and rewashing the sheets, scrubbing that bathroom, febreezing by the gallons, and finally got this place into something I wasn't afraid would have their cooties in it. So that's been my BIGGEST news since I last posted...

Where did the year go?

It's been a long time since I've posted, but I guess that's obvious. So I thought I would write something to catch everyone up.
My granddaughter was born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (hole in the diaphragm) and it re-herniated this year, so last month she had surgery to correct it. She developed a c-diff infection at the hospital, and then a urinary tract infection. The problem is the antibiotic for the UTI wipes out the good bacteria in her colon which allows the c-diff to flourish. She's taking an antibiotic for that too. So it's been, as my daughter put it "going around and around" trying to get her well. The doctor wanted to do a scan of her kidneys this week, but because her urine culture showed infection, he cancelled it for now.
I'm leaving Sat to go on a cruise with my son. We are driving to Mobile, and then sailing to Progresso and Cozumel. I've been on this cruise several times, so am not too excited over the ports, but I am looking forward to five days of not having to cook or clean. My husband has been out of town on business for the last three weeks. He will be home Saturday, but I won't see him until I get back from the cruise, as I will be leaving before he gets here.
Several of my friends have been going through big personal issues, but I seem to be doing pretty good in my life, even though our family has had several big issues ourselves. I feel very happy right now. The doc put me on a new antidepressant about six weeks ago, so that probably has a lot to do with the good
My husband and I went through some marriage counseling this year. We had grown apart and had really stopped sharing much of anything with each other. I think the counseling has improved things. We both are more accepting of each other's differences, and we have learned how to disagree and still be able to discuss it with each other, instead of holding resentments. We saw the same therapist that I had been seeing, but that was his idea. I was very happy to have her do it, as I didn't have to say a lot. She knows me and my background very well.

I started drawing about a month ago, and I started doing artist trading cards and trading them with people all over the world on atcsforall.com. It's been a lot of fun. Then a couple of weeks ago, I signed up for The Sketchbook Project, and I'm steadily trying to fill my sketchbook with graphite drawings before the Jan 15 deadline. I draw one, count the remaining pages, draw another, count...Deadlines drive me nuts. The theme for my book was "help" but they said you can be very liberal in interpreting that. So I'm doing mine on helping take care of the earth. On the first page, I drew an eye, crying, and the iris is Earth. Then the other sketches are of plants, animals, vegetables, etc. I plan to take it with me on the cruise so that I can work on it. I don't draw anything from memory, as my memory is not trustworthy these days....but I run off copies of photos I like from google images, and draw from them. I have found, though, in drawing people, it's much easier to draw from life than from a picture.
Let's see...my doctor is sending me to a plastic surgeon to see about having a repair done on my tummy. I've had four abdominal surgeries and my belly is not how it should be. We will see if the insurance will pay for this, and if not, I won't be having it. But if they do, I will be very glad about that.

I just ordered a new pair of flipflops from Amazon to take on the cruise (with overnight shipping) and paid $20. I still can't believe I paid 20 bucks for a pair of flipflops. (shaking head) but they are cute. And it is very hard to find flipflops this time of the year. But they are freaking flip flops!
My son bought us this little box for our tv that lets us watch netflix movies on the television. I've discovered "Weeds" and "Dexter" and am in the middle of catching up on past seasons. I don't watch much television, so miss a lot of the shows everyone already knows about.
My son and I went to Lowe Mill not long ago. They have artist studios and on Saturdays they are open for all local artists to come set up a booth. I love walking around and looking at all of it. It's three stories (in an old mill) and free admission. I plan to go back and take my husband to see it all when he gets home (and I do). Anyway, while I was there, I ran into a lady I knew from La Leche League back thirty years ago. She does abstract art, sort of Pollack style, but with really pretty colors. I am not too sure she remembered me, but she acted like she did.
I got a really bad haircut about six weeks ago, at the same place I've been going to for many years. It's a walk-in place with no appointments and I've always taken whoever was available. Well, they had some new hairdresser that was very vocal about being from Miami and being so up on the latest styles, and what she gave me looked like a mop on crack. So I let it grow as much as I could stand, then went back to get it cut again, and found out (thank goodness) that she had been fired. I was glad because I was afraid I'd have to limit my visits to that salon on days she was not there. Anyway, now it's really short, and although I bought hair color some time ago that is sitting in the bathroom cabinet, is almost completely gray now. I saw a picture of a lady with long gray hair and again, I wish I could let my hair grow out like that, but it never will when I keep getting it cut. ha. I hate it in the "in between stages."