So tomorrow marks one week to go until my retirement and I am so looking forward to some time off.
We have some great things planned. Family due in this week. Nephew is relocating to Washington DC and we are to have a BBQ send off. Mary Beth hasn't been here since early January, we are both looking so forward to sister time. She is coming in a day early just for that. Melissa and Liz are due in on Wednesday.
First week home all I want is NOT to be woken up for work and coffee in bed, whi
I need to blog this because I am still trying to figure out what just happened - LOL.
With Kira's passing last week, Bruce and I concentrated on quiet time, just for us. Wednesday was his PT, so I was home. We did some errands - picking up some of the specialty batteries for his Freedom Alert, bank and a nice long ride. Thursday Erma was here and the deck stainers later, so it was home, but we had a nice dinner and enjoyed the boys at work. Friday was Bruce's first day alone, without Kira. W
We had to put our dear Kira to sleep today.
The last week had been difficult for her. We took her home from the Vet Hospital on May 1st, deciding on medication and comfort. We were blessed with eight weeks of her love and devotion. Much longer than was expected.
Just this last week, the medications were failing and what I could get into her, did not stay. The weekend was tough and I made the call to the Vet on Monday, while Bruce was in the Peridontist's chair.
I did not tell Bruce u
Don't get me wrong. I love the 4th of July. I look forward to a cookout and the celebration.
We have just come off 48 hours of constant rain. Hurricane Arthur did not hit us - we had a cold front holding him offshore, but we sure did get the rain and wind. Last night was the cold front coming through, which probably did more damage than Arthur. But it has been horribly hot and humid.
I just don't get the fireworks right in the neighborhood. We are a family group. Some elderly, some handi
So we were off to a day long, mostly; out of town event this week. I can't remember the last time we were away for most of the day. I don't like leaving Kira at this point, but it had to be done.
There is a lot going on here at the shack. I had hoped to be able to do a lot of this when I am home full time but things have just moved along at a pace of their own and we go with the flow.
A very dear friend passed over the weekend. She was 92 and had been failing for the past month, so it tr
Five weeks and counting - but seems I have entered Retirement State of Mind already.
We had the house powerwashed two weeks ago and it is beautiful. They used a special cleaner on the gutters, making them look like new. I also had them do the front porch, which is really just a landing now with the ramp and the deck. So they are ready for staining.
The Contractor is coming tomorrow to start on the kitchen ceiling and paint the kitchen. The kitchen is small and really needs a total gut. B
So it has been a while and I thought I would give a quick update as to doings at the Shack.
Kira is still with us. She is a tough little girl. Has good and bad days, very tired. But we are thankful for all the time we are being given with her. She continues to want to be with us and share family time.
Contractor Pete has measured for a permanent ramp from our bedroom onto the deck - keeping all our doors but making it independent for Bruce to get out onto the deck himself. I would not be
Today was Bruce's evaluation for PT for his 2014 allowance. We drew the first PT he had at this Outpatient Clinic. There are no wrong choices here and we have worked with all of them. But it was nice to have her back and see what she thinks after four years. Of course we saw her often and she checked in, but nothing like hands on. Bruce will be working on independent transfers and stairs.
It is obvious to all of us that Bruce has no interest in walking. Truly in our small house, it is really
Well, Spring is finally, definitely upon us. Everything is blooming and the colors are fantastic. I am reminded often of when our friend from New Mexico (high desert) visited last year and said he was always amazed at how "green" everything is!
My SNF had its annual State survey last week. That is always stressful and longer hours for me. Then it rained most of this week, so needless to say, we are well backed up with errands. I have yet to deal with Bruce's handicap sticker which expired Ap
It has been a wild couple of weeks. For me, I get a hint of Spring and I am on the go! Fresh air, sunshine and yes fans, warmth - finally. Well except of course for today. LOL
Bruce's birthday celebration continues and this has been so much fun for us. We had surprise visits from friends we talk to occasionally, but have not seen in years. We have known Bob from Florida for over 20 years. Bruce used to help his Dad every weekend with finances after Bob's Mom passed. And Linford, a work colle
Today is Bruce's birthday.
It has been an odd couple of weeks since Kira's infections. The little queenie is almost back to her usual spoiled self - LOL.
Monday morning Mary Beth called to tell us that neice Melissa's best friend had been killed in a car accident. This is the pretty Redhead you see in our wedding pictures. Scottie was also a close family friend. She loved coming to Connecticut. Bruce and she became best buddies. It was fun to get up on Sunday morning and see her and Bruc
That's our Kira. If I had a dollar every time I heard that, I could pay her hospital bill! LOL. I can finally laugh now.
After Bruce's nap yesterday, while he was Estimming and having his snack, I decided to groom Kira. I cleaned her ears and brushed her out. She gets annoyed with me as she usually does, jumps off the couch and falls over. Her head is spinning, eyes crazy and she is hunkered down, barely crawling. Bruce says "you have to take her to the Vet right now!"
We have a wonderfu
Today was the fifth anniversary of Bruce's stroke. He has been asking about it pretty much all month. Fortunately he only remembers the date. He does have some memories of the Rehab, but that is about it.
I always check the weather report on Sunday, to plan our week. And today was to be (and was) the best day of the week, so I got all our chores done during the week to free today up. 56 degrees, clouds and sun; some spotty showers, but nothing to hold us back.
I had left a list of the er
Well, at least for the next few weeks, when I have to go to get the fertilizer and insect control for the yard - but I know where that stuff is-LOL.
Our friend Carl offered to come for a few hours to help with some of the house stuff on my list. Thing is, I had to have supplies for him to do that. I made a list. The new furnace has different filters than the old. Installers walked me through the entire furnace and told me what I needed. They also wanted the filters replaced at 3 months. The
Interesting couple of days.
I usually lay down with Bruce for a bit after his nap. Bruce does not wake up fast. He turns off the TV and we generally talk. I am trying to work on critical thinking - what can you do for yourself besides watching TV? So I generally start off with "what are your plans for the afternoon?" He always answers "Stims, snack, mail." This is not critical thinking - this is routine. He has been doing that every single day for years. Saturday he told me he doesn't think,
Family came in last weekend for Izabella's fourth birthday party. Liz is on break from College, so everyone was so happy to see her. She will be going off to California come graduation in May for a much needed break. She will be staying with Mary Beth's best friend and right in the heart of the part of the country where her love - Nutrition - is most celebrated. Mary and I were thinking we may not get her back - LOL.
Mary Beth is in the middle of that 21-day start up exercise-diet routine an
I just finished reading Nancy's blog about Dan unprogramming the TV remote and had to laugh - not to Nancy, of course. But I realize I have entered their universe - LOL.
The problem with shoveling snow for 2 1/2 weeks or tending to abdominal distress for a long haul is that almost nothing else gets any attention and then you find out, "hey, the TV remote doesn't work." Nancy, when Bruce did it to ours, all three remotes had to be replaced - three different TVs - LOL. What fun eh?
So we h
I bet you are all sick of reading about Debbie's winter follies for the past four years. And guess what folks? This is another one for the books!
A friend Emailed me a poster that said "Today I went outside and the air hurt my face. Why am I living in a place where the air hurts my face?"
Blizzard last year, 30 inches of snow in one day the year before, massive storms year before that. And lets talk about 2014. Or not. You can always skip over.
End of January, huge chill. And all of
I so wanted to blog since late January, but so much happening here and just so tired. Thank goodness we have chat, so I can vent and relax among friends, going through exactly what Bruce and I are going through.
Weather: unless you live in Southern California, all of us are having a very bad time this winter. I can only imagine what the cold and dryness is doing to Bruce. He rarely complains, but it has to be horrid. I know a lot of the focus is on us, here in New England. But Nancy and Juli
Bruce's project list is down to organizing his tools. He has several really nice tool boxes and one big one that sits in the garage. They are mostly empty. When Bruce would go to help people, he would load up what he needed in a paper bag. When he got home, the paper bag was dropped. In cleaning up the house, I have relocated the bags to one area. Thing is, nothing was cleaned up, wiped off; so I have no clue what mess is in those bags.
I was planning on setting him up in the garage at a lar
Had a terrific Birthday. Thank you all so much for your best wishes.
I did a funny thing, first part of January. Finances have eased up a bit. I needed some new underwear and some lady face stuff. I do a lot of catalog shopping. Please don't suggest on-line shopping. I am not computer savy, don't know what all the symbols mean. In order to apply for Federal Healthcare Assistance I had to toilet Bruce, make sure he had his snacks, reading glasses clean, reading material. AFO off because when
I consider myself a polite, concientious person. I am pushing a 200lb man in a WC, so I am always aware of what is around us. In the grocery store, Bruce is also pushing the cart, so we are quite an obstacle.
It took us 2 1/2 hours to prepare the shopping list for today. The local Food Bank needs donations. In the past we could send a check, but that is not always possible now. With the couponing however, we can usually get together a nice donation from our pantry. So with that in mind, we w
So, I was talking to Mary Beth this week. We were lamenting the fact that there never seems to be any "down" time. You get to a place where you are stocked up, house is clean and laundry done, meals put up and bam, another road block. She had a car issue trying to get a child back to College and another starting a new job. For me, the lists just never end.
I kept a notebook with me when Bruce first stroked, wrote everything down. And I stayed with him most of the time at the hospital - don't
Julie and I were talking tonight. She is in Missouri so her weather usually gets to me, in New England, in two or three days. And I am so thankful for that - planning time - LOL.
We have two days of warm up, but with some rain. Last week was bitter cold, beating records set 10 years ago. Neighbor Cliff out shoveling on Friday insists that I not come out to help unless all my skin is covered.
I knew by Wednesday, I had a small window to get Bruce out and planned all week to do that. The r
Bruce and I have an Elf that we have had for at least 10 years. The face is more like a baby doll and many have him. A friend posted his pix a couple of years back and asked why we all had him. No one really knew. But with the Elf in the Cupboard development this year, our little guy has taken on a new role.
Bruce does not like him. Says it gives him the "willies" kind of like Cabbage Patch kids did. But he has been a busy little guy last week or so. Every morning he brings Bruce something n
