Developments

Shortly after going back home my mom decided she didn't like being there without use of a car.  (Never mind that she never went anywhere except her senior center and the store, both of which we found ways of getting her to...)  She "felt like a prisoner" in her home and decided she wanted to move to a senior living community.  I am actually very happy for her and feel she has made a good decision.  I think she'll be happier somewhere she can see more people daily.  She enjoyed staying with us and if it had been possible we might have made that semi-permanent.  But with no real bedroom or bath on the main floor it wasn't practical here.  Marianne's house would have been better but for the dogs.  They are big enough to knock into her and she is none too steady on her feet as it is.  So the senior community is a good choice.  It's jarringly expensive and her ability to get used to the routines there is questionable.  But she has a room reserved and moves next weekend.  Why do I feel as if I'm sending one of my children off to college?

Update

Norma is still at our house recovering.  She spent a few nights in the hospital, and now is living here.  She may not go home but to assisted living.  We're still looking.

Happy New Year

New Years Eve was a bit unusual.  We got a call from the medical alarm company just before 7 am.  Norma had activated her alarm.  We rushed over and found her on the floor.  She appeared unhurt, but pretty sick.  We ended up calling the paramedics and having her taken to the hospital.  Most of her test results came out fine, though there was an indication she had a bleeding ulcer.  It took almost 8 hours before they decided to keep her and do more tests.  Now we understand it really is a bleeding ulcer and she'll be in the hospital for a few days while they get her back to health.  Marianne and I will be using that time to decide if she can still live alone.  Meanwhile she's mad as hell to be sitting in a hospital bed hooked up to tubes and wires.  Happy new year all.

How do you feel about pot?

 

It has come to my attention that certain members of my circle of acquaintances are quietly smoking a substance that is at the present time illegal.  I can't say I'm surprised by this.  I imagine that it's quite common for individuals in any circle of friends to do things that are technically illegal.  Like parking too near a stop sign, or speeding on the freeway.  I personally know adults who have shoplifted and others who have cheated on their taxes.  I'm not immune, either.  I walked drunkenly down a street shortly after celebrating my engagement.  I regularly go faster than I should on roads that are not near schools.  I reuse stamps if they haven't been canceled.  And I have knowingly kept several extra mints from the bowl at the entrance to Macaroni Grill.  But the idea of smoking pot, well, that's kind of different.  I worry about the rather serious consequences of the act even as I acknowledge that they rarely happen.  I also worry about the problems caused when one is impaired.  It likely isn't much different than the effects of alcohol, however, the results can be much more significant.  So I wonder how others feel about this.  My generation has had their go at laws regulating mind altering substances.  What will the next generation do?  Is it looked on differently?  Should I worry about these friends or just smile and think perhaps I'm just old fashioned?  

Forced to tell people what I want

Along with the obvious, another reason I write this is that we had a dinner party yesterday.  People there wanted us to share a memory from our childhood holidays.  I have plenty of memories, just nothing I wanted to share with the group in attendance.  How does one get oneself out of such a "sharing" situation without looking like a total jerk?  When you know, let me in on it, because it made me pretty uncomfortable.

Now to the list:

This is a cute teapot and tea I've been wanting for some time.  It doesn't have to be this exact one, but one similar at least.

I would love some Honey Sticks, though I'm pretty sure you can get them locally.  And I don't care what variety as long as it isn't something crazy like lemon zest of jalapeno.

The Blind Side DVD

This book about online teaching

I would like a new carry-on suitcase in a color other than black.

I could use a 8 gb SD card for my computer and a new 4 or 8 gb jump drive with a STURDY way to connect it to my key ring.

27" half slip in extra large or size 40 in black.

A couple of seed starting items this and this. Though this is a big item and we're moving...

A back rub from Lucas (not a certificate which I tend to lose)
A dinner cooked by Kimmi
Dinner at Carrabbas from Mike

That's it. I can't think of anything else.

Following the Turkey down Memory Lane

Thanksgiving always makes me think of family.  We aren't a big group - five cousins from my mom's side, three from my dad's.  We spent our holidays in one of three places.  We sometimes went to my mother's mom who lived in Brigham City.  More often we went to my dad's mom who lived less than a mile from us.  (I walked that route, rain, shine, and snow more times than I can count.  I miss it, and her.)  We frequently stayed home and people would come to us.  We were the only kids in the valley at the time and it was easier, I think, for my grandparents and my aunt to visit us as they could send us off to bed when we got cranky.  My aunt was much younger than my dad and had her children later.  I was nearly grown when her first was born.  We started spending holidays at her home so when her kids got cranky...well you get it.  (Sorry, ladies, you did get cranky.)
Anyway, I miss those holidays.  Even though our family has made its own traditions based on Mike's family and our own children, I recall moments of those holidays as though they happened yesterday.  On Thanksgiving Thursday I made pies using the rolling pin in the photo.  It belonged to my Grandma Haynes.  (My younger cousins called her Grandma Lucy.)  She made her pie crust with lard and cooked her chicken for HOURS.  I could never duplicate her cooking.  I very much love having something from her kitchen, though.  Every time I use it I think about standing at her kitchen counter 'helping' her make something delicious.  Yeah, I bet I was quite a help back then.  Her kitchen seemed huge to me.  Later when my sister was living in that house I realized it was tiny.  I think it was Grandma that made it seem big.  She had room for all of us in there.
Happy holidays.

Birthday Season

It's birthday season at our house.  It starts in September with Mike's sister Patti's birthday.  My brother used to come next in mid-October.  Mine is the 26th, then Lucas on the 27th.  Finally, Norma's birthday is November 6th.  I know we have a small family but it sure seems like the birthdays are squished up together rather than spread throughout the year.  Our other birthday season is mid-March to Mid-May.  I should really graph them to see if it's more random than it feels.  Anyway, if you're a fall baby or know one, happy birthday to you.