Will wonders never cease?

We have had a visit from the owner of the Home Health service that will be providing Mother some help.   We also received a visit from a professional nurse who screened Mother's physical condition. 

Then today we had the first visit from a health aide!

She will be coming every Wednesday afternoon and Jack and I can be out for a while because someone will be checking on Mother.

Now the strange part of this is the agency said Medicare will be paying with Mother's insurance as supplement.  Thought it would be the other way around, since Mother has life time home care insurance .  This may be a glich and something to check on.  But I am hoping this works well.

It is rainy ..........so soggy Peace reigns at Marigold Country Home............we have more English Hollyhocks that marigolds right now. 

 

 

Yesterday Mother and I went to the cemetery to put out some flowers.  I found the saddle arrangement on my father's grave just as I left it last year.  I couldn't understand why the  the faded flowers had been left since they clean them off regularily..........well, on close inspection I found a bird's nest.  Workers with a heart had left the young mother and her eggs in peace.  I left the arrangement alone as well.

We also, had a first of the new kittens arrive for breakfast.   I held the little tyke, Jack cuddled it for a while, and Mother had a chance to pet the new one also.  Mama Kitty took the youngster home with some cross words and she didn't bring her offspring back.   Maybe we enjoyed him/her too much! LOL

On Friday, Mother and I took a load of clothing and linens to Angel's Attic, they were open again on Saturday.  We washed quilts and blankets and hung them out in the clouds.  Even the clouds are better than the dryer.  Flopping in the breeze gives them such a good smell.

Today we planned to go to local Military Cemetery where my step-father is buried.  Rain is forcast so that may slow us down. 

Have a pleasant weekend.  Travelers be careful!

If I could, I would run away!

I can no longer deal with inefficient business practices.  It took over 2 weeks to get a trash dumster....now it isn't being emptied......and others are throwing trash toward the dumpster and I have to pick up what the wind removed and what missed the target!

Yesterday I had to rush to check out a infection   with hubby and get prescription.  Today I have to follow up on the second prescription that was supposed to be called in.

We still have not heard from Home Health Services, I don't feel like I should alter our lives to wait for them to call.  Mother is balking, not wanting strange people running around in her house.

The boy mowing our lawn is still not finished,            he has as many interruptions as I do.  "Friends" are helping me clean out the cellar at the house we are cleaning.   They bring everything to me to deal with, they are great help.  I have been washing old quilts and Mother announced that today she wanted to wash her quilts......Like white washing a picket fence, everyone wants to get in on the act!

BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURMOIL....is Jack calm and supportive, and making jokes!  What would I do without him!

The nurse told mother not to drink so much coffee, this was translated into don't drink any coffee!  So I made her hot tea, last night she drank a big cup of strong tea, made her sick! So now she can't drink hot tea but ice tea is Ok!   Like I said:

IF I COULD I WOULD RUN AWAY!

 

Good things do happen..............

Jack's power chair has been delivered better than new probably.

 The charge was 25.00 but they would not accept it because they are getting a battery for Jack's big 4-wheeler and they said I would get two for one, meaning they would install the battery for the same 25.00 as the screws in the power chair!  Home town trading does pay!

So nice to have Jack's wheels back!

WHEN IT RAINS.............

You just can't believe this!

  I announced to Mother that Jack and I would be going to Walmart to shop today.  Walmart is about 35 miles away and a half-day activity. 

The nurse yesterday had told her to drink a cup of water every hour and to put her feet up.  So I thought she would be busy drinking and relaxing.  She did the dishes, swept, and did a number of things as well as putting her feet up.   I was so pleased with all she did and she was so much help.  And she seemed unusually happy.

This was a pleasant surprise since on the way home, Jack strapped in the back of the entervan in his power chair, gave a yelp....and I asked what was wrong.  The back of his power chair just fell off.   With the back was the arms as well.  He held on for the 35 mile ride.  With his walker he walked out of the van.   I unloaded the perishables and called our Home Health Products Store just 10 minutes away.  Away I went.  The manager said it needed screws and looked like everything else was alright.

I could have hugged him when he said they would deliver it later today.  I looked at him funny I guess and he said a man in a nearby town had the back fall off his power chair and he fell out.  It was being repaired and they would deliver ours when they delivered his.   Big Smile!!

I am taking the rest of the day OFF!

 

AN INTERESTING SURPRISE

At about 5:30 last evening I received a call from a Health Service Agency and the evaluator wanted to come by and talk to mother.  I told her mother did not talk on the phone because of her hearing and how could I help.  She would like to come by because she was only a few miles away.

Because of the time of day and the kind of day it had been............I said Mother went to bed between 6 and 7 and she would just have to take us as we were.  She was very gracious and came by and stayed about an hour and a half.  She talked only to mother asking questions, checking her wound on her leg, etc.  

This was the agency that was supposed to give Jack and I  time together, opportunity to go shopping or take care of medical visits for Jack or myself.  So far they have said Mother is teachable and they would start a risk awareness program with her, send a aide to help her bathe, shampoo her hair, give her a massage, and work on her grooming as well as her good health.  We will see how this goes.

update later, smiles!

 

When you say "HOME"

Someone said, "Home is where the heart is!"  But  I wonder about those of us who have loved ones in a facility or another place far away.  Our hearts are there with them.  Is the place where they are........HOME?  Or is the place where they had  previously lived HOME?

And I consider myself and my husband homeless since we don't have a home of our own.....where is our HOME?  Some days my heart isn't here but it is here with my husband.  Where is our HOME?

I call this place Marigold Country Home.......but it isn't my home really....can it be called HOME?

If you have a home, you are truly blessed.

Clouds/Rain/ Sunshine

Taking my daughter to the plane this morning brought on rain showers and tears as well.   We are very close and she made me leave the airport as soon as she was ready to board.  The last time I waited till the plane took off and she and I stood and cried through double glass, unable to touch, hug, and even hear each other. 

She said this was a special 4 days.  She had her own room naturally, her own bath, her own television, and her own big chair to stretch out on.  She had fun in the kitchen and fed everyone her specialties, and entertained her grandmother with stories, and grandmother gave her a few history lessons as well.

When I washed the sheets, made the bed, emptied the wastebaskets, and did general straightening up I thought not of how much I would miss her but was looking forward to her next visit.  I hope one day soon she will call and say meet me at the airport, I just decided to come for the long weekend again, and I will be off to scan the skies and get to the airport.

This was truly a very special Mother's Day.  One thing that my daughter said that impressed her was that on Sunday morning.....three generations sat together and sang our hearts out representing  a line of strong women who believed in God and in themselves.

Marigold Country Home sends special blessings and wishes for a lovely week.

 

Marigold Country Home Update

We have had a great  4 days.  Tomorrow my daughter goes home and I am back to being a regular mom.   I really enjoyed being spoiled, not cooking,  having some difficult jobs done, some help doing some other things, and reading from the book that my daughter contributed to.......a story about something we did together.

A Mixed Bag

This has been a fun week of good and bad.

First the good.............my daughter flew in to spend 4 days for my Mother's Day.  This is the boost I need.  She understands so much of my daily frustration.

Jack has had some pain filled days and there is so little I can do to help that.  This is the month for his pain management appointment.  His eyes are giving him so much difficulty and that needs to be checked also. 

The rains have been abundant but we haven't had any serious damage.  We still haven't managed to get the puddles of water eliminated but are working on that problem.  Mosquitoes are beginning to become a nuisance.

We are living one day at a time and for the next three days I am going to enjoy my daughter and then tackle the problems that are always present.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day.  I send good thoughts and pleasant wishes from Marigold Country Home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANGEL'S CLOSET/ANGEL'S ATTIC

Thirteen bags and 3 loads of furniture..... I am on a roll.  Angel's Attic (wrong name) called on Saturday afternoon to tell me all the furniture was gone and they were very happy.  I was pleased because much of it had been in storage, was dusty, scratched,etc but it went fast.  Even an old vacuum cleaner! LOL

I still have two houses to go to get every thing cleaned out and it does not count what I can find in this house!  This group is really gracious to pick up the furniture.... gas at $3.00 a gallon, those big trucks and trailers don't move around without cost.

My family isn't feeling well this morning so no church for us.  But I will carry mother's tithe over before services.  Lunch is already out of the oven and the rest is minor.........so today is really a day of rest I hope.

Take care........

ANGEL'S CLOSET

 

Angel's Closet came yesterday and took away a big load of furniture and they will be back today with more muscle and bigger trailers. I am so grateful to them and I hope the people they distribute the furniture to enjoy each piece.

Angel's Closet is an organization run by two ladies (sisters).  They give away clothing that they have carefully gleaned out of all the donations they receive.  I have been in their little place and it looks like a department store.  Everything is neatly folded, pressed hanging on hangers, and everything  is good stuff.  I gave them 8 bags of  clothing and shoes and they commented yesterday on the good quality. 

Yesterday I gave them three more bags and was so glad to have it out of the house.   One of the ladies was having problems this past week and had tests so I hope her physical problems are minor because they do such good.

I asked if they would like dishes, bedding,etc and they said they would distribute everything they received.  Their little store is in an old Lumber Yard and they seem to have plenty of storage space.

They are open as many Saturdays as they can manage and have items to give away.  They will even take the old console tv sets.....no one will take those and I was surprised.  They said those went really fast.   They don't question the people who take clothing,etc.  I imagine many people redo the furnture and make the tv consoles into bookcases,etc. but POWER to them!

I  put out lots of marigold plants yesterday, dug holes for Iris plants and also put out 10 yellow rose cuttings.    The landscaper will be here on Monday with more dirt,  seed, and hope that we will soon have a totally green lawn.  At this time the red dirt they brought in hasn't even grown a weed!  It is red clay,LOL but he is bring lawn mix to put on top of that.... anyway we should look good soon.. Take care all of you........Peace reigns at Marigold Country Home.

 

THE CEDAR CHEST

Recently we started cleaning out my aunt's home.  She passed several years ago...more than 5  and over the last several years on visits we did a litle but didn't even scratch the surface.

I have taken 8 large bags to the Angel's closet where they give clothing, etc.. away to those who have a need.  I have more bags of the same and furniture to also donate.............but somethings you have to keep.

One of the things mother wanted to keep was my aunt's cedar chest.    Because it was so heavy, I had to empty the contents in large trash bags and move the bags and the chest.  Big highschool boys are such good help.  Anyway I told Mother that I had done my part and the rest was hers.  I suggested that the home health aide who will be coming soon might be helpful.

Mother went into a decline............tired, whining, ill, the whole works..... and I am easy prey! 

Mother just could not handle the job..... so we emptied the bags and repacked the chest.   At least I know what it contains.  But the emotional contents was too much to handle.

There was the highschool letters embroidered on a doily with my aunt's graduation year.  Wedding gifts from her first marriage.  A beautiful lawn dress in white with hand drawn lace yoke and hem.  It might have been a wedding dress.......other garments and even baby clothes. 

My aunt didn't have any children and it took a while to make mother understand it was my cousin's baby clothes not his childrens'.  

 There were hand made lace table cloths.   Hand made bedspreads.  Lace pillow covers, place mats,  dishtowels, a multitude of old old items.

  I suggested a museum.   But mother wasn't ready for that yet... although I have a vacuum cleaner that is rare indeed, a wash stand that my aunt wanted me to have....but there is no place in this house.   I have oil lamps, box cameras, cigar boxes that are rare finds these days..........all of this is going to a museum.   What she doesn't know about will not worry her.

It took several years to prepare to leave California...a closet at a time I emptied and gave, threw, or donated items and then later did it all again until I was ready to pack things.  I moved my life and Jacks in 61 small boxes and five pieces of medical equipment.  The mostly small boxes included clothing, bedding,  everything in my life.  That really isn't very much stuff.

Why do we keep things?  We don't need items to REMEMBER a person.  If we do then we have missed something along the way.  Items bring back memories and have stories with them but who is there to listen?  My daughter loves old things but she doesn't want to use them...........they just lay in chests and  slowly deteriorate. 

I think it is evil to keep closets of  useful things when there are those who need bedding and clothing and we don't share....look at the ruined memories in that cedar chest.   Useful no more and opportunity lost to share.

The same way with dishes.  Mostly one of a kind with tiny chips and cracks and pretty to look at but useful no more.   And too pretty to toss and too useless to keep and you just dust and put away and let the next generation take care of it....NOOOOOO!

I don't want my daughter to have to work her way through the closets wondering why I kept a hundred blouses and tops with lost buttons, stains, and in general unwearable.  Gone is their usefulness and  gone is the opportunity to let anyone else enjoy them.

A local lady I had chatted with about denim outfits and where she got hers...etc.  Came to my house and brought me large trash bags of jeans and jackets  that have enough bling bling to be in top fashion.  I gave her a bit of money for her generousity and thoughtfulness.   But look at her clean closets and I love all the great denim outfits!

This is what I mean about sharing......I love the thought that she bought them with such care and selection and I tell her WE have such good taste.

Need to paint the driveway curb next to the house with yellow paint.............I get carried away with that yellow paint but Mother seems to see it well............Peace from Marigold Country Home!