Hey folks, welcome to the new whine/general topic thread. Feel free to use this thread to discuss anything that is on your mind. Caregiving- related stuff, life after a loved one's death, your own emotional wellbeing. Whatever..........anything on your mind.
What a vacation! Loved your posts.
Does anyone know what happened to Becky. The Lady who lost her husband PJ? There was a brief period I wasn't on as much, so I may have missed something. But I was just wondering about her.
As for the house - maybe it is fate giving you a nudge to start shedding the past and making it truly your own.
And where was your sister while all this was going on?
I stuffed myself with as much ribs as I could. I tried Texas Roadhouse and Famous Dave. Famous Dave won hands down. Oh! I don't care for pizza because it causes my acid reflux to act up. On the last night in ABQ, we ordered pizza from Fox's Pizza Den. It was delicious! It wasn't salty or drowned in tomato sauce. It was like 9pm when we ate it - and no reflux at all... Oh! We ate at Moo Yah. I usually stick to cheeseburger. I decided to be adventurous and ordered The Best Quesonario because it had Jalapenos (I usually add this on my Subway sandwiches). The sauce of that burger!!! Too bad I was leaving soon. I would have asked them if we can eat there again. I don't know what the sauce is for that burger but it was delicious....
At the ELP museum, I asked the guards if I can take photos. They said yes. I was practically taking lots of selfies. This western painting reminded me of my dad's favorite movies - Western. Renaissance portrait (America's original home country before they separated). Colonist portrait (America's fight for Independence from England). George Washington (America's first President). A man falling backward (positioned myself below him where he would land on my head -posted that in FB with a witty sentence.) The security guard entered the room, saw me taking selfies. He smiled and did a thumbs up. I smiled back and thumbs up back to him. Out of all the patrons, I was sooooo touristy. A bit embarrassing, too.
Fortunately, last minute, my guts urgently told me to hide my real jewelry and emergency cash. That it wasn't safe in the house. I contacted fave sis and asked her if she can come by and take it. This was the night before I flew. It is very obvious that someone went through all the cabinets. My checkbook, in the shelf, was moved to another location, in another room. It took me 2 days to finally find it....
I arrived home at 11:30pm. I was locked out. I had the key to the security screen doors but Not the wooden doors. Once oldest sis was awoken to let me in - she went on and on about the burner is broken, the kitchen window is stuck on high and can't close at all (rain and intruder can easily come in), etc... I tuned her out. I was tired. The house furnishings was rearranged, the bedrooms were dusty and I was sneezing galore... Oh... did I mention that the landline phone started ringing and it was buried behind a lot of rearranged furnishings. If there was a fire, it would be close to impossible to reach that phone hidden behind all those stuff!!!! … I wonder what my nephew took while I was gone?
El Paso TSA persons automatically spoke to me in Spanish (Mexican?) I totally did not understand what they said. Fortunately, I'm great at mimicking their hand gestures.... Just face forward and raise your hands up. Standing blocking your path with a wand? Oh, … just stand and don't move....
My mother now refuses to answer questions like "How are you?" and "Are you feeling well?" Three ways I get around this:
1 - Ask "Are you still feeling X?" Usually does the trick, but does not works always. Asking "Did you had any dificulties sleeping tonight?" will generate answer like "I've being taking medicines to sleep for ten years now. What a stupid question. I don't know what kind of son does not know blah, blah, blah."
2 - Complain about something minor. "It took hours for me to sleep tonight." may generate an answer about her night. Likewise "I think I am geting a cold, my head/nose is X". Anything more serious will cause her to shover me with questions and pills.
3 - Ask if she called an older friend latelly, and listen to the convo. Usually she will tell the person on the phone everything she is feeling. Be sure to rotate the friends.
Do you have any tip on this kind of situation?
Crying with laughter, Gershun, thank you :D
Halloween ended what seems an hour ago
Now everyone has started with the HO, HO, HO, HO, HO!
Christmas carols being pumped through the speakers
I can't even concentrate on picking out my sneakers
Make it go, make it go, make it go!
This year maybe I'll try to take it easy
But being round my siblings really makes my tummy queasy
I really need to invent a reason why I really just can't go
Maybe I'll just disappear and find myself some snow
I'll build myself a snowman, let him go there in my place
Then buy a tub of chocolate and really stuff my face
Make it go, make it go, make it go!
I know you all just couldn't wait for one of my cheesy Christmas poems.
I used to compose them for my Mom but now you all can suffer through them. :)
Your Mom would want for you to be happy.
So, what makes Lu happy? What are the things about the holidays that you love. It doesn't matter what the family agrees to, but what does Lu love? There are always going to be Scrooge's.
Do those things that you find joy in. Therein, creating traditions which you can hold onto, whether anyone else participates or not.
Your Mom would be very proud of you, finding joy in things you love.
Maybe you could start trimming the Christmas celebrations early this year, by planning to cut the work in half, start your own simpler traditions, simpler non-traditional meals, focusing more on an aging crowd, less on childhood traditions you recall growing up. Maybe even teaching others at church how to serve and wash dishes?
And cwillie...Maybe they make a Goo Gone for clothes.That stuff really works well for getting stickers and gook off of things.Maybe something like that would work or maybe a fabric store might have an idea.Good luck with that.
We've had a national grumble about poppies because of the anti-plastics drive - all those stalks and buttons going in the bin year after year. Can't see why they shouldn't be all paper, and if I had my way you wouldn't be allowed to wear them until Remembrance Day either. Can't stand the oneupmanship of I bought my poppy yesterday oh I got mine last week oo I've got a diamond and enamel one but I always buy extra when I see the sellers...
Grrrrr. I pay a small standing order to the Legion once a month and that'll have to do. Hate virtue signalling with a passion.
Another grumble: it's time for the annual stick-yourself-with-the-pin-from-your-poppy-oh-dang-I've-lost-another-one-it-must-have-fallen-off campaign. There must be a better way.
Your mother liked a Lady Gaga costume? That is so wonderful. She rocked!
We live in a Condo. No trick or treater's here!
Hope you get to make some chocolate cupcakes to honor your Mother's memory.
They will be extra moist this time because of the tears. That's okay, I will eat one.
Homemade is good!
Lol Gershun! You are joking, right? What are you handing out? What is your favorite treat?
Or, like I am doing, turn off all lights, close the blinds, pretend I am not home?
I would also like some rice crispie treats. I like them! Yum!
Going out later, I will buy some goodies on sale!
Several people came,but it was only about half the amount we had last year.It's rainy and cold here and a school night too,so maybe that's why.
I sure have missed Mother being here with me today.Halloween,Christmas,all the holidays were always made so special by her.. On Halloween,we always made chocolate cupcakes to hand out at the door together and I always helped Mom get into her Lady GaGa costume.Now,our house remains dark with the lights turned off.Every single thing as I knew it has changed.
IDK if it is because I live on the edge of town or if Halloween just isn't what it used to be but I got about my usual 20 kids, I didn't even get the crew that was collecting canned good for the food bank.