Happy Birthday Sloane...Sister Ruth

Good Morning Friends...

Our Greatgran Sloane had her 3rd Birthday on the 15th.  Time is really whizzing by!  There will be a Swim Party with birthday cake and swimming today on the 16th, Saturday. 

Time really just needs to slow down!

Finally got the microwave and stove installed!  You would think these things would plug into the wall on a 220 plug...NOPE!  A 110 line was needed!  No one had an adaptor, so Larry ordered it from Amazon...next day delivery.  Then, you know that blue tape that comes on appliances these days?  Well...it was glued to the metal!!  No telling how long this stove had sat in a hot warehouse to be melted to it in places!  Finally got it off using a wood stick!

Just for fun, Daughter Cystal and myself in 2019.  Done with the Grok app.

Sister Ruth Ann had knee surgery last Thursday, the 7 of August.  Stayed in hospital 7 days (for what should have taken a day and a half recoup period then, home) ...sigh...then was moved to a nice nursing/rehab facility to gain strength and mobility (staff at the hospital were glad to see her leave).  

Can't leave nursing home until she can walk on her own...  It's been another one for the books, let me tell you.  She has a pain threshold of a flea. She was on OxyContin and still was hurting...days rolled by...constantly complaining...chewed out a nurse...ignored people when spoken to...tried biting off my head but I firmly rebutted her...She's an ungrateful spoiled brat, and I told her so then shut my mouth and left.  

I figured, studying the situation, and with a lot of venting to my poor hubby, that if one of the strongest painkillers in the world wasn't touching the pain then we needed to reverse things!  I brought her 3 Aleve tablets the next morning...within about 3 hours she was much relieved of her pain.  I told the doctor what I had done, and he agreed that she was a most unusual case.  I seconded his musing...unusual, indeed!  

If you can't turn left, then turn right.   

Anyway, between the Aleve and physical therapy, she will hopefully get up and walk out of the nursing facility.  ...I'm tired...not from running around after her but her bouts with anger and "kiss my ring" attitude.  That morning, I had gone to the grocery...bought her her requested 12 pack of Coke...then to her place, checked on things, gathered fresh clothes, brought in her mail and porch packages, fed the feral kitties on the porch...drove back to the nursing home (stopping to grab a mocha with an extra shot of expresso) only to walk in on another of her sour faces..."Morning!" I said...

"And?", she says.... exuding contempt for all moving things, not once looking at me...this was Thursday.

 My daughter Crystal and Granddaughter Sam were with me on Friday...we were running errands for the party, so they said they wanted to visit her.

Then I noticed a woman in the hallway taking off all her clothes... yes, all. Yes, I ran to the nurse's station to tell staff what was happening...one lady said this was the third time...another sigh.

Could things be worse?  You bet they could!  So, I thank God that they aren't worse for us and say a prayer for that lady and her poor family.

This is another long journey...so many of these moments... too many to share.  I'm tired.  Nothing I do will ever change her...nothing...and that saddens me greatly.  So, I sit down, shut up (try to) and just do what needs to be done. We have Sloane's party to go to this afternoon...we need some smiles.

Anyway... Have any of you seen this magazine??  It was delivered to me.  Wow!  Montgomery Ward!  It's been years since I've thought of them.  The stores closed down years ago...bankruptcy, we were told.  It's great to see a comeback if only with an online store!  Daddy used to call it Monkey Wards...lol

Alas... just a bowl of soup.  I've been too busy to cook.  See above.

Hoping you all are well or healing.  Be safe and I'll see you soon .... Until then,

Eclipse...Toys, Surgery and Cherokee

Good morning, Friends...I'm sure everyone has had their fill of eclipse photos, by now.  Our grandson, William, took some with his Android phone and sent them to me.  Well done Will!  Beats mine! lol

Then...Remember I told you that Ruth Ann's knee surgery was to be last Thursday and if all went well...she should be home the next day at noon? Yes...well...we are talking about my sister who does things...her way and in her own time.  

 

William's photo...cool shot!

My photo...lololol...oh well.

It really got dark here.  The patio lights came on!

And of course, I had to edit Sloane's photo from color to black and white in honor of the last eclipse Larry and I will see, in our lifetimes!  The next one is 2044...I don't see myself lasting to age 92.  Maybe Larry, but not me.

Ruth Ann's recovery (in hospital) took 5 days...should have only taken a day and a half.  First, the pain medication, Oxycontin (!!!) made her sick...so there went a day and a half.  Then she decided several of the nursing staff were ugly to her...which in turn, made her less cooperative.  She wouldn't get up and walk!  Had to have two nurses hold her up to go to the bathroom...She and I had a few choice words for each other and several times, I had to leave the room and come home.  I was there daily...but there's only so much hard-headedness I can take.  Finally, by day 5, she was more than willing to get moving.  She got up and walked the hall just to show the rehab director what she could do.  If the director approved of her progress, she could go home.  Oh...did I mention it was raining that day?  Pouring, in fact?  No?  Well, it was.  It was adding insult to injury for me...lol...but I pushed forward.  Director approved and we were out of there.  It was pouring at her house.  Nothing for it but to slosh through it and get her into the house!  And she did it admirably...lolol...first step out of the car?  About 5 inches of water!  Couldn't help it...nowhere else to park that wasn't flooded.  The drive to her house was full of flooded roads and me turning around several times!  I finally went on an old gravel road we'd traveled since we were kids and splashed through.  Made it up the hill and then I had to stop the car at her gate...yes...I had to get out and open said gate.  Lightening made me hurry as well as the sideways rain...lol...oh yeah.

By the time we made it to her covered porch, we were soaked.   

Then later, after I got her settled in...she told me she needed a nap and that she wanted me to go home...fine, I went home...peeled off all my drenched clothes and started the wash.  About an hour later, she calls to tell me I needed to go get her medicine at the pharmacy...that delivers...but she doesn't like to do that...strange people delivered things to your house...that is unacceptable!  Well...by then, I found it really easy to tell her that when she called the pharmacy... to tell them to deliver her meds because I wasn't going out into the storm again!

She ended up calling and they delivered her meds...nothing else said to me about it.

Oh, and just so you know?  She's walking around just fine.  I wouldn't have ever left her if she couldn't walk, argument or not.

PS- Some of you may be wondering where my husband is while I'm dealing with my sister and her problems...He takes care of his 98yr old father...doctor appointments...house, yard...hospital, etc.  I refuse to ask him to come with me to basically, babysit my sister.  We just come if there's a real problem with either family member.  Otherwise, we give each other a break.  If we both were working, with both his dad and my sister, it would cause burnout really fast.  He's 76 and I'm 72.  We've learned to help each other out...when I come home, Larry has prepared whatever I need...breakfast, lunch or supper...housework.  I do the same for him.  We each, are there for one another.  It works.

One of the days I was there, I needed lunch...so I made my way to the cafeteria in the basement of the hospital.  Big mistake.  $12 dollars for this?  And by the way?  My diet is messed up so I'm having to start over...I'm 2 1/2 pounds up...  :o(

In other news...I bought a Zwilling pump.  LOVE it.  Now I can save fruit to eat 5 to 10 days longer than in just normal storage Ziplocs.  It pulls out all the air.  This glass bowl came with it and 4 different sized bags.  I also ordered extra bags.  You preppers out there would love this!  $102.  Well worth it...the food that it'll save us...will pay for itself in no time.  You can get just the unit, by itself, for $89.  But you'll need the reusable bags.

No more ruined bread before we can finish a loaf!

My granddaughter, Samantha, sent these photos of Everett (granson inlaw) finding these arrowheads on their land.  The Cherokee use to live and roam this area, years ago.  No telling what else he'll find if he keeps digging.

Well, now that I've written a novel for you today, I'll let you get to it...Have a sweet and peaceful day.

Until next time...

Bones and Sloane, Cooking and Keys.

Good morning, Friends...It's been a rather busy week for us.  Cooking, cleaning, Ruth Ann's knee surgery and Easter.  

Hope you all enjoyed the holiday and rejoiced in His gift of life...to us.

 

Sloane was, in particular, interested in what the rose smelled like...lolol

Very interesting! lol...  We think she liked it.  Her hands and face a bit dirty from running around the yard picking up bunny eggs...Why is the egg a symbol of Easter?  The eggs represent new life...so sweet.

Samantha, Sloane and Everett...

Sopapilla Cheese Cake... SO good!!  (There again, I got to have one tablespoon of it while family ate the rest.)

Air fryer "chicken fried steak"...Batter was egg wash and ground up pork rinds.  Good and satisfied my "crunch" desire.  And a very small amount of potato soup...I still lost weight.  You can have a cheat day, once a week...but I don't usually do it.

The G key on my new computer was hard to hit, causing me to make mistakes when I typed.

I popped the letter G off the board to see the problem.  The rubber key stop was misaligned...so, I placed a tiny bit of paper towel on top of the rubber then put the key back on.  Much better but sad that it's a new keyboard and I had to make the adjustment!

My roses are blooming everywhere!

Cinnamon rolls done in my Cosori  air fryer...Larry said he loved them!

Believe it or not...I am now down 7.7 lbs!  I'm pretty excited about it.  I just eat locarb or no carb...any kind of meat...cheeses...fish...occasional piece of fruit... Coffee with my usual creamer but I changed from regular sugar to monk fruit sugar.  It tastes just like sugar but it's healthy.  Pounds are coming off in ounces but that's fine with me.  I've had a few 1-pound losses but only two.  Slow and steady!  I don't want to have to do this again!  And I refuse to buy a new wardrobe!    And I continue to walk 3-5000 steps a day.  I'm far from being obese...not even close...but...when you feel fat...do something about it.  My sister, Ruth Ann, underwent knee surgery yesterday...her weight, over the years, caused her knee bones to grind on one another.  Now they're bone on bone...both of them.  I have to pick her up today from the hospital.  Hopefully, she did as the nurses asked and got out of the bed and walked.  We'll see when I get there.  The operation only took an hour!

Easter goodies for Sloane...

I made a banana pudding... (no, I didn't have a bowl, but I did enjoy a spoonful...lol...still lost weight and got to satisfy my tastebuds at the same time. 

Larry and family enjoy my baked goods.  Larry can just turn over in bed and drop 20 pounds...lol

When Ruth Ann gets nervous, she talks...constantly...to the nurses...doctors...holding them up from doing their jobs.  I had to finally step in and gain some control of the situation by "gently" reminding her that the more she held these people up...the longer she'd be there.  She took my meaning.  Her doctor finally stopped in before surgery, and before he left the room, prayed for her and his hands to be guided by God.  I loved it!  And it calmed Ruth Ann right down.  I also have her permission to take photos of her to post on my blog, only.  I have a Facebook account...have had since 2009.  I really don't post much over there anymore.  I'm finding some of the people I follow to be posting some silly garbage, games, memes...not from their lives...hence, I'm not there much...I just mainly keep up with a few sweet friends and family. And yes...If you're a blogger friend, I keep up with you!  

Well, I guess I've bored you enough this morning...I know you are excited to get to work or that laundry...lol

Have a bright and beautiful day!

Until next time...

Controlling...Trucks, Bad Cookie and Cake

Good morning, friends...

It's been another extraordinary week.  I'll try to make this short...lolol...right...

Ruth Ann had her reversal surgery then Larry had his surgeries...gallbladder and bladder.  I was running back and forth between the two rooms (same floor, thank God).  Ruth Ann got to go home first...I drove her home, got her in the house, fed, watered...lol...and put to bed.  She's able to do things on her own.  Okay...The next day, I brought Larry home...fed, watered and put to bed...then back out to Ruth Ann's...I do the usual routines, picking up meds etc., then back home to Larry.  

That afternoon, I get a feeling to call Ruth.  An EMS worker answers the phone!  "What?  Who are you??, I say..

"Your sister has fallen and couldn't get up"..."we're taking her to the hospital!'

(she was trying to get up into her HUGE A$$ truck to drive to the friggin' bank...she has not been cleared to drive for another 3 weeks!!)  She fell onto the ground.

Can you say stubborn?  

I'm so upset with her here...she knew better than to try to get into that devil truck!  But I'm keeping my mouth closed...you'd be proud of me...

Eight hours later, we're home.  They found nothing broken. Just low potassium..... I install her onto the sofa (she didn't want to sleep in her bed) ...and then I get a phone call from her the next morning, saying she's fallen again in her living room...

I can't get her up...so her handy man is called, and he gets her back up into her chair...lots of moaning and a few dramatic screams...She's not really hurt by the fall, she rolled...somehow...onto the floor...her knee hurt too much to use her foot as leverage to get back up. 

I look at her dead in the eye and say...enough.  It's time for a rehab center...she has to get strong again, somehow.  She agrees. (heat of the moment type, of agrees)

I spend ALL day Wednesday getting arrangements made... We have a dear neighbor that is a Nursing Home Administrator, and she did all the hard stuff for me (thank God for Tami ).

I then call Ruth Ann...What does she say??  "Nope, I'm not doing that...I will decide what I need..."

Friends, I am so tired...I love my family...I consider myself steadfast and loyal to a fault.  But when she said that to me, something inside me broke...I simply and quietly answered her with, "Oh, you will be going...of that, I have no doubt or...as you have told me so many times, "it's your life and you'll be the one to make all the decisions...and I will wash my hands of it all.  You'll need to find someone to come help you...I have my hands full with Larry."

( I have no immediate help here in town. Family lives almost 3 hours away)

Long hesitation...thinking about her chances of follow-through on my threat...

"Fine...fine...I'll go!'

It's the first time she didn't scream her words at me, in ages.  She's a screamer when she thinks she's losing control and I try hard to keep that fact in mind.  She has no friends...businesses are fed up with her treatment of them...she talks down to people.  She's even managed to run my daughter off... I usually end up calling them and apologizing for her...

Oh...and as her agreeing to go to the rehab center for two weeks?  She absolutely refuses...and I can't pick her up and put her in the car so...I simply and quietly tell her, "Okay".  "You know what? You are absolutely correct...It is your life...so I'm going to butt out.  You do what you think is right for you.  I've been trying to help you for over a year now...and neglecting my home...life...You have a plan?  Fine.  Go for it.  Get your hired help in and let them help you figure things out with you.  I love you".  

And that's how things stand right now.  Oh, I'll still stop in and check on things but as to her decisions?  They are all hers...I'm so done.  When I'm so tired I don't even know what day it is...it's time to stop.

So... if you've stuck with me this far, I thank you for letting me vent...it's been one long year...

As for good news, Larry's on the mend...He gets up and walks...takes his medicine without griping, tells me he loves me...now he's in the kitchen doing his best to make us breakfast.  If I see he can't do it, I'll intervene.  He loves to cook.   

Me and Ruth Ann...guess which is which...lolol

In other news, our granddaughter, Samantha, needed Gamma to make an Italian Cream Cake for a baby shower for her friend, Cortny, whom she's throwing a party for, on Saturday.  I managed to pull it together ( 3 layer, 8"X5" tall) then rested the rest of the day...nice.

You can be crawling tired but if you know your grandchild needs something (planned the cake two months ago), you make it happen. 

And I did...

Side note here!  I bought this at Walmart!  I love it !!!  It works and the smell is yummy!  Just like a fresh baked cookie!  No GMO garbage in it either...

And what's a post without my Sloaneygirl in it?  She's the one in the maroon onesie...blurry. They are about to have snack time in the classroom.  They are doing all types of things...I'm so happy the grandkids are able to afford this for her!  Aren't they all so precious? 

Our Sloaneygirl...styling.

Well, that's about it for me this week.  I'm sorry about the length of the post!  I know we all don't have time to read through novels...so...I'll end it here.

Until next time...