Where have I been...

I've been negligent about posting to my blog. I've had little computer time lately. Dad is settling in nicely at the assisted living place, but I've been busy making trips to NJ. The house sold and I've been busy making arrangements for an estate sale. My son's girlfriend went back with me last week and we worked like dogs getting everything organized. Took two days off and went into NYC. She had never seen the city before. We went up to the top of the Empire State Building, rode around NYC in a double decker bus, visited Grand Central Station, Ellis Island, and the Statue Of Liberty. We got back on Tuesday and on Wednesday I hurt my hand. It's been swollen ever since and I'm having trouble typing. I'm starting to think I might have broken a bone in my hand. At least it's the left one and I'm right handed. I'd better give it a rest now...

I'm back...

Actually, I've been back since last Sunday evening. Just too busy. My Dad is now somewhat settled in assisted living here. His furniture should arrive next week, so with the holiday and getting him unpacked I might not be around much. One of these days things will settle down again.

While organizing my Dad's house I found my mother's wedding gown. It's 63 years old and in amazingly good condition. I also found old checkbooks from 1947-52. Amazing what things cost...fuel oil was eleven cents a gallon! The house is on the market now and we'll go back and clean out things when it sells. Another big job ahead!

I'm worried about my 18 year old cat. I'm afraid she's starting to go down hill. I need to take her back to the vet for more blood work. She's down to five pounds. I've known for the last 18 months that her renal numbers were up a little. I suspect they've gone up more. I don't want to lose another pet. We lost our other 18 year old cat in April and our 15 year old dog in May. All this while I was dealing with my Dad's move. I now know that I can live with an amazing amount of stress. Good to know...I guess.

Gotta run...

No time to blog...

No time to blog. We leave for the airport in a little while. My Dad, husband, and I are flying back to NJ to try and make arrangements with a mover, hopefully have his things packed and picked up, and list the house. We'll be back on the 25th. I might be too tired to post...I'll need a day or two to recover. :) Until then...

I'm kinda tired...

Ran around today. Went to Wal-Mart and bought some things for Dad's assisted living apartment. Took him over and we got the kitchen area set up. They put in the loaner furniture and he said he'd sleep there on Tuesday. Now he says he doesn't want to...he'd rather be here so he can watch the White Sox on MLB.com. I told him I could pick him up tomorrow after dinner, bring him here for the game, and then take him back. Dinner is from 6-7, so that might not work. I think the game comes on at 6:00. Oh dear. He loves those White Sox...this could be a problem. :) I need to go check the White Sox schedule. Wish me luck!

Sunday...day of rest?

Dad and I went to church this morning. On the way home we stopped at the car wash and had my filthy car washed, and then we had a second breakfast at Panera Bread. I love Panera Bread! I even E-mailed them and asked when they'd open a place here. It took a while, but they finally opened up a place near the mall.

I downloaded yesterday's Chicago White Sox game for my Dad. He watches most of their games at MLB.com, but yesterday's game was blacked out. It was a close game, so we downloaded it and he watched today. He's been a White Sox fan since he was around 12 years old. He and his friends each picked a team to root for and he picked the White Sox. They've never had a more loyal fan. My father has never lived in Chicago...he's only been there two or three times in his life. He's always lived in a suburb of NYC and it would have been easy to be a Yankee fan, but he hates them. Although he's getting more forgetful he studies the sports section of the newspaper daily and remembers everything about the Chicago White Sox. When he sits in front of the computer screen and watches his beloved White Sox he's that 12 year old boy again. I am so grateful to the Chicago White Sox for bringing so much joy into my Dad's life...and that's coming from this Houston Astros fan!

I'm blogging

I'm blogging. Another new word for my vocabulary. I guess the rest of the world started doing this five years ago. On an average I'm five to ten years behind the times.

I tried to add a picture last night...it didn't work. I think my picture was too big.

My Dad is sleeping in this morning and I'm enjoying a few quiet moments. The assisted living place is going to loan us some bedroom furniture so Dad can move into his apartment before his furniture arrives. That's good. We're going back to NJ next Friday to get a mover. One mover said they'd pick his stuff up, store it, and move it in July. That's probably the best we'll be able to do. So, Dad will probably move into the assisted living place on Monday. We need to go out and buy him a small kitchen table and chairs this weekend. We'll loan him a few things for the living room. I'll be glad when his things finally arrive. It will be more like home then. He's going with us to NJ on Friday so he can see what he wants to bring. He's looking forward to going back. We also have to get the house listed. Everything will get cleaned out when it sells. That will be a BIG job.

I feel bad about the house. It's the place I grew up in. We moved in when I was three years old. It was where my mother lived and a piece of her still remains as long as the house and all my parents things remain.

I think Dad just got up. I'd better run...

Stressfully yours...

I've led a sheltered life. This blog stuff is new to me...old to everyone else. My E-mail friend, Karen, suggested I start a blog. I decided it would be a good way to vent...and lately I need to vent.

I'm in the process of moving my 87 year old father to assisted living nearby. He's not happy, but I've been worried about him for a couple of years. He's been living independently, but showing more and more signs of forgetfulness. When he came for a visit he wandered...one time outside early in the morning. I knew then that it was time. I feel terrible about disrupting his life, but there's really no choice.

We found a place for him to live. It checked out well with the state and I feel real good about it. Unfortunately, it's going to take a while to move his furniture. This is a terrible time to move. All the movers are booked through June. Nothing is ever easy!

He's been telling my friends that I'm a "pain in the ass" which breaks my heart. I'm trying so hard to make him happy, but deep down inside I know that's an impossible task.

Stressfully yours, DayDream