Anything but chillin' !

Our lives have changed so much since returning home from Florida.  Since being home, we have moved Mama into a very nice assisted living apartment and, this month, we moved her back out.  This week we moved her into a rehabilitation care nursing home.  Bummer!

She went from having an active lifestyle to sitting in a wheelchair or lying in bed--so quickly.  She was healthy and had always taken care of herself.  But a stroke can hit anyone no matter their health.  This last stroke has affected her left side and her brain.  She is slowing walking again (with help) but her brain has been damaged from these strokes.  She can't really carry on a normal conversation with us.  One moment she sounds okay then she takes a left turn into the twilight zone.  Right now, someone has to do everything for her.  That's pretty sad. 

Our days have been really busy.  We have this farm to take care of, our home, our vehicles, Mama's business, her laundry and whatever else our week holds.  We have been to visit her everyday that she was in the hospital, everyday before moving her into assisted living and several days a week after moving her in.  We have been everyday this week to check on her.  Yep, we've been doing anything but chillin', here lately. Maybe after this week, we can slow down on the visits to a few times a week.   She stays so confused anymore due to the brain damage.

I've never known a stroke patient and I'm learning a lot.  I'm learning to keep conversation simple.  Her brain can't process a lot of words.  No matter what she says, don't argue with her.  There have been a couple times she asked me who I was.  She takes a word from a conversation down the hall and thinks she needs to respond to it.  I tell her it's a nurse talking to someone else but she thinks every conversation she hears is to her or about her.  I feel like anymore, all I do is explain things. 

It could be any of us.  We better get our hearts right with God.  She's better off than a lot of people.  She may walk again without our help but some can't and never will.  She can speak and swallow but some can't.  I don't know if she understands when she hears a preacher speak anymore.  Can she even worship God anymore?  I don't know.  We never know what kind of shape we may find ourselves one day.  Be the best you can be now.  Tell God how much you love Him now.  

To all our children:  Let Grandmother's condition be a learning experience for you as it is for us.  Think of all the people you want to let know how much you appreciate them and love them and do it.
We are never guaranteed tomorrow.  Be kind and loving and understanding to everyone you meet.  God loves us all the same--even those running around with their pants falling to their knees--even those with tattoos all over their bodies and piercings all over their faces--even those who cuss you and treat you like crap when they don't even know you--even those who would lie to you, cheat you, rob you and kill you.  God loves them all.  (Hey, I'm talking to myself the same as you guys!)  I'm the worse to think bad of someone who appears to be a loser and living off of other's hard work. That's wrong on my part.  Who am I to judge another?  Like our pastor says, "Not everyone has signed on with Jesus yet, so we can't judge them for not living like Jesus."  There's a lot of wisdom in that statement.  So with that, I'll say
Check ya' later dude and dudettes!

IT'S SPRING!

This past week we were able to be at home and take care of some much needed chores.  We had some trees topped, we pulled up some shrubs the deer had killed during the winter (like 12 or 13), Mike got the lawn mowers ready for mowing (maybe this week), the cars are all washed, the motorcycle is on its way home, I was able to get all our tax papers ready for the accountant and our budget prepared for 2016, we even had an opportunity to sit out in the swing for a while.  It has been a busy week and a lot of things got done. 

Mama is settled pretty well in her new home.  She seems to be really enjoying it.  She gets three really good meals a day and she doesn't have to worry about taking her medicines because the nurses there give them to her.  She has no worries.  We do her laundry every week.  They do her cleaning.  Mike and I are thinking about moving in too.  (Not really) 

Right now Mike has gone to fill all the gas cans for mowing and I'm cleaning house.  Can't you tell?  Well, I did do some cleaning and now I'm taking a break. 

I'm so happy that spring is here even though you can't tell it by the cold.  Yuck!  Come on warmer weather. 

Our peach trees in bloom.  They're just miniature peach trees that produce peaches but not edible peaches.  During the summer months, they just have pretty green leaves all over.  But for now, they're beautiful.  That's all we have blooming except for the buttercups at the edge of the woods. 

Yes, this week is starting out nice.  I don't even have a headache.  That's rare.  I've had a headache every day since we got home.  Some really bad ones too.  But we take the good with the bad.  We had to leave the sun and warm temperatures early to come home to help with Mama.  But now she is in a good place and she is doing well.  God is always at work in everything to conform us to Christ's image.  (I got that out of Charles Stanley's book)  It's the truth, though.  God works all bad things for good for those who love the Lord. We just heard from one of our friends in Punta Gorda that something bad happened in the RV park we were in that has caused a lot of people to not go back next year.  We don't know what that something was but the Lord brought us home early.  We missed the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad thing.  Thank you, Lord.  If we hadn't come back when we did, that opening at Richland Place may have been taken and Mama may not have gotten to move in and she needs this place.  It's good for her. 

We never know what the big picture is but God does.  We may be sad because we are made to do something not in our plans but God may be protecting us from something we'd rather not go through.  He is always at work in our lives and I need to keep my focus on Him more.   

Well, that's all for now . . .

Bad eating habits!

We have been working at home all day.  It's been nice.  Mike worked outside and I worked on tax preparation.  Yuck!  I don't like having this hanging over my head so I wanted to get it done and my sheet of expenditures and earnings all typed up.  Our appointment isn't until next month, but hey, I want to be ready well in advance.  I mean we're into March already and I have to get those months all totaled for 2016 taxes.  It's a never ending cycle. 

Right now, we're inside where it's cozy and it's so quiet.  Nice.  I even cooked our dinner today.  We had a pasta dish with asparagus and peas and chicken all mixed in.  It was good and not too filling.  We now have enough left overs from this weekend and today that I shouldn't have to cook at all for a while.  Nice.  I'm trying to keep from eating out so much.  We eat out way too much according to our expenditures for 2015.  Of course, we were on the road for a few months and I hardly cooked at all then.  But with this new motorhome, I found myself cooking more.  I enjoyed it.  Since we've been home, however, we've been eating out too much.  Of course, again, in my defense, I've been really busy with my mother and no time for cooking.  Last week, we were able to buy groceries for the first time since we've been home and I'm trying to cook more.  I do enjoy it when I have the time. 

We put too much emphasis on food.  What a waste of money!  Mike and I don't need all that food.  We need to cut back and lose some major pounds.  Most times, it's not how much we eat, but what we eat. Sometimes where we are, it's hard to find veggies so we wind up eating burgers, Mexican, bar food and all that good tasting stuff that's really, really bad for your body. 

Needless to say, we didn't lose weight while in Florida this winter even though we walked a lot.  So, for 2016, we need to concentrate on our eating habits.  What?  Yeah, that's right, no more ice cream at night with cookies.  No more burgers and fries or barbecue and fries, or fish and fries or shrimp and fries or oysters and fries.  Well, you know, fries are made from potatoes and potatoes are veggies.  Okay!  Okay!  No Fries!

So this week, we're eating healthier.  I can even make us a salad.  We love salads but usually with all the trimmings that maybe aren't so healthy for us.  I keep thinking about all the things I like to eat that taste so good but just aren't going to help us lose weight.  I have to change my way of thinking. If I just quit one thing for a few weeks, then maybe I wouldn't want that thing again.  Then I could cut out one more bad eating habit for a few weeks.  So on and so on.  Then, finally, we would be on the right track and surely to goodness, lose some weight.  Then the exercise would help us too.

As Philippians 1:6 says:  "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

My confidence comes from the Lord.  All I need do, is look to the Lord Jesus who overcame way more than I'll ever have to. 

My thought for the day:  I am sure to lose weight because of Christ in me!

Where am I?

That's how it's felt lately especially in the middle of the night if I had to get up.  I've been at my mother's so much lately that if I actually got to come home to sleep at night, I would actually wake up and not know where I was.  I would sit there and then say, "Oh yeah, I'm at home". 

We came home from Florida about six weeks early because Mama was having strokes.  My brother works downtown Nashville so he couldn't stay with her day and night.  So from the day we arrived home, that's what I have been doing. 

In the senior living apartment complex where she lived, guests were not allowed to stay with a tenant full time.  Mr. Lynn, the administrator, was very nice.  I kept him informed of what was going on and he never said anything to me about staying with Mama.  But I couldn't move in, I have a home with my husband.  She didn't want to live with us because we are too far away from help if she needed an ambulance.  So we all decided to move her into assisted living. 

It just so happened (of course, we realize it was God's work) that Richland Place in Portland had a nice vacancy.  We were able to move her right in last weekend.  She spent her first night alone in her new apartment Tuesday of this week.

The first night there, she managed to spray water from the huge walk in shower all over her bathroom floor and then proceed to fall down in it.  Thank God, she didn't hurt herself.  Then Wednesday night, we received a call between midnight and 1:00 A.M. that she was having another stroke and they were taking her to the hospital.  So Mike and I drove to Gallatin and sat there until after 5:00 AM when they decided they were doing all they can for her and this may happen now and then or maybe not.  No way of telling.  She will just have to live with it.  They sent her home.  So we got home around 6:00 AM.

I have to be really sick to sleep in the day time. So yesterday was a bummer day and on top of that I had a headache from the rain.  So her first two days in her new home she had two incidents.  We did not receive a call last night so I hope all went well.  Yesterday, afternoon when we stopped in to see her, she seemed to be doing well. 

Her apartment is smaller and she had to get rid of quite a few things. But her apartment is so cozy and warm and looks so inviting.  She was able to keep her sofa, recliner, some small end tables, and a small chest for her clothes.  We did have to put a twin size bed in there for her but it's wrought iron and looks very pretty.  Everything looks very nice.  She even has French doors that walk out onto a huge covered patio which she will share with the lady who lives next door to her.  So we put a small iron table out there and she has a couple chairs to put out there.  Nice.

This place is wonderful.  They have a large dining room where Mama can go eat all her meals.  No more cooking!  They actually come in three times a day to give her her medicines.  AWESOME!  I was worrying about whether she was taking it right.  They come in and check on her every two hours day and night (because she said they could).  They wouldn't do that if she didn't need them to. But how nice that they do for the present.  She says that she never knows they come in during the night. 

She can keep her apartment locked, which is very nice.  That makes us all feel safe and secure.  They have a large recreation room downstairs with activities going on all day every day.  Every morning at 9:30 she goes to exercise class.  YAY!  On Sundays they have church in there.  They even have Bible studies during the week.  They have a beautiful library but she can't see well enough to read books so she gets audio books from the blind institute. I, though, would love this library if I was living there. 

The laundry is next door to her apartment and they will help her with her laundry.  They even clean her apartment.  All she has to do is live her life.  No more worries about meals, cleaning, anything.  She had quit cooking her meals after her stroke.  So if we didn't cook for her or take her out, she didn't get a good meal.  That's one reason I had to stay with her to make sure she ate. Then, again, the stroke scared her to the point she was afraid to be alone. 

This place even has a salon in it where she can walk into and pay someone to cut, color, or perm her hair.  Maybe, even do manicures and pedicures. 

We still haven't yet had a day when we didn't have to go over there to do something for her (like wait for the phone guy to get her phone hooked up) or take her personal items needed from the store, or something like that.  I'm waiting for the day when I can stay at home all day and actually get something done here without having to run into Portland.  That hasn't happened yet.  But, there's today.  Maybe. 

Our house is a mess.  I need to clean.  We came home and put the motorhome under cover and haven't even yet unloaded it except for some clothes and the food.  We still have that to do.  I have all my paperwork from 2015 to complete for taxes to be filed.  After being home for over two weeks, we just, day before yesterday, had the opportunity to go to the grocery store.  I need some "us at home" time.  Mike's been awesome.  He has been right there with me every step of the way.  What a wonderful husband God has blessed me with.  Thank you Father! 

This is the first opportunity I have had to turn on this computer.  When we do come home, we are pooped and it's usually late.  So for now, that's all I have to say and I'm ready for my morning cup of tea.  so

Yeah!

It's been a while

Yeah, we've been pretty busy lately trying to get all the supplies ordered and in to start our trek home.  My mother has been having some small strokes, so we came home early to help her. 

It's a whopping 28 degrees this morning.  BRRRR!  We arrived home yesterday afternoon. 
We went to visit Mama and were greeted with several old friends when we pulled back into the driveway.  Evidently, the deer have been having a great time here because we started seeing several together from Jesse's backyard all the way down the driveway.  This picture was taken in the last curve of the driveway to the house.  I wouldn't be afraid to bet there were 30 plus deer out there in different little groups.  They were everywhere on both sides of the driveway. 

 

We want to thank Joey and Jesse for taking such good care of the place while we were gone.  When we walked in yesterday, it was like we had just walked out the day before.  The heat was on and it felt good in here.  It looks very cold outside and we've got to start unloading the motorhome.  Oh well, no rush.  I'll get the fridge stuff and maybe quit.  We have to go to Mama's again today and take her to the doctor.  We have to find a new place for her in assisted living.  Bummer.  She can't live by herself anymore, the doctors say.  She can't live with my brother because he works.  She doesn't want to come out here because we are so far away from ambulances and everything that makes her feel safe.  I believe they have had to call an ambulance for her every night since she's been out of the hospital.  We didn't get any calls last night, so it must have gone well.  We hate what she's going through.  I believe she's scared.  I would be.  She wants to be somewhere she can get immediate medical attention if needed.  So would I. 

We left the Harley at Ben and Malorie's until we can get it shipped home.  Malorie had a fun ride before we put it in the garage. 

Some pictures we took in Ft. Myers right before coming home.

 

Well, so long sunny Florida.  See you later, gator. 

 

 

Super Bowl Sunday

It rained yesterday all evening and again this morning.  The wind has been really strong here and my bike was blown over and buried in the mud. 

 

Yeah, pretty nasty.  So we got in the jeep and drove over to Ft. Myers Beach.  We stopped at Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grille for lunch.  They had two pages of rums they serve but we didn't have any.  The food we did have was really good. 

 

We both had a sandwich and brought half of both home for later.  Their clam chowder was AWESOME!  They had a really great bread pudding--banana bread with chocolate pudding and caramel with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  Yum Yum! 

The restaurant is owned by a man by the name of Randy Wayne White (my brother's name).  This Randy is an author.  He writes a series of books about a marine biologist who worked for the CIA by the name of Doc Ford.

Any way, I thought that was pretty neat.  Mike has been reading one of his books since we have been down here but I haven't yet.  I think I will though.

We also drove through Pine Island.  Love the shops and colors.  All in all it was a pretty good day. 

It is pretty chilly here--down in the 40's at night and about 60 during the day.  Jeans and jacket weather.  We are at home watching the pre-super bowl stuff now.  So for now, we are just . . .

Yep. 

 

Day 3 and counting!

What's been going on in the past few days.  We have been going to the pool.  It's been in the 80's here so we're taking advantage of the sun.  While Mike was in the pool, I took pictures of lizards playing on his flip flops.  Lizards are everywhere here.  We will probably wind up bringing some home on our motor home somewhere, along with white frogs. 

 

 

 

We took a motorcycle ride with some of the friends we have made in our rv park.  There were nine of us but along the way, we picked up a guy who just happened to see us going by and pulled his Harley in behind us.  We invited him to join us for lunch.  He turned out to be a very nice guy and we all enjoyed his company. 

 

We found a new Italian restaurant that we loved! 

We heard from our good friends who are visiting Florida.  They went to Key West. 

 

Well, family and friends, we will be leaving this rv park the end of February.  This is day 3 and counting.  Did I say, we hate this park?  Yeah, we can't wait to leave.  We have met some fine people.  We have had a great time with them.  We are still having a great time talking with the people in here.  But this park is nasty.  There were eight campers who pulled out of here the first day of February and ALL but two had to be pulled out with a big truck. 

 

I'm going to think positively about February.  Little to no rain.  The slush will dry up.  We will be able to pull out of here with no problems.  So far February is looking up.  Actually, I shouldn't complain at all.  The Lord has taken care of us so far with all the rain.  We have managed quite well.  So I can handle watching where I walk and the water still standing at the back of our camper.  We personally, are quite fine.  I'm also doing great with my allergies.  Thank you, Lord.

 

To my brother, Joey--(a week late).

Wow!  Are you really 55? 

Hope you took the time to celebrate.  Love you.

 

 

So, now for the rest of February . . . .