Spectacular Weather

The weather here has been pretty great.  Beautiful days.  But it has been a mix with some rain.  We missed getting much with the recent storms that saw some huge hail all around  us but nothing but a sprinkle here.  We did get a few more dead limbs from that freeze fall out of the trees from the winds.  The big ones are still hanging on.

We drove up to Bandera to visit with some long time friends we don't get to see much.  They offered to feed me ribs so I accepted.  This is my SPECOPs friend that I learn a lot from.  So down to earth for such a brilliant mind.  You can't help but like him.  And his wife compliments that.  We don't get to see them as much as we like as he is so busy doing doctor stuff.  The visit was great but we do get into talking about the things that bother us about how our world is going.  We are of like mind in that regard.  Neither of us stress too much about the things we can't control.

I've been pretty busy with minor chores around the house.  This cool dry weather just increases my energy somehow.  I start passing out on the couch even earlier than usual.  But I feel pretty good for some one with so many health things being an issue.  For that I am so very thankful and am reminded to give thanks in my prayers.

The youngest Granddaughter is here for a couple days and has been here off and on a little more than usual.  Her Dad is at a show in Las Vegas promoting his self published works and with Mom a teacher it doesn't work out so well for a four year old.  But we are glad to have her, she brightens things around here and makes us smile a lot.  What a blessing she is and has been.  

Things seem to be going OK for my Mom.  We have no real idea how her doctor visit went since she won't let any of us attend.  The transcript we wanted was useless.  It didn't even list the appointment scheduled for today.  Fortunately they call us as a reminder.  She is going to this one today by herself also.  We try to get her to write things down to ask the doctor about such as refills on meds etc.  She can't really tell us anything about her visit or about the meds he prescribed.  She absolutely doesn't want any of us there for those visits.  So we have to just turn her loose for now, there isn't much we can do without stressing her out more and causing heartache.  At least that is how it will go for now.

We are off to Costco with a huge list.  Chaching $$$

Happy Trails

Nothing Much-Grass Seed-Garden

It has been pretty quiet around here, just mundane chores around the outside mostly.  I have some Bermuda seed planted in the bad spots in the yard.  It has finally made an appearance after almost 2 weeks.  Thanks in part to the mixture of some rain and sunshine.  However it is not as abundant as I had hope for.  In the past all I did was broadcast it on the bad spots and watered it daily.  I did the same this time yet results are not as prolific as previous.  Evidently there is way too much dead matter above the soil for it to take root.  I should have scarified the ground more than I did.  Even though we have raked leaves multiple times, it appears to not be enough.  And I certainly didn't do it after spreading the seeds.  The instructions on the bag would have been a good place to start is seems.  So I will wait a few weeks for the new sprouts to take better hold and go back with more seed along with the increased scarifying of the ground where the seed has failed to get started.  I thought I knew what I was doing based on previous successful efforts.  

The garden is doing pretty great.  Tomato plants have gone into high gear with the rain/sun mix.  Although it probably could be better but the weather has turned off cooler and cloudier of late.  Onions are doing OK but my potatoes have exploded.  They were sprouting within 3 days of planting.  Last year it was more than 2 weeks.  No idea why the change.  I just plant 'em and give a little fertilizer and water and get out of the way.  I hope this is an indication the actual potatoes will develop into larger ones this time.  I used the gold variety again since the Russets last fall were a huge bust.

My Mother has a follow up doctor appointment today.  She insisted on going alone this time.  She apparently thinks 'K' or my Sister-in-law being there hampers things.  Unfortunately she remembers nothing from the previous visits.  She has not followed his previous instructions since she doesn't remember them and argues when she is told about them.  Hopefully he can get her to understand why he wants her to do the things he prescribed.  But she seems to be going in with a combative approach even though she remembers nothing but what we have told her.  We have taken measures to hopefully get the transcript of her appointment so things don't go to far off the rails.  Yes, he has someone record the visit.  Smart man since he deals mostly with elderly.

'K' surprised me with a road-trip request.  I was certainly not prepared.  I can't blame her.  We have been pretty much homebodies for the last 15 years and the stress of dealing with my Mother lately has added to the desire to get out of town.  However the place/time she chose is not conducive to avoiding hot weather.  I have offered a compromise for October.  Inviting some family would add to the fun and giving them more time to plan make it more appealing.  She thought that was a great idea.  I gotta try to keep from sandbagging us, but I'm a planner and 'K' is more a spur of the moment type.  I look at all the things that could be an issue, she looks at very few-just go and let things deal with themselves, I wish I could do that.  How we ever get along is a wonder.

Happy Trails

On The Roof Again

Sunday with the family was good.  Mom was a no show.  When 'K' spoke to her Saturday she said she had no recollection of saying she would come.  She was too tired to come.  

Trying to catch up on yard work is the constant theme this time of year.  Most of it is centered on raking and bagging a bajillion oak leaves.  I usually let them lay and hit them with the mower.  However, they are so thick and there is little to no grass after the brutal Summer and the 3 days of ice earlier this year.  I just had to get down a little further so I can plant some grass seed on the bare patches.  'K' loves to rake and bag leaves, it relaxes her she says.  Well OK don't let me stop you.  Yes I help but she really does a lot of it.  The big pile of firewood I got from all the broken limbs from the ice storm is finally making it's way to the back yard next to the other pile.  I have easily filled one of those 4' wood racks and could fill another 2.  This wood will need to cure before it's useable for fires or BBQ.  I had to climb up on the roof and remove the oak leaves and tassels from the roof valleys.  They get so full they can back up rain water under the shingles.  I don't want that again.  The tassels block the gutter covers and become useless.  It's not an easy thing to do for a wore out 70 year old to climb up on that roof.

Not much else going on...yet.

Happy Trails

Sold the Car and Easter

I got Mom's car sold to Carmax finally.  So that is off my shoulders.  Have you ever sold a car to them?  I was a little disappointed in the final result.  I used their online estimator that uses the VIN to tell then what the car is for the most part.  There were a few of the bells and whistles they did not have so I added those that I knew of.  I wasn't sure about some others.  The reason for that is they are all electronic and the operating system was much harder for me to operate than it should have been.  I didn't drive the car to try and find out all of those things.  So I got a number from their website and they actually make an offer right then that is good for a week or two.  I decided against accepting the offer in order for them to add any of the bells or whistles I wasn't aware.  Naïve? maybe so.  As it turns out it would have made no difference.  Their in person estimator and the buyers have final say despite the online offer.  A scam?  Maybe not.  I am sure there are plenty of folks that do what they can to bump the price offered by fudging a bit on things.  I wasn't trying to do that at all.  I just didn't know much about the car.  There were a couple minor things they dinged us for anyway.  Like a couple small dings in the door and a wheel that needed repair and some door panels that needed paint.  I thought it looked almost prefect but then I didn't look as close with a trained eye to pick out every little flaw.  I accepted their offer anyway, it was only 1500 less than the original estimate.  The biggest thing is Mom raised no objection to the lower price.

I had to remove and install a faucet in the bathroom last week.  We have a couple of Pfister brand faucets.  With the very hard water we have I have to either replace or clean the aerators regularly.  I didn't.  When I finally got around to removing them, no can do.  It broke since they all seem to use plastic ones now.  It had cemented itself to the faucet.  Pfister had previously sent me the replacement aerators.  Since I could not remove the broken ones, they honored their lifetime warranty and sent me two new faucets.  Good on them.  However I still have to deal with the plastic 'recessed' aerators.  I'll have to be more diligent.

We are gearing up to have the family over Easter to eat and let the kids hunt eggs.  We always invite Mom and she always declines.  She accepted!  So we have been hard at work trying to get the yard more presentable since the kiddoes will be out running around in it.  Coming up with what to eat has been a challenge all week.  I think we have finally decided on King Ranch Chicken.  I wanted to cook a brisket but the non-beef eater was an issue.  She isn't from Texas is my explanation for that.

Happy Trails

Our 'Off Week' LOL

It was a fairly busy week this past week.  Just catching up with things that had been left undone since we were so involved with my Mother's garage sale.  I grilled a couple ribeyes for 'K' and I to celebrate.  Three steaks and we got 3 meals out of them.  I believe they were better than my favorite steak house we usually go to to celebrate.  Even though they were expensive I think we got our money's worth.

April 1 Mom's house was move in day for the renters.  No going back like she threatened once or twice.  Actually this past week has been pretty good for her.  It seems she is getting better adjusted and is wanting to get more involved.  She has not been following the doctors orders on her new meds though.  She read the insert and thinks she knows better than her doctor about what she needs.  He wanted to wean her off valium onto this new med before having her memory test.  Now that is delayed.  She has always been a somewhat difficult patient.  

Thanks to those that have offered prayers and encouraging comments on our dealings with my Mother.  It is much appreciated.  

I have the title to my Mother's car in hand and have made an appointment with Carmax for Monday. I will be glad to get that thing out of the driveway.  I will need to clean it up a bit first.  I don't think it has ever been vacuumed out so I will get that done and stop at the car wash on the way to Carmax.  

I was trying to cut the back yard and the lawnmower just quit.  No sputter, no cough just dead.  Yet it would crank.  I managed to find a neighbor on FB that does mobile repair.  Perfect since I have no way to transport a lawn tractor.  He showed up the same day I called him.  Couldn't quick fix it like he thought so hauled it home to work on it in his shop.  Turns out the carburetor needed to be replaced.  Now it runs better than it did when I first got it.  Got the yard cut just after he dropped it off.

This is getting long so I will save the rest for a possible midweek post.

Happy Trails

Garage/Estate Sale is History

We had the garage sale for my Mother's remaining things this past Saturday.  Things went very well.  Lots of customers and we were able to unload a lot of her things.  Not a lot was made monetarily unless you count the furniture that was sold beforehand.  Then it was very good.  Today 'K' and my sister-in-law and maybe my brother are back over there packing up the left overs to donate.  I will head over later if they are still at it when I finish with the pest control guy.  

I also was able to find a neighbor that will come to your house and either fix your lawnmower or haul it to his shop.  Mine died Friday and I was not able to get it started.  He thinks it's a bad carburetor.  

We are looking for a little down time this week since our time won't be consumed by finishing with Mom's things.  I will most likely spend it working in the yard some more.  The high winds we had last week knocked some more big limbs down that were broken during the past ice storm.  There are still a few big ones up high I can't get to.  I will just wait on those too.  I have to cut those downed limbs up to dispose of what can't become firewood.  There are a lot of leaves that need to be addressed from all that along with the usual Spring loss that Oaks have.  I hope to also pick up some tomato plants and get them in the ground, most likely today if I am not needed at Mom's.  

The stress of Mom's thoughts being all over the map is telling.  That and the frustration of not being able to make her understand wears us out.  I don't want some of the anger I have seen ruin the so many good years we had with her.  Trying to stay positive and remind others this is not the real person we knew and loved.  Just a shadow of what once was.  I'm sure I fail.

My Brother and I shared a lot of our thoughts about the future and we seem to be pretty much on the same page.  I don't foresee any issues I have seen with families squabbling after a loved one passes.  Those things can tear a family apart.  

Happy Trails

Finally a Car Title-but not in hand

I finally managed to get the title to my Mother's car transferred to my name.  Unfortunately I won't get a copy for 3-4 weeks.  I had hoped they would print me a new one and I would be good to go.  Then I could take it to be sold the next day.  So now it sits in my driveway gathering oak pollen.  It has sat so long the battery needed to be recharged.  I will try to at least start it and let it run a few times a week to keep it charged up.  After doing some checking and talking with a friend that works at a car dealership in finance, Carmax is the best place to take a car to sell outright.  Hopefully there will be no delay with the title and I can get it out of our way.  

Mom, has had some good days lately, but the memory issues and some other things continue to crop up.  Another visit to that new doctor to get results of blood tests this week and maybe some new meds to help her will happen.  He said he could at least prevent progression of some issues.  I also hope more time getting used to where she now lives and releaving some of the stress of moving and being in an unfamiliar place will help.  She was surprised to find out other residents still had their cars and went places.  It was her argument to want her car to go and do things.  She didn't do that much going and doing before she moved here.  It's just the idea of having that thought of independence.  We assured her she wouldn't be able to find her way around the area especially with all the new construction nearly everywhere and how different things look every few weeks, not with just the highways but the massive growth in the area.  That seemed to satisfy her for the moment.  She got lost once in her own area where she lived her entire life but she denies that ever happened.  

We are one week away from the 'garage sale' at her house.  All the leftover furniture items and electronics have been sold now.  Mostly to family and the family that plans to rent the house.  They also asked about any left over items.  We planned to donate to any organization that would agree to pick up.  They offered to take everything and they would donate to their church benevolence program.  Whatever makes it easier for us.  I think all we have to do is box it or move it all to the garage area.  

I'm sorry if I have repeated other posts.  There is so much going on and I have not taken the time to verify what I have written previously.  I'm doing good just to post anything at all.  My back has also gotten quite a bit better although I did stay home from church again.  Those pews most always aggravate something in my back neck. I have nearly reduced completely my need for Ibuprofen but still wear a brace for anything upright.  Mostly just soreness and stiffness remains.  Walking Costco took a toll so I was pretty tired and sore from that.  A little at a time and not doing something stupid to aggravate it again is the key.  

Happy Trails