It Could Be A Lot Worse.

I saw that somehow I had a blank post.  Not sure what happened.  I had a post almost complete and hit something and it went away, everything.  Tried again and same thing.  Not sure what I am hitting while I type that causes it.  Tried again and got a few lines down and just decided to not post.  I assume that the blank post was part of all that.  So I try again.  I doubt I will remember much of anything I was posting so this is all new.

Things are just not going the way I want them to.  My brother came to the realization no one had access to my parent's bank accounts other than my parents.  Mom had added he and I to one account then closed it a few months later.  She wanted to add us to her other accounts also but it all got forgotten.  This was a big deal to her at the time.  In case something happened to them, she wanted us to be able to pay for things they might need, such as health care or a facility of some sort.  My brother called to see if I wanted to go with him and Mom to get this done ASAP.  The stress Mom is putting herself under is taking it's toll.  She thinks she has had a small stroke.  If something happened to her, we wouldn't be able to pay to keep the care continuing for Dad.  He was in a rush.  That all got taken care of yesterday.  So that is a relief.  Mom still hasn't come to the realization she needs to get him better care, full time.  Not just the couple hours in the morning and evening.  She was not having any of that when my brother told her that she needed to get him onto a facility.  I don't know what will be the final straw.

'K's' foot is doing really well she is walking around without the walker quite a bit more.  This is very encouraging after all that she has gone through.  She still gets plenty sore but is careful not to do too much.  We don't see the doc until early August.  Not sure what comes next.  Maybe he changes this inflatable cast to some other boot and add the physical therapy he says will be needed.  We are trying to do this by the book so we don't have any setbacks.

I had planed to go be with my cousin that is having surgery for cancer on his pancreas this morning and then take 'K' with me to Mom's to sit with Dad while Mom ran some errands and give her a break.  I woke up with my stomach doing flip flops and low grade fever.  I have had this fever off and on for three days.  No other symptoms other than my usual aches and pains.  I figured it best not to expose my cousin to whatever I may have and same for Mom and Dad.  

I have been power washing the front of the house to remove the mildew and dirt that has caked up over the years.  I used to do this regularly.  The older I have gotten, I put off tasks like this more and more and eventuality just forget about them.  A lot of that is because of the aches and pains, they deter my desire to do things like that more and more.  However I got this done and I was pretty happy with how it looks now.  I thought we needed the house painted as it's been twelve years since I painted it and it was looking like it needed it.  Now that it has been power washed I see that the paint is still in good shape.  So I can put off that expense for a year or two.  I will have it done the next time.  

There's more whining I could do but I'll stop for now.  It could be a lot worse.

Happy trails.

Tuesday or so

I'm pretty sure it's Tuesday.  I have been so busy I am losing track of what day is what.  Being retired, that happens a lot.  I don't really care what day it is or what time.  I stopped wearing a watch the day I retired.  But knowing the day is the most important thing.  Certain things happen on various days, like the trash pick up.  I don't want to miss that.  Church, not missing that either.  Then there are various appointments that may come up and days to avoid going into town.  Friday and Saturday is a no go for me.  

I took 'K' over to Mom and Dad's this morning.  No idea what the plan is as far as how long she will stay.  She plans to stay as long as she feels needed.  With 'K' that could be tomorrow.  She is there to help out where she can, but the main focus is to calm my Mom's frayed nerves.  Apparently she is now mad at my brother.  Also if she needs to run some errands and just get away for a bit 'K' can stay with my Dad.  'K' is a very calming influence on my Mom and is able to get through to her most of the time.  Did I ever tell you what a blessing she is to me and the whole family?  

I had posted some pictures of my new lawn tractor and the old tractor.  Offering the old one to anyone that likes to tinker since the engine and tranny still work.

I didn't really expect anyone to bite.  Who wants someone else's junk/problems?  AmIright?  Apparently a old coworker I haven't spoken to since I retired wants it.  That will be doing me a favor.  One less thing I have to find someone to haul off.  

Right now I have been outside spraying down the front part of the house where the rock has turned green with whatever it is.  Algae, mildew, a combination of both?  I have to let it sit for a few minutes and then wash it off.  It has really gotten bad with all the wet weather we have had this year.

OK I went out and tried to wash it off, here are the results....ugh

This is the bottom of my garage door, AFTER treating it:

And on the window sill:

I think the limestone rock is too porous and won't come clean at all.  I have power washed it before with almost no effect.  I don't hold out much hope of getting this off.  'K' will be displeased.  I am hoping the power wash will work better on the steel garage door.  If not, I see scrubbing in my future.  

Time for some lunch.....Happy Trails

This!!!!

I ran across this yesterday and thought it was one of the best things I have ever heard in regard to gun rights.  Now he is running for Lt. Governor of North Carolina.  This is patriotic passion at it's finest.  His announcement for running for office is great also.  I wish I could vote for him.

Here is his announcement video:

Mark Robinson video

Happy Trails

Overwhelmed

I am meeting my self coming and going.  I can hardly keep up with everything this week.  I'm sure everyone has weeks like that.  Hopefully next week won't be as busy.

All I have are updates today.  We were able to go see my dad yesterday.  The visit did not go very well.  Dad seems to have lost his will.  He has issues understanding when you talk to him.  His hearing is very bad even with hearing aids and now it takes him even longer to try and understand what you said.  some of that is confusion.  He is sleeping a lot.  He is not eating much at all.  Part of the reason for our visit was to take him one of his favorite meals, beans and cornbread.  He ate more of that then he has anything else for the past couple weeks.  All of this is a huge burden on my Mom.  It has made her very emotional and she has trouble thinking of what she needs to do.  In fact it makes her try to do too much.  Overthinking if you will.  It was very hard to see how she was.  This may kill her before my Dad passes.  He was actually doing better than everyone was telling me.  At least better than I expected after gloomy news.

My surgeon released me Tuesday.  My cavern on my chest has closed.  By that I mean you can't see red meat anymore but there is a huge dent, divot, crater that is far from filling in.  At least I can stop with the adhesive bandages and give my skin there a break.

Our garage fridge quit working.  I don't hear the fan motor running at all.  We scrambled to make room in the house fridge this morning to get all the frozen meat from outside in to this one.  A lot of that meat was starting to thaw.  Glad I caught it when I did.  We managed to get it all in there.  We will wait a bit to see about getting a repairman out.  It's an older used fridge we got about a year ago.  I don't want to spend a lot of money so this may just go away in time and see how we do without and extra fridge.  We use it mostly for frozen meat (venison etc.) that we have on hand most of the year.

My lawn tractor arrives today, in fact they called as I was typing this and will be here in 12 minutes.  That is one thing off my plate.  I also ordered a battery powered chain saw.  I have need for something shall to help cut up limbs I removed from the trees on occasion.  I didn't want a gas powered one.  I don't use them enough to keep it running well.  It would sit so long the carb would clog up.  So I chose the battery powered and it is supposed to be lighter.  

The roofer comes back for payment tomorrow.  The insurance will need to send me the rest of the recoverable depreciation.  They probably won't have sent it before he gets here.  He's a good guy so I don't see any problems there.  He will also do a final inspection of the work.  This is the only company I have ever used that does that.

Gotta go the tractor should be here in a couple minutes.

Happy Trails

She Got a New Boot

Friday K had her appointment with the Podiatrist.  This is approximately 4 weeks after the surgery on her heel.  We were hoping she would get put into a walking boot.  She did get one and we are glad of that.  So she is progressing on schedule.  This boot is taking some getting used to.  There is pain now when she walks and she is very unsteady on it.  They also cautioned her to be VERY careful and not to fall.  They made her somewhat fearful so they must have really stressed that.  She has been very tentative in doing anything at all on it and is still resorting to her knee scooter.  I just need to be patient and let her do what she wants and not try to push her beyond what would help her get back to normal.  

My newest Granddaughter turned 5 months earlier this week.  But she is in Arizona with the other Grandparents.  They have not seen her since she was born, well except for Skype.  I had suggested to them that we would keep her with us while they went to Arizona so they could relax.  They weren't buying it.  So I am missing my weekly visits with my little nugget. 

I told y'all about my closest cousin and his episode with prostate cancer a while back.  It turns out now that he has pancreas and liver cancer.  I am having a hard time wrapping my head around that one.  I am very concerned.  We had spoken a couple weeks ago and he told me that the doctor told him it was not cancer.  I only heard this latest news in a text message from his wife.  I don't know what to make of that.  I am sure it was pretty devastating.  I am trying to get the courage to call him.

Also, a fairly close friend had a one car accident.  Apparently he had a seizure.  They took him to the ER and found a naval orange size tumor in his brain.  He had surgery this week and is on the mend.  However, this tumor was cancer also.  They knew when they took it out that it was malignant.  They had to take him for an MRI before they closed him up to see if they got it all.  They had to go back in.  I am very concerned for him and his family.  

My Dad is supposed to be released from Rehab Monday.  Mom has been looking for a facility to place him in.  She won't be able to care for him as he hasn't progressed in the rehab.  At 3500-4500/month, she was frantic over what she would do.  She happened to mention it to one of the nurses at the rehab facility and the nurse told her about a Medicare program that will pay for most of an in home care program  It's like a hospice but without the impending death that we all know about.  It's still not cheap at 1800/mo but this is a better option than anything she has found so far.

Lots of prayers have been offered this week.  And they will continue.

Happy Trails

Busy Week

The roofer started Monday.  All day of that pounding on the roof K had to endure inside since she is still pretty immobile.  It was hard to even hear our own words at times and much less the TV, which is K's sole outlet.  Today they are back and will finish up.  It shouldn't take as long as yesterday.  They were here 12 hours hitting it hard in that heat.  Getting this done will be one less thing to have on our plate.

Today I take K over for a needle biopsy.  The closer it gets the more prevalent it is in my mind.  No, not worried, although I am concerned for the pain she will endure.  I hear they are extremely painful.  Luckily we have some good stuff left over from her surgery.  She isn't worried too much either but it is there.  Why wouldn't it be?  Her Mother passed from breast cancer in her early 50's.  

I have got to get to the grocery store today.  We have needed to go for some time but with everything going on I haven't been able to take the time to do that.  I don't want to leave K here alone too long and especially with the roofers here.  They come ask questions a few times and she can't get up to answer them.  I did sneak out for a little bit yesterday to look at the lawn tractors I had in my sights.  Research can only do so much.  As it turns out, the one I had initially thought would be the good choice is much less desirable than I thought.  The Home Depot employee just happened to be a friend I worked with before I retired and he gave me the low down.  Lowe's was next.  The employee knew even less than I did about the one I was considering there after the one at Home Depot was eliminated.  I finally eliminated that one and picked a cheaper model that is almost identical to my current one.  I am pretty sure that will be my final choice.  I just have to find the time to go back and purchase it and then have it shipped.  It's much to heavy for me to try and get it home now even if I did have my truck still.

I've got a couple appointments with the docs tomorrow and then one next week with my surgeon.  I am hoping that will be the last appointments for a while.  Oh, and K has one with her podiatrist Friday.  We are hoping they will put her in a walking boot then and get her more on her feet and off that knee scooter.

My Dad is still in rehab and from what I hear it is starting to wear on him quite a bit and is pretty grouchy.  This just makes it harder on my Mom and adds to her worry.  He will probably be out of Rehab before we can get over to see him.  WE just can't do it all.

Happy Trails

Friday and Almost Yard Work and Roofer Coming Finally

Friday, the day after our 44th anniversary.  Yes, we got married on the 4th.  We had a very quiet July 4th except for some fireworks from the neighbors.  They are a younger crowd and don't to care about the quiet we have learned to love living out here.  Since K is still mostly immobile with her foot we didn't go anywhere to celebrate our anniversary.  We usually will go out to a nice restaurant or steakhouse and back home, usually at noon or shortly thereafter.  We couldn't leave Buster alone with the fireworks going off.  They made him very scared.  That is no longer an issue.  So I had picked up a couple ribeyes and threw them on the grill.  I have to say they were perfect.  As good or better than I have ever cooked.  It made things pretty nice for our anniversary despite staying in.  Son#1 and his family came by for a few, and then headed over to his in-laws.  That made things even better.

With all the wet weather we have had my grass has gone absolutely nuts.  I felt a need to get it cut ASAP since I had been notified that the roofer will start on Monday.  They clean up after themselves pretty well but with the grass as long as it would be by Monday, it would make it easier for them to miss the things like nails I want picked up.  Plus it's supposed to get much hotter this weekend and into next week.  True July weather is finally arriving after several days of not reaching 90.  

OK, back to where I was going with this yard work thing.  Everything was going fine until...I hit a low stump I know was there and have gone over many times without incident.  Not this time.  Bent a blade on my riding lawnmower.  Frustrating since I knew it was there and still hit it.  GRRRR.  Flipped the mower over to remove the blade and see a bigger problem.  Those blades fit on a shaft that has a star shaped pattern.  All those little star points that keep the blade turning were sheared off.  OK.  I can't fix that.  Called a neighborhood guy that will come out Saturday.  First time ever having to pay someone to cut my grass.  Oh, I am shopping for a new rider too.  So if you have a suggestion I will add it to my research list.  I am leaning toward a Troy Bilt ( it has an automatic transmission-I have concerns about that) and another Craftsman that is sold at Lowe's.  Troy Bilt sounds great and most reviews are very positive, but a few reviews all had a recurring problem with a shaft and bearing burning up and their service for warranty repairs appears nonexistent.  I am familiar with Craftsman and the one I have has always been very reliable.  The old one has been showing its age lately and it cut unevenly so replacing it was not too hard to decide.  Plus it is about 15 years old.  Time to say goodbye.

Happy Trails