We are home from South Carolina. It was a good trip. We got a lot of things done for my Mom and had a great time visiting her and my sister's family. We arrived on Thursday night around six. We got the rental car and some dinner and headed out on the road. We flew skybus to Greensboro and then had a three hour drive. For $30 each way - it was worth it.
My Mom has three bedrooms, so D2 got one room, I got the other and TBW wanted the couch. (well she didn't want it - but my Mom didn't want us sleeping together). First of all, we hate sleeping apart, but there were only twin beds in the two rooms. My Mom has come a long way in accepting TBW and I, so we decided not to push it. We agreed to sneak together and set the alarm so she could go back to her couch. My Mom is tethered to her oxygen, so you can hear her move around because the cords make noise on the kitchen floor. Well, we don't know if she was getting up to check for a "lump" on the couch - or if she was just moving in her bed - but she was constantly moving that flippin' cord. Which made TBW stay put.
Friday late in the morning, my sister, TBW, J (my sister's friend who traveled with us) and myself went to lunch. TBW and I went to run errands for my mom and they went to do their own thing. When we got back home, TBW and I painted the front door (maroon on the front, chocolate on the back) and the railing outside her front steps. D2 went four-wheeling with her cousin and J. Before they left, TBW and I took it for a spin. There are so many back roads and trails around there - it was so much fun. We almost tipped it one time, but made it through. D2 did tip it with J and her cousin on it. Of course they tipped into a thorn bush, so she had some scrapes to show for it. They came back and acted like it was nothing - not until the next day, did she tell me what really happened! They went back out on some flat land after that. We finished up and went to my sister's for dinner.
My Mom's neighbor's came to dinner too. They are a young couple that help take care of her. They get her mail every day and check on her to make sure she is doing okay. They are a God send. They were on their way to Wisconsin to meet her birth mom for the first time. She found her on the internet and hey were excited to meet each other.
Saturday we were up early (after sleeping in our nice arangements) to drive an hour and a half away to see nephew 2 (N2) play in an all-star football game. He is in the 11-12 year old league and they were one game away from the district final. The other team was BIG! Three of their front linemen were taller than the refs. Needless to say, they didn't win, but it was fun to watch him play. TBW made a comment that the fans would never be allowed to cheer in the bubble. They would have all been kicked out within minutes. Like she said - this was a lot of the kid's tickets out of where they are growing up. They take their sports very seriously.
We went into town to find a bar that had the buckeye game on tv. We found an irish pub that had just opened. We all sat at the bar with a guy named "Coach" and had a great lunch and good drinks. The bucks pulled it out and we were all happy (well except TBW - she likes anyone but the buckeyes). We then headed back to our town to change and get ready for the evening.
Saturday night was adult night out. We went to a dueling piano bar. Basically there are two pianos on a stage, they play against each other and the crowd goes wild and sings along. TBW was the designated driver. There were six of us (TBW, J, my sister and her husband, and the coach and his wife). We drank and drank. We attempted to go dancing for a short while - but the shots and drinks caught up to us old folks and we were ready for some substinance... The Waffle House. We laughed and felt like teenagers when we got home - my Mom was waiting up for us in the chair... I did sneak out and make TBW come back to bed with me until 7:00.
Sunday, we spent shopping and eating, doing some more chores and eating dinner at my sister's house again. We were all tired around 8. They are trying to save money, and one of the things that has to wait until surplus funds are available is the grooming of their poodle. He looks cute all scruffy - but tends to get stinky with all of that long hair. J decided she would fix that. She took the scissors and the dog and trimmed his face. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. The dog came running into the room where we were and jumped on my sister's lap. He looked like the lion on the wizard of oz. We were all dying laughing and my sister was none to pleased. J took him back and evened it all out. We never did see the final product, as we left when she was still trimming.
Monday was spent washing all of the sheets, dusting, cleaning, vacuuming, etc. D2 and J went to the beach to walk. TBW and I went to the doctor to get a perscritpion for my Mom. Of course she didn't qualify for the free sample and the medicine cost $96 for one month's supply. Since that is about the 20th medicine she is on, we paid for it. The amount of paperwork and qualifications for an elderly person to receive perscription benefits in this country are astounding. You either have to be so poor the government just takes over or so rich you have money to burn. It is really a disgrace. You work your whole life, save a little money to live off the interest of that savings and they want to take the savings part away from you. I give her credit - she knows the what, where and when of all the meds - how to get them, when to get them, and isn't afraid to ask for samples. We were to leave at 1:00. Prior to us leaving, she gave me my Dad's wedding ring, which is a silver band, to wear. I have it on my middle finger of my right hand. She gave D2 many gold necklaces, which she really seems to enjoy. As we got in the car, she stood on the porch (it looked rather spiffy after it was painted) and waved good bye with tears in her eyes. It was a sad moment. She knows she is never going to get better - and she is giving her things away. They often say you aren't scared of death once it is your turn.
She called me as we were on the road and said that the 19th (that Monday) was her wedding anniversary. She said it was amazing that the day she gave me my Dad's ring was the day she had given itto him. Moments like that can't be planned. For as much as she gets on my nerves sometimes - I hope when I get to be her age - I can handle things like she does. With my own twist of course :)
My Mom has three bedrooms, so D2 got one room, I got the other and TBW wanted the couch. (well she didn't want it - but my Mom didn't want us sleeping together). First of all, we hate sleeping apart, but there were only twin beds in the two rooms. My Mom has come a long way in accepting TBW and I, so we decided not to push it. We agreed to sneak together and set the alarm so she could go back to her couch. My Mom is tethered to her oxygen, so you can hear her move around because the cords make noise on the kitchen floor. Well, we don't know if she was getting up to check for a "lump" on the couch - or if she was just moving in her bed - but she was constantly moving that flippin' cord. Which made TBW stay put.
Friday late in the morning, my sister, TBW, J (my sister's friend who traveled with us) and myself went to lunch. TBW and I went to run errands for my mom and they went to do their own thing. When we got back home, TBW and I painted the front door (maroon on the front, chocolate on the back) and the railing outside her front steps. D2 went four-wheeling with her cousin and J. Before they left, TBW and I took it for a spin. There are so many back roads and trails around there - it was so much fun. We almost tipped it one time, but made it through. D2 did tip it with J and her cousin on it. Of course they tipped into a thorn bush, so she had some scrapes to show for it. They came back and acted like it was nothing - not until the next day, did she tell me what really happened! They went back out on some flat land after that. We finished up and went to my sister's for dinner.
My Mom's neighbor's came to dinner too. They are a young couple that help take care of her. They get her mail every day and check on her to make sure she is doing okay. They are a God send. They were on their way to Wisconsin to meet her birth mom for the first time. She found her on the internet and hey were excited to meet each other.
Saturday we were up early (after sleeping in our nice arangements) to drive an hour and a half away to see nephew 2 (N2) play in an all-star football game. He is in the 11-12 year old league and they were one game away from the district final. The other team was BIG! Three of their front linemen were taller than the refs. Needless to say, they didn't win, but it was fun to watch him play. TBW made a comment that the fans would never be allowed to cheer in the bubble. They would have all been kicked out within minutes. Like she said - this was a lot of the kid's tickets out of where they are growing up. They take their sports very seriously.
We went into town to find a bar that had the buckeye game on tv. We found an irish pub that had just opened. We all sat at the bar with a guy named "Coach" and had a great lunch and good drinks. The bucks pulled it out and we were all happy (well except TBW - she likes anyone but the buckeyes). We then headed back to our town to change and get ready for the evening.
Saturday night was adult night out. We went to a dueling piano bar. Basically there are two pianos on a stage, they play against each other and the crowd goes wild and sings along. TBW was the designated driver. There were six of us (TBW, J, my sister and her husband, and the coach and his wife). We drank and drank. We attempted to go dancing for a short while - but the shots and drinks caught up to us old folks and we were ready for some substinance... The Waffle House. We laughed and felt like teenagers when we got home - my Mom was waiting up for us in the chair... I did sneak out and make TBW come back to bed with me until 7:00.
Sunday, we spent shopping and eating, doing some more chores and eating dinner at my sister's house again. We were all tired around 8. They are trying to save money, and one of the things that has to wait until surplus funds are available is the grooming of their poodle. He looks cute all scruffy - but tends to get stinky with all of that long hair. J decided she would fix that. She took the scissors and the dog and trimmed his face. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. The dog came running into the room where we were and jumped on my sister's lap. He looked like the lion on the wizard of oz. We were all dying laughing and my sister was none to pleased. J took him back and evened it all out. We never did see the final product, as we left when she was still trimming.
Monday was spent washing all of the sheets, dusting, cleaning, vacuuming, etc. D2 and J went to the beach to walk. TBW and I went to the doctor to get a perscritpion for my Mom. Of course she didn't qualify for the free sample and the medicine cost $96 for one month's supply. Since that is about the 20th medicine she is on, we paid for it. The amount of paperwork and qualifications for an elderly person to receive perscription benefits in this country are astounding. You either have to be so poor the government just takes over or so rich you have money to burn. It is really a disgrace. You work your whole life, save a little money to live off the interest of that savings and they want to take the savings part away from you. I give her credit - she knows the what, where and when of all the meds - how to get them, when to get them, and isn't afraid to ask for samples. We were to leave at 1:00. Prior to us leaving, she gave me my Dad's wedding ring, which is a silver band, to wear. I have it on my middle finger of my right hand. She gave D2 many gold necklaces, which she really seems to enjoy. As we got in the car, she stood on the porch (it looked rather spiffy after it was painted) and waved good bye with tears in her eyes. It was a sad moment. She knows she is never going to get better - and she is giving her things away. They often say you aren't scared of death once it is your turn.
She called me as we were on the road and said that the 19th (that Monday) was her wedding anniversary. She said it was amazing that the day she gave me my Dad's ring was the day she had given itto him. Moments like that can't be planned. For as much as she gets on my nerves sometimes - I hope when I get to be her age - I can handle things like she does. With my own twist of course :)
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