What a Week !

What a busy week ! I transitioned into my new schedule, which meant working 6 days straight, 10 hours a day. Fortunately, Tuesday night ( which is now my Friday), there was enough staff here that I could leave early and get a head start on my sleep. For some odd reason, I woke up after about 5 hours asleep at 9 AM. I knew my mom and my cousin, Kaye, were going to my Aunt Dot's home, to start packing it up and being I had the day free, I decided to help. I'm hoping by helping pack up Aunt Dot's house, I will be able to have a sense of closure to this part of her life and embrace the new phase of her life in an assisted living facility.

I get to her house around 10 AM ; mom is already there and Kaye arrives shortly after. I don't think any of us really wanted to start going through her belongings and begin discarding trash, setting aside things we wanted to keep or give to family, or set aside for the yard sale we are having in the fall. Finally, we went into the Living Room and began packing up the items that Aunt Dot and mom had picked out for specific family members. Most of the items were cut glass candy dishes (very very nice, I might add) or figurienes. All of them had a post-it note under or inside them, to let us know what item was to go to whom. We carefully wrapped each item, and most went into my car to take to the relatives out at the farm. After packing up the living room, we went back to the guest bedroom and started going thru the Lane Trunk that Aunt Dot is giving Jessica. Most every thing inside was related to knitting, but at the bottom, we found a treasure. We discovered 3 very old quilts. Kaye and I called mom back to the room and when she saw them, she recognized them as her mother's (my grandmother's) quilts. There was one for each of us....but in the end, Kaye and mom decided to leave theirs in the trunk and give them to Jessica, as well. I was so touched.

Aunt Dot has already given Jessica her 2 Wing Backed Chairs in her living room, because Jessica has always loved them since she was just a little girl. They will have to be recovered, but they have good "bones". She, also, has given Jessica 2 pretty Milk Glass containers that used to sit on her dresser. Aunt Dot has already given me her Bedroom set. It is absolutely beautiful... Solid Mahogany, 4 Post Bed, with a beautiful solid Mahogany Dresser and Mirror.

After all the packing and grabbing lunch with my cousin, Kaye and my mom, I went and visited Aunt Dot at the Assisted Living Facility. She has a bright room. She shares a room with another lady. She has a nicer TV than me. It's a large flat panel TV in the corner. Work it Aunt Dot ! We had a nice chat. She mentioned how she had such a small room and a big empty house and how she should just go back home. I tried to rationalize with her, but I found it to be more important to let her vent and talk about how she was feeling. I can't even fathom what is really going on in her head....She's lived 55 years and almost a month in the same home...and now she's been uprooted and moved into a strange facility, even though they have done their very best to make it look as "homey" as possible.

Later, My Mom and I went to see the movie, THE PROPOSAL. It was outstandingly funny ! I laughed through the whole movie !! Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds were outstanding.

Afterwards, I needed to drive home and deliver the things that Aunt Dot wanted the family to have. I dropped mom at home, and cried all the way to the farm. I just think the stress from packing Aunt Dot's house had to be released....Packing up someone's belongings of 55 years is just so sad to me. I delivered a fine china set to Uncle Fred and Aunt Helen for my cousin, Pam. I gave Aunt Helen a candy dish that Aunt Dot had picked out for her. Afterwards, I stopped at Uncle Harvey and Aunt Margaret's house and delivered their Candy Dish. It was a long, emotional day.

On Friday, we worked at Aunt Dot's house further. We cleaned out books upon books. We categorized the books in the 3 categories; religious, fiction and cookbooks. I chose a couple of old cookbooks of Aunt Dot's. One was published in 1943....called "MODERN DAY COOKING". I got such a kick out of it. We discovered Aunt Dot's old Bible...given to her in 1946...and found my great Aunt Lou's Bible from 1943. I am thrilled to keep them in the family.

We were exhausted by the end of the day. I couldn't believe how much trash we could dispose. I think Aunt Dot saved every Christmas and Birthday card she ever received ! LOL ! We threw away empty boxes of boxes.

In the evening, I had a friend for dinner....and we watched SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. It was a very good movie.

Jessica comes home Sunday Afternoon !! Finally !!! 10 days without my Baby girl !! Andrew is still hanging out in Cleveland until July 22.

Elliot has bought a Grand Piano...He's spending alot of time refurbishing it....The Pictures look great ! However, it appears to take up most of the Dining Room. I can't wait to hear him play again.

In 2 weeks we will have already been in NY for a day. I can't wait to see the boy. It will be great to have the whole family together for 2 weeks. I just can't wait !!

I HAVE NO TIME TO POST ! UPDATES

Wow....Life has surely been busy...I hardly ever have time to post any more. Since Graduation, my office has done a layoff. Fortunately, I was not impacted except for less staff. Also, I have a new schedule. For 8 years in my dept, I have worked Wed- Sat or Thur - Sun. Now, Saturdays are my "Monday"...I will be working Saturday - Tuesday, with Wed - Friday off....It will be the first time in 8 years that I will have Friday nights off on a regular basis. Maybe a social life will follow suit !! NOT !!

Right after graduation, Jessica, she left for the beach with her friends. They spent a week there.

I went to NY in the middle of June to see Elliot's surprise. I had guessed that he had moved into an apartment in the city. How wrong could I have been? lol....Actually, he bought a house in the little village called Freeport. It' right on the southern shore. He lives about 5 - 10 min from the beach. He has the cutest house. It was a repossession. A little 2 Story house, with a basement, and postage stamp yard.

I loved my time in NY. It was so cool....no humidity...and we had the windows up alot. I had lots of downtime with by Grand dogs.

When I returned back from NY on June 17, Andrew had flown out earlier that morning to Cleveland for 5 weeks ! :( He is visiting his grandparents (ex wife's parents) and friends, and his girlfriend. He'll return at the end of July, and be home for 1 day before we leave for NY for 2 weeks.

Jessica left this past Friday for Cleveland, with her Step Dad. They are going to up to meet up with my ex wife, Andrew, Grandparents for a vacation up there. So, I have no children at home...with the exception of the dogs and the 20 something chickens of Andrew that need feeding daily !!! It is the perfect time to do my transition to my new schedule, being I have to work 6 days straight.

In the middle of all this craziness, I've been helping my mom, move my Aunt into a Assisted Living Facility. Poor thing; the Parkinson's Disease has been progressing and she's becoming increasingly weaker. It's really sad....I think she had lived in her home for like 55 years.....My mom has had a really hard time with making the decision to put her into a home. It is difficult to know that this is the final stages of her life...and leaving the home that she lived for so long.

At the end of July, the kids and I will be heading to NY for 2 weeks to spend with Elliot...Finally, the whole family together. Life will be good !