Making a little progress

Well, the folks have been in their new home for 10 days now.  There have been some ups and downs along the way, but they seem healthier and happier than I’ve seen them in months!  (Don’t expect to hear that from them, though!)  We’ve got all of their pictures and clocks (groan!) hung up, so it looks and feels more like home.  Dennis still has some shelves to build for the bathroom for storage, but they are pretty much settled in.  I’ve been cleaning out refrigerators (yes, plural) and freezers and starting to bring home photo albums to sort through.  I’m hoping to have the house ready for the estate sale planners to come in a couple of weeks.  Daddy and Bobbie want to spend the night at the house during Henrietta Creek’s meeting, so we have to wait until after the 12^th of March.  Toni and Kathy have started working on sorting through stuff at the farm house.  They are going to try to sell some of the pricier stuff locally or through Craig’s List to avoid losing a lot on commission.  They have 2 John Deer riding lawn mowers in good condition that should bring in a good chunk.  Dennis is going to buy their trailer (that they bought for the mowers), and Toni and John are buying the old farm truck.  I think we’ll make enough from selling all of that and the household items to take care of their needs for a few months (along with their regular income).  Hopefully, by then, we can get the house sold.  Assisted living is NOT cheap, but I think, working together, we can make it work for them!

Bobbie had another episode on Saturday night and ended up in the ER.  It was SO much easier just having to drive to Weatherford this time!  She was fine and they sent her home after a couple of hours.  We are hoping to get their new doctor (which they are supposed to see next Monday) to prescribe something that will help her calm down when that happens.  Since she developed her heart condition, she has anxiety attacks that make her feel like she can’t breathe.  We’ve managed to keep her out of the hospital for a couple of weeks now.  Hopefully we can keep her from any more ER visits, too!

In between everything else, Dennis and Ricky have made some good progress on the house.  We are hoping to have the walls textured and ready to be painted by the end of the week.  The old linoleum tile is up and ready to be hauled off to the dump.  After the walls are painted, we can put in new tile floors!  Woo-hoo!  I’m looking forward to that!

Living room (north and west walls)

New and improved laundry room with 36" door

Dennis has made the wall flush under the bay window.  He is going to build a "window seat" for the grandsons.

Sheila came over and spent all day yesterday.  Daddy and Bobbie went to Eastside for the morning assembly and then came over here for dinner.  We had a nice visit.  Then they went to Highway for the afternoon assembly.  Being the last Sunday of the month, we did a singing.  I think they really enjoyed that!  I’m hoping they will decide to spend MOST of their Sundays doing that…either going to Eastside or Highway, and letting me feed them Sunday dinner.  I cook pretty much every Sunday (unless I am going to Henrietta Creek), and it is usually just the two of us.  I much prefer having several people to cook for (especially on Sundays)!

Sheila heard from Vietnam today, but it wasn’t what she was hoping for.  They are not sending out letters right now, and we really don’t know when they will start up again.  More waiting!  I know it is really hard on her.  I’ve got my hands full right now, so it is actually working in my favor, but I would still rather get that little grandson home sooner than later!  I trust that God is working it all out for the best. 

Going through Daddy’s stuff, I have found some really interesting things.  (He and Momma never threw anything away!)  I’ve got birth, graduation and wedding announcements; an old school newspaper from when I was graduating; birthday and baby cards from my birth and early birthdays; clipped newspaper articles and obituaries; and even my Grandpa Mahaffey’s induction papers from WW1.  I found a hilarious paper that some teacher from 40-50 years ago had compiled from student bloopers.  It was a hoot!  I’m starting, now, on old photo albums (from the DOZENS that he has).  No telling what all I’m going to find!

I spent all day today in Saginaw.  I didn’t actually get a lot of work done though.  I had arranged to meet up with my (ex)sister-in-law, so she could pick out something special for her granddaughter (Daddy’s great-granddaughter) to remember Momma and Daddy by.  She picked out a couple of pictures, a wooden dog wall hanging (from Momma’s spotted dog collection), and a bench.  We ended up talking for over 3 hours!  It was great to catch up with her.  Even though she and Rodney split up 30 years ago, she has been a part of our family the whole time.  Momma and Daddy used to keep her boys after school and during the summers while she worked.  She has always been there for Momma and Daddy when they needed her, too.  She was with us the night Momma passed away and ended up taking Billy to the ER and staying with him until he was released.  I’ve known her for most of my life and still think of her as a sister!

I FINALLY got my results back on my heart scan.  (Why is it that doctors never call you, even though they tell you they are going to call you, but you end up having to call them instead?)  I still didn't get to talk to the doctor, but the nurse told me it was normal.  So I shouldn't be kicking off from a heart attack anytime soon.  Nice to know!  Since my BP is under control, and my heart doesn't have any detectable issues, I should be good for another few years, Lord willing!  I'm glad to hear it, because I really have a lot to take care of for the next few years!

Well, I guess that’s all for now.  If anyone wants to contact Daddy and Bobbie, you can message me and I’ll send you their new address.  I’m sure they’d love to hear from you!  I'll probably be sharing some of the pics that I find on Facebook during the coming days.  Stay tuned!

A New Home and a New Family

Well, we got Daddy and Bobbie moved in to their new home.  We still have some "settling" to do, but they are pretty much how they are going to be now.  There have been a few glitches along the way, and we still have some details and issues to work through.  I really believe that once they get used to being there, they will enjoy it.  They love the food!  They are still running around all the time, which I hope will eventually slow down some.  They went to Henrietta Creek for church yesterday.  We are hoping that they come with us to Highway most of the time (since it is much closer).  They will do what they will do though!

We still have a LOT of work to do at the Saginaw house!  I'm HOPING that we can get an estate sale lined up to empty it out.  There are still some things that we need to haul off to the dump though.

I went to Henrietta Creek for the afternoon service yesterday.  Afterwards, Sheila and I went to the Omni Hotel in downtown Dallas.  Diane B and Linda S also got a room there.  It is a beautiful hotel and very comfortable...and just about 3 blocks from the courthouse where the adoption was this morning.  After we all got settled into our rooms, the four of us met up downstairs in the Texas Spice restaurant in the hotel.  The food was delicious, and we had a nice table by the (glass) outside wall with a perfect view of the outdoor fireplace.  We enjoyed our dinner and sat and visited for a couple of hours!  Then we all went up to Diane and Linda's room on the 23rd floor to see the view at night.  We ended up talking until 11:00!  We all really enjoyed our time together!

This morning, we met up again after breakfast and walked to the courthouse.  It is quite different from the one in Palo Pinto!  We had to go through security, and I was "detained" for having some cuticle scissors and a nail file in my purse.  After I FINALLY found them (after almost having to empty out my purse), I relinquished the offending weapons and we were allowed to proceed.  Ray M was also a problem because of his suspenders!  I'm definitely not used to that kind of security!

There were about 25 of us that turned out for Bellamy's adoption.  We all waited around and visited (and played with Miss Bellamy!) until their case was called.  The consummation was short and sweet, and then the obligatory pictures were taken of the new family and friends.  There were quite a few happy tears shed!  Then we all said our good-byes and headed back toward home.

During the testimony

Picking out a toy afterwards

The gang's all here!

Upcoming move, health update, and more remodeling

Well, things are coming together on Daddy and Bobbie's move.  They have signed the lease on their apartment, and we should be able to start moving in on Friday.  Bobbie got out of rehab yesterday.  Hope she manages to stay home all week!

I had my dental procedure done first thing Friday morning, and it went great!  Immediately after my gums "woke up", they felt better than they had in a good while.  The area where the oral surgeon worked has been a little tender, but not bad at all.  He removed the bone flake, grinded done the surface underneath, and then put in three stitches to close the gums.  The stitches have already dissolved and I'm able to eat normally.  So glad to have that taken care of!

Sheila spent Friday night, and then we went to Saginaw on Saturday.  We went through Daddy's house to get a good idea of what was there and what was needed to be done.  It is going to be a big job!  We then went to rehab to visit, and I had an insurance form that I needed to fill out with Daddy.  When he was getting up to get his meds for me to list, he started to fall.  I reached out my arm to steady him and was amazed how light he was.  He only weighs 145 pounds!  I'm hoping that he will put on some weight once they get settled at Brookdale.  I know that neither of them have been eating like they should.  Having 3 good meals a day served should really help!

Dennis and Ricky are working on the house again.  They finished putting up sheetrock in the dining room (except for the north wall, which Dennis has to do some special woodwork on) and got it taped and floated.  This morning, they are replacing the door leading into the garage with a new 36" one.  One of the things we are doing with this remodel is getting our house handicap accessible...for when we'll need it.  They hope to finish that and get all the walls and ceiling ready for painting in the dining room and laundry rooms (and the north wall of the living room).  Once we get the dining room and laundry rooms finished, we can put in the flooring.  I'm really looking forward to that!

I finally had my heart scan done yesterday that I was supposed to have done last month.  When I went the first time, my heart rate was too fast for them to be able to do the test.  I had to get my doctor to prescribe a medication to slow my pulse to an acceptable level.  I haven't heard the results yet.  It is supposed to let me know if I have any plaque buildup in my arteries.  If it checks out good, then I'm ok for 6 months before having to see my cardiologist again.  My blood pressure is doing great, and I'm pretty much "conditioned" to my meds now.  I still get a little light-headed occasionally if I get up too fast, but I no longer feel tired and weak all the time. 

Sheila and I plan to spend the night in Dallas Sunday night, so we can attend Bellamy's adoption Monday morning.  I'm super excited to be able to be there to celebrate this joyous occasion!  She is such a little doll, and I'm so very happy for their family!  I LOVE ADOPTIONS!!!

Well, I guess that's about all for now.  I hope things are going well in your lives.  I hope to have some pictures for my next entry!

Hanging in there!

Things have been pretty crazy around here lately.  Bobbie is supposed to get out of the hospital today and be moved into rehab again...just waiting on insurance approval.  We are also supposed to be taking them to tour the assisted living facility that we've found.  We are hoping to get them signed up before the 14th to move in, as they have a great promotional incentive going right now.  The timing is perfect.  (God really has a way of smoothing out a path!)  This place normally has a 6 month waiting list, but they have 2 units of the right size that are currently available.  Plus the promotion will save them $8000 in the first 6 months!  Hoping we are able to get everything worked out soon.  They have been much more cooperative than we expected with all of this.  They don't like the idea, but I think they both realize that they really don't have any other good option.  We have to find a way to keep Bobbie out of the hospital!  This place is such a good fit for them, too.  They even have a garden plot where Daddy can grow whatever he wants!  It is also only 25 minutes from our house, instead of an hour or more...and about half the distance for Tonette than Saginaw.  We still have a lot of logistics to work out, but it is looking promising right now.

I started having a problem with my gums about a month ago.  I thought it was just a bone or tooth fragment working its way to the surface.  About a week ago, it starting getting a lot worse.  The piece sticking out of my gums started cutting my tongue every time I speak, eat or swallow.  I went to the dentist yesterday.  No one in his office has ever seen anything like what is going on.  It looks like a sharp edge of my jawbone has worked its way through my gums.  My dentist has referred me to an oral surgeon, who will probably have to file down the bone, so it won't continue to cut my tongue.  I don't guess they will be able to do anything about the surface of the bone that is already exposed (which is about the size of a tooth).  Being a dental oddity is not my idea of fun!

With everything else going on, the house has been ignored for a good while.  I've barely been home long enough to even keep up with routine cleaning!  I finally made it to the grocery store yesterday.  I don't know when we'll be able to get back to remodeling!  If Daddy and Bobbie move into this assisted living, we will have our hands full of cleaning out houses and trying to sell the house in Saginaw.  Dennis and I joke all the time about those people who like to ask, "Do you have trouble finding enough to keep you busy now that you are retired?"  Not a problem!