Our garden is alive!

It was almost 8 when we got up. Chris wanted to leave by 8. We did not make it, but we had breakfast, then moved everything out to the car. I am not sure when we left. It was a long trip. According to the thermometer in the car, the temp got up to 110. We started a book on tape that turned out to be stomach-turning. We did not finish it. Instead, we started "Last Days of Krypton". We stopped at a Cracker Barrel for lunch but the lines were very long. There were power outages from the storm last night and it was one of the few places open in that area. We kept going until we found a Subway. I had a salad and they had subs. I think it was 7 CST when we got in. I was surprised to find that my garden was alive! The condition of the grass indicated that it hadn't rained during the week, so maybe someone took pity on my garden and watered it. I picked two cucumbers and a tomato. More were ready, but I like to pick them when I am ready to eat them. I watered the plants as soon as we carried the stuff in from the car. The house was sweltering, so Chris turned on the AC. Michele elected to stay downstairs with her computer while the house cooled off. But Chris and I took a cold shower (to cool off and save water). Then he got some ice cubes...but I digress. By the end of the evening, all three of us were on our laptops catching up on the e-mail we missed.
* this pic is from Friday at the mall *

Shopping at the mall

I slept really well last night. I was listening to something on my ipod and all of a sudden it was morning. Late morning. Mom and Dad had already finished breakfast. Mom was in the bathroom. I read to her for awhile, then changed her shirt from long sleeves to no sleeves. I brought her back to the den and fixed my own breakfast. I put some of the yellow scrapings from her scalp in an envelope for the doctor to see on Monday. Then Dad took her to the hairdresser to get her hair washed. I used that time to wash the tablecloths that had been soaking since Tuesday. I also watered her begonias and put in a blue glass bulb thingy that supposedly waters the pot as it dries out. When they got home, Dad wanted to take Michele to the mall to buy her a birthday present. Chris called to say he got out early and was on his way down. So we all went to Sears. I stopped at the optical center to get my glasses bent into shape. The lady told me how much she liked my parents who apparently come in a lot. Michele went with Mom and Dad to the jewelry section to look at earrings. Dad came back to tell me Michele needed my help in choosing. Soon my glasses were fitted and I went to help her. She was so cute exclaiming over all the ones she liked. Even I, who don't wear much jewelry, bought myself a pair. While Dad paid for her selection, Michele tried on hats. The saleslady said she was worth a picture, so I took several. Then we went to 'Garden something' which was just down the corridor from Sears. We helped Dad pick a new picture frame for the broken one that had their 50th wedding photo. We got home before Chris arrived. It was after lunchtime, so Dad started getting the apples ready. Chris arrived soon after, but neither he nor Michele wanted lunch. I packed my suitcase so Chris could take it out. I made myself a salad with kimchi on top. Michele did eat a little kimchi. After lunch Dad talked to Michele and Chris. I checked my e-mail, then grabbed the tablecloths from the clothes line and re-dressed the side table in the diningroom. I folded and put away all the blankets we used and stored the extra pillows. I said goodbye to my Mom, and then we all said goodbye to Dad and headed toward my in-laws house. Cecily had marinated steaks. She cooked the vegetables while Alfred grilled the steaks. We ate supper then sat around chatting. When the group broke up, I went out back to get some fresh blackberries. Chris came out to watch me and pick a few. Michele and Alfred also stopped in briefly. When we were all inside, three of us sat with our laptops while Cecily put the dishes in the dishwasher. Alfred got out his laptop to join us and Cecily watched Olympic swimming trials. Chris went to bed early.

Ladies Night Out

When I got up this morning, Dad was just sitting Mom down at the table. Mom had a bandaid on her knee. He said she fell getting out of bed during the night. After breakfast I took her out on the deck to plant the begonias. We planted them in a previously inhabited pot. They look nice. We sat out for awhile. Dad finished his grocery list and started making lunch early. I fixed Mom's lunch while he was slicing the apples. We sat down to eat before one o'clock. We were finished well before the Damours came over with Michele. We all had a nice time talking in the livingroom, the coolest room in the house. After they left, Dad prepared to go to the grocery store. We promised we would take Mom for a walk at 5. He thought he could shop in half the time without Mom along. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ... At 5 I took Mom for a walk and Michele followed with the wheelchair. We had to stop several times for her to rest. And she decided to go back before we reached the end of the street. I took Mom in the bedroom to get her ready for Ladies Night Out. Faye showed up at quarter of 6. Michele braided Mom's hair and Faye pinned it to her head. Peggy was sitting in the car, so I invited her in. Then Dad came home from the store after only 2.25 hours (out of 3.0) He put the folding wheelchair in the Olds and we all climbed in. We picked up Letha on the way to the restaurant. The ladies of the church were waiting for us at Cabellas. Ok, that isn't the name, but it is as close as I can remember right now. Most of the ladies were sitting at the long row of tables, but we late-comers had to sit separately. Faye and I took turns feeding Mom. She did not touch her side order so Faye boxed it. I paid for their meals as well as my own since I did not get Faye a birthday present. When all 5 of us were paid for, we got in the car and Faye dropped Letha off at her house. I saw her husband Jim, but don't think he recognized me. Back at the house, Dad was finishing a Subway sandwich that he bought for himself and Michele. We chatted with Faye and Peggy until they left. I was talking to Michele when Dad called for help with Mom in the bathroom. There was a mess to clean up and he was imposing so many rules on the process that he wasn't getting far. So I asked him if there was something else he needed to do. He said he needed to eat dessert. After he left, I quickly cleaned up Mom and the bathroom. I put her to bed. I stayed up to write this post, and listen to one of the shorter interviews. It feels like I have been here for weeks.
Pic to follow.

53 years together!

Today is my parent's 53rd anniversary. So what did we do? Well, Mom spent the morning sitting on the deck in her wheelchair until Dad got lunch ready. After lunch we went to the mall to get Michele a present. We could not find exactly what I had in mind, so we bought something else. We stopped at the plant stand in front of Chesterfield Mall to get some begonias for Mom. And we went to Sears to get Mom's glasses adjusted. I should've had mine done, too. Then we went to the garage to pick up the Oldsmobile. I drove it home. While waiting for Dad to do whatever he did , I gave Mom a sponge bath and dressed her to eat out. Dad put her in the car and he drove us to Hong Kong King Buffet. Faye was already there and Kevin joined us soon after. Faye fixed Mom a plate and I fed her while Faye got her own plate. Then Faye fed her. Faye had a card for the happy couple. I guess they enjoyed their meals because they ate more than the rest of us. Faye paid for it all and Dad left a tip. They fought over the check, but Faye's fortune cookie gave her the edge. I took their picture, and then we went home. Faye followed us in order to check addresses with Dad. I read to Mom in the bathroom, then took her out to the den. She read a book while I removed a splinter from my hand, and listened to an audio. Faye left about 10, having to be at work at 11. I put Mom to bed, then returned to my audio (it says it is 3 hours long:( It isn't over yet, but I am going to bed anyway.

Mom's best day

I got up when I heard my father walk my mom out to the den. I went out to help Mom eat and to fix my own breakfast. After breakfast, they went to the fitness center. I stayed behind to listen to two audios, dress, sunbathe and read e-mail. In one e-mail I read that Gail is in the hospital. I hope they give her something better then dogslobber (don't ask, inside joke) I am glad to hear she is getting better. My parents were home by noon. Dad fixed lunch while I gave Mom some kombucha tea and read to her. We ate lunch (with kimchi). Dad did whatever it is he does that is amazingly devoid of actual results. I think he was getting ready for Kevin to come and clean and cook. We looked at the chair wheels that are broken to see how they come off and made plans to find new ones at Lowes. I found something really yucky spilled on a side table in the diningroom. I put the table coverings in a bucket to soak. Kevin came over between 3 and 4. Dad decided to take the car to the garage, then walk to the bank and back home, at which point we would go to Lowes together. Mom decided she wanted to crochet. I did not know where her crochet cotton was, so I helped her up. First she went to the hall closet, but didn't find it. Then she went beside her bed, reached over the headboard and lifted a good-size suitcase from behind it. She took out the yarn, then put it back. I was surprised to see her do this. Then she asked for a crochet hook. I gave her the case and she selected one. I didn't think she could crochet with her right hand all fisted, but she did! Then she wanted to go out to the deck. She asked for a trowel. She dug a hole in the flower box, and asked for her spider plant. I grabbed one of the babies for her. She laughed at it, but planted it. Then she asked again for the plant. I didn't think it would fit, but I gave it to her anyway. She dug another hole and stuck it in there, requesting that I water it. Then she walked out to the garden, looking for mint. I assisted her, but she found mint I couldn't see. She told me to dig some up and take it along to Huntsville. I told her I would do it Friday. Then she wanted to buy begonias to plant. Thankfully she got distracted watching the neighbors. Then she wanted me to send some e-mails for her. I got worried when Dad was not home by 6:30 because the bank closes at 5. But then he showed up, having walked to Lowes without me, and having spent 20 minutes in a car out front writing in his checkbook. He took Mom for a walk and I followed them with the wheelchair. She walked at least half the way without his assistance. Another wow! They went to the end of the street and back. Then he decided to push her around the neighborhood. I stayed back to talk to Kevin who was finishing up the casseroles. He left about the time they got back. Dad started fixing supper (which was odd since Kevin had just done it). I took Mom to the bathroom and read to her. In all that time, Dad accomplished cutting the casserole into 14 precisely equal pieces with a ruler. It was 9 by the time we sat down to eat. Mom got to watch her show until then. After supper I sat down to read e-mail while my father completed whatever after-supper rituals he regularly did. I was listening to an audio on sprouting when he started marching Mom to bed. I took over so he could record events in his diary. I put Mom to bed with the mp3 player on playing a delta sleep session. I hope it helps her. It is late now, but I am going to post pics for the previous couple of posts before I go to bed. At least tonight I will have a pillow.
* Here are my parents coming home from the fitness center. *

Back with my parents

After getting to bed really late, Michele and I talked before falling asleep. So I slept late, but she get up early. She had left her new computer on all night to download some game which she couldn't wait to play. But she played it in the livingroom, which meant that she opened and closed the squeaky door A LOT. I figured I might as well get up. I ate breakfast, got dressed, picked blackberries and got my stuff together. Al drove me over to my parents' place. He stayed to chat for a bit. After he left, it was lunchtime, but my dad was getting Mom's pills ready for the week. He said it normally took less than an hour, but today it seemed to go on forever. I fed my mom some blackberries, then sat with her and tried to do some energy work on her. I think we started lunch around 2. I tried to help speed the process, but he wanted to do each thing himself. I fixed Mom a sandwich and fed it to her. A storm blew up from the NW. Dad watched the weather channel the way some people would watch a football game. I didn't find it that interesting. Dad gave me a pair of shorts that needed mending on the pocket. Then I got out my star parts and sewed the first ones together by hand. Dad fixed supper, which took far longer than anyone would expect. Patrick came over and Dad asked him to clean one of the cars. I offered him some kimchi and he ate two bowls of it. But he wouldn't touch the fermented tea. After supper Mom and Dad ate some blackberries, then went for a walk. By then the sun was setting. And it wasn't a walk so much as a run. Even though he was pushing the wheelchair with Mom in it, I had to run now and then to keep up. At one point I almost stepped on a dark spot on the road, thinking it was a wet leaf. But it started jumping like a frog and I just missed it. Halfway through, he turned her around and came back because it was too dark. She thought she had to go to the bathroom, but then ... nothing. So I read to her and then she went. I sat her in the den. Dad gave me a piece of choral music to share with my choir director. I gave him some hand softener made by the lady who raises bees. Finally Mom agreed to go to bed. I brushed her teeth and dressed her. Dad finished the dishes in the dishwasher, and took his time decided what to wear to bed. I clipped Mom's toenails and offered to clip his. I left her in bed, and went to write my blog. I was surprised when my laptop actually connected with Dad's wifi. But here I am, and I am almost done except for a pic. I didn't take any today.

Michele is here at last!

We slept late. Al and Cecily were already up and getting ready for church. Chris got up before I did. I fixed my breakfast. Cecily and Alfred went to church. After breakfast I took a shower. Chris ate his breakfast then showered after I did. He put his stuff in the car and headed for Fort Belvoir. I read my e-mail, then went outside to see the blackberry patch. It was full of ripe berries. It wasn't so full when I went back in the house. I listened to the last few tracks of the book on CD that we started in the car. I read some more e-mail and then I lost my connection to the internet. I took my laptop back to the computer room. For some reason I was able to get signal back there. Then Al and Cecily came home. Cecily made bacon, eggs, and english muffins for brunch. After brunch we sat around talking. Then Al and I went to WalMart to get wine and a few grocery items. I saw that they were selling green coconuts. I haven't been able to find any in Huntsville, but then I never thought to look in the WalMart. On the way back we stopped at the convenience store that sells homemade kimchi. I bought a medium-sized jar. We took the groceries home. I suggested we all take a nap because of having to meet Michele's plane at 11:30. And I thing we did, except for Cecily. She made a peppercorn pork roast for supper with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. She woke me up when it was ready. After supper we watched some TV. I checked my e-mail and it was all deletable stuff. Faye called to say she wanted to meet Michele's plane, too. So I told her to come over. I went outside to practice a new energy technique. Later Faye came over, and we all got in Al's Cadillac to go to the airport. Michele's plane was early so we did not have to wait long. I was so happy to see her come down the hallway from the gate. I gave her a big long hug before releasing her so the others could greet her. We went downstairs to pick up her bag and then proceeded to the car. We had a good time chatting on the way back. Michele, Cecily and Al went in the house while Faye and I stayed out in the driveway talking. Then she went home and I came in. Now I am posting quickly to my blog on Michele's computer since mine won't cooperate. Pics to follow.