When I heard Dad get up, I got the DNA test kit and explained that I wanted him to fill the tube with saliva. He was all for it, but just could not come up with any spit. So he drank some water and I set a timer for 30 minutes – the length of time a person is not supposed to eat or drink before giving a sample. Half an hour later, we were seated in front of his desktop, modifying the family letter (that would normally pass as a Christmas letter). We tried spitting again, but he still could not do it. I had him drink more water and gave him a plastic toothpick to stick in his mouth to stimulate salivation. We finally got the letter to be acceptable to Dad. Then we had to access the Christmas card list of addresses. He had them saved in a file in Dbase and did not know the name. Chris helped us get the list on the screen and to print it on paper. We tried the spit tube again. He spit into it and closed the top, which punctures a vial of spit preservative. The instructions said not to touch it. There wasn't enough spit in it, but with the liquid in, I could not tell how much was short. So I packaged it according to the directions, registered the package online, and put it in the mail. I did not realize at the time that he was still trying to save up spit to put in the tube.
Chris went to a movie. I printed the Christmas list on label paper. But the addresses did not line up well. Dad printed copies of the family letter while I applied the useable labels to envelopes and handwrote the rest. Frankly, I could have written them all by hand faster than trying to get the computer to do it.
Kevin came over. Around 3. He needed coconut oil and I had used it all up. So Chris went to the store to get more. I worked on printing more letters and writing out addresses that I found in the trash in the computer room. Dad wasn't sure it was up to date, so I printed out another Fox reunion page and copied addresses from that. When all the envelopes were addressed, I stamped them and put letters in before sealing each one. They were ready to go in the mail, but the mail had already gone.
Dad needed appointments to get an x-ray and lab work. He wanted to know where the places were. We called the number on the x-ray order and the lady who finally answered said that they don't do x-rays; you have to find a radiology lab. So Dad remembered having one years ago and I found it on the web. We called and they said appointments were not needed, just walk in before 4:15. So then we went looking for a lab for the bloodwork. We looked at the map to see exactly where it was and how to get there. But then I found a closer one, right in front of Johnston Willis Hospital. We tried to call to see if appointments were needed, but it was 5pm and no one answered.
Kevin finished cleaning and went home. I meant to give him the check I wrote, but totally forgot. Dad needed notes on the progress we made on the labs. Then he got into eating. He had me cut the casserole into 24 pieces so he could eat 1.7 pieces a day for 2 weeks. I suggested that he skip Sundays (because he buys a sub) and eat two pieces a day. But that was too easy apparently. He wants to eat exactly the same thing every day. The watermelon was still here and Dad did not want any. So I ate a large piece while sitting outside on the deck. Then I threw the rinds in the overgrown garden. I had some of Kevin's chicken while Chris had some Chicken Parmesan. Dad ate, too. Then I read e-mail and jotted notes for my blog.
After supper Dad wanted to locate the circuit layout. I handed him the hard copy which I found by the printer. But he wanted to locate it on his desktop. I watched him search Lotus for it. It was so painstaking that I had to leave. I made another batch of fat bombs for Dad. Then he came out and said he couldn't find it. So I went to the Start menu and did a search and versions of it popped up. He had to make sure it was the same as the hard copy. Then he wanted to work on pills for next week. His week starts on Wednesday. I asked Chris to do the shredding that was also on his list. While Chris shredded, Dad and I laid out his pills. That wouldn't have been bad at all, except that when one bottle is emptied, we can't just open the next bottle. He has to add what was left in the old bottle to what is in the new bottle (90 or 100) then count out the days till it would run out and record that on his laptop. That doesn't sound as bad as it was. I don't know if he kept losing his place, or what. I would give him my rough estimate and he said it sounded good, but he continued to count and count until he was satisfied. I got dressed for bed. I brushed my teeth.
When the pills were done, he turned his attention to a card he bought for Michele. He wrote a note on scratch paper and asked me to copy it onto note paper. Then he had me write a check. I was so tired that I also signed it. Oops. Finally I got to post to my blog and go to bed.
* I didn't take any pics today so here is the one Michele sent me of the doublet she wanted. *
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