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Home > Archive: March, 2010

Archive for March, 2010

The best freebies...FLOWERS

March 23rd, 2010 at 01:44 am

My goodness.

I bought my house last summer and have enjoyed watching something new bloom in the yard almost weekly since. But let me tell you...Spring is like a daily surprise party here.

The previous owners obviously paid close attention to what they were doing...because my yard is so beautiful right now. There are so many different things blooming..and it is a rainbow of colors everywhere I look. I had no idea...and the really cool thing, there are new plants popping up all over the place...I cant wait to see what's next! Best of all...the surprises are free!!!

I visited an auction site today for a local radio station and there was a gift certificate for window cleaning. $100 would take care of inside and out for a mid size home (which is what I have)...and the asking price was only $50!!!!! So I nabbed it...now I just have to make an appointment and my windows will be professionally cleaned! (yay!)

My job gave each employee a $50 gift card to wherever we wanted at Christmas...I chose a local day spa...I used mine today to book a side by side massage for the hub and I for this Saturday. (we will have to pay $90...an hour massage followed by a stay in the sauna...ummmm wow!!) Since we are going to try saving this relationship...I thought this would be a nice kick-off treat. On Sunday, I hope we can drive up to a place with natural waterfalls and have a picnic lunch. Cost for the day...gas to get there...

So...slowly life is working out...just continuing to take it day to day.

But ultimately, Life is very, very good.

They would have been proud

March 21st, 2010 at 04:30 pm

Yesterday was the service for my mom (and dad). It was so nice. Very simple, yet very thoughtful.

My daughters shared their childhood memories with my parents and all the wonderful adventures they took. After my brother died, my parents sold all their stuff and became rv gypsies, traveling all over the country. My brother had $16k in life insurance and my parents used every penny of it giving my kids memories all over the US every summer.

The people at my job are amazing. they had come to my house while we were gone and we arrived to a full spread of lunch, desserts, sodas and juice and flowers. WOW. I knew that a couple of people were stopping by but I had no idea of the degree of thoughtfulness they were going to bestow on my family and guests.

The hub and I have done a lot of talking the past several weeks and reevaluated things...we are going to give this 20 year marriage another try. He still might go back to Alaska when jobs open up, but we are going to work on communicating better.

So..the daunting task at hand is paying all of my moms final bills and going through their home to determine what goes to whom.

I really REALLY appreciate all of the kindness from our blogging family here. You all have given me such comforting words during this painful time. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

life is good.

Memorial Planning

March 16th, 2010 at 03:32 am

Tonight I went to DD1s house and went through family pics to display at the open house after the service. Seeing those pics of my mom, dad, brother and I brought back such a flood of memories.

Each day is getting a little easier. Thank goodness time eases all things.

DD1 made spaghetti for dinner...so enjoyed a meal with her and her family. I have been alone so much lately that it felt good to be around them and to visit while eating. I also worked a full 8 hour day today...which was a great distraction. I have some big projects I am working on, so I worked through the day, no lunch....and that was the quickest 8-9 hours Ive spent in quite a while...I loved it.

I also enjoyed getting off at 5pm and having a good couple hours of daylight left!!!

I think I am going to splurge on a hammock for my backyard this week so I can lay out in the evenings and stargaze. One of my dads favorite things to do when we camped when I was younger was to look for satellites...I want to do this with the grandbabies too...

The memorial service is this Saturday. I want to do this right, but I am also ready to have this experience behind us.

Im emotionally worn out...but life is very good.

Arrangements

March 9th, 2010 at 06:02 pm

It is a blessing that our minds go numb when we have had enough. Mine did just that at the funeral place yesterday when the guy felt the need to explain cremation (which was my moms wish).

Final expense $1425. Fortunately, my mom had enough money to pay that and the medical bills that I am sure will follow and still have a little left to provide a small token inheritance to the grand and great grandkids. I always told my mom to enjoy her money, that I would much rather sell her last teacup than have money left that she could have used and enjoyed. Of course my kids are eager to learn what is theirs...sigh. Settle down kids. Mom needs to deal with the grief and we need to let the bills trickle in and be paid first. I have to wonder where I went wrong here..when my grandma died I didnt ask for anything but accepted the little musical statue with pleasure when it was offered....and I cherish it to this day.

My parents will was very simple since I was their only surviving child, everything was left for me with thier blessing to use my judgement to decide where it goes. My daughter told me yesterday that my mom had told her over the past couple of weeks where she wanted some jewelry/money to go...which is fine except her siblings might not agree and I am not sure my mom thought it through. WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO FREAKIN TOUGH when it hurts so much???? Now they want to have a meeting to discuss it and all I want to do is finish accepting that she is gone. argh.

Oh well...one step at a time.


Nana

March 9th, 2010 at 01:43 am

When I first started blogging here, I had just left my job to stay home and help care for my parents. My dad died a couple of years ago...and I have since returned to work.

Sadly, Nana passed away on Friday. She has been on dialysis for a number of years and has been fraile. She got sick a couple of weeks ago and was given a grim diagnosis Friday morning...blood flow to her intestine had blocked and her intestine was dying...thankfully, she did not survive the day and the ensuing pain that was going to follow with this diagnosis.

It is so tough to lose your last parent, your mother...the one person who truly loves you unconditionally.

I have no brothers or sisters (my brother died in a motorcycle accident in 88)...so I am feeling very orphaned right now...of course, I have my kids and grandkids...but it still hurts to lose that last link to your childhood years...

Nana, you were a super mom. I will miss you more than words can say...I hope you are having a good time with papa and lyn.