Leaving On A Jet Plane

My Michaels Mom has dementia and Alzheimers.  Last year he and his brother took Marion from a home that did not meet her needs in NE Wisconsin, to a Wonderful place in Oregon near their sister.  We had purchased tickets to fly out in September.  We keep in contact w/sister and a couple days ago she said Mom is refusing to get out of bed and won’t eat.  She is shutting down.  Marion is a devout Christian and a  warrior for Christ.  We believe she just wants to go home to be with the Lord.

Yesterday sister called and told us that Mom is getting worse everyday.  So, we called American Airlines and changed the flight.  We fly out this afternoon and return on Friday.  The woman at American was wonderful and charged us no fee plus got us great tickets at a great price.  If anything changes we can stay longer or leave sooner with no fee.  We are very impressed with them.  The original tickets were non refundable and non transferable.  So, last night I got things ready to leave our little cabin for a week.  Watered the plants but I am worried as there is no rain in the forecast.  Fingers crossed.

I had to put off my last week of training for my new Postal job until after we get home.  My postmaster was great about it.

This is not a vacation but we will try to enjoy our time there.  My Michael has made peace with his Moms disease and her eventual passing.  But, you are never truly ready for it until it happens.  I know that with my Moms death in 2010.  I am there to be his support and take pics and videos.  He is a memory keeper, My Michael.

I will be somewhat selfish as I am excited to be somewhere else and able to take pictures.  Me and my new virgin like camera will be snapping away.  I think with my 32G disc I can take over 1000 pictures.  We are not too far from Eugene and not sure of the terrain there.  My man says we are an hour from the ocean so that may not happen.

Hoping to post my pics everyday.

19/365 Photo August 17 2013

 

I was so excited to see this little guy.  He was in the grass right in front of the dock.  I had seen so many of the turtle nests dug up and the eggs eaten, so this was a wonderful treat.

 

He didn’t want to move so I put him down by the river on one of the rocks we use as steps.

 

He still didn’t want to move so I placed him in the water.  It took him a few seconds to do anything.

 

But he finally took out his little legs and swam under a rock.  Now I just hope he survives and isn’t eaten by his Mommy or Daddy.

19/365 Photo August 16 2013

Chippy on the feeder

He/she found their way up to the feeder.  They have no patience, I would have gladly thrown some on the ground for them.

18/365 Photo August 15 2013

Found these beautiful flowers covered in bumblebees during our walk yesterday.  We hadn’t walked down this road for a couple months and missed out on some great gardens near the road.  This one had 3 bees.

17/365 Photo August 14 2013

 

This was the last and smallest of the piles of clothes from the shelves in the bedroom.  I went through them all and got a huge bag for Goodwill.  This cabin was built 40-50 yrs ago and it was intended to be used for weekends only.  NO CLOSETS!  Not one.  The spare bedroom is packed full of boxes and assorted things that would normally be in a closet.  I moved from a big house with a walk-in closet in the master bedroom and many closet through-out including a pantry and huge laundry room.  I am not complaining.  Merely saying it takes a different mindset to live in a home where you don’t keep what you don’t need.

16/365 Photo August 13 2013

 

It was very good year!

(as you can see I needed to catch up on my photos)

15/365 Photo August 12 2013

I decided last week to take a picture of myself every day.  This is one I took while sitting by the fire outside.  I texted this beauty to a few siblings who wondered what I was drinking.  I’ll throw a few out there now and then.  I hate pictures of myself and thought, what a great way to get accustom to my own face.

14/365 Photo August 11 2013

 

They call this small waterfall, slippery rock.  All summer you will hear children, young and old, laughing and screaming as they slide down a small section that is slippery.  Our cabin is across the river from here and we get to listen to those noises.  I enjoy the quiet and solitude with the only sound being the falls itself but I also love to hear the squeals of the “kids”.

Day 11 Ten People Who Influenced Me

I came up with 8 and they are in order of when they became an influence in my life.  I am not writing many details but may go into more at a different time.  There are other people who influenced me but these are at the top.

My Mom  was a happy woman who loved and took care of her husband first, then her children. I laugh every day because she did.   She was a great mother and a better wife.

My Daddy was also a happy man.  He worked hard and provided for his family.  He was very social and had many friends but didn’t make his little girls, Daddy’s girls.  His death changed so many things in all of our lives.

My Dad is a good man who raised us almost like his own kids, but not quite.  He was a hero who stepped into our lives and did the best he could.

My ex is a pretty good guy now.  Not so much when we were married.  He was abusive in the first half of our marriage and controlling throughout all of it.  I learned how to deal with a lot.  I was put in situations that made me a stronger person.  I also ended up with many insecurities.

My Son has qualities from both of us, good and bad.  Having him changed my world.  Becoming a parent was the best and worst thing I ever did.  I am so proud of who he is and I am so sorry for screwing up as a parent.

Pastor Bob was a great preacher.  He was a good Southern Baptist who really spoke from his heart.  I became a true believer and was baptized again as an adult in 1996 in his little church in So Cal.

Francis Chan wrote a book titled “Crazy Love”.  It kicked my butt a few years ago and gave me a renewed desire to know Jesus.

My Michael is amazing.  I don’t know where to begin and don’t know if I could stop but here is a bit.  He pays attention, he observes, he thinks before he speaks, he tries to see all sides, he speaks truth and wants to hear truth, he doesn’t play mind games, he is upfront.  He respects me, sees beauty in me and loves me no matter what insecurities I brought into this relationship.

13/365 Photo August 10 2013

Before and after

Before

After

 

Saturday was salsa making day!  We ate much that evening but it was even better the next evening.  Hopefully next time the habanero’s will be ripe.