Don't lament for me if I drop dead doing a high crescent twist in yoga, or kick the bucket while weeding around my red Russian kale in the garden, or keel over at my apron booth at the Saturday farmers market. You may pity me if I choke on a bite of Flo's filet at the Longhorn Steakhouse. That's an embarrassing way to go and I don't want to waste good food. But living to a ripe old age of 98 or 105 isn't my goal anymore if it means being spoon fed mechanically prepared foods and changing my diapers. Dementia is a jail sentence without parole, a disease that steals your dignity, and causes terrible mental anguish. It slowly devastates the patient and the family. Cliff's mother seems to be in her final stages. Before I left her bedside this morning, I held her hand and prayed for sleep to gently take her. Living 1300 miles from my mother and father, I couldn't be with them as much as I should have been in their last years so all I can do is suppor...
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When I looked out the window at 3:30 AM, Remus had peacefully moved on to the Raleigh area leaving us with only about 4" of new snow. Our back porch at 7:20 AM. Not enough to even whine about. Five birds enjoying the heated bath. There was one wood thrush in the water, a Carolina wren puffed up on the left, a blue jay, a titmouse and a rufous towhee sitting around the rim. On a real cold day, you might see 3 or 4 mourning doves all bathing in the 40 degree water. There were no animal tracks on the porch this morning so nothing took respite on the lounge or the chairs during the night. Our temperature is predicted to reach 40 by afternoon.
Don't know how much rain we got yesterday. The $1.29 plastic rain gauge has water over the 1/2 " mark but the creek down back can be heard up here on the porch. Cliff had an early doctor appointment this morning and saw the creek cascading over the rocks. Cardinals have been at the feeders continuously for the past couple of days, even during the rain all day yesterday. I spotted a male house finch at the feeder this morning while making a red lentil soup. We've seen them at the feeder outside of Dot's window at the nursing facility but never at our feeders. We're hearing more singing from the little brown Carolina wren and the wood thrush. They must feel that spring is just around the corner. Wait until they get up Thursday morning and try singing in the negative numbers. We might reach 15 degrees that day. Wah! For my New England followers, I know I'm whining. Tonight and tomorrow more wintry mix is expected so...
We were under a winter storm watch all day so we visited Cliff's mother at 9 AM and went straight home before the predicted icy weather was due in our area. When I checked our radar early afternoon, the map showed us in icy conditions but here on the mountain we were still above the freezing mark and getting only rain and it's been rain all afternoon. Thank goodness. The next ten days are going to be very cold and winter-like. Even though it's been a mild winter with temps around 50 most days, I'm thinking spring. Daylight savings time is less than three weeks away. My package of heirloom seeds arrived in the mail Saturday and the basil on the window sill is thriving. I ordered two varieties of beets, three lettuces, a Malaga radish (purple), Tatsoi (Oriental greens), two spinaches, and going to try mustard greens this year. Baked a walnut-date bread and a slow-cooker chicken while enjoying a cup of ginger-tumeric tea and a good book this afte...
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Our first great-grandson, Christopher, turned two at the end of January. We would have loved to have celebrated it with him but winter weather in KY is such an unknown. Found another use for the little pony tail holders. Purple or red elastic for red wine and white for white wine. It catches the wine drips so now Lauria and I don't have to lick the bottle necks anymore. I'm sure we'll find something else to do with our time. Spoke to an acquaintance at the gym one Friday. I know her through my massage therapist, Linda, and her potter husband, Roy, also a massage therapist here in Murphy. She died in her sleep suddenly on Sunday night. She was only 66........................so young. Cliff's mother is 92 and disappointed when she wakes in the morning. Life seems so unfair at times. Our temperature got to 62 today so I put a few plants out on the porch to bask in the sun for about four hours. Made gluten-free ...
Yesterday was 31 degrees dreary, dank, and depressing. Today was 52 and sunny with a few clouds. I enjoy the sunrise a little earlier each morning. We visited Cliff's mother this morning. She is constantly anxious and frazzled. It's so sad. Voices in her head torture her and she can't stop them. We try to redirect her and engage her in a different conversation but it only lasts for 15 seconds before the voices in her head take over. Cliff fills her bird feeder outside the window but she doesn't even have an interest in the birds. I've gotten to know many of the patients in the unit and love talking to them. Today a few of them were getting their nails done. The ladies still love being pampered. They get their hair cut and washed in the "beauty parlor" and someone comes into the unit to do their nails. One lady that I call "the church lady" wheels some of the patients up and down the hall and sings ...