Oh, say, can you see it?

Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 3:00 pm (Heavy Clay, Youngest of Seven)
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I’m determined not to fall into the swirling vortex of fear and anxiety that is so easy to fall into when faced with the dilemmas of caring for an elderly parent and paying for life’s little niceties (like health insurance) when you aren’t earning any income.

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Well, I’m determined not to write about it at least.

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Instead, I went searching for a little Independence Day spirit in the garden.

The ‘4th of July’ tomatoes didn’t quite live up to their name, though the Topsy-Turvy planter is a thumbs-up (errr thumbs-down?)…

4thofjulytomato2

4thofjulytomato1

But maybe the Oakleaf Hydrangea looks a little like skyrockets?

hydrangeas

Or the astilbes have that fireworks flair?

astilbes2

How about the bee balm’s red glare?

beebalm

Petunias bursting in air?

pansies

Wherever the 4th of July finds you this weekend — or wherever you find the spirit of independence — here’s wishing you an (old) gloryous holiday.

flag

May the sun in his course visit no land more free,
more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!
~ Daniel Webster

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It was a good run

Monday, June 22, 2009 at 10:48 am (Youngest of Seven)
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Oh the memories… From February to May last year, I and my family were embroiled in a flurry of health care issues for my elderly mom. Her broken ankle resulted in 8 weeks in a rehab hospital and 5 weeks in assisted living (all non-weight-bearing) while we scrambled to adapt her 100+ year-old house to accommodate one-level living. It was a huge struggle, and hugely satisfying to accomplish what we did.

We had a great run for a whole year — she managed pretty well, and we managed to ignore her occasional rants that none of what we did was necessary, she’s just fine, she can go up and down two flights of stairs to second floor or cellar with no problem, and what horrible people we were for throwing away her 35-year-old exercise bike (and buying her a new one she refuses to use).

But now the jig is up. We’re back on the eldercare treadmill in full force, with mom’s recent dizzy spells and now painful fractured ribs after a fall this past Saturday. It’s clear that living alone is no longer an option, so we’re scrambling to figure out how to have one of us there with her as close to 24/7 as we can manage, given that we all have jobs and lives of our own.

It’s daunting, but I can’t help but think how lucky we are to have dodged this issue for so long. So many people don’t get to wait until their loved one is 90 before confronting care issues.

I’ll try to keep remembering that as we navigate a sea of doctors, appointments, insurance, and meds, and disrupt our own lives in still unknown ways. I’m anticipating a lot of “discussions” (/arguments), a lot of fatigue, a lot of tears, prayers, and sleepless nights. And of course, a lot fewer workouts and a lot more chocolate.

Old age ain’t no place for sissies.
~ H. L. Mencken, Bette Davis

3 Comments

Not really a fan…BUT

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 10:47 am (Writing by Ear)
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Let me be clear. I don’t watch hockey. I don’t know the rules of hockey. That hockey lasts until June seems ridiculous to me.

BUT — when, after an interminable 82-game season (I looked that up), plus potentially 20+ more games in the playoffs, the Penguins land in the finals, I take notice. And I watch, sort of. Mostly through my fingers because I find it extremely nerve-wracking to watch a game that matters (“GET THE PUCK AWAY FROM OUR GOAL!” I scream over and over).

Plus, it seemed that every time Mike and I started watching a game, the other team would score a goal, so it was just too much bad karma and we couldn’t bear it.

But, of course we watched the final (on pins and needles). Of course we cheered when we won. Of course I watched parade coverage yesterday and contrasted it with the Steelers parade a few months ago.

That was the most impressive thing — how very different these young Pens players are from the Steelers.

Don’t get me wrong — if you know me, you know that I’m a diehard Steelers fan. Love them. Love football. Amen.

But, even I got a little bored at the parade ceremony as player after player stepped up to the mike and screamed something with a lot of WHOOOOOOOs and YEAH BABYs thrown in.

In contrast, the young Pens were grateful, humble, mostly quiet (no doubt some were losing their voices after a weekend of partying), and very appealing. Hell, they had their parents on stage with them! I’ve always known Sidney Crosby is a class act — you can barely watch a newscast without seeing him doing something nice for a fan or a charity. And it was great to see the other players whose names I barely knew before, but now will know to watch for. And how can you not love Mario?

So, YAY PENS! And YAY to bringing the City of Champions title back where it belongs.

If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?
~ Vince Lombardi

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