Perfect Timing

Hipstamatic, Gregory and Blackkeys44

Where do I even begin?

I can't believe I haven't been here since May 4th, or can I? The last four months have been a blur.
I can truly say from my heart that I wouldn't trade it for anything; however I would not like to repeat it and hope I won't have to.
Dealing with hubby's folk's nursing home adventures.
Time line:
March 15:  Tricked into their hometown facility for 2 1/2 weeks.
April 1:  Moved them to an 'assisted living house' in our city near our home.
May 24: Daddy starts falling/sliding out of his chair.
June 2: He's not able to bear his own weight. The next day we witness him having a mini stroke (we had been suspicious of such) End up calling in Hospice. They give him a week. A week later they give him another week, after that they quit guessing because he seems stable other than having trouble swallowing and not eating much. He's already extra skinny. The first 2 weeks we were there constantly feeding him because they had put an NPO on the wall. They took it down after we proved he could do small sips through a straw.
June 24:  She escapes the house 3 times and the third time she is hooking it down the busy two lane road determined she's going home. Cars having to drive around her.
Calls are made and we spend the next three days getting her new room ready.
June 28:  Her 79th birthday. We move her to a very nice memory care unit very close to our house.
June 30: Their 61st anniversary, the first one that they are apart. (fortunately they don't even realize it.)
July 5:  He starts going down hill fast.
July 9:  He passes.
July 14:  He's buried. We don't even question that we will not take her to the funeral. (alzheimer's)
In all this, God's timing has been so perfect. I sit back in awe at how everything unfolded.

She's doing extremely well in the new place, we are breathing much easier and looking forward to a badly needed vacation in a few weeks.

In the mean time I try to play catch up at work and in the garden.
Life is good.

155 cherry tomatoes, one day, one plant

Snapseed, VSCO, Stackables

Defining Age

Some mornings I just want to chill. Or do I really mean check out? 

I'll escape to the grocery store that has a large coffee bar and get my breakfast burrito and coffee and read emails, FB and my friends blogs. When I'm in this 'mood' I rarely leave inspired. It doesn't usually get me out of the lazy funk I'm in. 

Today as I look around it's very crowded. I'm counting 36 people out of which only four are women. It's 8:45 and the number of obviously retired folk are only five. There is a group of old guys that come here every morning but today a few didn't show up. I would image they usually try to schedule their doctor's appointments around their coffee time. 

Oops, another female just showed up. She appears in her 60s but is dressed in red leggings, knee high gorgeous grey boots, her top barely long enough to cover her bottom, long blonde thick hair that looks like a wig, red lipstick and expensive sunglasses. Looking at her reminds me of a friend (male) that is struggling to hold on to youth. He's without a job now for a year and a half and is in his latter 50s. And that's all I dare say about him. I see those cute clothes in the junior department and wish they would fit because the ones that do in the women's look like old lady clothes. Of course I don't FEEL like an old lady. (Except sometimes when I get out of bed). 

"Old"-  The definition is relative. It is calculated by adding 15 years to your age. (Or perhaps 20.)

We have in the past couple weeks crossed over into the "Caring For Elderly Parents" roll. And none too soon. Although last year they might have remembered more things than they do now. I'm learning about POAs, PODs, IRAs and RMDs. And what happens when you haven't done an RMD for 6 years. I can't imagine why a bank would let you NOT do one. I'm learning about filing amended tax returns and that the SSAdmin sucks. They will be or biggest problem unless we can find someone that has a good friend that works there. 

We feel honored to be able to take care of the things they need help with. But it's harder when they live 100 miles away.

The girl in the red leggings..... She has a heart of gold. I've now watched her interact with several of the people and one worker to whom she gave a present. They chatted and hugged for several minutes.

Life is good.

Yes, it is a wig. She just pulled it up into a ponytail. (Only a hairstylist would know. I think she is one too.)

Snapseed edit.

Linking up with Barb for App Happy Wednesday.

Linking up with Lisa for Life Thru the Lens

Gratitude Day 6

I am grateful for my parents. Today would have been their 59th anniversary. Oh gee, I'm feeling old now that I've counted.
I'm grateful to them for their love and support throughout our 'never a dull moment' childhood. They taught us to work hard, and then go play hard.
It wasn't all roses, they had some rough spells and who doesn't?
I made this page last year for a family book. I had even discovered photos of their wedding that I never knew existed. What a grand surprise. They had been in my grandmother's photos.
My mom passed away in 1983 and Dad and my stepmom Marilyn have been married nearly 26 years now. (I'll let her have own grateful post.)

In 1975 at my brother's wedding.