Sunday, February 18, 2006
* Sunday after Valentine's!
OK... Valentine's Day has come and gone. It was busy as B and Baby B drove in to spend a few days here. It was also very cold and they had reported snow flurries... but we didn't get any in our area. I made Chocolate Espresso Delights and some home-made Shortbread cookies. I love the espresso ones as they are my substitute for brownies and do a great job... but there's no flour and no butter, just cocoa, egg white, sugar, vanilla, and pecans! And it was my first attempt at Shortbread, but it was pretty good... had a great buttery taste.
Wednesday night GS came by and we had a sleep-over. Thursday B and I took GS and Baby B to the Zoo. It was absolutely freezing! We were so bundled up we could hardly walk... and we were still cold. But at least we didn't have to be out in the weather too much as my youngest son is a Curator there and he took us 'behind the scenes' into the the areas where the animals were inside keeping warm. We were 'up close and personal' with the snakes and reptiles (the kids got to hold some of the snakes and lizards), the insects (no one wanted to hold the tarantula), and the gorillas (no touching here... as one of the males was upset and kept trying to scare us - and he actually did a great job - I wanted to get out there ASAP). There are 4 gorillas there and we were able to see them in their 'bedrooms' and 'play areas' which have long tubes that lead from one area to another. The 2 females are Jenny and Timbo, and the 2 males are Hercules and Patrick. Patrick was upset because he had a procedure done on him recently and they weren't letting him outside for a few days. He WANTED OUT and it was obvious.
Friday B went off to have lunch with a friend and Baby B and I spent the day together. We visited the bookstore where I work and she met everyone and picked out a few books (actually she picked out about 8, but we narrowed them down to 2 now - and a stuffed unicorn) and I would buy the other books and send them at a later date. Then we headed over to IHOP for lunch where she ordered a giant chocolate chip pancake that had a face on it made of chocolate chips, whipped cream, and cherries! She loved it and did a good job eating most of it.
Then we headed for the Mall to look around. She loves 'hair stuff' so we checked out a few stores and ended up at Claire's which is all jewelry and hair stuff. The sales lady handed her 'a bucket' and Baby B proceeded to 'fill it' with hair stuff. We had to 'reduce the haul' so to speak a bit, but she still ended up with another bag of goodies, then we found a great buy on a bluejean jacket... By now we were both tired (actually I was tired, she probably could have kept going). We stopped at a ladies room for a minute and they had piped in music and 3 mirrors which she thought was great and began swilling around dancing to the music. I sat down and watched... thinking this will help wear her out... it didn't. But by afternoon we headed home where we could read her books and watch a movie (and memaw could nap? didn't happen). But it was fun. We don't get too much one-on-one time.
That evening some friends came over and Baby B and 'friend' played while the rest of us talked and ate pizza. Saturday I had to work and they had plans to visit some other friends who have horses... so we went our separate ways. That night found us all at a local Cajun restaurant and this morning - they were off. So.... that was our Valentine holiday.
Today we're resting, but my cousin from New Orleans is coming by this afternoon for a quick visit, so there are a few things I need to do... like pick up toys and clean the kitchen, etc. She and her husband are visiting friends in Longview, TX so she decided to drive up here and spend an afternoon and night with us. I've been trying to get down there to visit them since before Katrina, but so far... haven't made it. They had to 'gut' their house, but didn't have to bulldoze it as some did.
Since I'm continuing this journal on March 4th, I will make the rest of this short... like February was. My cousin came in and we had a nice visit... talked about things we did as kids (our summers in Waveland and Biloxi at our cousin's house). She told me what was and wasn't still around since Hurricane Katrina ("Remember the place where we'd go for malts and sundaes after the beach... that's gone" I'd counter with, "How about the place where you could buy the baby alligators and turtles?" "Gone.) The general news was that Mississippi was doing better than New Orleans with rebuilding. My other cousin in New Orleans (she had to bulldoze her place) has her plans to rebuild, but with so many needing reconstruction, it may be a while...
We hope to go down in July (family wedding in Baton Rouge). At this time I will check out Lakeview (which is where we lived when I was growing up). It had 10 feet or more of water. I can't imagine it since we lived a good 5 miles from the lake (and yes, we did have water on our streets with hurricanes before, but even though it had come close at times - up the steps and on the porch, I don't remember it ever coming into the house.)
That's about it.
Noteworthy news:
Mama doing well (for 93). She is having a lot of difficulty walking due to her Arthritic knee. She is aware that outside of surgery (which she won't discuss), using a wheelchair may be in the immediate future. But for the moment, she is still using the walker (and complaining). LIfe in the Assisted Living Facility is good. She has assistance in bathing, dressing, and house-hold cleaning. The surroundings are lovely, clean, and well maintained, the people are pleasant and helpful, and they serve 3 very good meals per day (with homemade desserts and cookies - Mama has gained about 8 lbs.) They also have activities like Bingo, exercise, outings to lunch or shopping, music and entertainment daily as well as a monthly Family Dinner (and entertainment) which is very enjoyable. It's the perfect place for those up in age who are not "sick", but can no longer handle day-to-day needs on their own. I visit every day after work for about an hour before she goes to supper. I pull her bed down for the evening, make her metamucil which she takes before supper, and take home her wash and cleaning. We talk some and watch TV some. I know she's doing well and that this is the best chance she has to enjoy these difficult times... but still can see that growing old is obviously not fun. Some days are good and Mama seems like her old Self. She tells me what happened at Bingo or what so-and-so said or did, or that she really liked (or disliked) the music today. Other days are not so good. She will call me and tell me that she's very nervous today and sad... and is sitting in her room waiting for me to come. I took her out to lunch this past week, and although we both enjoyed it, I think it too is getting difficult for her.
Grandbaby #3 is well on his way. We are all patiently awaiting his arrival... which should be shortly after Easter.
Cats all doing fine. All due annual checkup and vacs this month (to their utmost dismay).
Closing this now. Hope it's not too long, but it does cover February and March.
Rian
