No blogs for about three weeks -- we lost the computer and have had a San Diego break in the meantime.
Mom is doing well. She is really amazing -- walking much better, able to lift that pesky right leg into the car with no assistance -- and will probably be up dancing a jig by the time I see her again. She is taking an exercise class at Belmont Village and will probably be participating in even more of the many activities as her hip continues to heal.
We got lots of the possessions she can't take with her boxed and four large boxes went to the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop while we were there. Other groups of boxes are packed and ready for Goodwill (standards not as high as ACS), for Pam and I to take home, and to store for mom to use at a later date. A lovely weaver named Mimi came to her house and worked very hard for two days to finish the towel project -- then took the loom away to give it a good home. Alex, Pam and I helped her load the loom into the heavy-duty rental van and she assured us that she has a couple of fairly burly neighbors to help her unload and shift it into her own house. The three of us really weren't sure we could move it (do you have any idea how much looms weigh?) and we felt like superheroes once it was in the van. Mimi always had more faith. Mom's Dodge van was also a donated item, and went to Jewish Family Services. This won't be the last working trip to San Diego, but much was accomplished.
Now for my computer (#%@*). A few days before we were to leave it simply decided that I was to no longer use the Internet. It gave me a series of excuses, including the fact that I was using the wrong browser for Verizon -- not sure what that has to do with my strictly AT&T connection. After a futile hour on the phone with tech support they told me that the problem wasn't with them, and that for $99 they would try to solve it from India or wherever they are these days. I declined their kind offer and took it to a local firm that employs some young computer geeks. For $85 they checked it out and decided it needed to have the hard drive erased and redone (not the proper terminology). It ended out costing more than $99 (not that much more) all-in-all, but they backed up my files, erased everything -- including some viruses that AT&T's security software had allowed to get through -- redid the hard drive, and put on new and better security software. It took a few days and I just really have it back up and running now. It was ready while we we in SD.
We also had one fun day and a good lunch while we were there. More in a later blog.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Home!
So I'm back in Sacratomato with husband, cats, and all of the comforts of home.
Mom is moved into her new digs and seems to be settling in quite nicely. She is taking an exercise class, enjoying the meals in the dining room, and meeting new people. Pam got the new television properly installed and I hooked up the computer and got it going on Saturday. The phone is plugged in and we hope to have it actually working today (that part is up to Time Warner).
I weighed myself this morning and the scale says my total weight loss since I started the FA program is now 20 pounds. I do know that I bought a pair of crop pants while in San Diego and they were a size 8. They were a bit snugger in the caboose than I usually like (were just fine after wearing for an hour or so) but the 10 was too big. I know that clothing sizes vary, and am guessing that they are a big 8. This also indicates size inflation. I wore a 7 in my late twenties and I am certainly not, nor do I intend to be, nearly as thin as I was back then. If today's women wore sizes cut the way they were in the 60s and 70s, all of those little size zeroes would be in for a big shock. Anyway, at this rate I will hit my goal before the end of the summer, so there will be some shopping for winter clothes -- a very basic wardrobe to start.
Mom is moved into her new digs and seems to be settling in quite nicely. She is taking an exercise class, enjoying the meals in the dining room, and meeting new people. Pam got the new television properly installed and I hooked up the computer and got it going on Saturday. The phone is plugged in and we hope to have it actually working today (that part is up to Time Warner).
I weighed myself this morning and the scale says my total weight loss since I started the FA program is now 20 pounds. I do know that I bought a pair of crop pants while in San Diego and they were a size 8. They were a bit snugger in the caboose than I usually like (were just fine after wearing for an hour or so) but the 10 was too big. I know that clothing sizes vary, and am guessing that they are a big 8. This also indicates size inflation. I wore a 7 in my late twenties and I am certainly not, nor do I intend to be, nearly as thin as I was back then. If today's women wore sizes cut the way they were in the 60s and 70s, all of those little size zeroes would be in for a big shock. Anyway, at this rate I will hit my goal before the end of the summer, so there will be some shopping for winter clothes -- a very basic wardrobe to start.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The New House of Betty
Yesterday was simply chaotic. The early part of the day was calm but busy, but our movers (my cousins, their trucks, and a couple of Tom's friends/employees) arrived about the same time as the Physical therapist at about 11:30. We were also changing shift on caregivers at that time. Last shift for both Ning and Zemy. Suddenly the house was full of testosterone, lots of activity, and things were out of here in about half an hour.
We got everything up into the new flat in short order, Tom and his guys left, and David and I stayed to hang some pictures. At that point we still didn't have a key. David dropped me off back at mom's old digs, I made one more trip to take a few things we had forgotten and get the bed made, towels hung, etc, and came back to pick up mom and the last of the stuff. In the meantime the wheelchair (not often needed, but we have one just in case) had arrived and we had to figure out how to open and close it. Like microwaves, they work just a bit differently.
Mom and Ning had been delegated the task of packing everything else she needed into a travel bag. We loaded up the new wheelchair and walker, her commode thingy (appliance that sits over the toilet which raises the seat and provides handles for pushing up), and the travel bag and took her to her new home. The unpacking wasn't done because I always overestimate what I can accomplish in a short time. The bed was made, however, there were towels etc. in the bathroom, her furniture was in place, and it did look quite homey.
It was nearly the end of the dinner hour, so we went down to the dining room where I joined her while she had her dinner. The food looked really good! She had shrimp scampi with rice pilaf, two veggies, and applesauce cake with raisins for dinner. She didn't eat most of the veggies (too many days eating a modified version of my diet probably had her starving for fats and carbs) but finished much of her dinner and all of her dessert. Then we were back to the room to work on unpacking.
While we were in the dining room two ladies came up to our table and introduced themselves. One is involved in the library and Mom is really wanting to be part of that. Her apartment is just a few doors down the hall from the library, so she will be a regular there. There are also card groups, so she will be making friends before we know it.
When I get back to her place (now a bit sparse looking) I was absolutely exhausted. I was in bed by ten and slept like a log all through the night. I hope she slept as well.
We got everything up into the new flat in short order, Tom and his guys left, and David and I stayed to hang some pictures. At that point we still didn't have a key. David dropped me off back at mom's old digs, I made one more trip to take a few things we had forgotten and get the bed made, towels hung, etc, and came back to pick up mom and the last of the stuff. In the meantime the wheelchair (not often needed, but we have one just in case) had arrived and we had to figure out how to open and close it. Like microwaves, they work just a bit differently.
Mom and Ning had been delegated the task of packing everything else she needed into a travel bag. We loaded up the new wheelchair and walker, her commode thingy (appliance that sits over the toilet which raises the seat and provides handles for pushing up), and the travel bag and took her to her new home. The unpacking wasn't done because I always overestimate what I can accomplish in a short time. The bed was made, however, there were towels etc. in the bathroom, her furniture was in place, and it did look quite homey.
It was nearly the end of the dinner hour, so we went down to the dining room where I joined her while she had her dinner. The food looked really good! She had shrimp scampi with rice pilaf, two veggies, and applesauce cake with raisins for dinner. She didn't eat most of the veggies (too many days eating a modified version of my diet probably had her starving for fats and carbs) but finished much of her dinner and all of her dessert. Then we were back to the room to work on unpacking.
While we were in the dining room two ladies came up to our table and introduced themselves. One is involved in the library and Mom is really wanting to be part of that. Her apartment is just a few doors down the hall from the library, so she will be a regular there. There are also card groups, so she will be making friends before we know it.
When I get back to her place (now a bit sparse looking) I was absolutely exhausted. I was in bed by ten and slept like a log all through the night. I hope she slept as well.
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