http://www.blogger.com/html?blogID=4316350785635987648 Cave Dwellings: “Once Upon ATime…There WAS Time!”
Cave Dwellings

Buckhorn Creek, Lake O' The Pines, Jefferson, TX

Thursday, September 5, 2013

“Once Upon ATime…There WAS Time!”

  ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..Oh, excuse me.  I nodded off for just a second there…Well, what can I say about this week that would fully explain it?  Maybe a few well chosen adjectives would suffice…Hmmm…OK, how about tearful, traumatic ,satisfying, frenzied, heartfelt, soul-searching, challenging, tiring (definitely), head-spinning, …and finally HARD!  Yup, we actually moved our elders into Assisted Living at The Alden Gardens in Aurora, IL…No, I can’t say that they were “kicking and screaming’..not in a word.  But, they were very reluctant and spiteful to be there.  MacGyver and “moi” loaded up a few belongings of theirs and started getting them moved last Wednesday.  We couldn’t actually move the bed until Friday morning because Aunt Jeanette was still sleeping in it at home. They had to be in there Friday afternoon by 1PM, so needless to say Den and I were hustling our buns off to get them there in time…and we did.

2013-08-28 10.04.22

 

 

This is the only picture I will show you taken from their new diggs.  They are not quite feeling comfortable about any photos of their “jail cell” (as Jeanette calls it), but I am hopeful that within a few weeks they will adjustThinking smile.  I took this photo from a screen porch just outside their room on the second floor.  My apologies for the screen, but you obviously can’t have a patio on the second floor without screens to keep everyone who WANTS out from trying to escape. Truth be told, I don’t see too many who are NOT happy being there.  We can only hope our elders will settle in within a couple weeksFingers crossed.  They will be there one week tomorrow..and tomorrow is Jeanette’s 98th birthday. Den and I are going up to have “High Tea” with them in the afternoon. This could go either very well..or very, very bad.

 

Last Saturday Den and I went to a 40th birthday party of a good friend who grew up with our kids.  They live out in the country and have a lovely home that totally reminds me of The Walton’s….with one big exception…the huge pool in their back yard…

 

2013-08-31 16.17.132013-08-31 16.17.23

That young man in the cap and yellow shirt in photo on left is Tom Hohmann, the birthday boy.  What a great party it was!

2013-08-31 16.19.34

I took those last 2 photos from this porch…Checkout that looooong table!! “Good Night, John Boy”.

Other than the “storm” going on in Aurora Sarcastic smile, we also had a Heck of a storm here in Sandwich last week!  It started off with rain and lots of it..and then we heard the pitter patter of …nope, NOT Rudolf…WHAT THE HAIL??

101_4489101_4493

We were beginning to get a tad worried about our Hiker …and our house windows.  The tornado sirens went off, but by the time they sounded it was about over…What Den and I didn’t need was any more drama this week.Baring teeth smile

With all of the stuff going on between here and Aurora..and Montgomery, I nearly forgot about Den’s EMS experience in our garage.. NO, Dennis was NOT the patient..It seems a very young Cardinal wandered/tried to fly into our garage and couldn’t find his way out.  He was getting stuck up above the bays, and it was a really hot day.  Den tried to catch him, but couldn’t quite get him.  Finally,the little guy got so tired that Dennis could grab him…

101_4483

This long-legged gray haired dude is certainly persistant..NOW LET ME GO!!! I WANT MY MOMMY!”

Rest assured that no Cardinals were harmed in the capture of this youngster, but the mother bird was calling MacGyver some choice words..and giving him “the bird” !!

Yesterday was opening day of the Sandwich Fair (DeKalb County Fair).  Usually we go out a couple times, this year once is enough.  Besides, our daughter Chris (triathlon girl) and her hubby, John (Boston Marathoner) and their 2 boys, Aiden and Maddox ( the Wolff cubs) are coming in tomorrow night to stay the weekend…I, for one, am anxious to get to play with anyone under the age of 90, at this point…

101_4160101_4270

                                                  Mimi and Papa’s “Wolff Cubs”, Maddox and Aiden..

I cannot bring this blog to a close without wishing a Happy Birthday to our oldest child and only son, Kelly…Forty-three years ago I had a 48 hour labor delivering this kid…and there was a fire in the boiler room of the hospital so there were firefighters running through my labor room…Kelly HAD to become a firefighter!!

Kelly fireman

HAPPY 43RD, KEL!!!

“The older I get, the more I see there are these crevices in life where things fall in and you just can't reach them to pull them back out. So you can sit next to them and weep or you can get up and move forward. You have to stop worrying about who's not here and start worrying about who is.” 
                                                                                                   ~ Alex Witchel

22 comments:

  1. okay..I am tired now! you need to sit with your feet up!! and have a drink or two or maybe three?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Having gone through the "retirement home" thing with various of my aunts, uncles... and most traumatic, my parents.... my heart just goes out to you. I can only repeat what my Mom said so many times to me "I don't want to be a burden on anyone... you will know when it's time... please do what needs to be done". Honest, Donna, my Mom said this to me... and she meant it... later, when things weren't going so well mentally I recalled her words. I hope my Mom is talking to you as well. I just hope when my time comes I can be as graceful... heck... that's why Bill & I pay a few thousand bucks each year as insurance to pay for assistance living... so we can take advantage of it when we're old(er) ... Don't know what else to say...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trust me, this place is pretty darn nice. They even have "high tea" at 2:30 every afternoon. This is not just tea or coffee..it is fancy pastry, mini sandwiches, fresh fruit and ice cream...

      Delete
  3. They will adjust fine. But I am sure that they will never let you know that for some time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Boy, Nan..you hit that stubborn nail right on the wig!

      Delete
  4. Happy Birthday to Kelly. I can't even remember being 43.

    Moving to an assisted living facility must seem like the end of the line for so many people. It is kind of scary but I sure hope your relatives find some activities and start to enjoy life there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We can only hope, Rick..or we will never get outta here this Winter@!

      Delete
  5. Oh, my. We just broke the word to Wanda's mom yesterday, that we didn't think she would be going back home. As you said, it was a heartbreaking time with all of the same emotions you mentioned. Hopefully she will begin to see the benefits of having full time care, and begin to enjoy her surroundings as best she can. I think all the elderly think of it as "jail" to begin with, but soon come to like being there. I know my mother did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have the advantage of being children. These people have no kids, just nieces and nephews, of which we are the only ones helping right now.

      Delete
  6. Yup, quite a busy week. 98 years of freedom is hard to match. Hopefully they will come to enjoy being taken care of.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup...98 years of freedom and total self absorption..no kids and very much not extended family oriented.

      Delete
  7. My heart aches just thinking about what you had to go through. My dad was moved into a Soldier's Home in Massachusetts 7 months ago and he still talks about when he gets out of there. So I understand. I like your cardinal story it made my LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never want to put our kids thru this stuff..Yup, that Cardinal is hopefully going to frequent our feeder now that Dennis saved him!

      Delete
  8. Bless you and Den are there to help them..
    my dad is 89 ..that is why I am in Florida
    I don't think he would ever leave his house
    donna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bless you, Grammy. We hope to visit there this Winter..time will tell.

      Delete
  9. Your header photo brought back fond memories. We loved going to the Sandwich Fair and even to this day our kids think it's the best fair they've ever attended. Enjoy those grandkiddies....you guys deserve a fun weekend. I downed two glasses of wine just reading your post ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tough times! We just moved Mike's mom into assisted living in Tennessee. We are also emptying their home of 65 years...the only home Mike has ever known. She is happy and knows it is the best thing BUT it is still hard. She is 91. Hang in there!! Marikay is right...98 years is hard to match!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hanging in there is what we do..."Hangin' in, Hangin' out, and Hangin' on"!

      Delete
  11. Oh, Happy Birthday to Kelly!! Thank you Kelly for your service to your community and to our country!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I guess a fire fighter is much better then a stripper!!!!! Sorry to hear you guys have had a horrible couple of weeks. It's never easy making the decision for our older relatives. Just keep your chin up and know your doing the best you can do

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, they have been there only 9 days, and they have one month to decide...

      Delete