Monday, October 25, 2010

Snow before the end of October

We usually get snow before the end of the first week of November but it snowed here this morning Oct 25. Arghhh!
I wonder if this means a cold winter or just an anomoly. But it is only a skiff, just enough to warn us to get the furniture off the deck and put the unbrellas away.
Today is the day the Genny's head get changed out. Finally after waiting nearly 2 and 1/2 months, Hyundai finally called to tell us that the brains of \B's car has come in from Germany. Or at least that that is the story.
Will post later to let you know. Hope springs eternal.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

I am still in my nightgown and its nearly noon.

Its been a miserable week. Got a call from the Bethany Lifeline people...my aunt was on the way to the hospital. Once more she had felt like she was going to pass out, we had been through this early in the week and I had gone racing up to her place and took her to the doctor with no resolution. This time she pressed the button, ems arrived and off she went. I got to the hospital shortly after she did, after trying to track her down, some bullshit about the Privacy Act and they couldn't tell me which hospital she had been taken to and blah bah blah. I said to the Patient Advocate (another trumped up provincial job with a pension and mandate to obfuscate) what would you do if you were me? and I bullied him into telling me where she was. And to boot I am on the list as a responder!! Jeeze. What a stupid system that is trying to protect us from ourselves.

She won't be going home, another family member bubbles to the surface with dementia. Dementia is such a creeping horrible disease or condition that at least in our family allows its victims to skillfully cover up their memory loss and confusion until one day the bubble pops and the only salvation is a trip to the hospital not to go home again. She is what they call in the system a "bed blocker". She cannot go home until a new home with memory care and dining service is found for her. Thank goodness her son has done the leg work, and h e has a goal in mind. Until then the system will do its thing and hopefully the transition will be smooth for her. Ha! Yeah right. But not for her son who is faced with the massive job of disposing of her stuff. It will be a huge job, but a hey day for the homeless (lots of socks to donate, and nail clippers and stuff stuff and more stuff.)

At the same time, Erin and Walter are having a horrible time as Walter's father is in heart failure, after 3 weeks of having one heart attack after another, he thought he had the flu, he drove himself to the hosptital and was given an immediate triple bypass. So far today, 3 days after the surgery, he has been shocked 7 times over night and  12 more times this morning and is occasionally conscious. We can only send him our thoughts and help the kids where we can. They are all terrified . And so sad. Bill squeezes their hands. Its the only thing he can do.
2010 is just a shitty year.

Monday, October 11, 2010

What are we Grateful for? What do we Appreciate?

This picture was taken about 7:30 AM  when the rainbow caught the early sun and geese flew over. The scene changed seconds later when the sun rose higher and caught the mountains in pink and stole the rainbow.


All the food was perfect, everybody brought a contribution and it was a delicious dinner. I laughed and laughed. I have the funniest family in the world.


Shelley, Gwenn and the Mexican wrestling Thanksgiving Turkey
Wee Willy Winkie ready for Bed