Limitations

Well, it's me.  Yes, the former blogger.  I have no explanation why I stopped regular blogging..I lost my voice..my inspirations...I don't know..I guess I just felt I didn't have much of interest to blog about, which says more about me than anything else..  But I have been challenged by my dear friend Anne, at Phamilyblog, to try again...at least she misses my blog posts!  I just need to find my blog voice again.

We sold our house this summer.  Yep, we did.  It basically sold itself, it was a very stress free transaction and we have sold enough homes to know what a nightmare it can be..then we were lucky to have a neighbor rent us his furnished home for a few months.  He lives in the Los Angeles area and comes out to his house every few weeks, but he was gracious to agree to rent to us..so hopefully this works out well for both of us..It's very hard to find a furnished place with a yard, and again most folks won't rent to people with dogs.  So we are very blessed indeed.

Where are we going, you might ask?!  Well, after trying to figure out our future for more than a few years, we are going to Reno, Nevada..we were visiting our friends Ruth and Bill in Reno this spring and went out looking at some areas we might like.  Found it on the first day out..and after a few years of no homebuilding, the developer was just starting to build again.  We put our name on the interest list and to be honest, kind of put it in the back of our minds after we got home..other things going on and such...a few weeks later we get a call from the developer and are we still interested?  We talked finances between ourselves, and most important, what we were looking for in a new area...Reno seemed to be our answer.  The best part is no more 9 hour, 520 mile drives to see the grandchildren near Sacramento...Reno is only 115 miles.  That has been our goal, to get closer and be more involved in Gracie and Jack's lives..Be there if they need some childcare, watch their little soccer and t ball games.  Plus it's Reno, an area we have always liked.. We put our deposit down on a 1596 square foot house in late April, picked options in July, and hoping for a move in date in January..Seems like the waiting has been going on forever..I guess it has been.

Other news, we lost our dear Dalmatian, Gracie, in September a couple weeks after we moved into this rental home.  Kidney failure, she was almost 13 years old and it happened suddenly..We are still brokenhearted and she is badly missed and will be.  She was a big brat sometimes, but she was loved and is really missed.  She was definitely one of a kind..Always remembered, as are all of our departed dogs..

India is now 13, and doing ok.  She has really bad arthritis in her legs, but we try to keep her walking around in the house..Has good days and not so good days.  She has a huge kind heart and always a smile.  She has been a huge blessing to us all these years..

Halo is also 13.  Still stubborn and at times, ornery..but definitely slowing down.  He had some disc problems a couple months ago, was taking prednisone and pain meds, but off those now and we just kind of hold our breath.  Dachshunds tend to have back and disc issues as they age, he is no different.  He can also be a big baby...He is my buddy and is loved..

My mom is not doing well at all, has taken a turn for the worse since the summer.  I won't go into all the details but please keep her and my dad in prayer..this is where limitations come in.  My siblings and I have been taking turns caring for mom for the past two years and as hard as I've tried, I have physical limitations..My fibromyalgia and fatigue are not getting better as I get older..limitations.  I can only do so much physically for them.  It hurts my heart.  But I have to deal with it..I cry at times more than I smile..I have guilt that I carry..probably that I shouldn't have..anyway, it's been probably the hardest couple years of my life, so hard to watch them age and have all these problems..I pray a lot.  God is a good God..I know he is watching over all of us.

Our sons, Dan and Scott are doing well..both have beautiful ladies in their lives and we are so grateful for that..and the grandchildren, what can I say.  Gracie is now 4 1/2 and Jackson is 3 1/2..What a pair they are!  They are in preschool now 3 days a week, and Grace will be in Kindergarten next fall.  I was blessed to spend a few days over Halloween with them and oh so fun.  I now know that when Jack eats too much candy, he can't stop talking.  Literally.  My daughter in love and I were trying to watch a movie that evening after trick or treating, Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler, and Jackson could not stop talking.  It was pretty funny.  Finally he crashed and he and Gracie both went to bed and just dropped.  Yakety Yak!

Well, that catches me up a little bit.. I will try to post some pictures on my next post, which is hopefully not a year from now.

I've missed you all!

 

A very good late, late night to you all.  I don't know if I still have any followers, but I've really, really missed blogging.  I've missed many things.  Sewing, for one.  I have not sewn for almost 2 years and I was on quite a roll before the.  That is one of the first things of order for my life.  Sewing!  And Blogging, I have so missed you all.  and I hope you have missed me!

As I stated in my last post of April of this year, Mom was on hospice, and still is..It's a long slow journey for her.  Those of us who see her on a daily basis don't see the downturn she has taken, but it is noticiable to those who see her infrequently.  Mom is ready with her God to journey to Heaven, and I totally understand why she is anxious to move into the next world.  Here she is for the most part bedridden, except when we get her up via a hoyer lift and let her go sit in her recliner in the living room for several hours each day...other than that she is in bed..reading, watching tv, napping, napping a lot...her body is tired at age 87.  My sister was here again from early September through this past Tuesday and went home to her husband in Illinois...she was here 11 weeks..we are trying hard to split up mom's care.  My brother was married earlier this year but he is helpful when he can.  We will continue down this road for now, if things get worse for her or my dad, another plan will need to come into play I guess..but for now, it works.

My dad is also, at age 85, fragile and wobbly...he seems to be at a loss on how to take care of mom.  I told him just be there for her..he is very helpful..they get meals on wheels so he is able to fix those meals for them...he is also still able to drive to closeby places such as the grocery store, but even that takes a toll.  We're all just doing the best we can!

I need to get myself back to my hobbies...during my time away from mom in my home I need more things to do to try to keep my spirits up.

Gracie and Jack are now 3 and 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old..oh my are they my darlings!

These two are the light of our lights, we lived a long time to be given the gift of Grace and Jack!

Well, wanted to write a short blog post to see if anyone is still reading my writings!  Hugs to you all and happy Monday!

I HAVE MISSED BLOGGING...

This is my first post in almost a year...a year filled with joy, and sadness..illness and healing...

Another year has passed for us here in this desert...5 years now, we are hoping maybe 1 or 2 more years and then sell and move on...this is the longest we have been in one place for a while, lol...neither of us are fans of our town or this desert in general, so maybe a couple more, then time to move on before we get too old or sick to make a move...

This sounds silly to some, but we have considered selling the house, putting the proceeds in a one year CD, buying a small motor home and travel for a year...maybe then we will have the wind in our hair (my hair) and some travel out of our system and be able to settle for good.  My true love is Washington state, but Reno/Sparks area is a close 2nd.  Close to the grandkids, a good VA hospital system for Carl and seasons..and no state income tax..  Sounds like a win win to me...we'll see how it goes...no set plans for now!

My mom is for the most part bedridden and has been in the hospice system since mid January of this year...My brother got married in early January and moved out, so her care has been split between me and my sister Cindy, who lives so far away in Illinois..My brother is good to stop by and help when he can, and he takes care of their finances, so that is a huge help.  I did 8 weeks from January to March 10, and my sis will be here until April 25.  I'm not sure when she will be able to return as she needs knee surgery...I have tried to be positive and cheerful, but I have days when I am not.  It's hard to watch my mom in her condition, I love my dad but he is pretty much needing care too...so its really taking care of both of them..After my sister leaves I will be taking over again, but I will be doing things differently from the first time...I was spending almost every night at their home as my dad has a fear of falling...well my home life started to suffer too.  So dad will be wearing a life alert around his neck and if he falls, especially at night, he will have that to get help and contact me..I only live a few blocks away..I need to administer breathing treatments to mom 4x a day but I can run over and do that.  They get meals on wheels so those are their dinners..This will give me an opportunity to help them, but also give me time to do the things at home that need doing.  This probably makes me sound selfish and I hope it doesn't because I don't feel selfish, but I have things going on in my life that need some TLC too.  I guess I am venting a little, but trying to let everyone know what is going on in my life right now..

Carl and I are trying to get the things done that we need to do while my sister is here, appointments, etc..have wanted to take a 'couple' trip somewhere but that hasn't worked out..not really sure where to go, isn't that silly..would love to take a drive up the CA coast but we are running out of time for that, maybe in the summer when my sister is back.

We were able to spend about 10 days with the grandbabies a couple weeks ago..  Oh how we look forward to time with them, they keep us going, that's for sure..


Trying to enjoy this cooler than average spring weather the last few days, our summer will be here shortly and it lasts forever.  Like I said, I am not a desert loving person, so maybe one or two more summers and that's it!

Just wanted to say hi and hope there is someone out there that still reads my blog..