Some Money

While I was emptying the port-a-potty this morning, I opened Mary's dresser drawer and gave her a brush to fix her hair with--I usually do it because she can't do it as well. She finished with her hair and started to mess around in the drawer. I tell you, she is as curious as a cat! She found this beautiful little change purse that Jan and Ed had given her a few years ago and was delighted with it, so I had the bright idea to put a dollar in there. It's kind of hilarious because every time she opens it, she is completely surprised. I'll be curious to see if at some point she remembers that there's money in there. I also took her old note that she'd stuffed in her robe pocket and wrote on the back that all the money we have is hers and put it in the purse. I did this while she was eating breakfast and she just watched me! She said that she would be opening it to find out what I'd put in there. I've never seen her eat so fast! It was Nutella on toast--very messy.

I'm going to see a play with J today. I haven't heard much from him recently and have kind of lost interest. That's funny because I thought he'd be the one to lose interest. He sent me an email around 2AM this morning implying that he felt very passionate about me. Hm. At this point I've got some distance and I think he's just flirting. It will be interesting trying to figure him out--if I don't get too entangled. Did I mention that my ex-boyfriend from Germany has decided to come visit? He wants to keep his oar in, or whatever that saying is. Gee, I feel so...desired!

She just read about the money and wanted to know where she got it, so I gave my pat answer: Well, you were married three times. That seems to do it.

Oh, now I see that she had only half-finished her breakfast. I hope she didn't get Nutella all over the purse!

ENT visit for her tomorrow. I hope he can get her straightened out. My throat is hurting again. And my ears don't seem to be much, if any, better.

I'll Be Dog

We're watching The Andy Griffith Show and Andy said, "I'll be dog!" I just about died cause I've heard Mary say that several times and I always thought she was being silly, just making a mistake.

Sisters

Angie called on Sunday! She's at her daughter Johanna's in Lewisport. Jo said she thought Mary's b-day was on the 20th. We got disconnected, which was fortunate because I had to call them back on my cell phone, which I don't often use due to it being a ToGo phone (no free minutes), and I discovered that the speaker phone on my cell phone is louder than the one on the regular phone, so Mary was able to understand much more. Not that it helped the conversation that much! Those two are a bit out of it :-) Yesterday evening I got Mary to call Anna since she'd be able to understand her this time. They both seemed to really enjoy the conversation but as soon as Mary hung up she said, "Now I don't know who that was!" O je!

I made Lentils and Sausage last night, so I got Mary to cut the sausage up. I'm always so glad when I have something for her to do. Actually, she did a much better (more consistent and closer to what I wanted) job this time than ever before! I like the sausage cut up into 1/4 inch coins. One time I had her doing it and she remarked that she didn't care for a job that had to be done so particularly! She wanted to just cut them up all willy-nilly, but that doesn't look very nice, now does it? Dinner was delicious, by the way :-) I had this old box of Dr Oetker Flan/Creme Caramel so I went ahead and made that for dessert while the Lentils were cooking. Mary enjoyed it so much. That's funny because she never cared for pudding. She likes everything now--well, except for watermelon. She still won't eat that!

It has snowed, so I think I'll make some marshmallows. I hope she will lick the whisk. It's so funny to see her tackle it and get the marshmallow everywhere. She always says, "You made this? I've never had homemade marshmallow!" She's always asking me, "You made this? Well, honey, you did a good job!" She's always so appreciative. That's probably why I take care of her--purely for the ego-stroking!

Coming to Terms

Mary has read and reread her cards, which tickles me to death. I love it when she has something to do! She loves her flowers and the balloons that Bonnie brought. She seems to have come to terms with being 97. Sometimes she still says, "Well, I guess I'll be dying soon." I always answer, "Well, that's up to you and God." Sometimes she'll be really on the ball and say something like, "I've only got three years to a hundred!" Occasionally, she'll say she wants to live to be 100 or older, and I'll reply that she probably will and I'm going to be an old, old maid when she's done with me and nobody will want me. (A little guilt never hurt anyone!)

She kept looking at the dozen yellow roses I gave her and saying she wished she could give me something. I tell her she does, but she often doesn't hear. (Her hearing seems to have gotten only a smidgen better.) Actually, I've been really bad and have been buying lots of panties. The thing is that when I do buy them, I buy good ones, so that when I go to buy them again, I don't know what to get. Mom told me to get one type, but that was wrong and then I tried another and that's not what I like either. Argh! The thing is that they don't make what I bought last and really liked. I wonder if other women detest buying bras and panties like I do. I also bought several things from Victoria's Secret (online) because I'm tired on not having any sexy tops to wear. The clothes in Germany seemed to be more...feminine. All the tops here seem to come right up to your chin. Mom always told me, "If you've got it, flaunt it." I've also bought a couple of red lipsticks lately--trying to find the right one. I guess it's J's interest in me that is making me want to be more feminine and attractive. Oh, Jo also got me to order a black dress from Coldwater Creek. It was only $30 (the stuff from VS was around $140) and is very attractive on me. If Mary knew how much I do spend on myself (it's only in spurts, though, not all the time: wenn schon, denn schon), she'd probably have a cow. Well, I got her quite a few things for Christmas, so it's really only fair :-)

I finally broke down and sent J an email yesterday since I hadn't heard from him for so long. I saw on his MySpace page that he was online. He promptly called me, which was nice. We're planning on going to see The Tempest at ATL next Sunday. We'll get standing room only tickets and pray that we get to sit (together) :-) I guess he really isn't that interested in me. Otherwise he'd want to see me more often, right? So I should just enjoy having someone I like to do things with and not get so emotionally involved--every woman's conundrum!

97

I think Mary had a pretty nice birthday. Lots of people showed up. Well, I had a great time, even if she didn't or doesn't remember it :-)

Now You See Them, Now You Don't

Mary was driving me crazy this evening with seeing someone at the door and waving to them and telling them to come in, so I took the curtain down. It didn't help, so I taped brown paper over the window. I hate it, but it saved my sanity, so it will stay. Maybe I can find some nicer paper, but right now I'm just too tired.

Just after dinner, Mary had to use the bathroom. I think it was the worst I've ever had to clean up. I don't mind so much as long as I have the rubber gloves, but I was just tired. Her not being able to hear is very, very tiring. She doesn't even try to read your lips.

I'm so tired because she started having chest pain around 6 or 6:30 and then she wanted to get up around 7 or 7:30. I've been having trouble getting to sleep--still turned around from my being sick, I guess.

I finally took my note down today because she was so upset that Grandma had passed away and she didn't know it and wondered if she'd seen her or visited her much. Then she starts wondering if she's been a good person and why she doesn't hear from her family. Argh!

I had to go today to get another skein of yarn to finish the baby afghan I'm crocheting for the baby of one of my nieces. I hate to work on it at the moment, though, because Mary keeps asking what I'm making. Maybe I'll just write it out :-)

I have Mary's birthday cake in the oven. It smells heavenly. It's called Harvest Moon Cake and has dark brown sugar instead of granulated and a 7-minute caramel frosting (like sea foam) with walnuts in it. Oh, it also has dark rum brushed on the layers and a sprinkling of nuts on the top. 3 8"-inch layers. I can't wait to taste it!

Barri (Mary's last husband's daughter) sent Mary a card and I got one out and signed it and gave it to her, she kept reading them and seemed alright with her turning 97. Thank goodness she's finally come to accept it!

Well, I've got to wash the dishes. I'm going to an ENT tomorrow, I hope--if it doesn't snow like crazy, which I don't think it will. Can't wait to get straightened out!!!

Bright Idea

I got so tired of Mary asking me the same questions and making the same strange statements, that I wrote a note and attached it to the lamp next to her chair. She has read it many times and it seems to be helping to keep her from asking those questions. It says something like: This is your house. You bought it 12 years ago after Uncle Harry died. I have lived here with you for 8 years. You will be 97 this Friday. Grandma passed away 30 years ago. I don't think she's finding it upsetting--just informative.

I'm going to see an ENT on Friday (weather permitting--it's supposed to snow like crazy) and called to see if she could get in, too, but they didn't have any free times. I should see about getting her to Dr Murphy; he's tested her hearing before. That way, they should have a record and can compare it. I wish I could get them to clean her ears. I have the feeling that it's just wax build-up. When I look in her ears, I see lots of stuff, but if I try to clean it out, she squeals like a stuck pig.

Speaking of which, I got Babe out of the library again, but, once again, she just slept through it. Maybe if it were the DVD with the subtitles, it would be more interesting. I'm having to turn her TV Ears all the way up but I'm not sure she can really hear at that volume and they tend to malfunction at full blast--getting static-y easily, for example.

She can't take her eyes off that note this morning. I hope she's ok. I plan on making her a cake called "Harvest Moon Cake." It seems normal but with brown sugar and caramel 7-minute frosting. That will be like sea foam, so there's more of a chance that Mom will come to get a piece :-)

Mary just said she's areading that note and some of it she can't believe.

Someone laughed the other day at the "country" way I have of saying the word "eggs." That means that Mary has rubbed off on me. I sometimes imitate her way of saying certain words, just to tease her, and I've often wondered if I'll accidentally pick up saying them that way for good. It looks like I have! She says something like aigs instead of ehgs.

She's in amazement that she'll be 97. She says she's going to call Anna and talk to her about it. (It didn't help because she couldn't hear anything Anna said!)

Say What?

Mary is driving me crazy! I realized today that it's been way too long (since Fred's party?) since I've had a break. I keep losing my patience with her. It doesn't help that I still can't hear completely. I'm supposed to go to an ENT soon--yeah! I'll be soooooooooo glad to get my hearing back. It's like a pressure on my ears.

I guess it's the combination of her UTI and the antibiotics, but Mary talked all last night and has been seeing things today and talking about going home and saying all kinds of crazy things. Her hearing is suddenly horrible, too, so even when I talk right into her ear, she sometimes doesn't understand me. Then Rudi gets upset because I'm getting so close to Mary.

She's saying she wants to go to bed already, so I guess I'll put her there. It'll be a relief! I'll be so glad to do my regular silly errands tomorrow--just to get away for a bit!

Not So Pretty in Pink

Much to my chagrin, Mary somehow picked up my pink eye. Her ear is also doing some strange draining, but the doctor said it was fine. (I still can't hear right out of my left ear.) It was actually good in an odd way that she got the pink eye and ear problem because she'd been coughing a lot and acting strange in a way that made Jo and I both think she had a UTI--sleeping a lot, talking in her sleep a lot, incontinence, increased shakiness, decreased mobility, decreased appetite... It all forced me to get my rear in gear and take her to the doctor. We got to see the clutie-patutie, as Jo would say, Dr Lemon. He gave her a prescription for an antibiotic and eye drops. I used the nebulizer twice on her and that seemed to help the cough. We had sunny weather today and that does what no medicine can.

I got an email from J earlier this week, so he is still interested. I've had a lot of fun emailing with him--he's very clever with words and has the sort of sense of humor that I appreciate--silly yet intellectual at the same time.

It's after 11PM and Mary's just dozing in her chair, so I should put her to bed. Rudi is in my lap in front of my laptop with his nose tucked under one of my arms, which makes it difficult to write anyway. The dogs would be happiest if we went to bed around 10PM :-)

Misdirections and Conflicts

After three days I discovered that I haven't been using my ear drops properly. Perhaps that's why I'm still plagued with white noise and dizziness. How can they expect a sick person to read through complicated directions?

Mary seems to be coughing increasingly and complained of her eyes burning. Dear God, please don't let her have pink eye! Jo swears that she thinks she has it, too, even though her doctor said she didn't. Personally, I feel like I'm getting over it just fine!

Jo has been more than wonderful taking care of Mary. I feel like I've just been sleeping for days on end while she does everything. I lose my patience with Mary very quickly--because I feel so bad. This is embarrassing to me because I know Jo hears how awful I am. I did actually hear her sort of start to lose her patience once a few days ago before she went to the doctor. Yes, she certainly is a very patient person--in fact, the perfect person to be living her with us in many respects.

Jo is concerned that I don't seem to be getting better--still lots of drainage and the ears still bad. She thinks I ought to go see the doctor again, but I am as always unwilling. Isn't it funny that some people run to the doctor for everything and others won't go unless they're dying?

I'll be so, so, so glad to be better and have energy again and get this place cleaned up! Spring will be coming in a few months and new life. I've gained about 7-9 pounds that aren't even coming off with my being sick--very odd. We need to get back to eating more healthily and exercising. And to having a regular hygiene schedule. I have neglected Mary so badly! But I do the best I can.

I still haven't heard anything from J, so I'm guessing that he got bored with my "let's take it slow" policy a lot faster than I thought he would!

I think I've gotten Jo stuck on that eons.com website! It's really addictive, esp. since you can do the LA Times crossword puzzle (the one that's in our newspaper) and it tells you when you've typed a wrong letter. Also, if you ask it to solve a letter or word or even the whole puzzle for you, it doesn't count against your score, which doesn't make sense, but you've just got to be honest.

I guess I ought to go fold the clothes that I didn't fold last night. I've been on a p&j sandwich rage lately, so I think I'll have another one of those! Oi, oi.

Breakdown

I feel like an old car that was driven too long and finally just broke down. I tried every trick in the book to deal with my last cold (my doctor laughed at my list--I always show her my "health notebook"), but in the end I had pink eye, sinusitis, inner ear infections in both ears, outer ear infection in the left ear, and probably strep throat. I've been sleeping for what seems like months now. Well, that's not exactly true--I've actually been turned into a vampire. (I guess I didn't eat enough garlic in my anti-cold campaign.) I sleep all day and get up from about 3 to 6 AM.

I think I had something else to say but who knows what it was. I think I might try going back to bed. It's either that or fold the clothes. Last night I listened to a 90-minute tape on Chi Gong Breathing and watched the DVD "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman." I've been dreaming a lot about Gina lately. Dreaming a lot lately, period. Well, I guess that's what you do when you sleep all the time! Ha, ha, ha!