Life

Wish, the park sounds lovely. Not having to be the one dealing with poop is lovely, too! Funny you should mention a farewell trip in the van. My sister-in-law and I are making a trip to Ohio soon, to take some things to her best friend, whose husband has ALS. We may take the van to haul everything.

Sue, the increased Lexapro has been a miracle. I didn't want to have to rely on it, but damn, what a difference. Whatever the chemical mechanism that happens with depression and keeps us there, sometimes it's just too much and we really do need help. I used to see depression as a sign of weakness. Boy am I humbled. I'm feeling better already, and the brain fog has lifted. I've accomplished some tasks that I've just been unable to bring myself to address, and that also helps!

I spent Wednesday and Thursday power washing the dock. The weather was beautiful and it felt so good to be outside. Yesterday, I crashed! I was sooo tired, but today I'm good again.

Our girls are coming today. One arrives this morning to take me for an optometry appointment (on a Saturday, courtesy of the VA!), and the other arrives tonight. Tomorrow we are planting grape vines that our local winery is dedicating to Matt. The first fine in the row will have his name on it, and we will be invited each season when they work on the vines. We'll then get to help harvest and receive a bottle of the wine made from those vines for the first two years that they produce.

That sounds awesome! So nice that you and your girls will be able to enjoy wine that was made from a dedication to Matt. Enjoy your girls!

That grape vine sounds so wonderful!

Wow that’s sounds awesome and neat! What a treat that wine will be.

So happy your girls are coming in to spend some time.

Yes, the anti-depressants really do make a huge difference. I too am feeling much better and getting more done.

Hugs

Well, that power washing really did my shoulder and arm in. It took three days, but when the pain set in I could barely move my arm!! It's fine now, but sleeping was very difficult for several nights.

Heavy rain postponed the vine planting, and the girls had to be at work, so my sister-in-law and next door neighbor went with me Thursday.

I've reached the end of this phase of moving furniture and clearing stuff out all over the house. I'm now cleaning and enjoying a house that does not look like it's a construction zone! Just in time for friends to arrive from Texas this Wednesday. We are then driving to Charleston SC for a reunion of retired Air Force public affairs people next weekend, then back here with three additional friends for a couple of days. The summer season is here!!

I treated myself and bought a kayak last week! It will be delivered soon (they didn't have the color I liked). I just want quiet time on the water in the early morning or late afternoon. Maybe I'll see new wildlife!

The lilacs I planted a couple years ago in front of the ramp are in full bloom, and they smell lovely. I so love spring! I do need to get out the shop vac and clean the fountain. Yuck. That'll be another day...

Other good news: I finally received the paperwork allowing me to transfer a couple of things to my name that were titled only to Matt. NC has an annual spousal allowance from estates, and they are being transferred under that allowance so that I don't have to probate them. Whew.

It's Easter, and I'm not with my grandkids, but I feel good. I'm still enjoying the quiet and peace.

Good news on the probate issue. That is awesome news.

Sounds like you are definitely starting to enjoy the Spring weather.

How nice to have kayak to get out on the lake and relax.

Hugs

Note to self: wheel hair batteries ignored for 8 months will deplete so far that they cannot be recharged. I'm headed to Ohio this weekend to take Matt's chair and some other items to a dear friend of a family member, and the batteries are done for. I ordered two new ones and they arrived today, but I wasn't able to get the chair apart to install and charge them. I need Steve!!!! I'll call the company back in the morning and have that discussion with them again where I was told there were only 4 bolts attaching the lift to the base. I must have missed something... So, that's my next project, and then I get busy selling the van. The chair and van were our freedom, so I'm finding them a bit harder to let go than the rest, but it's past time.

I had the same problem with the battery on Cliff's chair. I got a tip from the guy who sold it to me that if you hook it up to a battery charger and let it charge overnight, it will allow charge again. I tried it and it worked! Not sure if that helps you now but may help someone?

Sooner, I tried letting it charge for 24 hours. It did nothing. Sigh

I guess I should have said, I hooked it up to a battery charger Cliff had for the car, not the wheelchair charger. Cliff's chair had only been used maybe 4 times so I was determined to figure out how to fix that dang battery, lol!

Well, I got the batteries installed and working, but then couldn't get the seat actuator to work. I ended up dropping the chair off at a mobility place to have them finish putting it back together and deliver it. I received a wonderful picture of it's new owner in the chair with a huge smile on his face. That felt great!!

So glad you could get the chair to someone who appreciates it.

Hi all. I know I've been MIA again. The trip to drop off the chair went well, and the smile on the face of the man who has it made it all worth while. I've listed the van in several places and have had some interest. I think it will be hard to see leave also--we did some wonderful traveling in that thing.

I called my dad to schedule a visit to see him and learned that he had taken some nasty falls and is in a rehab center. His wife was out of town, but I drove to Florida only to find that I was too late--he no longer knows me. My sister flew in because she was afraid I'd try to bring him home with me to take care of him. No danger, I know better than that. She and I had a good couple of days together, and although dad didn't know us it was good to see him. Unfortunately, I ended up in a spat with my step mother. I called to tell her that the facility didn't have a copy of his advance directive or DNR and offered to facilitate getting it to them since she was out of the state. She got snippy about me wanting to get involved now, and actually asked me why now after she'd been caring for him alone for the past few years. Well, I am ashamed to say that I lost it. I found myself yelling at her that I was there now because my husband was dead and I was now able. It was not pretty, and I fear we may not ever speak to each other again. I feel especially bad because I think she is having cognition issues and I said as much to her daughter.

On a happy note, I've been kayaking on my creek. It's very peaceful--my new happy place.

Very sorry to hear about your dad, Becky, and the tunnel vision of your stepmom.

Kayaking on the creek sounds like a great place to be!

Best,
Laurie

oh Becky - I'm sorry about your dad, and it would have been awful to end up in that argument with the stepmum. Try not to let it pull at you too much. How wonderful that your sister flew in and you got that time together.

Kayaking there sounds just delightful - do more of what feels good and let go of the rest