'Leave off at seven' -

Proof of life . . . honest

Started with weakness, such that he felt the need for his walker, drooping mouth, and finally loss of the occasional word.  After a bit of discussion, finally agreed to be driven to the hospital.  On the upside, amazing how a few well verbalized symptoms of stroke streamline you right through triage.

Doctors noted in addition, very small weakness on the right.  Otherwise nothing conclusive as far as cause and therefore  . . . treatment.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

And now for something comepletely different

Back to the Emergency Room and now a Hospital stay for my Father . . . for a Stroke . . . I kid you not.  Sigh.

"I am real!" said Alice,

Henry Ford Museum

The Nursing Board of Michigan has deemed me worthy of a Nursing license.  Now I can fix my resume of that useless "pending" designation, and find a job.  Whoo-hoo! 

Friday, I once again checked the Mich. web-site, which had the same info listed as it has had for the last 4 weeks:  License Pending.  Monday I checked, and it gave a license # and said it had been approved last Thursday.  So, I am still waiting for the actual card.

Fable, tale, story, yarn . . .

Practice and learning . . . I think

Improving, mind you, it has only been a week

Nothing can be clearer then that

I am not the crystal bowl, in this demonstation!

Hooray, my Tax forms are done!!  Let's see, Blood from a stone, Bled dry, and I'm still waiting to be granted my Nursing license in this state, so I can work.  Sigh.

White kid gloves

Henry Ford Museum

I'm finally able to reach the computer!  No, not for the 8 inches of very wet snow we are being blessed with, but that my Father and the Tax Program have finally come to an agreement.  (Mother and I tiptoed alot, but we survived!)  I do believe he had tech. support on speed dial, although he probably spent 2 hours on hold over 10 different calls.  The music was nice though, kind of a light New Orleans

Blues/Jazz.

The knave of hearts stole the tarts.

At least it's not hospital food.

I love this time of year, (the whole pre-lent/Shrove/Fat Tuesday), you really start to think about regional foods.  I was on my way out for a few errands and M&D said, "go pick up some Paczkis."  Go pick up some . . . what?  Oh yeah, Polish donuts like:  Pennsylvania Dutch-Fastnacht, German-Kinklings, Finnish-Semla, or the lovely Beignets from New Orleans. 

Sort of reminds me of College in New Mexico.  We had an amazing group of students from all over the country, and nothing amused us more then the many different ways they ordered soft drinks.  Soda, soda pop, pop, coke, (mind you this could be for a clear drink), cola, and fizzy.  It made food services crazy.

Reeling and writhing

All the cuddling she could want.

Some things you cannot change.  People and dogs have fundamental characteristics and they play the characters they are.  We cannot change them, they have to want to change themselves and even then, it is a most difficult task.

Pepper craves attention and any time she asks, my Mother is more then willing to cuddle, comfort, and hold her.  At the same time, Mother croons to her, "now why would you want to run away from this?" 

As in the tale of The Snake and The Turtle,

Pepper will run again, it is her nature, 

but we will search for her and take her back . . . 

hugging, cuddling, and forgiving her . . . again. 

You must make allowance for each other's faults

 and forgive the person who offends you.

Remember, the Lord forgave you,

so you must forgive others.

Orange Marmalade

Ayah

Marmalade

Chasing rabbits

My troublesome terrier, Pepper, is a "runner."

Since I haven't a fenced yard, the dogs go out back on long leads attached to the deck.  Pepper is a "runner", and the moment she knows she's out and loose, (somehow), she is gone.  Everyday she goes out and experiments . . . shaking her collar or rolling on the ground, on the off chance that today will be the day the latch comes undone.  Sunday was that day.  Mother was frantic.  Father offered to help.  I was philosophical.  I will hunt, but she will probably come back . . . barring getting hit by a car, becoming completely lost, picked up, or trapped somewhere.  After walking the neighborhood in my Sunday Best whistling and calling, I got serious, changed clothes, leashed up Jack and headed out.  We found her dashing up the lawns 6 inches from two very busy roads.  She is safe again for now.

Down the rabbit hole

We woke up to a snow globe world.

. . . when suddenly, thump! thump! thump! down she came upon a heap of . . .SNOW!  Well it is Michigan in February.  Eight and a half inches, and it is blowing as if we were in a snow globe.  6 hours later and the dogs are still exhausted from their foray into the depths.  Hard work for me, I can only imagine how hard it was for little short terrier legs trying to chase deer tracks through the woods.

then stop.

Henry Ford Museum

I am surrounded by depression.  Those suffering loss, physical pain, daily dependence, and overall change.  I continue to dodge depression at every avenue.

I try to see only the good things that have come in this adventure, and not the hard and, oh so, frustrating number of things.  I guess that makes me a bit of a Polly-Anna.

The road blocks are still there, but there is always a tea cake or Mad Hatter to lead me to another door or window.  The Queen of Hearts is still occasionally shouting "off with her head," but there are Gryphons and Mock Turtles to distract and cheer me.

Here's to all of you, you are my unshakable foundation.  Thank you.

Don't stop.

. . . and go on till you come to the end;

It is good to have friends and family who jump right into the thick of it with you. 
It is quite one thing to suddenly realize you need to be 740 miles elsewhere, and quite another to be able say, "Gotta go, I'm dropping the dogs off with you!"
I heard back:  Do you need a ride, where are your car keys so I can keep your drive plowed, did you forward your mail . . . I will send the rest, do you want your work records, when do you need to go back, we will drop off some food . . . what can you eat, how can help???

If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest ocean,

even there your hand will guide me,

and you strength will support me.

Begin at the Beginning

Closed  my house and put it into the care of wonderful friends. 
Acquired a leave of absence from the very understanding management at my job. 
Was given great advice on my resume and interview tactics for the job hunt ahead.
My sister-in-law sped up from the Big Easy to give me a chance to get my dogs, the Christmas gifts I had bought, and a few more warm clothes.  She managed to pull that off, in an amazing feat of wonder, the weekend before Christmas.  (Tweence show rehearsals, Christmas school programs no parent can miss, getting ready for her own guests, and a thousand other things that "must be done.")
My Brother, vilified by parental church and bridge friends for having NOT come up during the hospitalization, cleared two weeks for me in January so he could be here while I completed things in New England.  (Now mind you the Nurse in the family was present during the hospitalization.  It was Advent.  He is a Minister.  It was not life and death.)  He was "re-sainted" when he graciously covered for the suddenly injured minister at my parent's church during his stay.  (I did not trip her and timing is everything.)

Whew, that was exhausting, and it's only the beginning.

Alice