hard at work

Ahhh yes, my other Job . . .

I really must set about writing up a Plan of Care for my Brother's benefit while we are gone.

Just to make his life easier.

He is coming over this week to observe,

but something written down as a reminder

would probably be helpful.

ought to pay

When I hired on with the Agency,

a point was made of the fact that

they gave performance based raises.

My Annual Review was Friday.

Silly perhaps, for me to think this, but I thought it would be automatic.  However, after an interview . . . went extremely well, and then skill evaluation in the clinical lab . . . I think I intimidated them a little . . .

I asked about a raise.

Good thing . . .

"Oh, you have to ask SO and So and then he has to speak to his Boss."

I did, He did . . .

and when he called me back later . . .

I had a $1 more per hour.

FYI:  this past year I made 1/3 of 

what I made the previous year at Home,

(where I had Sick time, Vacation time and Holidays).

His comment was, it was the second

or maybe the First raise

given to anyone

this year.

But, definitely the biggest.

I will just leave it at that.

Once again I must sincerely THANK the anonymous co-workers
who donated to me their Vacation time,

so I could survive while waiting for Michigan to recognise my

Nursing License last year.

Thank you,
a thousand times Thank you

riper years

Mom took the "Hot Cross Buns" out of the freezer . . .

again.

Every year since 2007 they come out of the freezer,

a couple get eaten,

and then they go back.

Thank Goodness I can't eat the darn things

and

Father won't.

 . . . and then I started thinking about all the things that have happened since Easter 2007.

Trips, tragedies, friends and family who have gone on ahead, moves, changes, jobs, health . . .

WOW!

What do you remember?

pool of tears

The screaming, yelling, cursing . . .
The denying my parentage . . .
The denying that I have any intelligence . . .
The denying of my humanity . . .

(demon and devil were mentioned)

We try to let it go, and blame the Dementia . . .

but this time it was one step beyond

and I lost myself to tears.

I sobbed as I bathed him,

and he realized he'd gone too far . . . 

he tried to explain himself and apologize . . .

This is NOT dementia.

Now, when you go to a Doctor,

they ask if anyone is abusing you at home.

"Hmmm, my 87 year old Father kicks, hits, and scratches me . . . we won't even mention the verbal abuse."

Yeah, right.

I question my sanity.



PS

the topper yesterday, was . . .

once again someone, (one of their friends),

asked why I didn't sell my home . . .

and just move here.

Easter sun

Easter is late this year.
In fact, for once, it is actually after
Patriot's Day this year . . .

Oh, sorry, for those non-New Englanders . . .
it is after . . . the Boston Marathon!

Well,here in Michigan, THANK GOODNESS,
it's later this year . . .

and it's still snowing

Just think if it had been earlier!

PS
and one gratuitous bunny picture

into the fire

My Brother,

(Hmmmm,

actually it started back when 

he was dating

my beloved Sister-in-law),

has a problem with FIRE.

His first parsonage, on an early Sunday morning . . .

(super heated walls from an over-worked furnace

during one of the coldest Michigan winters on record),

a great smoking pit in the ground

(saved all 7 cats though . . . hooray),

and the reading for the day was:

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:4 etc.

He, of course, being a good leader, 

offered sensory input . . .

with the smell of smoke and singed hair.

His next burnt offering was his car,

(spontaneous combustion),

on the Schuylkill,
on the way to a synod conference . . .

backed up traffic for miles . . .

many people were late for that conference.

And since then,

many personal computers

in his household,

have self immolated.

As he and his wife were bemoaning

the latest computer suicide,

I pointed out his long history with

fire . . .

He quipped:

At least I'm getting cheaper.

 No comment.

water to throw

We've had, as a family, many

Water Crossings.

A water heater rupture . . . 

     -in a basement filled with cardboard boxes filled with my roomie's teaching supplies.

    

A major hurricaine and devastating flood . . .

     -right after my Brother's family moved to Louisiana and just dedicated the new church building the weekend before.

A severe ice storm . . . 

     -that took down forests of trees and knocked out power for 2 weeks during a sub-zero winter in New England. 

A ruptured water pipe . . .

     -in the second floor bathroom of an unoccupied home.

I, (who have slept through chainsaws), awoke- running down the basement stairs and shut off the water.

     -5 boxes were lost, (contents saved) out of 100+, (and I gave up having an indoor pool).

Family escaped to high ground.

     -minimal damage to house and church . . . all things considered.

We had cut down many scary trees, in my yard, the summer before and I was able to keep the house sort of warm with the kitchen gas stove.

     -my neighbors stayed very warm else where, but at home, all their water pipes froze and ruptured down 3 levels.  It took them a year of rebuilding.

Only 20 min. of water pouring out, because someone happened to be there.

     -carpets, walls, ceiling, wood flooring, etc., BUT, only in one 2 level section of the house.

. . . Yeah, it stinks.

But like the Israelites arriving at the Red Sea with the Egyptian Army hot on their tails . . .

"Damn, that's alot of water!"

. . . and then you see the other side.

O frabjous day!

There!

in the distance . . .

I can almost see it . . .

HOME!

a favorite dog walking spot

farmer's field on the left, forest on the right,

and rail trail beneath 

My Patient is to have surgery, and as Grace would have it, I will be able to take that time to go and prepare the house for summer.

(indeed Grace, for I receive no paid time off .  To go home in April, would be too early, and June is not possible as my Brother will be unavailable.   The earliest the appt. could be scheduled was mid May, perfect for me.  A timing conflict arose and the family needed a new Date.  FIRST WEEK OF MAY.  Hooray!   Now I will not need to take an extra week off, and once again risk my benefits.)

My JOY was boundless, (people in the supermarket were staring as I leaped in the air and pumped my fist!), when my Brother confirmed that he would be able to stay with Dad.

Mom will come with me.

She can share the driving.

Time away will be good for her.

Driving 1500 miles round trip,

doing yard work, and

cleaning house . . .

This is VACATION!

PS

we have managed to keep my patient healthy since his last MONTH long hospitalization.  We will accept all prayers that this surgery goes without complications and that he does not have to stay longer then a weeks recovery.