UP AT 4:40 WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH A BUSY DAY PLANNED AHEAD OF ME. Temperatures were in the 90s. HOT for Kansas Springtime. I am relieved to be HOME after being gone since April 25th. I will hit the tired mark here in a little bit after it soaks in how busy I have been and now back at HOME. I'll take a few days to rest up before moving toward what I need to do. I am so glad to be HOME that I kept saying it out loud. "I am so glad to be HOME."
Mom fell and broke her hip last March 14th. While she was recovering from surgery, I'd drive back and forth to Newton from my HOME to see her and visit with her in the Hospital. Off and on for three weeks. Took her HOME April 5th and stayed with her until her April 9th Birthday where my sister took over for two weeks until I could return and stay with her for 17 days. She spent her first night alone at HOME last night.
She is using a walker for now to help her get around. She had Occupational Therapy as well as Physical Therapy while I was there. She has been dismissed and on her own for now as she has improved greatly.
While I was gone taking care of my elderly mom, the days moved slowly. I kept busy, but still the time moved slowly. No computer to work on or play with. No blogging. This has been the longest amount of time that I haven't blogged since I started blogging over ten years ago. Withdrawal was almost painless. As I sit and type on this computer board, it seems rewarding to type once again on this keyboard. My fingers seem to know where to go.
Wednesday night, I ate spaghetti and garlic bread for supper that my hubby fixed for me as a WELCOME HOME MEAL. I haven't had spaghetti in a long time nor have I had garlic bread. I overdid it, but will cut back on the calories tomorrow as I have been on the Daniel Diet for over two weeks. This go round has been a hard one for me to stay strictly on veggies and fruit. I lost a few pounds at my Mom's eating so many salads and soups.
Wednesday morning, I took my Mom to an out of town eye appointment. After a 40 minute drive to get there, we sat in the doctor's lobby for 40 minutes. She had her examination and checked out then we went to a very nice THRIFT STORE in McPherson.
Purchasing a few THRIFTY items, I thought how much fun it is to shop thrift. So enjoy this. I picked up an old Martha Stewart book with a drawing of her Turkey Hill Home and gardens. Magnificent lay out of her property. I can see why she has hung onto this place for all the years she has. This 1991 book originally sold for $50 and I spent a whopping 50 cents for it. That's THRIFT at her best.
It is only a dream of mine to own so much ground where one could garden and live out their days in solice and privacy. At 66, I'm slow to imagine the possibilities. Some take a small plot of ground and turn it into a very productive commodity...others, well not so much. I'm afraid I fall into the NOT SO MUCH group. Lord, I need to change and be more productive.
Lunch at ARBY'S. I had a oversized Chicken Salad Sandwich which I didn't eat all the delicious bread. Water to drink. Then we shopped at Walmart-Mart, drove HOME, unloaded our spoils.
I couldn't help but notice many AMISH woman shopping with their young children in McPherson. They do have a distinct look to themselves wearing a KAPP or prayer covering on their heads and clean dresses of assorted colors. There must be a Amish Colony near by.
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| I wish I could stand in a field like this woman and gaze at the beauty surrounding me. The distance between here and there and back again. Only the birds chirping and the wind blowing across my face comforting a weary soul. Being refreshed by the alone time standing in the out of doors taking it all in. |
Carrying my Mom's purchases into her HOME, I packed up my things and headed HOME to return to my LIFE in small town America as a HOMEMAKER and WIFE. Driving HOME across the Flint Hills on this HOT day was awesome with the blue skies and sunshine so I listened to some beautiful music which made me a HAPPY CAMPER. On my way HOME. What a nice place to be heading.
Talking to my hubby on my cell phone made my traveling time seem like I was almost HOME. I stopped by the Manhattan GOODWILL to make a donation of my Mom's clothing and shoes. While I stayed with her, we worked at thinning out her large closet full of clothing and shoes. It was like pulling teeth to get her to turn loose of clothing as she L O V E S her clothing. Still at 90, she cannot wear all the clothing she has unless she changes her clothing three times a day..... then maybe.
I took a clothing rack with me to make the job easier so I thought. She could sit in her chair while looking at her clothes. I had grouped the clothing in colors. I'd carry out from the closet a group of clothing hanging them on this rack so she could view the items.
Each garment was handed to her one item at a time. She'd look at it and decide to keep or give away. Mostly keep. Then after she went through a color group, I'd return the clothing to the closet and gather another group for her to view. Placing them on the rack, we did a repeat. Keep or donate. Back to the closet the keepers went and I'd gather another color assortment. The donation pile went to my car to get them out of her house and her sight so she wouldn't take the give aways back.
I grouped her clothing into sections of two piece outfits together, slacks together, dresses together and single blouses together. Thinned out her shoes. Didn't get to her purses or coats. Did my best to group all the similar colors together. There were blacks, grays, whites, tans, browns, oranges, pinks, reds, yellows, greens, blues and purples articles grouped together.
Another day we went through her dress slacks. She tried each pair on to see how they fit. Almost all of them fit. It took some time for her to slip on the slacks, stand up using her walker to balance, turn around, decide to keep or not, take the slacks off, sit down and repeat. She definitely got her exercise for the day. I thought for sure she'd be sore the next day, but she wasn't. Amazing for being 90.
In the bottom of her closet were two large storage boxes and we went through these as well. She has a way of rolling her blouses so more fits in the tubs. Then she has drawers full of clothing. I didn't go through the drawers, but she took it upon herself to go through one all by herself.
I dropped the cast offs at GOODWILL on my way HOME on Wednesday.
I SURVIVED the last 17 days eating organic vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, peanut butter throughout the day, and drinking V8 for Breakfast each morning. I'd fix a salad for lunch or supper. I'd prepare anything my Mom wanted. My days were full of setting the table, fixing coffee and preparing Mom's breakfast with her morning pills and apple juice to drink. Clearing the table, washing the dishes, putting the dishes away then do a few chores as she needed done. I took her to five medical appointments, grocery shopped, put items away, etc. There'd be lunch and supper to fix, etc.
I watched her like a hawk when walking outside and getting into and out of the car. My dear Mom is 90 and she wants to remain independent as long as possible. I was allowed to take afternoon naps as I was bushed. Late night TV was watching the GOLDEN GIRLS. Game shows galore. One night we watched the 1984 movie PLACES IN THE HEART. She liked it. Another time we watched CALL THE MIDWIFE on PBS.
There was too much excitement April 29th after a day of being out to a doctor appointment, tornado weather arrived and she wasn't too keen on going to the storm shelter provided where she has an apartment. I raised my voice at her as she hesitated to go. She wanted to go after the siren was sounded. The television had already said to take shelter. I raised my voice in frustration with her since she is hard of hearing and wanted to wait until the town's siren sounded. As far as I was concerned the siren had sounded from the television when they said to take cover. I went over to the center to see if it were unlocked. It wasn't so I asked her if she had a phone number that I could call to get the community center unlocked to where we could seek shelter. She did but wouldn't give it to me which added more frustration as she said to go back over and see if it were unlocked.
Once again I did and by this time it was unlocked. Over we went to the safety room. We sat through the storm and remained calm chatting with some of the other residents that had seeked shelter there. Andover, Kansas took a direct hit where much damage was done. Blessed that there were no deaths. 31 years ago, they were hit by a tornado as well. I remember this one.
We returned to her apartment to sleep. Mom moves slowly so walking from her apartment to the shelter isn't a fast event. Tornadoes sometimes drop from the heavens on top of you as you slowly walk to take cover. I was very concerned for our safety and Mom wasn't. This bothered me beyond words. I couldn't carry her or drag her to safety if I tried.
We spent Mother's Day together this year where I took her to the little town of Florence's TOWN and COUNTRY RESTAURANT for a fried chicken meal at Florence, KS. Incredibly busy and the wait was longer than usual. Nice to eat out for Mother's Day though and not have to wash the dishes. HAPPY Mother's Day.
Staying with Mom, I played as best I could on the new phone I got. It wasn't going very well as I am a dinosaur.
Taking it upon myself to go for evening walks 4 different times about her neighborhood was a very good stress reliever for me. My last walk was a sentimental one as I recalled walking these neighborhoods as a child with my cousin, Denice who was killed in a auto accident last July.
I walked past my Aunt Ann and Uncle Ezra's house also looking at Aunt Bertha and Uncle August old bungalow a short distance away. The memories come rushing back where I learned to ride a bicycle and ate homemade ice cream. As I walked in the heat I passed some churches and houses that I have admired for years. Across a bridge, through downtown and over to the Service Station my Parents use to own. Walked past the Post Office then by the City Park and back up the hill towards Mom's apartment. I clocked about two miles in the heat walking a solid hour and took another hour to cool off. I thought this small town was still a handsome place that one could live.
While walking, one doesn't cover as much territory as when driving. The things I saw while walking are viewed with a different eye. The slower pace is addictive.
When Mom was having therapy where she wasn't alone, I could slip away for a few minutes to run to the store or go by the local coffee shop for a hot almond milk steamer with froth on top. I looked forward to getting out to sip on one before returning to her apartment.
On Fridays, I went to the Hospital Auxiliary to shop at their lovely thrift store. I purchased a few blouses as I had packed very light and lacked clothing to wear as I stayed at Mom's. Picking up a few summer tops at a low price was affordable.
When I visit this part of the world where my Mom lives, I reminisce and relax as I go back into the past and think about the history in these places that I see. The small towns, the old buildings and houses that have weathered the storms of life and years of living.
I wish I could dine at the old Harvey House in Florence. Going back to a time that seems less hectic...am I kidding myself or what. When was life ever not hectic? A million thoughts in my head.
NOW I AM HOME to recoup and return to the hustle and bustle of remodeling our cottage. There's no place like HOME and I am so glad to be back. The deep purple border Irises greeted me as I walked across the lawn carrying my luggage. Oh so pretty to see.
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