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Saw robins here so spring w\aset coast any how...

hair is getting to shaggy stage, looked better shaved!
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Been catching up here at home and on the thread. Been pretty quiet!
Went to my class Saturday, even though I had only 4 hours sleep!! Damn cat decided to scratch and meow at the back door all night!!! Plus I was sore and over tired from all the snow removal. I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to do the class because my hands and arms were killing me. But I took aspirin on the drive to Northampton and felt better by the time I got there.
The class was very informative and the young woman who taught it was very helpful. I completed 2 projects and started a third before class was over. It was good to get away for the day, but as usual, it's more work than just staying home! I was very tired by 5 and picked up a pizza on my way home for supper. No way was I cooking!
Mom at least behaved for Merry all day! Of course, wouldn't you know 2 of my brothers showed up while I was gone! The baby of all of us came in the morning and stayed for a few hours and fed Mom pizza for lunch. The oldest of my brothers showed up later and stayed for an hour. Mom didn't know either one of them, but that could be due to how little she sees them! Whatever, she asked me the other day, "where's Kathy? She hasn't been around lately!" I just looked at her and said I had seen her lately either!
BJ, so sorry you have to put up with your Mom's crap!!! I would rather have my Mom forget who I am, than have her do things like that to me! You are so right to ignore her and let her sulk! You have her in your home and keep an eye on her, and to have to put up with her nastiness is too much! Time to stop catering to her and do something for yourself without feeling guilty.
Shirley, Yuck! Doggie diarrhea! With a big dog like that, it must have been pretty awful. Sounds like you are getting things done in the house. I love to paint, artwork, but I hate to paint walls, window frames, etc. I would love to be able to plant a garden right now! Here we have to wait until after Memorial Day or suffer the possibility of a late frost. Sure makes the growing season a short one! It was bad last summer due to "stink" bugs. They got into the roots of all my squash plants and then the tomatoes. Mexican bean bugs got the bean plants. They only plants that did really well were the bell peppers and the cherry tomatoes. Got to treat the entire yard this spring with bug killer. Also had grubs in the lawn that attracted moles that tore up the yard everywhere. It wasn't a good summer for gardens or lawns here.
Cinderbarb, Pizza in with the cookies? That's a new one even for my Mom! Keep us posted on your Mom's antics.
Cat, Hope you are enjoying your vacation!
Lildeb, Are you getting some rest? I hope so. You sounded awful last week and in need of some much deserved time off.
Jen, how's the hair doing? Must be beyond "peach fuzz" by now! Glad you liked my pictures of my class projects!
Mame, so glad you were able to have another good weekend! get them while you can!
Kuli, how's Sophie doing?
Linda, hope you are nor getting any more bad news!
Yogi How are you doing?
Stormy, any news on your Dad yet? Any more anxiety for you?
Sharyn, Have you been in contact with your Mom's doctor yet? Sorry the MRI didn't give you the answers you needed. This whole dementia thing is a process and it isn't easy! Just do the best you can to keep your mom safe and happy. And don't be too hard on yourself. Just do the best you can for as long as you can.
Bobbie!!!! Where's the captain of this here tug??? Hope you have recuperated from your fall. My shoulder is still giving me trouble, but I'm hoping it will get better. I started keeping track of what I eat today and am going to exercise every day. I need to shed all these extra pounds before summer. I refuse to buy anymore clothes until I can fit into the old ones from 2 years ago.
Need to feed the 5 kitties, then get to bed! Have to get Mom up for daycare again tomorrow. We sat on the front porch for an hour after daycare this afternoon. With the time change and warmer temps, it was really nice! been in the 50's here during the day, ever since the snow storm on Friday. Go figure, New England weather!
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Cuz, that is too funny. Thanks.
Spring is here in SW Texas. The buzzards are back.
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Meanwhile and Cattails - thank you. I so wish I could enjoy my Mom. I'm sure we would all love that. Meanwhile, I actually told my Mom's doctor he needed to prescribe some anti-depressants for her - and if he can't -- prescribe them for me. :)
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A single glass at night could mean a peaceful, uninterrupted nights sleep.

NEW Wine for Seniors
I kid you not...

California vintners in the
Napa Valley area,
which primarily produce
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot
Grigio wines,
have developed a new hybrid grape
that acts as an anti-diuretic.
It is expected to reduce the number of trips
older people have to make to the
bathroom during the night.

The new wine will be
marketed as




PINO MORE

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE!!
I just could not help it!
Forward this to all your "senior" friends
I just did.
Sorry, somebody thought I deserved this so I'm spreading the love!
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BJ that whole situation is painful and distressing. So little you feel you can do but endure it?....Live that myself....
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BJ: Thanks for sharing about your life. I sure feel for you. I'm sorry about the loss of your husband. You really deserve to have a life without your mom in the middle of everything. Wish there was an easy way to get her out of your house. I can't vouch for this book, but I heard it recommended to another care giver. It's called "Setting Boundaries with difficult people" by David J. Lieberman. It might give you some ideas.

Meanwhile, glad the aliens took your old mom to the mother ship.

Hugs, Cat
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BJ, so sorry about your husband. I lost mine in 2011. My mother used to be just like yours, but I the last couple of years she has turned into a sweet old lady. I think she must have been abducted by aliens and replaced with a pod person. My Mom is 79, doesn't sound like your mother is going to change at 89 year. I understand from past experiences how hard it is to stand up to your mother. Although that my have been what brought mine around, I finally quit trying to please her. That's when things seemed to go from not being able to do anything right, to suddenly, I can't do anything wrong. I cut Mom's hair today, did a terrible job, and she was happy as could be, because I did it. Go figure???
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Her behavior on Friday night is a pattern. When my husband (the love of my life) was alive, Mom still stayed in her own smaller home on our property. My husband and I own her home, paid for it and took care of it. I was very close to my husband's family but don't see them much now as she's been so rude to them in the past. We used to have wonderful family gatherings at our pool and invite my husband's family .. and Mom, though not invited, would come up and start trouble with them, ruining ever get-together. She would start verbal fights with my sister in laws and then demand I make them leave when they'd finally get fed up and respond back to her. I'm ashamed of myself that I didn't do something with her then because they didn't deserve to be treated in that manner and it was very disrespectful to my husband for me not to rein in my Mom. I know that now but still feel so guilty. I miss my husband very much, he was my ROCK.
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Her existing house is on our property but she refuses to live there -- but has it packed full of her belongings. She doesn't even want me to organize her stuff there. I do plan to sell my property -- to much land to take care of -- and house, after she's gone. Therefore I want to work towards organizing everything, preparing the house/property to sell. My house is too large and the upkeep alone is breaking me financially. It was always my plan to sell this house after I retired. Now it seems I'm stuck.
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And yes, my husband (before he died) and I have had my mom either living with us ... or on her own house (which she refuses to stay in now) since my Dad passed in '82. From 2006 - 2008, my husband was disabled before he passed. Mom was really no help in caring for him (she was always jealous of the two of us and our time) as she stayed in her own home until I came home from work. 8 months after I lost my husband, Mom had a non-threatening 3-day hospital stay with Bronchitis ... and when she came home from the hospital, she refused to go back to her own home and has been in mine ever since. I keep my home very clean - except her room. She hoardes and gets angry if I try to clean it. She's also messy in the kitchen. The only reason I haven't forced her to the senior apartments is because she's started (accidentally) three kitchen fires at my house as she cooks a lot -- so not sure if she'd be in danger in her own apartment.
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Thanks, Cat. My Mom has always been controlling so this is not new behavior. She's spoiled. She never worked outside the home, had no outside interests other than my dad, my sister and me. She doesn't want 'friends' and doesn't think I should have any either. My sister would never put up with her behavior in her home. I'm a widow so it seems it has fallen to me to have her in my home. My sister is married and having to help raise grandchildren, a challenge within itself. Sis has stopped picking Mom up to take her shopping, something they used to do occasionally, because all Mom does is criticize me to her, which she does not like. We have approached the possibility of senior housing with my Mom and she's mortified and refuses to discuss it. There are apartments available at a very reasonable rate, for seniors. These apartments are separate from the nursing home and assisted living areas of our senior center. They are very cute and practical apartments. Mom said she would move there IF I would also move there but I am not ready for senior housing. Until 2010 I had a very exciting career and had planned to travel after retiring. That was my planned goal, especially since I was widowed in 2008. Now I can't even get my purse to go to the drug store a mile away without Mom jumping up and going with me. It's going to come to me forcing her out of my home since I have NO life without her. She will even get up during the night and check to make sure I'm in my room. Smothering. Mom still drives, does her own laundry, cooks her own meals (many many meals a day and doesn't clean up after herself) so it's not like she's helpless even though she will be 89 in September. She also handles all of her own financial business. I take no money from her.
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BJ: I'm sorry you have to go through so much with you mom. You have been taking care of her for so long. I don't know how you do it. Has she always been like this or is this a recent change in personality?

Hugs to you,

Cat
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I won't be inviting people to my home again. It's just too much trouble and very embarrassing to cope with her and her behavior.
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It's been an interesting weekend. Mom got really angry with me on Friday night. I had people here for a small dinner, a very RARE event as I usually don't have people at my home. As usual Mom wanted to put herself in the center of the dinner, wanted to monopolize the conversation. After the guests left, with one person remaining, Mom started to verbally attack one of the guests, saying horrible things. I asked her twice to stop. Both times she yelled SHUT UP to me. I was trying to have a conversation with the remaining guest and she just kept on. I told her to never tell me to shut up in my own home. I did not yell, never raised my voice. So she stomped off into her bedroom. That was 10:30 Friday evening. She has not said one word to me since and only comes out of her room to go to the restroom. She left twice yesterday, I assume to go to the fast food restaurants nearby as I did see signs she'd bought take-out food for herself. I let my sister know what happened and she said to let her pout. So that is what I'm doing.
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Hey all! I ended up going to the Parade Saturday. Hubby stayed with mom (he hates parades and knows I love em!) Son's girlfriend had never been to a St Patty's Day parade-she is from Bellingham, Wa. and says they don't celebrate St Pat's like we do! And yes Cat-I grew up in Syracuse and live just outside it now. So, we went to the Syr parade and met up with bro and sil to see my niece dance in the parade. She did great and was all smiles! Mom and hubby saw her on TV. (Sadly, hubby had to explain who she was....didn't tell my bro that!) It was beautiful weatherwise here and I am very happy I got to go. Good memories with son and gf. And Cat-I feel the same way when I get out-kinda sheepish cause I know so many can't leave the house... But I am happy for any and all of us who have a moment away and pray for all to get some time away. I hope you and hubby enjoy yourselves and Happy 40th!!! Congrats too! As for Syr being the coldest place in the continental US-You may have heard that but I do not believe it is true-altho my husband may agree! Syr frequently receives the "Snow King" title in NY state-but even that is not true. It may be true between the big cities-Buffalo, Rochester, Syr...but Oswego and Fulton always get more snow than we do but aren't considered big enough to be in the running...which is a lame excuse. Anyway...winters can be long but spring, and fall are gorgeous and summer is never long enough! Jen-so happy you saw Robins! Am waiting to see my first here. My bulbs are sprouting! Meanwhile-good luck with your garden! Sounds awesome! Remembered the clocks lildeb!Thanks! Hey Cuz, BJ and Welcome Cinder! Hello to the rest of you out there! Hope you have a decent Sunday. Love-Mame
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Everyone don't forget to set your clocks forward one hr today. ; )
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Have A GOOD Trip cat.

Hmmn deef I would help shovel, for the soup...

Same old here, but saw robins in the area, so Spring has arrived.

Reading Helen Keller bio and Dostoyevsky...A man who felt why use three words when seventeen will do! I mean really.

Gonzaga won game, still holding No. 1 position.

Hope weekend is good for everyone. Jen
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Cat, enjoy yourself with your hubby n Hawaii n we will all be here when u get back from your get-away. Just be careful from any sharks. When u get back, maybe u will share all the good stuff with us about your trip. Have a blast...

I hope everyone else on here is having a nice weekend.
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Deefer, after all that shoveling, I bet you have some muscle all over those arms! Try to take it easy n gets some rest n hopefully the snow will stop n give you two a break.
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Cat, hope you have a wonderful time. You deserve it.
I'm just taking a break from the gardening. Still haven't gotten it tilled, keep finding missed veggies, some giant dakon radishes, beets, celeric root, and even some Indian corn. Better get back to work.
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Thanks Cuz. I am going to take this trip and enjoy it.
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Have a nice trip Cat
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Hey everybody; I have a confession. Hubby and I will be leaving for Maui this Monday. It is our 40th wedding anniversary and we decided to take the plunge and do this trip for us. I have not mentioned it because I am so sad for all of you who are between a rock and a hard place. My heart so goes out to all of you and I feel guilty sharing this information. But you are my friends and it seems like I should be able to tell you what is going on in my life. I just wish I could take all of you with me. It grieves me that I can't make that happen.

Love you all and please know that I keep you in my prayers.

Love, Cat
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Thank you all for your comments, we are all going through one thing or another that grosses us out, thank god my mom is mellow yet. Love the food all over the place, like her putting left over pizza in with the cookies. We do have to laugh over it or we would probably go totally crazy.

As for the toothbrush thing, trying putting it in a different place. It does kind of remind me of Ariel in the Little Mermaid, as she had no clue as to what things were used for, like the fork to comb her hair. Keep smiling
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I love those Irish dancers.
I can deal with poop, but not when it's all over where it shouldn't be.. Indio's new puppy got the runs, probably from eating horse manure. Had to help him clean up his living room, where she had an accident, (is the 1st mess she has made in the house). nothing like the mess Jen, and Lil Deb, and others have to deal with.
The adobe house is coming along. Have the walls sanded in 2 rooms ready to paint. Got the ceilings painted, new window in the bathroom, Indio is putting up the cement board for new tile in the shower. Someone had slapped plywood over the adobe, then put plaster on the plywood, to make a shower. It damaged the adobe. since plaster over plywood is far from water proof. Indio's cousin is repairing the stucco on the outside walls. Still lots to do. Going to take a break tomorrow and get the garden tilled up. Need to plant peas and carrots. Been 70 degrees all week here. Sorry about the snow. Hope it melts soon.
Everyone have a good weekend. Love Shirley
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So ready for Spring, for ALL of us!
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Deef: I love Leek and Potato soup. Wish someone would volunteer to do your driveway.

Mame: Do you live in Syracuse area? I heard once that Syracuse is the coldest city in the continental US. I didn't know that ticks could live when the temps got really cold. Yikes! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who chases dog hair all over the house. One of our shelties sheds like crazy. Her hair is so fine that it floats in the air and lands on everything.

BJ: Loved your wildlife post too. I cracked up when you referred to your dog as the BEAST. We call our two Shelties the beastie kids. When the elk were outside our bedroom window clanging antlers, I opened the window a bit to hear more even though it was very loud already. One Sheltie comes into the bedroom and her nose picked up the scent and she went nuts. Of course that brings her partner in crime running in too and now they are both barking their heads off. I should have never touched the window.

Diane: I hope your plan is to stay away from your sister. I'm grateful you have Hospice helping with your mom.

Bobbie: Hope you are doing ok and recovering from your fall.

Lildeb: Sending you a big hug. Hope you are feeling better. Have you heard anymore about tests for ovarian cancer for MIL?

Jen: Maybe a Hazmat suit is in order. That's so gross.

Meanwhile: How's the house coming along. Hope you are feeling better.

Kuli: Thanks for sharing about your dad and your kitty. Seventeen years is a lot of history with a pet. They go through so much with us and give us so much comfort during difficult times.

Stormy: Hope things are getting better for you.

Cuz: I always forget to thank you for the jokes. Thanks!!!!

Austin: Hope all is well with you.

I'm sure I missed some folks, but just know I hope your burdens lighten.

Hugs, Cat
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It finally stopped snowing about 1:30!!! After 4 hours of shoveling and snow blowing, we finally got things cleaned up. My daughter and I did most of it and we are both exhausted! The stuff on the bottom was very heavy and wet due to the warmer temps.
Mom sat in the window sometimes watching us, so I could keep an eye on her. I just had some potato leek soup! So glad I made that yesterday, and a sandwich. Now I need to take some aspirin for the pain I have everywhere!
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Deefer, I like to see the pictures u posted on fb if u don't mind. What name do u go by on fb? That is if u don't mind. Sorry u getting all that white stuff n your mom not cooperating with eating. Maybe later she will get hungry.

Jen, so sorry u have your hands full too.
Maybe this will shed a little light n give u a chuckle and a few others for I sure as hell did this am. I know I should be wrong but it was too funny. Hubby got up to get ready go to work n he takes his showers every other day so, today was one of his days for the shower. Remember I cut off the water from the sink from the mil playing in it to take a pee. Well, he mention n I am half asleep that I may need to turn the bathroom sink back on for when he got out of the shower he started to dry his face with the towel hanging on the rack n he notice is was all brownish. Shit all on it! I couldn't hold myself back for it was funny. I don't think he like the humor but it is what it is! Not nothing new from what I clean up all day here n their in the house. Ha! I turned back on the sink water but it still won't stop the poo from on the towel for when the water was running their be some on the towel. That is why I quit even trying to put nice pretty towels up in the bathroom for decoration. Going to check out a day care place today n drag the hubby for he needs to help on some of these decisions being it is his mom.

mame, I leave it all to sis n take a break away. Run as fast as u can n don't look back either. You deserve a break, go for it. Enjoy your movie too.

The mil gave me a little break yesterday. I guess she was a bit tired. Starting to worry about her for now she starting to complain she has trouble swallowing food n medicine. She is not in the late stage of ALZ for she is able to walk on her own n feed herself n use the bathroom as long as I keep n eye on her not to play in the water. I will mention it again on her next dr's visit n she will probable tell him that she don't have no problem but I have to try. Maybe I need to tape record her so I don't look like the bad person. I know her false teeth don't fit properly n she won't go to a dentist. The food I give her is soft like potatoes n n I shredd the bake chicken with gravy for her. She has been eating less. I may need to give her smaller single portions in between hours? Not to much I guess we can do when she won't admit her dentures don't fit right n she tells her dr she has no problem taking pills n such. I am not going to try n kill myself. When she gets ready I guess she will go.

I hope everyone here has a safe n good weekend.
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