Hello gang! I'm still alive - but a lot has changed in my life since I last darkened these hallowed halls. Most of you know I was taking care of my Step-Mom after Dad passed away and working part time from home doing support programming for the Bureau of Reclamation in Denver, and working full time as a Mod here 
. This is a brief rundown of what has happened since I disappeared.
Mom had a stroke and could no longer live alone so I had to find someplace big enough for the two of us (I found a house across the street from my #1 son and his family). It took me about 3 weeks to get both of us packed and moved (Mom was in an extended care facility until I could get everything done). Although she began to get better after I got her home she still needed a lot of taking care of (baths, lots of diaper changes, lots of clothes washing etc.) and then about 6 months later she stroked out while I was getting her dressed for breakfast one morning.
Anyway - a couple of weeks before that I got my last check from the Bureau - the task was over and I was out of work. Mom just had enough insurance to cover the funeral and so I was looking for someplace to live, really cheap and really fast. I wasn't going to be able to find a job easily because I started having seizures 3-4 years before that were getting more frequent and never knew when I was going to fall in the floor - I was afraid to drive (John finally talked me into selling my car and not trying to drive at all) and only did because I had to take Mom to the Dr., grocery shop, etc. But, they were getting worse plus I started having bigger problems with my asthma, my heart started going a little wonkey when I tried to exert very much and muscle spasms in my chest and back that made it hard for me to do much. Basically, I was falling apart and I wasn't quite old enough for Social Security (had to wait a year to start getting that) or Medicare (just got that this month) and I was starting to look for a nice cardboard box to call home.
John and Carrie helped me with an estate sale and I sold almost everything Mom and I had - even some stuff I didn't want to sell. And, they invited me to come live with them - they said they already planned to remodel and add a room and they could just make it two. So - here I am, and I don't mind sleeping on the couch until next summer when we remodel and I finally have a little space to call my own and I can unpack my cookbooks!
I'm doing much better - haven't had a seizure in almost 9 months, my asthma is getting closer to being under control, not as many problems with the ol' ticker having as many funny beats and the muscle spasms are almost gone since I started on mega-doses of vitamins.
I spend most of my time working in John's wood shop (usually up by 6:30, in the shop by 7 and don't quit until supper, sometimes back after that until 9-10 - usually 7 days a week) we've been working on getting a little business going for the past 3 years - mostly scroll saw stuff, band saw boxes, and we turn stuff on the lathe like pens, bowls, pepper grinders, etc. Heck, we do a little bit of everything. And, I guess we're making headway because I've been able to buy stuff we needed but he couldn't afford before. I hope that before I kick the bucket I can have helped him get the shop he and I both dream of.
Now, about cooking. I really haven't cooked in 3 years. Carrie is a good basic cook (and a fantastic cake baker) and although I have lost about 40 much needed pounds it isn't because of her cooking (I've been working on my feet instead of sitting in front of a computer all day). Every time I have offered to help and cook this or that it's always one kid doesn't like this, or another doesn't like that, or the other won't eat that. So, I just sort of gave up on even trying - I just clean up the kitchen after supper and man the dishwasher during the day.
But, I think that is about to change, at least a little. Something came up at supper 3-4 weeks ago and John said he wished I would make a quiche again. So, I ordered a couple of quiche pans (always did want one with a removable bottom and now I had an excuse - mine got sold in the estate sale) and I went ahead and ordered me a couple more bread pans (yep, someone got those, too) and another rolling pin. While Carrie and the kids are at her mother's today I'm going to mess up the kitchen and make some cinnamon bread! Forgot to get cheese or I would knock out a quiche, too.
Did I say it was going to be a brief rundown? Anyway, that's about it.
Don't know how much I'll be able be on here or help anyone until I can get to my stuff out of the shed but I promise to try to be around a little more - hum, guess anything would be a little more at this point.
. This is a brief rundown of what has happened since I disappeared. Mom had a stroke and could no longer live alone so I had to find someplace big enough for the two of us (I found a house across the street from my #1 son and his family). It took me about 3 weeks to get both of us packed and moved (Mom was in an extended care facility until I could get everything done). Although she began to get better after I got her home she still needed a lot of taking care of (baths, lots of diaper changes, lots of clothes washing etc.) and then about 6 months later she stroked out while I was getting her dressed for breakfast one morning.
Anyway - a couple of weeks before that I got my last check from the Bureau - the task was over and I was out of work. Mom just had enough insurance to cover the funeral and so I was looking for someplace to live, really cheap and really fast. I wasn't going to be able to find a job easily because I started having seizures 3-4 years before that were getting more frequent and never knew when I was going to fall in the floor - I was afraid to drive (John finally talked me into selling my car and not trying to drive at all) and only did because I had to take Mom to the Dr., grocery shop, etc. But, they were getting worse plus I started having bigger problems with my asthma, my heart started going a little wonkey when I tried to exert very much and muscle spasms in my chest and back that made it hard for me to do much. Basically, I was falling apart and I wasn't quite old enough for Social Security (had to wait a year to start getting that) or Medicare (just got that this month) and I was starting to look for a nice cardboard box to call home.
John and Carrie helped me with an estate sale and I sold almost everything Mom and I had - even some stuff I didn't want to sell. And, they invited me to come live with them - they said they already planned to remodel and add a room and they could just make it two. So - here I am, and I don't mind sleeping on the couch until next summer when we remodel and I finally have a little space to call my own and I can unpack my cookbooks!
I'm doing much better - haven't had a seizure in almost 9 months, my asthma is getting closer to being under control, not as many problems with the ol' ticker having as many funny beats and the muscle spasms are almost gone since I started on mega-doses of vitamins.
I spend most of my time working in John's wood shop (usually up by 6:30, in the shop by 7 and don't quit until supper, sometimes back after that until 9-10 - usually 7 days a week) we've been working on getting a little business going for the past 3 years - mostly scroll saw stuff, band saw boxes, and we turn stuff on the lathe like pens, bowls, pepper grinders, etc. Heck, we do a little bit of everything. And, I guess we're making headway because I've been able to buy stuff we needed but he couldn't afford before. I hope that before I kick the bucket I can have helped him get the shop he and I both dream of.
Now, about cooking. I really haven't cooked in 3 years. Carrie is a good basic cook (and a fantastic cake baker) and although I have lost about 40 much needed pounds it isn't because of her cooking (I've been working on my feet instead of sitting in front of a computer all day). Every time I have offered to help and cook this or that it's always one kid doesn't like this, or another doesn't like that, or the other won't eat that. So, I just sort of gave up on even trying - I just clean up the kitchen after supper and man the dishwasher during the day.
But, I think that is about to change, at least a little. Something came up at supper 3-4 weeks ago and John said he wished I would make a quiche again. So, I ordered a couple of quiche pans (always did want one with a removable bottom and now I had an excuse - mine got sold in the estate sale) and I went ahead and ordered me a couple more bread pans (yep, someone got those, too) and another rolling pin. While Carrie and the kids are at her mother's today I'm going to mess up the kitchen and make some cinnamon bread! Forgot to get cheese or I would knock out a quiche, too.
Did I say it was going to be a brief rundown? Anyway, that's about it.
Don't know how much I'll be able be on here or help anyone until I can get to my stuff out of the shed but I promise to try to be around a little more - hum, guess anything would be a little more at this point.
