Copy and paste this link and enjoy a trip back to the 60’s …

http://moreoldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm

Made a trip to Giddings this weekend. Saturday would have been my mother’s 95th birthday had she lived. My sister and I didn’t want to be by ourselves on this first birthday without her. Saturday morning my sister baked homemade biscuits, scrambled eggs, and bacon … my mother’s favorite breakfast. We ate it and talked about some funny things she used to say and do. We laughed and we cried. It was a sweet time. Then later that day we went to Wal-Mart (where else?) and bought some “goodies” to make goodie bags for the nurses at the nursing home where my mother had lived for the last 4 years. The nurses and staff there were so good to my mother and to our family that we wanted to do something nice for them. We also took a special goodie bag to one of the residents there … Hosia. Here’s a picture of her:

She’s confined to a wheelchair because of a stroke. She’s not as old as most of the people in a nursing home and although the only word she can say is DAH, she fully understands everything you say to her. When we would visit my mother, we would also spend some time with her. So during the last 2 days of my mother’s life, Hosia would wheel her chair into the room and sit quietly with us. Not for long … but for 10 or 15 minutes. Then she’d leave and come back later. On Friday … the day my mother passed away … Hosia stayed close by … just outside the room … giving us privacy but wanting to be there to support us. And when I came out and told her that “Miss Evie” had passed, Hosia wailed.

It was hard walking back into the nursing home today. The last time my sister and I went in, was the day we lost our mother. Hosia’s room is across the hall and one door down from where my mother’s room was. Today when I took Hosia to her room, I stopped by and looked in the room where my mother had been for 4 years. Don’t know why, exactly … maybe to prove to myself that she wasn’t there even though I knew she wasn’t … or maybe just to prove to myself that I could do it. Either way, I’ve faced that fear of going back there and come out okay, so that’s good.

Anyway, here are some more pictures of Hosia with me, my sister, and some of her friends:

It’s been a crazy year already and the first month isn’t even over yet! Kinda makes me wonder what’s in store for the rest of the year … hmmm …

Oh well, as usual, the Texas Gulf Coast weather is wet and miserable. What more can I say? It’s about 50 degrees today, which probably sounds warm compared to other parts of the country, but the humidity is at least 100%. That kind of cold really cuts right through to the bone. It’s no wonder everyone is sick …

And speaking of sick … I’ve had some kind of “crud” that has been going on for 4 weeks now. I went to the doctor and she gave me antibiotics “in case it’s something bacterial.” My lungs are clear, my sinuses are clear, my throat, ears and glands are fine … but I have this awful blob of phlegm in my throat that won’t break up and go away. And when I get a coughing spell, it takes my breath away. I’ve never had asthma but if I had to describe my coughing episodes I’d have to compare it to an asthma attack. A friend of mine has had the same problem for almost 6 weeks now. Doesn’t sound encouraging, does it?

This weekend I plan to make a trip back to Giddings. It will be my first time since Mother died. If my mother had lived, she would be 95 years old on Saturday. So anyway, I wanted my sister and I to be able to spend this first birthday without her, together. We also have some banking details to take care of. It will feel odd to go to Giddings and not go by the nursing home to see my mother … but there are a few other patients there that I have become close to over the last 4 years so I’m sure as time goes by (and when I feel like I can handle it) I will stop in and say “hello” to them.

Mike and Erica will be traveling to Georgia for Orienteering Nationals this weekend as well. They will leave Thursday evening and be home sometime late Monday night. Erica has to compete in a certain number of what is called “A Meets” each year in order to keep her national rank. This is one of those meets.

On the bright side of things … Erica signed up for college classes … FINALLY! There is a local 2-year college near our home and that’s where she’s taking her classes. It just doesn’t make sense to go away to a big college or university and spend all that $$$$ to take basic classes that you can take for around $500/semester at the local college. She’s taking 12 hours this semester. Quite a few hours considering it’s been awhile since she even went to school and considering the fact that she works part time as well. I only hope she hasn’t bitten off more than she can chew until she gets back in the swing of things. Anyway, she’s taking Algebra, English Composition, Psychology, and Kick Boxing (PE credit). She’s excited about her classes and so am I.

Well, that’s about it for now. There’s nothing more to tell … nothing interesting, that is. So I’ll check in later. Everyone have a great week.

My Wish For You For 2008

May peace break into your house, and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires !

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy.

May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words ………..

May 2008 be the best year of your life!

I hope the way I feel today doesn’t mean the rest of my year will be crappy. I’ve still got some chest congestion/cold stuff going on. It’s been almost 3 weeks now and today it was worse, so I made an appointment and went to the doctor. My lungs are clear but she thinks I have some sort of bacterial infection going on so she gave me some antibiotics to take for 10 days. Maybe I will get over eing sick now and then feel really good the rest of the year …