Wine, Food and the Toilet

Last night was a wonderful evening of wine tasting and the most fabulous food at the cabin retreat area.  The catering was a company called Eats2u and was just AHHHHHH...the only word I can come up with.  We had scallops, lamb (I'm not fond of), cinnamon crusted tilapia (yum) and lots and lots of wine.  I must stay I was cautious on the wine front as my tummy was having an acid reflux issue.  The whole thing for 32 people was supposed to be set up along the creek and would have been just stunning but alas the rains had caused the creek and adjoining river to flood.  We all gathered for the evening in one of the larger cabins and it was set up in their screened porch, very, very large porch with tables, candles, flowers and the tables set exquisitely.  After the dinner music was turned up and dancing ensued, lots and lots of dancing.  I sort of danced around a bit as I was dragged into the midst of the gyrating group but my tummy was starting to act funny.  I told The Hubby I thought I needed to leave and he put me off dancing off into the crowd.  He was a madman on the dance floor and the women loved it.  He was having a grand time while I was getting sicker by the minute.  He got angry with me because I didn't dance with my husband as it truly would have been a mistake.  I made my way to the golf cart to wait for him and breathe in the cool air as my stomach churned when suddenly my $125 dinner came up, several times while I waited in the dark cool air.  I got my composure and stumbled towards the door to get him when he appeared and took me back to our cabin where I spent most of the night in pain and hovering over the toilet.  What a crappy end to a fabulous evening and he was still mad at me.  I think the culprit is scallops.  I got sick like this the last time I ate them a few months ago.  Not good.

Arbor Day

Art and My Happy Place

This is what keeps me a bit sane, my art:

First of all this is a bad picture of the painting but I was in a time crunch and it was still wet, hence the glistening paint. This is my contribution the the 5x5 show at the Tulsa Art Coalition Gallery downtown. The opening is May 5 at 5:55 p.m. and runs until May 21. All the paintings are $55. So come line up and buy something. The oldest has a mixed media one in the show too. I had the idea of eggs since last year and it turned out well.

Savage Art Gallery & The Gallery on Sixth is hosting the Alpha Rho Tau art exhibit again. The artist reception is May 5, 5-8 pm...uh just realized it is the same night as the 5x5. Hmmmm, oh well. I have 4 paintings in the ART show. The show runs thru May 16. The gallery hours are Tues-Sat. 10-5. Come on by the reception or the other times. EVERYTHING is For Sale!

Weathering the Storm

Today I've opened up my Blogger window probably ten times, trying to write a post.  There are so many emotions going on that I don't know where to start.  I'm tired of writing about Daddy and the trevails that abound with his nursing home incarceration and all the crap I've been dealing with.  I can't rail about my friends or family or even my life because so many people that I know read my words here now and I catch all kinds of flack when I do.  I'm just kind in my own little box that I can't write out of.  It's frustrating because I like to write here about everything and be truthful but it just can't happen.  I like the feedback that I get from my online friends but I have to be so very cautious.  So what do I write about, the weather, I don't think so. 

I guess it's weather, construction, flowers and Clayton.  Not too bad. 

Chang Of Plans

Well this morning I was to get up, workout, and then go to work to meet the accountant. A night of taking Clayton outside numerous times, in the pouring rain, in my robe and muck boots and not being able to sleep left me sleeping in. Missed workout, accountant had a sick child so rescheduled. I decided to take the new artwork to the scanner and then to Daddy's to get some more clothes. Then to the nursing home to visit. He was not there, in physical therapy. So now I'm sitting at the dealership getting my oil changed. Totally not what I had planned for the day. Tomorrow is already changed too, as the accountant is coming and the hair appointment has been changed to Wednesday on behalf of the hair stylist. It is not even noon on Monday.

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Happy Easter

A Brick Wall

Thought I would show some of the room addition progress...what's this...uh oh, little Clayton has found the concrete.  Scared him to death when he sank...

This is the end of the add on, storage for garden tools and chairs. 

Oh look a window.  The brick has been completed, for now.  He will be back to brick around the steel posts on the patio when they get it set and poured. 

The inside of the glass block window.  I love it.  This is the workout area. 

Electrical stuff.   

Plumbing stuff. 

M.I.A.

I know I've been MIA lately but rest assured I'm here.  Life has just gotten in the way of blogging and my head has not been in the right place.  I think the last time I posted was the day after the Big Gala Dance.  It was great fun and I looked awesome in my new dress but forgot to get a snapshot.  Sunday I went to the nursing home to visit Daddy.  I found him not in his room but in a lounge room, in his wheel chair reading the paper.  I haven't seen him sitting up in a month, it was nice.  We had a nice visit and then he decided he would like to eat lunch in the dining room, a first.  He asked if I would like to join him, "Why yes I would Daddy."  We sat and waited and watched as the room filled up with a multitude of wheel chairs of residents ready to eat lunch.  It was kind of sad as Daddy has his mind and most of the people were just, sad.  I know it is so hard on him.  We had a wonderful, and I mean surprisingly wonderful meal chicken and dumplings.  He scraped his bowl clean.  His spirits are better and his appetite is great.  Shortly after we finished the oldest, B, stopped by too.  I think it made his day and then after we left Bro stopped by and I think on Saturday Sis stopped by, the first for her in a couple of weeks.  I was back again to see him quickly on Monday night before a meeting and to take him a pair of new pants I bought and a pair of shoes.  Wednesday, I went to his house first to find another pair of pants as he called Tuesday night and had an accident and didn't want his new pants messed up.  I found some and some more dirty clothes which I took home to wash later along with his messy clothes.  The Hubby couldn't understand why the nursing home didn't wash them and I guess they can but I think things get lost a lot.  When I went in he was snoring to beat the band so quietly I started putting his name on everything he owned, just in case.  He woke up shortly and we talked a bit.  I gathered his laundry and headed home to wash and get his stuff ready.  Last night, at 5 pm he had a doctor's appointment with the hip doctor.  Daddy was so anxious and excited about the appointment because he felt he was healing so fast and would be ready for his new hip soon.  For some reason he has it in his head that it has been 2 months.  He was just thinking March and April, not March 17 to April.  I had to make him understand it had only been a month.  First blow.  He is so tired of being laid up and not able to go out in his yard and enjoy the spring and his garden.  He's exercising like a fiend, eating and has a great attitude in anticipation that the news at the doc will be good.  He was x-rayed and sadly the infection is still there and the spacer that was put in to hold the place where the hip is gone has been dislocated, by a nurse that man-handled him to rough.  The doctor said it will be left as is.  Daddy was so depressed and sad that the infection is still there.  I could see him drifting into the depression right before my eyes.  I'm afraid that he will be that way for a few days and then hopefully will rally.  Today I have to make an appointment with an infectious disease doctor and then back to the hip doc in 4 weeks.  Whew!  I'm a bit tired and there is still the construction that is on going, slow and on going.  Through all this I emailed out the The Hubby's family about Easter dinner and guess what, everyone is coming to our house!  Sometimes I think I'm a bit loopy but it should be easy.  I'm doing a ham and buying a cake and everyone is doing the rest.  Just have to have plates, eat and wash the dishes.  No problem.  Ask me how I feel Sunday evening! 

I thought about going into some of the family stuff that I've been dealing with but have decided to not air it here.  I will say that I've been frustrated but it will pass and I shall move on.  I don't have time for the petty stuff.  My focus is my Daddy, my family, my house and work and hopefully my art, when I have the time.  Toodles all and please stayed tuned as I hope to have some pictures next week of the room addition progress.  Hang with me please.

Windows

We have two openings here, one for a door and one for a huge glass block window (actually three but it is not in view).

Now we have a door with windows!  Hot Guy climbing down from ladder!

...and finally the other opening, the glass block has begun.  They got started on Friday and will finish on Monday.  Totally enclosed is the goal.  Also on Monday a HUGE crane will be set into place and gigantic steel beams will hoisted over the house and put into place.  The patio/porch off of this addition will have steel beams for the corners which the brick layer guy will enclose and then the arbor will be square steel beams overhead.  Hey, I think that will be the safest place in a tornado, too bad there won't be walls there.  Should not go anywhere!  Hopefully I will have some awesome pictures of the lifting tomorrow!

Ettiquette 101

I have a question for you.  Do you write thank you notes?  Do you send out graduation invites, wedding announcements, birth announcements, birthday cards, etc?  Do you expect them?  I've written about writing letters before as I love to write and continue to write to friends and my pen pal for nearly 40 years.  Somewhere in my upbringing I learned from my grandmother the importance and proper way of these things.  Granny taught me how to set a proper table and how to iron your pillow cases and sheets.  I was taught manners; no elbows on the table, napkin in your lap, you know all the right things.  Somehow a close member of my family did not embrace those lessons.  This family member has NEVER sent a thank you note or birthday card out in their life and now I find out that they are not going to send out graduation notices for the graduating senior in their family.  Let me tell you something, I send birthday cards to their children every year, with cash included, and one year when I had not gotten around to it I received a phone call wondering where it was, with the money!  What in the world happened here.  We were raised together.  I don't understand, and you know I am very, very tempted NOT to send a congratulatory card and "money" to the senior but that would not be fair to the child.  I questioned why and the family member just said they didn't want to but and the announcements were too expensive.  I think it is sheer laziness and not showing the proper stuff to the child.  For goodness sake you can make your own and at least send them to immediate family.  Am I missing this or are all of these lessons not important anymore!

Tornados

Last night Oklahoma rode out the beginning of the tornado season.  Unfortunately 2 people lost their lives in a small community called Tushka and I believe 3 in Arkansas.  So very sad.  It was scary but for the first time in my LIFE I was not nervous.  I have always said that if a tornado hit our house they would find me on the toilet.  My stomach would usually be in absolute knots, but last night I was unusually calm.  I have finally overcome my fear I guess.  Takes a bit of age.

Woke up to the news too of the tornado's in the soap opera world again.  As I have said before, daytime television is changing forever.  They have canceled All My Children and One Life To Live.  Not only is it a sad day for a lot of people that watch but think about all the people who are losing their jobs.  Some of the actors have done nothing else in their careers.  In fact there are a couple of young actors who are adults and have spent their entire acting chops on soap operas.  Now we will have cooking shows and something we have so little of, talk shows.  Speaking of television, Miss Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman will have her own cooking show on The Food Network.  Duh, I knew this was coming even though she denied it a bit.  It was just obvious and should be a good show. 

Hot Guy

Got you there didn't I.  We'll get to the Hot Guy in a minute but first I have to share a couple of things.  In my spare time.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...sorry, had to laugh at that but I do try to find the spare time.  Anyway, I finished the latest painting, called Sitting in the Creek, I think.  Actually, it is my great uncle, Big Dan and my oldest B when she was a mere babe.  Think I will have to keep this one too. 

Then I started this one at home for the 5x5 show May 5.  I've been wanting to do eggs, I like it so far... 

Now to Hot Guy.  Construction has been moving kind of slow as the brick guy is 76 years old but a master at his craft.  Plus we were waiting for the door and window to be made and delivered.  The window is over the toilet area but the area directly across from the doorway there is going to be glass block and should be done, hopefully this week.   

Door and window arrived this morning... 

what's that...Hot Guy with pony tail, my kind of guy...

nice...wait a minute what's that on his face...

oh my goodness it's a tattoo.  Hot Guy just lost a lot of points with me.

The Move

Yesterday they moved Daddy, via ambulance to the nursing home.  We were told that the move would take place at 1 then 4pm.  I came to wait with Daddy after my art class about 3.  We waited and waited and about 6:10 the ambulance arrived.  Daddy didn't eat his dinner because he was so anxious.  I was watching the clock because The Hubby and I were set to take a private dance lesson at 7 to prepare for the gala dance on Saturday night.  I knew The Hubby would be madder than a hornet if I missed the lesson so I was anxious too.  Finally he was on his way to the nursing home where Bro was waiting for his arrival.  We tag-teamed the whole ordeal.  This morning I slept in because doggone it I'm tired, my back hurts and my feet hurt.  Yesterday was a very long day.  Now, today, I need to ready myself to visit Daddy in the nursing home that Momma took her last breath in.  Not real sure how I will handle that but I have to.  So this post is short but informative.  Later all and I promise when all this crap is on the back burner I will get back to more interesting posts. 

A Usual Monday

Last week was rough with the Daddy stuff and today didn't start out much better.  I think I'm not coming out of my bedroom on Monday's anymore.  The week starts bad and just seems to stay bad.  Fortunately, today ended up a bit better.  I'm not sure if I relayed it here but Daddy lost one of his hearing aids last week in the hospital.  Oh man, and the darn things are $3500 each!  He was so angry and was bound and determined to make the hospital pay.  In the middle of the night he took it out when the whistling started as the battery was gone.  He laid it on his table side tray and when he woke the next morning it was gone.  Today I showed up at his room and he was fit to be tied that he hadn't heard anything about his move to the skilled nursing care facility.  We were told it would probably be today but in the end it was not to be.  We now know that because he is on two intravenous antibiotics that most facilities won't take him.  Great.  He is climbing the walls with boredom.  I can't imagine laying in the same bed day after day for a couple of months, and he has his mind.  I could understand if he was senile or not in his right mind but he has his mind in a broken body.  He is so depressed and my heart breaks but it can't be helped.  One bright note happened and I had to call him with the good news, the hearing aid.  No, we didn't find it but I talked to the hospital and yes they will reimburse the loss.  We have to go ahead and buy the new one and bring them the bill and they will pay!  The best part is that he had some loss/prevention thing on it at the hearing aid place and to replace it will be $200!  I had to call him and let him know!  It was awesome and made him have some hope.  If we can get him through the next month and a half he will get his new hip, heal and be HOME! 

Verbena

Daddy and Good Food

Again I apologize for not being here much but, well, you know.  This week has been a whirlwind and after visiting a few nursing homes on Monday and finally making a decision of where would be the best place for Daddy, well the best laid plans can be changed.  We found out that Daddy will go to the same place Momma was when she died and we are okay with it but I so wish the social worker had let me know that it was just about the ONLY place where he could go with a wound-vac.  All that stress and work for nothing.  Really.  Anyway, Daddy totally understands and is ready.  This morning as I went in to see him the first thing he told me is that he lost one of his hearing aids.  Great, $3500, just great.  Guess we'll be yelling a lot for awhile. 

Tonight we went to dinner with my dear friend, C and her hubby Dr. H.  We decided to try a new restaurant called Go West.  I must tell you it was absolutely delicious.  I was going to have pictures but my camera phone was dead and C's email pic's have not hit my inbox yet.  The food is described as Cowboy  Cuisine but let me tell you it was far from Cowboy Cuisine, it was YUMMY Cuisine!  We shared an appetizer of Brisket Taquitos, to die for.  For dinner I had a beef tenderloin on mushroon enchiladas

that was perfect and then various desserts were shared:  Chocolate Diablo (ancho chile infused cake w/peanut butter mousse), Mango-Coco Tacos in a almond cookie shell, and The Hubby and I shared, excuse me while I wipe the drool..., Fried Apple Pie w/vanilla ice cream.  That was the best dessert I have had in ages and was NOT on my diet.  The place was just packed and a MUST to visit if you are in the area. 

Our Little Guy

Clayton - King of the Hill

Our little man at the dinner table.  He gets to watch dinner and then gets a treat.  If we don't let him sit and watch he barks and barks and barks.  This seems to appease him.  Can we say spoiled but we love him so much.

Nursing Home?

I woke this morning at the usual 5 am for workout but I think I should have gone back to bed after I stopped the toilet up.  That should have been the first clue that I needed to RUN, run far away from my life.  After my usual 3 miles on the treadmill I was back to get ready for the day.  I had to meet my cousin at Daddy's house so she could clean the dreaded germs away.  I left her doing her thing and then was on the hunt for a skilled nursing facility for Daddy by the end of the week.  If you have never done this for a parent, get ready.  It is a reality for our aging parents and we could soon be there too depending our your age.  The first one had a lot of good stars according to http://www.medicare.gov/ and the fancy little booklet the hospital gave me.  I walked into the doors and the first thing was the smell.  I couldn't put my finger on it but it was a sweet, bleachy smell.  I was struck by the sight of all the wheelchairs and women.  The place was stuffed with women.  The lady giving me the tour said the last male in residence just moved out (not sure what that meant).  All women and all women in wheelchairs...uh...I don't think so.  I left feeling a bit defeated and the cold blowing wind didn't help my mood.  Off to yet another place that was only a couple of years old and from the outside looked nice.  It was nice inside too, as soon as I was able to find the stupid door.  Apparantly, I was trying to get into the wrong door at the front of the building, according to the angry staff that let me in.  Small stumble.  On with the tour and I was much more impressed.  This was place was fairly new, not stuffed.  Come to think of it I only saw ladies there too, hmmmmm.  The halls had a guinea pig in a cage and a very large bird cage filled with parakeets.  Loved that.  The rooms were very nice and the good thing is they probably would have a bed by the end of the week, just in time.  Back to his house to check on the cleaning and then it was off to the hospital to see Daddy.

I walked into his room and the first thing out of Daddy's mouth was that he and "Josh", his re-hab guy had been talking and they think he should come to my house and stay in the guest room.  What!  I had to explain to Daddy that my guest room is my closet right now.  We are in major construction and his moving in is just not possible.  Besides that he will need tons of care and I am gone a lot.   Just not possible.  Then he started talking about have fulltime, live-in care.  He CANNOT afford that.  I know he is getting depressed by this but it can't be helped and it is TEMPORARY.  I don't want to knock him down but it is just not happening.  I felt trapped sitting in my chair, not wanting to face those pleading eyes.  Oh my GOD!  What am I going to do.  It was all I could do to not run from that room and keep running.  He doesn't understand that he has a catheter, IV drip line, and a huge wound in his leg and NO HIP!  Plus he has to have physical therapy, everyday.  I was finally able to leave and walked out trying not to cry as I called my brother.  I needed help and he was there for me.  I have to be strong and as I left I told Daddy, again, that it would be temporary and that it was the only option.  This day is only Monday.  I'm not sure I want to be around the rest of the week but I must do what I must do.  Here's to Tuesday!

Productive Sunday