We went to church with Mom this morning and then took her out to brunch at Towson Diner. It was a lot of fun - 12 of us in all squeezed into 2 big booths. Mom really enjoyed it. As we were leaving she was sad to find out that Megan & Quinn (and families) were planning on going straight home. They surprised us by coming back to BGT. Mom was so happy with the group that she asked us to call Mrs. Spurrier to come over and enjoy visiting with the family. Joan came over and we all had fun chatting by the fire in the living room at BGT.
2 Funny things: on the way back to BGT, Mom asked where we were going now and when I said, "BGT" she said, "That's what I was afraid of" (but she was smiling)
Also, Joan confirmed that Mom blames the girls for putting her there and she LOVES Paul. To which we say: whatever.
Michael and Stuart, you were there in spirit but we missed you. Mom was sort of happy not to have all the little kids running around - the little Blanchards stayed home with their dad. I think she worries the people at BGT will get upset with the comotion, so it was a good break for her.
Danny and Paul, I think you should tell mom about the house on a weekday - like maybe a Thursday. Give her a few days to cool down and then we'll return on Sunday to start mending fences.
She was still pressing Paul to move in with her as Levelle and I were leaving. Hope Danny and Paul made it out in one piece ;)
Peace all,
Lel
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Outsprinkles
These are the people whose love and support get us through each day and who we owe so much. They also helped a little producing......
Almost all of the Offsprinkles
13 comments:
Do you think we can get uncles Jim and Bob to say something to mom about the house. Like, "Wouldn't it be a good idea to let the house go? Your finances would be more secure, and it really must be a burden to the children to take care of it ..."
Maybe they could convince her that as her banking brother and lawyer brother, they know what they're talking about. Or maybe they could suggest that selling the house would be a good thing for Paul somehow. :p
Or you could just tell her that it has already been sold.
Maybe to a nice young family who had been homeless, but then they found religion and were able to pick themselves up.
Maybe the father is a carpenter and loved the basement workshop as a place to make knickknacks.
we are a family of sleepless fools
Paul & I didn't leave BGT until 4PM. Back with Mom in her room, we had a prolonged discussion, more like a debate, about her need for assisted living care and the impossibility of independent living. You know from the outset that it's going to be a tedious task convincing her when she says "What disease?". And if Mom has started the new anti-depressant med, I can assure you that it's positive effects were not yet in evidence. Though we parted for the day with a calmed Mom, the her mood was quite depressed at times while talking. She said she had no wish to prolong her life and at one point threatened to stay in bed for the duration of it.
It was nice to have her "favorite" Paul there to back me up with examples of why her assisted living level of care is a must. He piped up at just the right times with just the right reinforcement. Solo this week, Paul will keep his regular Thursday afternoon visit to Mom on her birthday. The following Thursday, Paul and I will visit together and Yarmouth will be the topic du jour. In the meantime, I do think it a good suggestion to have Uncles Bob and Jim assistance and I’ll give them a call before Thursday.
Stuart, I’ll have the tax documents scanned and forwarded to you before I leave the office today.
Well it sounds like you all had a great time. Just to double check, I called Mom to see if she had as much fun. It turns out she did!! She was telling me how nice it was that Stuart came up. It was also special because Dad went over to pick up Mrs. Spurrier so everyone could catch up with her too. She was a little saddened that Mrs. Spurrier was not able to say much though. I told her that you all should take her out to a restaurant sometimes too (hoping she would mention TD) and she said that y'all seemed to prefer holding the little gatherings at BGT. She did seem to understand that the visits were regularly coming on Sundays. Mom did also remember that Leland and her family(?) came over a little earlier than the others and there was a birthday party although she could not remember for who. Hmmmmm.
She mentioned once about Paul and her moving into Yarmouth and I gave her the party line about how that would not be good for either of them. I said Paul's hours were opposite from hers and she would see him less than now. She mentioned he was getting close to a job so I emphasized how good that was that he would be working and he needed to be doing that (hinting: rather than taking care of her).
She was pretty upbeat but also mentioned she had nothing to do but watch the snow blow out the window. We talked about the Sunpapers troubles and she mentioned it was probably because of a recent edition that had print so small she could not read it even with her glasses. What she could make out didn't make sense anyway as they had jumbled up all the words. That's the Sun for you.
She promised to hug you all for me. Please collect it on Sunday.
....and now I'm going to bed to be a sleeping fool.
Sleepless fool? I agree. In my original story (tastefully left on the cutting room floor) the father was a carpenter, the mother was a virgin and the baby had a beard. But mom might have been able to see through that story.
Danny, I got the tax man lined up this weekend so you will be timely with those documents. Thanks.
Stuart, do you want a listing of all the items of clothing donated to Salvation Army? I also took photos of the piles and have the SA receipt to provide documentation.
That might be helpful. I'm not sure if she will itemize this year or not, but it couldn't hurt to see it.
Stuart- The basic tax statements were just e-mailed to you. If we're itemizing, there's a whopping amount of medical expense, charitable donation, etc. paperwork that needs to be sent too. Let me know...
Danny, I got the email, thanks.
Any chance someone could fax or pdf last year's filings (fed and state). I don't need the attachments, just the forms. If I am not mistaken they are in the file cabinet beneath the safe.
Shoot. I slipped by Yarmouth on the way in to pick up the "medical bills" folder but didn't think to get the '08 filings. I'll have 'em to you tomorrow via e-mail.
Paul did a nice job of shoveling the walks there yesterday.
Oops. Stuart, it appears I didn't deliver the clothing to Salvation Army until January. I guess it will have to wait until next year's tax season.
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