Happy New Year's Eve!!!!  Yeah!  Last day of 2009!  I can't wait until 2010!  The year will rock (if I have anything to say about it!)

today's post part II.  We had surprise company come by so I had to end sooner than planned.  Mom's friend from her old work, Jose, stopped by.  He has a thing for her, still, after all these years.  He's planning to come Tuesday and pick her up for a bit of time.  Apparently, he has stopped by a lot but we weren't home or we were sleeping.  He comes a bit early for us, about 8:30 am.  Yeah, like I am awake at that time.  I let him know that the door doesn't usually open until 11:30 ish, because I am still sleeping and don't hear the door.

I will be working on some crafts in January.  I found a few kits that I have bought during the year that I haven't done yet, so I am planning to start working on them as soon as the new year begins.  I am not starting until then because tomorrow I am spending the day with my Katie.  I am very excited about that and not sure what we are going to do outside of going to Red Robin's for early dinner/late lunch.  Friday we will go out to eat for our yearly celebration of the new year.  We also have some new movies we will watch.  Sunday, we are going to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks, the squeakuel."  I cannot wait for that.  It looks so cute and I love the chipmunks.  Kathy's little girl, Sammy, likes to sing with the girl chipmunks when the commercial comes on.  I would love to see that!  The chipmunks might be the girls first movie.  I will find out when I talk to Kathy later this week.  She will be 42 in about 12 days.  So nice that she is older than me!  I won't be 42 until April!!!!  He he he!  

Tonight is a quiet night here with a new Charlie Brown special!  I love Charlie Brown.  The specials are usually quite good and cute with nice music.  Frank is playing Linus and Lucy for competition, he is doing really well on it.  Katie, Rachel, and Rebecca are also going to competition this year.  I used to have about 10 to 15 kids go, but not right now!  I am happy that they want to go, of course, I would be happy if they didn't.  Competition is optional, if you want to go, do your best, if you don't, that is fine too, just keep learning more music.

Speaking of competition, I need to look up some info about it!  Better get going!

Have a great night!  happy new year's eve eve!

Can't believe tomorrow is New Year's Eve.  We aren't doing much in the evening, but spending the day with Katie.  We are planning to go to Red Robin for lunch/dinner.  I love that place.  Best burgers around.  I think Mom likes it too.

I don't have any new year's resolutions this year.  Not sure why, just don't.  Maybe next year.  I just wasn't too into the whole Christmas/New Year's mode this year.  Maybe next year.  Mom will probably be in a home by next Christmas.  I will be looking into things like that during the next year.  Any family member who wishes to see and speak to Mom, now would be good, well, between June.  I hope to see many between now and then.

I think New Year's Day we will go out to dinner.  It shall be fun.  Mom likes to do that.

I hope you are having a good day and ready for the new year!

Yesterday was a good day at my Uncle's.  My cousin, Nicole was there too with her two little ones.  My uncle has a 2 1/2 year old named Jayson.  he is adorable.  Colby and Shay looked like they had a lot of fun playing with him.  Kinda weird to think my uncle is a dad to a toddler again at age 61.  Definitely weird.  His wife seemed real nice too.  Andrew was there too.  He seemed to like hanging out with Mom.  

Mom did well for the trip, she gets a little restless after dark, but I expect it.  We left around 6 ish.  The dinner was good, better than Christmas and Christmas Eve.  Michelle is a real good cook.  Mom ate most of it, I was impressed.  Sometimes she doesn't eat very well, but mostly she does good.  She seemed to enjoy visiting with everyone.  There wasn't too many people there so she wasn't nervous at all.  

I am glad that the holidays are mostly over, I am anxious for the new year to arrive.  I think New Year's day we will go see a movie and to dinner.  I found the gift cards, I put them in my chest of drawers so Mom won't hide them anymore from me.  She hid them the day after Christmas and we could have used one when we went to Red Lobster's with Kathy.  But I am glad I found them that night.  I plan to use one on New Year's Day.  After New Year's I will start the process of looking into a home for mom, she won't need it right now, but eventually she will.  I will also start looking at where I am going to live.  It would be great if Richard and his family moved back here, I would move in with them but I don't think that is going to happen.  Richard hates Michigan.  I love it, but he doesn't.  Of course it does depend on where he gets a job.  The kids got the Christmas presents.  Hope they like the candy!  I made some for them too.

Well, this is getting awfully long!  Pain is alright today.  My head is its normal pain, my knee is a bit bad, but not too bad.

I hope you are having a great day!

It's over already!  Yup, Christmas!  Now on to the new year!  I am looking forward to 2010.  It should be a good year.  Mom did well the last few days.  We were at our cousin, Tillie's house.  We spent the night Christmas Eve and then went home Christmas Day.  She didn't sleep much because she kept getting cramps in her legs and she had to use the bathroom several times.  She only cried a few times on Christmas because she was either too hot or too cold.  Her body is difficult to regulate her temperature.  But over all, for being in a strange place, she did really well.  My younger brother was there too.  He seemed happy to see her and she was happy to see him.  It has been three years since he moved to London, Ontario.  She has been having an easier time going to bed now that she has the new medicine.  She takes it around 7:30 and then we go up around 9 pm.  It has definitely helped her not be so upset at bedtime.  No more bad nights right now!  I am really happy about that.  Unfortunately, she still likes to get up early and I don't.  She was up at 8:30 this morning in my room.  I don't know what time she got up, but oh my, 8:30 is a little early for me.  I like to get up after 10 am, preferably around 11.  She only came in a couple of times, but it can get annoying when she keeps coming in.  But it is better than her going outside.  I am glad she doesn't want to go out right now because it is so cold out.  Today was very windy too.

Kathy is in town and we went to lunch and the bookstore.  We had a lot of fun.  Her kids are so cute and they liked the presents they got from Mom and I.  She picked out some cute Lego sets for the boys and we (we both saw them at the same time) picked out cute dolls for the girls.  Kathy got me a gift card for Barnes and Noble.  I love reading!  We got two books at the bookstore.  One for the book club and another just for fun reading.  I got several books from the used bookstore for Christmas from Mom.  I also got a new coat that we are sending back because it is supposed to be a winter parka!  Not!  It's lining is like a sweatshirt and the coat is thin.  Some winter coat.  The one I have now does better than that one ever would.  I am sending back the sweat suit too, I only bought it because I wanted the coat and with a purchase it was only $4.  I should have realized that you can't get a good coat for that cheap.  I was extremely disappointed when I opened up the package.  Oh well, can't have everything I suppose.

I don't have any real plans for New Year's Eve.  We probably will watch a few movies and go to bed before Midnight as usual.  I plan to go out to a movie and out to eat New Year's Day though.  We did that last year and it was a lot of fun.  I plan to repeat that performance.

I hope you are having a good day and had a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!  Have a great day!

It is almost Christmas!  Are you ready?????

Mom is all set as far as medicaid is concerned.  So am I.  We went ridiculously early to social services this morning.  The guy yesterday said they do interviews from 7:30 am to 11 am so I made sure we were there at 7:30.  We waited until 9:15 to see a worker.  Yup, that is 9:15 am.  They called the first person on the list (we were #3) at 9:00 am.  If they aren't going to start the interviews until after 9, could he have not told me that?  It would have been nice.  The lady was very nice and I guess she is now our caseworker.  She did apply for food stamps for us but (as I suspected) together we get too much money to get approved.  Individually, we don't have enough, but as we live together we get too much.  Yes, food stamps would have helped immensely, but we are doing alright, it isn't like we are starving or going hungry, we are doing okay.  My biggest worries are mom and her illness and my illnesses.

Mom is sleeping in her chair next to me.  When she wakes up she asks me random questions that don't make any sense, I just answer and smile to myself.  She was awake at 4:30 this morning.  Yup, that's what I said, 4:30 am.  Not pleasant for me.  I need a nap, but the roofers will be back shortly and then they will wake me up.  Okay, they are back now.  Mom somehow knocked over her water, she just noticed that.  She does such silly things.  Okay, some annoying things too.

In some ways I am not looking forward to Friday.  I haven't put up the tree and have decided not too.  It is in the family room which I have nicknamed the dungeon.  It is difficult to get into and then to find the tree?  Forget it.  I also then would have to decorate it in some burst at a time.  Just not up to it this year.  Mom really doesn't care, so I am not going to do it.  We aren't going to be home for Christmas anyways so it isn't like there will be presents under it.  I am nervous on how mom is going to take staying at Tillie's for the night.  I am bringing the sedatives with me just in case along with the rest of the medicines we need to take.  I also am not wrapping any presents but Kathy's kids.  Mom really doesn't care and we are opening them before we leave for Windsor.  This is probably her last real Christmas.  I anticipate her being more out of it next year.  I hope I am wrong.  Her memory is going slowly and from what some other friends say, she has about a year of good (well, to her good) memory left before she won't even know me.  We shall see what 2010 brings.  I hope a better year, although 2009 has definitely been better than 2008 was but not as good as 2006 and 2007.  Those years rocked!

I hope you are enjoying your season and finding time to relax!

Yesterday I saw Anne!!!!!!!  We met up for about 2 1/2 hours.  It so awesome to see her again.  I miss her so much.  I like having my girl once a week, not this every few months if I am lucky.  But I do understand, slightly difficult to see her often when she lives in NYC.  She likes it there a lot so I am glad about that.  She spent 2 years in Japan teaching English before she moved to NYC.  I made some candy for her for Christmas.  I am making candy for Andrew and Tillie too.  Tillie told me not to get her anything for Christmas so I am making her candy.  I don't listen very well to comments like that.  I also bought her a book mark because I know she reads a lot.  I can't believe this week is Christmas.  So hard to believe it is here already.  I haven't wrapped a thing for me or mom yet.  Not sure I am going to as wrapping slightly confuses her.  She will be confused enough with the holiday and us spending the night away from home.  At least I will be there and she won't be alone.  We don't need another Friday night.

We are watching Frosty the Snowman.  Mom loves this movie, so do I.  I love the song so much.  Frank played it for the Christmas Concert.  He did a good job on it.  Mom is sorta watching it, her eyes are closed as usual when TV is on.

I called the doctor this morning and asked what to do about Mom when she is having a bad night.  She will call me back with information.  Mom has been alright for the last couple of nights.  I am anticipating a kind of bad night tonight because the roofers are here and it is confusing her a bit.  They are giving me a bit of a bad headache.  Where is the hotel when you need one?  Okay, so I don't have the money for a hotel, but it would be quieter and perhaps a bit fun for a change.  Then again, Mom doesn't do very well with change, so maybe the hotel would be a bad idea.  She keeps answering the door when the roofers bang their tools like knocking on the door.  It is difficult to know the difference.  

I have two lessons today and two tomorrow then none until Saturday when I have one and I also have one on Sunday.  We are getting ready for the benefit concert and competition now.  Always looking forward for another performance.

The doctor just called back.  She is sending a prescription to the pharmacy for a sedative if this happens again.  If it happens more frequently or the sedative doesn't work, then I am to call again.

Well, time to go!  I have candy to make for Friday, well, Thursday actually since that is the day we are leaving.

Last night was a nightmare.  Not only for me but for mom.  I called the Alzheimer's society and they didn't really have anything very helpful.  Yeah, she kept wanting to go home.  I told her she was home and she agreed but then wanted to go home again.  It was like this for 3 hours.  She was so confused and upset that it was horrible for both of us.  So I called the society and they said to go along with the delusion.  However, if I did that, she would have left the house looking for her house.  So, a bad night all around.  I called Tillie and asked her if she would ask at the home what they do about these things at night.  She is going to look into it for me.  I am grateful for support.  Any one has suggestions, please let me know!

Other than that, things are alright here.  It was book club today!!!!  How fun.  We all loved the book that Maggie picked, "the Christmas Sweater," by Glenn Beck.  It was such a good book.  We are reading "The Other Boleyn Sister" for next month.  I loved that book so much.  The movie was good too.  Katie is going to get it out of the library when she goes to work next and Aggie, I think, may have it.  The other Katie is going to go and buy it, so is Maggie.  I love book club.  It is so much fun.  I was glad both Katie and Katie were able to join us.  Both of them had to work last time.  

I am ready for Christmas except for wrapping and the tree.  I am going to put the tree up tomorrow and wrap the presents too.  Mom and I are going to make candy tomorrow to for Christmas presents for Andrew and Tillie.  Andrew decided after all to go Tillie's for Christmas.  We haven't seen him in about 3 years since he moved to London, Ontario.  It will be nice to see him again.  We will be alone with him for about 3 hours Christmas Day while Tillie goes to see her husband in the home.

I hope you are having a good Christmas season and enjoying all the joys it brings!  Merry Christmas!

I had sewing today!  Finally we are back only to take off 2 more weeks for the holidays.  I don't mind though because when we start again in the new year, all three girls will be starting new outfits.  They are doing so well.  They all have a skirt with a coordinating top to go with it.  I am so proud of them.  Their smaller sister, Sarah, will be starting a skirt with me.  She is to young to use the machine but she can help me with other stuff like pinning and basting, easy things.  She is excited to start.

I finished the ornaments.  Just in time for the concert.  The concert was last night and it went well.  Next on the schedule is the benefit concert and quickly followed by competition.  They are two events in a row.  I figure my students can perform their competition music at the benefit concert.  I have some people already confirmed to perform, I am just waiting for some more.

I hope you are having a good day!

You would think I was torturing Mom this afternoon by making her wash her hair.  Every time we do this it is a trial.  She is afraid of being cold, which I understand, but still, one needs her hair washed and she doesn't do it in the shower so it is done in the back sink.  I now have her wrapped in a blanket with a towel on her head.  In about a 1/2 hour we will go up and blow dry our hair completely dry.  It takes a few hours to get this done.  Thank goodness I don't have much to do these days.  It is just one of those things that you deal with memory loss people.  At least she didn't cry and go on and on this time like she did last time.  I turned the heat up to 78 (it's rather warm in here now) so she wouldn't freeze and we did it fast!  So now she is almost finished with the process.

I have finished the ornaments for tonight.  I just have to fold the programs, and we are all ready!  I can't wait.  I know I have too, but it just isn't arriving so fast as I would like.  I love the concerts, they are so much fun.  I love watching the kids perform, they get so proud of themselves when they play or sing well, the smiles are unbeatable!

I ordered girl scout cookies today.  I will be ordering some from Rachel and Rebecca too, Mom loves girl scout cookies and they freeze beautifully so I am ordering a few for her.  At least she will eat a few at a time of those.  The other cookies she will eat occasionally, so I don't buy them any more.  No point as they usually end up in my tummy and goodness knows I don't need them!  I need to lose weight and lower my cholesterol not raise the stuff!

It's a decent day, I started a new medicine today, celebrex, so I shall see how it goes.  I hope it works, the arthritis is just as bad as the fibromyalgia.  My head is sore today, I woke up with a bad headache again this morning but it is almost back to it's regular one!

I hope you are enjoying your day!

I am almost finished reading the new Alzheimer's book.  it has been helpful in some ways and some ways terrifying.  I am not ready for what is coming.  I am not sure anyone could be ready.  Mom moved the front door gate this morning.  She didn't go out, but nothing like having the front door open and the gate moved.  I tightened it tonight so that maybe she won't be able to move it.  She has been a bit calmer this week.  I think this will be her last real Christmas.  We are going to Tillie's for the holiday and I wanted to go to Richard's for New Year's, but that won't happen.  He wants us to come in the summer when the weather is better.  I guess he is right, but I miss those kids!  A lot!

I will finish up my sewing tonight.  I will have the program finished too so I will be ready for the concert tomorrow.  We have 11 students performing, 2 are going to be absent due to school events and most students are doing 2 pieces each except my little one.  She is only doing one song because she was absent for a few weeks and never finished learning the other Christmas song.  I can't believe how much she has grown.  I have known her since they brought her home from Russia at 6 months old.  Now she is 8.

I hope you are having a good day.

I have one student this afternoon.  I can't wait.  Charlie won't be here today because he has a Christmas Concert for his mom's nursery school.  That would be adorable to see.  He is going to play his tenor sax while the little ones sing Jingle Bells.  I hope they tape it so I can see it.  I have to finish my ornaments tonight.  I can't wait!  I love sewing although I haven't been very ambitious lately for new projects.  I have to send the presents to the kids early next week as soon as I finish their ornaments.  

After the new year I will be taking pictures of the violins and be putting them up on eBay.  I don't know how to do this yet, but I will learn.  I also have 4 or 5 cellos that need to be painted and sold.  I hope that I can sell of them for a decent price.  I will post pictures as soon as I take them.  I have about 25 or so violins and violas.

10 days until Christmas!  I am not that excited as I usually am about it.  It is almost like, yeah, whatever.  I haven't pulled the tree out and decorated it yet.  I also haven't wrapped any presents.  Mom doesn't seem that interested right now either.  I know that this is probably one of the last Christmases she will have with some sort of memory.  I anticipate that next Christmas she will probably be completely out of it.  She is sleeping next to me in her chair again.  I am watching Cold Case, it's a rerun but one I haven't seen before.  

Not much happening today, I hope you are having a great day.

Yesterday was a really busy day for us.  I was very glad for that.  We met Debbie after a lesson at Tim Horton's and then we had Gracei's play in the evening.  I almost forgot about the play but fortunately I wrote it in my planner!  Thank God for planners.  Without them I would be lost most days.  Today is also a busier day with 3 more lessons to go.  I love Mondays because they are so busy and I get to see the students.  It brightens my day a lot.  On the days where there is no lessons, life is dull and boring.  Mom is sleeping next to me in her chair as usual.  The gates are working really well and I am able to get some sleep.  I feel like I am making up for months of no sleep because I am sleeping 10 to 12 hours with at least 5 hours straight through at a time.  Yeah!  finally!  sleep!

I am almost done with the ornaments.  I will be done by Thursday since that is when I need them.  I have a few students paragraphs ready for the concert.  I don't have the order yet, I will do that later tonight after dinner.  I think we are going to go and get dinner because I am too tired to cook or even heat up something.  We will have enough money for it, so that is good.  I am not taking any time off from teaching during the holidays, if the students want lessons, I will teach.  it is entirely up to them.  I know that Bob and Charlie are planning to have lessons during the holidays.  I don't know about anyone else.  I will be letting my students know that I am teaching if they want lessons.

Not much else going on.  Just had a lovely time with Debbie and the play was alright.  I will be seeing Debbie at bit more because she is going to sing in the benefit concert in February and wants some help to get ready.  She is planning to come and see my students at the concert on Thursday.  I hope next year I remember to sign up for the hall way earlier than I did so we can have a Sunday afternoon like we usually do.  When I sign up for the spring concert I will sign up for Christmas at the same time.  then it will be done.

I hope you are having a good day too.

Hayley came to pick up her packages this afternoon.  We got about 2 hours with her so I was happy about that.  I can always use more time but I will take what I can get.  I also had one lesson before that.  I worked on the ornaments too.  I am also almost finish with them so I am really happy about that.  I will be finished by Thursday which is the day of the concert.  I will be working on the program tomorrow.  I have one paragraph so far.  I expect more before the concert, or at least I hope I will.  Goodness knows my students don't want me to write the paragraphs for them.  I tend to gush completely crazily.  So, they are going to want to write them themselves.  Speaking of which, I need to face book Lily's dad so I can get her paragraph.  I forgot to get it this afternoon.  Silly me!  There, I messaged him.  She is so adorable and growing so fast.  I can't believe she is going to be 12 already.  Time just flies away from me sometimes.

We are watching Numb3rs.  It is a great show.  It is on late so we have to wait for the DVDs to come out.  We just finished watching season 5.  Apparently, season 6 will be the end.  I am sad about that because it is so fascinating.  I am watching the special features and they are interesting.  Mom is sleeping next to me in her chair again.  Nothing new there.  She does this all the time.  I wish she wouldn't sleep during the day and sleep at night but I guess I won't be getting my wish anytime soon.

I am reading an interesting book about memory loss and the issues that come up with it.  I am about 1/2 through the book now.  Mom wants to read it too.  I don't know what she is going to understand, I know she won't remember what she read, but hey, if she wants to read it, she can.

Pain is medium today, my head has been better through out the day, it started off bad and then improved.  My hips are not so good because of the weather, which I expected.  I also expect my knees to be bad.

I will be visiting with Debbie tomorrow!  Yeah!  I haven't seen her in a few years since she has been in college and going to India.  I am really excited about seeing her after Katie's lesson tomorrow.  I don't know what we will do, but it will be fun!

I hope you have a great evening and a wonderful night!

I was supposed to go for sewing this afternoon, but unfortunately, they had to cancel because of scheduling issues.  I was disappointed but I will see them next week.  I have a bad headache today so it probably was for the best.  I am not my best when my head feels like it will explode.  It is just that I haven't seen the girls for sewing in a month!  It is entirely too long of a time between!  I miss them too much.  I am glad they are healthy again and no more flu.  They had the swine flu (at least we think so because it was such a bad flu) and everyone, including the baby, got it.  I need to get the vaccine for it but right now it is not available at the doctor's office yet.  I hope so soon or at least at a place where I don't have to stand in line because standing is so hard for me.

Other than the headache we are doing alright.  Mom is okay today, she is a bit confused and was freezing this morning.  I told her 3 times to put more clothes on but she just walks around and cries.  It is very frustrating.  It is like she doesn't realize she has clothes to wear and she wakes up so early.  Ridiculously early and expects me to get up too.  Well I don't.  I go back to sleep.  This morning she was hungry and wouldn't go down for breakfast unless I went with her.  So I went down made her cereal and went back to bed.  I am have tried putting the bowl with cereal in it on the table at night for her but she won't eat it.  She is so afraid of bugs and germs and all that type crap.  It is driving me nuts.  Sometimes I just want to scream!  This morning was one of them.

I hope you are having a better day than me!

I went to my friend Heather's house today for a visit.  It was such fun.  I haven't really seen her in years.  Yes, I briefly saw her this summer, but that doesn't count.  We had about an hour to ourselves before her little boy came home and then about 1/2 hour later her daughter arrived.  Both kids are so cute and nice and polite.  She also has two dogs that are very friendly.  They didn't jump up on us at all.  I like that in a dog.  Mom came with me of course.  She did okay until it started getting darker and she started freaking out over the wind.  She flips out over wind so easy.  She really is terrorized by the wind since she has been picked up from it and moved to another place.  It was years ago but to her it was just yesterday.  It is frustrating for me because we have wind a lot, so it's like she is freaking out a lot.  I have learned to keep our drapes shut in the dining room when she is in there because she constantly looks out and flips.  I wasn't ready to leave but she started being whiny and frightened so we left.  She had both hands on her hat when we left, fortunately, we only live about 10 minutes from Heather's house.

She did get a bit confused this morning when I told her we were going to Heather's until I started using the words my friend Heather.  Then she wasn't confused.  She is freezing again, as usual.  I am tired of trying to keep her warm, nothing works so she is on her own.  She puts on her outside coat instead of other warm inside coats so I give up.  Whatever, you want to freeze even more outside, go ahead.  Whatever.

I have to finish my sewing in a few minutes.  I need to have them ready for tomorrow when Hannah, Sarah, and I stuff and finish them.  Lydia and Natalie should be finishing up their tops tomorrow.  I am excited about that.

I don't really like this bitter cold we have because I do ache tons more than usual.

Well, I hope you had a good day, I sure did.

Mom had her blood test and her x-rays this morning.  I had to get up so early to take her.  Ugh.  I am not a morning person, I am not a night person either, I am a day person.   Between the hours of 11 am and 9 pm I am alright, any earlier or later, forget it, I am sleepy.  So her appointment was at 9 am which meant I had to get up at 8 am.  She did pretty okay except she is difficult when she gets up because picking clothes is difficult for her.  I usually pick her stuff, but she wakes me to ask what to wear.  I have to get up (usually super early around 6 ish) to get them for her and then I go back to bed.  I have tried to her to stay in her pajamas until I wake up.  It isn't as if she does anything except wander the house, but she just flips out.  She has no concept of sleep for me anymore.  It kinda really sucks.  Big time!  I am trying to get used to the new schedule but it is hard.  No sleep for me means crabby me which is not good for dealing with Mom.  Also no sleep means tons more pain which is really bad.

She is sleeping in her chair as usual.  I wish she would be awake more during the day maybe she would sleep more in the night, but she is a morning person and always has been.

We woke up to white stuff on the ground.  I guess I am ready for winter.  I have a new pair of sweats coming next week.  (Christmas present from mom)  I will now have 4 pairs.  I love sweats, they are so warm.  I do have nice clothes for when I need them, but I don't most days.

I am planning to sew the ornaments this afternoon after lunch.  Mom will go with me to the other room while I sew my presents.  I have everyone else's finished.  The only things left are the homemade ones!  

It should be an okay type day.  After sewing before Lily's play I may need to take a nap.  We shall see!  Have a great day!

I have finished my Christmas shopping!  yeah!  I am finally done.  Usually I am done by November because December lessons were always iffy and bills needed to be paid so I got in the habit of shopping all year round.  However, after the store, things were a little dicey.  I did get Mom some really cute socks (I hope she wears them) and a new throw blanket for the dining room chair she sits in.  I got her 2 new movies and 1 movie for me (Harry Potter of course!) and the Susan Boyle CD.  She has such a beautiful voice.  She made the world stand up and take notice of her.  I wish I could do the same.  Maybe sometime in the future. 

I have 2 lessons today.  Zach is starting again and he called to tell me he is on his way.  Then Charlie will have his after.  So all in all, a good day.  Mom did well while we went from store to store.  We hit Tim Horton's first (Mom was hungry), then Walmarts, Joann's, Border's, and then the Post Office.  I was disappointed in the selection of planners.  I guess I need to get them in the fall.  I did buy one a few weeks ago but I thought maybe there would be some cuter ones.  I was wrong, so I will keep the one I have.  Mom and I can share it.  She doesn't really need a planner since I keep track of everything for her.  I did buy her a cute calendar for the kitchen.  She saw it in Joann's and asked if she could get it.  Of course I said yes.  She asks for very little.  I am the big shopper of the family.  (well, not like I used to be.  Disability only goes so far and bills do need to be paid.  Teaching helps pay the bills)  I ordered the rest of my present on Saturday so that should be here next week so we are finished with the ordering and buying of presents.  Now I just need to finish sewing the ornaments.  I will do them tomorrow afternoon after Mom's doctor appointment.

I am in a bit more pain because of shopping, but not doing too badly from it.  I am glad I am done and home because the weather is about to turn bad.  I hope this finds you doing really well and having a good day too!

6 lessons this afternoon!  I was really really happy about that.  We are all getting ready for the Christmas Concert next week.  I am going to do what I used to do for the concerts, I have the kids write up small bios about themselves and put it in the bulletin.  It is fun to do.  I have a really cool CD ROM that has a lot of Christmas pictures.  It is quite cool.  I love the disc a lot.  I just have to find it.

My upper back is a bit sore today, might be from the long drive yesterday or not.  I slept pretty okay knowing Mom was blocked from different places in the house.  She didn't try to move either of the gates we have up so I was really happy this morning about it.  She also didn't move the chair I forgot to push in it at the table so she couldn't go into the kitchen either.  She stayed mostly upstairs, where I want her to be.

Harry Potter #6 movie comes out tomorrow!  I am getting (I think I can wait!) it for Christmas from Mom.  I am not sure if I can hold out until after Christmas.  I do know I am getting three more things from Santa for Christmas so I shall try to hold out on Harry Potter.  I will be working on the ornaments tomorrow so I can have them stuffed and the bells put on them on Friday.  I need to sew most of the bells before Friday because Lydia needs my machine to finish her top on Friday and it would be most unfair to use the machine on Friday instead of her.  Sewing days are all about the girls after all.  I plan to finish my sewing part by Wednesday latest.  I need to be ready for stuffing them by Friday.  I think Hannah and Sarah will be helping me.  Sarah can stuff them and Hannah and I can put the bells on them and finish the seam.  Then all I will have left will be to paint the names of the students on them.

I am pretty tired tonight.  I think we will be going to bed a bit earlier than usual.  Mom is tired too and a bit cranky tonight.  She is driving me nuts.  She constantly thinks other people are in the house when there isn't anybody here but us.  Then she cries, a lot.  I am running out of patience this evening.

I hope you are having a better night than me.

I picked up 3 baby (we call them safety) gates from Kathy today.  Yup, I drove all the way to Kalamazoo to see her and her family and pick the gates up.  It was great.  Nice easy drive on the way (2 1/2 hours each way), Mom slept most of the way down, Josh Groban CD in the radio and not much traffic.  We stayed a few hours, played with the girls watched Matthew play Wii and talked to Kathy!  I really enjoyed the visit.  Mom did well both there and back so day trips are on!  She didn't want to eat in the car and I didn't push it.  If she isn't hungry, I won't make her eat.  I told her how long it would be before we got home, the McDonald's was in a bag next to her so it was up to her.  I didn't think she would eat in the car but I was a bit hungry by that point so we stopped and went to the drive thru.  It worked out well.  I think we will be able to do it again.  I put up the gates in the front door and in front of the downstairs so she won't go down in the morning.  It is very tiring, but fun so it is worth it.

Tomorrow will be nice and busy.  Tuesday will be sort of busy, but the rest of the week won't be so much.  I do have some sewing to finish up.  The concert is in about 11 days so I have to finish the ornaments!  I have to make sure that I do them when the kids won't be here so they won't see them ahead of time.  The Muglia girls are helping me make them.  It has been 3 weeks since I have seen them because of the flu in their house.  I get them 2 times this week!  They aren't getting the ornaments for Christmas since they are helping me make them, that would be cheesy, but I have something for them that they will like.

I am almost done with Christmas shopping, I thought I was done but I have a few small things left.  I plan to get them this week before my money runs out.  I have to remember to pay my health insurance tomorrow before it gets cancelled.  It is due on the 20th, but I have 30 days to catch up on the previous month before it is cancelled.  I don't want to cancel it even though it is expensive, I don't think medicaid will cover as much and I don't qualify for medicare for another year, so you can see my problem.  I am trying to keep what I have until the medicare kicks in, then I will switch.  Unless something wonderful happens and I get a job that will pay for enough for medical insurance and day care for Mom.  There is no way I can leave her by herself all day.  That is a recipe for disaster, I will come home and she will be gone.  yeah, not a good idea!

I am heading for bed soon so I will end this now.  I hope your day was a great as mine!

Not much happening today, just the usual lesson.  It is Aggie's opposite week so she isn't having a lesson today, just Lily who was in a really good mood.  She usually is a happy girl, but today was just happier than normal.  It was a very fun lesson.  Mom was teasing her too.  She does so well with Mom.

I am going to get a gate for the front door so Mom can't get out.  Kathy has a couple (at least one for sure, maybe two).  She thinks she has a longer than a door one that I can put at the top of the stairs at night so Mom won't go down without me.  I explained it to her and she seemed to understand for now anyways, she will forget soon but I will remind her again.  That's what I am here for.  She is a happy girl today too.  Lily always brightens her up, most of my students do.  We are going to see Lily in her play Wednesday night.  There is a concert earlier before the play apparently so we will go a bit early to see the little kids.  Mom will like that.

I have to really decide what I want to do with my life.  Right now, I am just existing and getting by.  I don't like that feeling so I have to find new dreams.  I think when I lost the store, I lost my dreams.  So now I need new dreams.  Just existing to take care of Mom is not good.  I know she doesn't have any goals anymore, except to help me with mine.  I thought a lot last night about it.  I want to do what I originally planned before we lost the store.  Open a music school.  Right now wouldn't be good, but that doesn't mean I can't work on the details of it.  I don't want a store again.  I am not into the whole renting and selling of instruments, but I loved the teaching part of it.  That is what I lived for and the reason I got up in the morning.  I live for the moments I get to teach.  I am going to continue what I am doing right now, teach a few lessons, hopefully as the economy gets better I will get some more students and then open a school once things have improved.  There wouldn't be any point to it right now because lessons are so down because, I mean, really, a choice between lessons and paying bills, right, paying bills wins and I understand that.  But in the future!  A new school.  So I will begin the paperwork that I need to do: business plan, marketing plan, 501 c 3 papers (I plan to open a not for profit one - that way you can work with the libraries and the schools easier) so that in a year or 2 I will be able to move to a small building and begin.  I have enough experience with this, I just need the economy to accommodate my plans.  So that is the new goal and dream, that I can do.  Then, I won't need disability too, I will be able to support myself and Mom, not fancily, but enough for a vacation once a year, unlike now.  I feel so much better now that I know what I am going to do with my future.

It is suppose to snow soon, ugh!  (except for Christmas Eve and Day, of course)  I hope you are having a great day!

Saw old dogs (the movie) this afternoon.  Oh my gosh!  It was soooooo funny!  Mom and I laughed our butts off!  I know critics hated it and gave it like about 1/2 star but I loved it.  We need to definitely get this one when it comes out on DVD.  Speaking of DVDs, Harry Potter #6 comes out Tuesday!  I can't wait.  It is going to be a Christmas present from Mom to me so we can't watch it until after Christmas, not that I mind, I did see it 3 times in the movie theatre so a few more weeks won't kill me.  The chipmunks new movie comes out soon too, I want to see that.

Mom is doing pretty okay today.  I ordered a new book about the mid stages of Alzheimer's yesterday that should help me with where she is at.  I also found out that my friend Kathleen took care of her grandmother and she has the same thing!  So that is two people I can ask questions if I have any.  She loved the movie so I was very happy and excited about that.  I thought that she would.  She still understands quite a bit so she is easy to entertain with movies (going out to them, otherwise she falls asleep in the chair in the dining room)  I am working on a regular schedule for us so she won't get as confused as she can get.  She was a bit confused as usual this morning and opened the front door, but didn't go out.  She likes to check the weather in the morning by sticking her hand out the door, I hate it because I am afraid she will go out, but she does this every morning like clockwork, so what can I do?

Pain is medium today, my back is better than last week when my flare decided to go to my lower back and hips so that I couldn't even stand up straight.  From behind I must have looked pretty funny since I was so bent over.  Fortunately, it is almost over, the pain is in the middle of the lower back but I can stand straight up and walk normal, well, normal for me.

It snowed apparently last night and this morning.  I missed it!  yeah!  No snow for Heather!  I like snow on Christmas Eve and Day and that is about it.  Snow makes Mom very nervous which makes me nervous and driving is awful because she constantly is telling me how to drive.  Now, I know how to drive but if I say anything, there will be that time that I miss something and we will get in an accident, so I don't say anything I just bite my tongue.  It is best this way.

I hope you are having a snow free day and plenty of sunshine!

Mom was very frustrated this morning about her confusion.  She wanted to know why and I said it was a part of her memory loss issue.  She wanted to know more.  It is the first time she actually asked about it.  She wanted me to prepare her for what is coming and what she has.  I was surprised because usually I can get around those type of questions because she doesn't ask point blank like she did today.  So I told her about her Alzheimer's and what stage she is in and where she is heading.  She took it very well.  I mean, a few tears, but not many especially as I was crying through most of it.  She asked me to print off the paper with the stages and make her a book to keep track of things.  I usually keep track of her medicines and stuff in my head, but she wants to help by keeping it in a book.  So I will make her a book.  She wants to help with that too.  She wants to be involved I think.  I am not sure.  I am not sure what she can do because she can't do a whole lot anymore.  I told her that by the time she gets to stage 7 she would have no memory left.  She is in stage 5 now.  I hope to keep her here for a while.  I know she is going down and getting worse, but right now she can still enjoy things and have a good laugh at stuff.  That is what is important, that she enjoy things and have a good laugh now and again.  She knows that I will keep her with me as long as I possibly can and that I will still see her daily even when I am not with her all the time.  It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

I had my monthly (sometimes bi-monthly) blood test this morning.  Ugh, she had to dig a bit to get it started.  I can clear a room of nurses just by signing in.  Such a useful talent - he he he.  At least it was only one poke this time.  I wasn't up for more, that is for sure.  

We should be getting our new roof soon, since I just paid the down payment on the bill.  Roofs are very expensive, at about $7100 for ours.  I was not happy that we needed another one already.  We got a new one in the early to mid 90's that apparently didn't have good work on it.  This one should last us until Mom is in a home which I had hoped would hold out until then (the roof I mean).  

It is supposed to rain then possibly snow tonight.  Since it is December, I am not minding the snow, come January and 80 degree weather can  come back.  Yes, I know, I live in MICHIGAN and that doesn't happen.  I am a dreamer what can I say??  I have a few Christmas presents left to make and then I have a couple of gift certificates to purchase and then I am done!!!  Yup, done!!!  I got Mom 2 DVD's and 1 season of Walker so she is set.  they are sitting in the Christmas box but she doesn't know that they are for her.  I am getting Army wives (yes, I picked it out.  Can you imagine a woman with dementia Christmas shopping?  I don't think so!) and we are going to the used bookstore this week to pick out a few things for me and then she is done with me.  I am getting Tillie a bookmark and making her an ornament.  I know she said NOT to get her anything, but oh well, too late.  Already made the plans.  She will have to deal.  Besides, she reads an awful lot and could use a good bookmark and everyone can always use more ornaments, especially the hand made type.

Mom is falling asleep next to me in her chair at the table.  We sit at the table a lot because the chair is comfortable for me and doesn't cause any extra pain and also because the TV is on the kitchen counter and not in the living room.  With 2 pianos (for teaching), there is no room for the TV in there.  Also, we have cable and that is only on one TV so we can't watch any others anyways.

Well, I am off to sew, sew, and sew while the hands are fine!  Have a great afternoon and if you get snow, enjoy it!  it is Christmas time!!!!!!!

I thought I would have 2 students today, but my old student who is coming back won't be here until next week.  Oh well, I am disappointment but I will see him next week.  At least I have a lesson today, unlike last week where I didn't for many days in a row.

I am working on Christmas presents today.  I am making ornaments for family and students.  It is a lot of fun.  

Mom hasn't gone outside without me now for a week.  I put a new sign on the front door to let her know I am upstairs.  It has worked so far.  She still wakes me up a lot, but she is at least in the house.  It is cold out now.  Winter has definitely arrived.  I got Mom's heavier coat out so maybe she won't freeze so easily.  Next will be the parka but it isn't cold enough for that yet.  Starting January I am sure I will be throwing it on her.

Not much else happening today.  Just more sewing!  I hope you have a great day!