I didn't bring my machine on purpose to sewing today.  It is snowing out and I can't carry it out to the car so I didn't bring it.  Mistake!!!!  The girls sewing machine's foot is missing and we can't sew without it.  Poor little machine!  I hope they find it otherwise they may have to order or buy a new one.  Laura thinks it has to be in the van, I would concur with this conclusion.  Mom slept as usual during sewing.  The girls got a lot of basting done but we still had to end early from lack of activity to do.  It was sad, but what can you do?

Not much planned for the rest of the day, but tomorrow is book club!!!!!!!!!  I can't wait!  I love book club and we have a couple of new members so I am excited.  I bought a big cookie (8 by 10 sheet) for the occasion, I may have looked for something cheaper had I realized before I bought it it was $8.  Oh well, little too late now.  I know it will taste good because we have had them before.  Mom enjoys book club too.  She usually sits in during it and listens because she doesn't read the books, not that it would matter if she did, because she wouldn't be able to remember them.  I have some thoughts for next book.  Aggie won't be here because of the weather.  Mean weather.  I need my Aggie.  She is coming home next weekend instead.  I asked her for suggestions for the next book.  She picked this months book, Howl's Moving Castle.  It was pretty good.  I finished it yesterday afternoon during the snow fall.  It is snowing again like crazy today.  Not a happy camper about this.  Not liking this snow at all.  Mom is doing alright with it, but she can get nervous while I drive (okay - even more than usual).

Mom has been alright today.  She got up for the bathroom this morning and then went right back to bed (with help from me).  I think she thinks she has too now.  I am not sure.  She has done this every day since Sunday, but I am not complaining, I get to sleep in and not be woken up early!  I like this new development, hope it lasts a while.

She is still not eating terribly good, but I try to get her to drink some ensure a couple of times a day.  I forgot to bring it with me this morning.  Oops.

Speaking of this morning, I forgot my wallet on the table when we left so I owe Tim Horton's for today's meal.  Thank goodness we are frequent guests because she is letting me pay tomorrow when we come in.  Nice people there.  Reminds me of when I worked at Arbys in college, the first couple of years anyways before the managers changed.  We had a good time and then the managers changed and it wasn't so fun anymore.  I was also teaching at the time and just getting started with that, so when I got more students, I quit Arbys.  Definitely better with teaching!  Teaching is a lot of fun and rarely boring and dull (like the rest of my time on some days.)

I have no lessons until Monday now because both Aggie and Lily will be absent.  :( :( :( :(  I will see them both next week though, so :) :) :) :) :)

I love making happy faces!!!!!!

I hope your day is good and hopefully not snowing like crazy like it is here!

I bought Mom the cutest Donald Duck ever.  He is dressed up like a bunny and he dances and sings.  When you pull the ears he throws a fit.  It is so funny!  It is on her piano now.  She and I both really like it.  So that is part of her Easter present.  She will get more, but not until Easter.  Can you believe Easter is soon?  I can't.  Already, it is lent season.  That just snuck up on me.  I also bought Mom's birthday invitations for her open house party.  I hope lots of relatives and friends come.  She will enjoy it.  She probably won't remember too much of it, but she will have fun.  She is, as usual, dozing in her chair.  Wish I could, I am a bit tired today.  I slept in too.  We are at a decent stage right now.  I don't know how long it will last, but I am hopeful.  She goes right into bed without any problems and stays there until morning without calling my name or waking me up.  She just stays in her bed.  How cool is that?  Pretty cool if you ask me.  She has done this for the last 4 days, whoohoo!!!!!  Very exciting news in the Paxton house!  She also hasn't asked when we are going home this week either.  She also rarely asks if I am Heather, so all in all, a decent week for a change.

Because it has been a good week, the pain level is also down!  Yeah!  So, basically, good news all around.  I am not sure if we are going to knitting today or not, haven't heard from my friend, so it looks good, but she isn't feeling so well, so I don't know.  We will miss next week as we have an appointment in Windsor.  We have 2 appointments for Mom coming up, so the show is on the road.  We are getting somewhere for Mom.  The new med seems to work good for her.  I gave her the full dose, I didn't want to fool around with half a dose when she was so upset.  Right now, it is working well and helping her sleep and have a decent sleep at that.

My scarf that I am knitting is barely there, I haven't really worked on it in the last two weeks.  I mean too, but then, I either forget, or get busy with something else, I don't really know why.  I have the time to do it most days.

Tomorrow is sewing day for the first time in 3 weeks!  I am excited!  Can't wait.  I am bringing my knitting with me so I can work on it while the girls are sewing.  I also have to remember my machine.  It is a lot easier for us if we have 2 machines.

I hope your day will be good and sunny!  We have sunshine for a change!!!!

I have 2 students today.  1 is a makeup from Monday because of the beautiful, horrible snow we got, the other is a regularly scheduled appointment.  I got her books today.  I can't wait to start.  Should be rather fun.  I also got 2 new vocal books when I was at the store.  1 is for Lily and the other for Katie and Rachel.  I had to order the CDs to the one book for the older girls because it wasn't in.  The other book for Lily had the CD inside the book.  I like it when they do that, but I also like when you don't have to buy the entire book again just for the CD.  That has happened a lot.  I am hoping the girls will be coming over soon to help me put away all the music that is all over the office and living room.  I need to see what I am missing.  I can repurchase them one at a time.  I am hoping to have more students soon.  My friend is all full and she is going to give my name to those who ask her about lessons!  Isn't that cool??  I think so!  More students.  I hope to eventually have 50 again, that is a good number and a manageable number to have.  Any more and you start to lose something, but 50 is good.  I have the room in my schedule.  We shall see.  Also, I would be able to stay in the house if I have that many students because I would be able to afford it.  That is another goal!  I don't want to move!  I love my house.  I have lived her all my life.

During Tillie's march break (the Canadian equivalent to the USA spring break) she is going to come and help with Mom room.  Then I will be able to gate her inside her room and she can wander all she wants.  She has a bathroom in her room too, so that is covered.

We have had a couple of good days.  She went straight to bed again last night!!!!  And woke up about 7:30 this morning for the bathroom, she was cold so I put her back into bed and both of us slept for a couple more hours!  Isn't that awesome?  I think so.  

She also drank an ensure with her donut this morning so she had a good breakfast for a change.  I hope this is a sign of easier times ahead for us, I am not up for hard times.  I hate yelling and getting angry when I know it isn't her fault it is the disease's fault.  She wouldn't normally do the things she does if she didn't have the disease.

I am going to look at my new books now.  I am excited.  I also need to read my book club book as book club is Saturday and I haven't started yet!  Oh my!!!!  I will get going today on it.  I have something to do while the TV is on.  We are very into Olympics in this house.

Try to have a good day!!!  I know this will be a pretty good day!

I have 3 students today.  1 was a makeup from yesterday and then the regular 2 for today.  I finished the 1 homeschooler already.  Just waiting for my 2 boys.  We started the morning off a bit rough today, I woke up with a splitting headache.  I came down for some meds and then went back to bed.  It is finally back to it's dull roar of a headache that I normally have.  Mom slept through the whole thing.  She didn't get up until after 10 am so yeah for Mom.  Alright, she was up at 6 am and I put her right back to bed.  She was standing in the bathroom, I could tell she used it but she didn't know what to do next.  I have no idea how long she stood for before I came into the bathroom.  After I went, I put her back into bed and she stayed there until, as I said earlier, after 10 am.  She didn't get up any other time during the night that I know of and she pretty much went right to sleep.  We did go to bed quite early as I was exhausted from the weekend and I had another doozy of a headache.

I did learn a few things on the weekend.  Mom can survive without me nicely.  She was with Tillie and didn't ask for me at all, even at one point asked who Heather was.  A few minutes later she said she knew I was her daughter.  I know that I can put her in day care and she will be fine.  Also, her eating hasn't improved since we came home.  She ate 1/2 of the dinner I gave her last night and she didn't finish the muffin from this morning.  I now order off the kids menu for her or a seniors menu.  No more from the regular menu.

We got about 7 inches of snow.  Ugh, not happy about digging my car out that is for sure.  I miss being in the garage.  This spring I am going to order a dumpster and get rid of most of the stuff in the garage (a lot of it is garbage, like empty boxes, old wood, old cardboard, useless tools)  I am going to ask Hayley if she wants any of the power tools we have because I won't be needing them.  I would like to do a garage sale, but I will have to see.  I think I would get more from eBay.  (Once I learn how to use it.)

I have a new cholesterol medicine.  it is very expensive so I got a month's worth of samples.  I simply don't have the money for any more medicines that don't have generics for them.  I hear it is a very expensive medicine too so I will be getting samples and that's about all I can get for them.

I made Mom an appointment with a new doctor in Windsor for the assessment she needs.  It is in March, which at first kinda made me mad until I realized it is only 2 weeks away.  March just sounds like so far away right now.  

I have to get the invitations for her birthday party out.  I plan to do that this week.  We are having an open house at Tillie's for it.  She will be 76.  Before her birthday, I plan to get her hair all set and nice and have her picture taken.  I want to have an updated picture of her and they are $5 to get about 30 portraits at Walmart so that's where we will be going.  I will send one to Richard and Jennifer, one to Andrew, one for Tillie, and then one for me!  Any extras I will bring to the party.  I also am going to do a save the date on facebook for my family before I send the invitations.  I hope Mom has fun.  It kinda is a say goodbye to the Aunt you know now because she is going down hill fast and soon won't know anyone.  So now is a good time to see her, while she recognizes people!  I hope she has fun at it.  We shall see.

Pain isn't so bad today now that the head is back to normal.  Mom is sleeping in her chair as usual, and I am waiting for students to arrive.  I hope your day is good, too!

We were snowed in this morning so no Tim Horton's for the Paxton's residence.  I miss my Tim Horton's.  I think I am going through withdrawal as my head is seriously sore today.  Mom is doing okay today except she doesn't like stairs now.  Please God, nothing more right now!  i can't handle it.  

The young man in our sub came to dig us out.  It was worth the $15 to pay him and his pals.  Three of them do our sidewalks and driveway.  I tried the front walk but that didn't work real well as the snow was very heavy.  I am very exhausted today.  I think we are heading to bed early, I hope Mom stays in all night without any wake ups.  She woke up 2 times last night.

I think I will end this now as I don't really have anything to say today, except I am heading for a nap.  I live to sleep, sleep to live!  That's my motto!

We are back from competition.  Students did alright.  Katie won her first trophy for a solo ever!  It was exciting for me to see her win something.  Rachel won 3 solos out of 4 and she and Katie got a 2nd for their duet.  Frank won 2nd for one of his piano pieces, we were both excited about that.  It was great because it was his first time competing piano ever.

Mom did alright with Tillie, apparently didn't get upset when she couldn't see me so I am glad about that.  She isn't eating very well right now.  Or drinking much water or any other liquid either.  It makes me mad because I put the food in front of her and she flips out on me.  It is so frustrating to me.  She is so paranoid about messing up her pants that she won't eat a decent meal or finish a glass of water.  I try to shove an ensure down her but I am sure she has lost even more weight.  At this rate, she will die of starvation and dehydration long before Alzheimer's gets her.  It better change soon or she will end up in a hospital for dehydration.  I try to make her drink, but how do you get someone to drink something that they won't drink?  I don't think you can.

It was nice to be by myself for a bit, although I prefer company to being by myself.  Mom would have liked to have heard a few more students but I don't think she could have handled it.  As it is, she thinks she heard them all (mine anyways)

I am just very angry about the whole situation right now.  I could just scream and cry.  Mom makes it so hard to take care of her.  I have to take her to a doctor in Windsor for an assessment.  What is he/she going to do when they take a look at her?  If they put her in the hospital, I don't think she will be coming home again.  I have to make the appointment Monday I am trying for a Thursday because that is my best day.  I teach M-W and Fri and they of course, are closed on the weekends.  (I don't expect them to be opened on sat or sun)  We have two more assessments before Mom gets added to the Windsor waiting list, although if she goes into a hospital, they may send her directly to a home.

The new medicine works better than the old although she didn't sleep much this weekend and neither did I.  I am planning to sleep in tomorrow until noon because I am so exhausted and so so so so so sore.  My hips and lower back are just killing me with pain.  It has been bad all weekend.  Mom was up and down both nights, I also learned it wouldn't matter if we shared a bed or not, she isn't going to sleep well, she is up and that would just mean even less sleep than I already get now for me so that isn't going to happen.  I also am not moving my bed into her room.  I wouldn't get any sleep at all.  That would just suck for me.  I don't sleep well because of the pain as it is, so even less would be bad.  I hope Tillie gets a good night sleep too because she didn't sleep very much Fri or Sat night either.  She was up every time Mom woke up too, the only one who got sleep, was Mom.

I also saw this weekend how bad Mom really is.  Her downward spiral is moving on a fast track.  I hope it slows down, I am not ready for this fast tracking stuff.  Not ready at all.  I don't think Mom has a clue how little she can do now.  She can't read very much (she was never much of a reader anyways, not like me.) she can't do her puzzles really except for young children ones and even they are hard for her.  Her concentration is pretty bad too, expecting her to follow TV shows and movies are pointless, I just let her wander.  She wanders a lot now, much more than she used to.  Tillie is coming over next month and we are cleaning out her room of all the stuff she no longer needs.  I will be able to gate her in her room then and she can wander in it all night while I sleep, although I prefer her to sleep because otherwise she sleeps all day and that is hard to.

Anyways, overall I am happy how the kids did, Mom did pretty well considering her condition (except the eating and drinking part) but I am exhausted and will take the next week to recover from this weekend.  I am glad competition is only once a year and not more.

I hope your weekend was good.

Wish us luck!  We are heading out to competition and a 2 night stay at a hotel.  Please pray that mom does well with cousin Tillie and the hotel at night!  See you monday!

The new meds worked like a dream.  Mom went right into bed, only woke up once, and then went right back into bed.  Okay, it was weird when she woke up because she, for some odd reason, changed her pants into daytime pants.  I didn't argue with it, I just put her back in bed, no point at 4 am to arguing with her over something like that.  Other than that she went right to sleep BOTH times.  Yeah!!!!!!!!  I can't emphasize it enough!  Yeah!  She also didn't wake me up calling my name in the morning.  She stayed in her room and occasionally popped into mine but didn't wake me up.  Okay, I was sorta awake by 9:30 this morning, but I dozed on and off until 11 am.  I helped her get dressed without any problem from her, she helped me without a problem.  So far, I am liking this new medication.  We shall see how long it lasts.

I am waiting for her case worker to call.  I hope it is soon.  I want all this stuff over and done with.

I can't wait until tomorrow.  It's competition and our vacation.  With the new medication, I am hopeful she will be okay.  I have told her again and again she will be with Tilley most of the weekend, even though I know she will forget, I hope she will be nice to Tilley and not cry for me.  I have to do laundry and pack.  I think I will just put both our stuff in one suitcase, it will be easier that way.  I also will be bringing 2 fleece blankets to help keep us warm at night.  I have a list of what I need to bring.  Tilley left some stuff her a couple of weeks ago, so I told her I would bring it to her this weekend.  You can only bring so much back to Canada based on how long you stay before you have to pay duty.  She bought too much, but since she will be here for the weekend, it will be okay.  I hope my students are practicing and are ready for competition now.  I don't need anymore gray hair from them, as I like to say to them.

It's going to be a boring day, mostly laundry and packing, no visiting with Heather and children today, but I might see them this weekend.  I hope so.  Have a great day and enjoy the sun if you have any.  We do!!!

I found my phone!!!! Yup!  I was very excited last night when I did.  I was walking into my room after putting Mom to bed and under my bed (along with a couple of her puzzle books) was my phone!  I quickly got it out and put it in the drawer.  We went to Verizon today and returned the phone.  I had read most of the receipt, but I missed the part where it said $35 restocking fee.  I was like, oh no, but then the store clerk said he would waive the fee!  How great is that????  Certainly made my day.  So I returned the phone, got my money back and everything.  The downside of the day, Mom keeps crying since we came home.  I'm going to give her her anxiety meds.  Be right back.

Okay, I am back.  Mom now wants to go to bed.  Well, after going to bed early last night, we aren't doing that tonight.  She got up at midnight, managed to take a sock off (only one), spill something in the bathroom, and get her pant leg at the bottom wet with the puddle.  All while I was sleeping.  Fortunately, I woke up and put her back to bed and cleaned up the mess.  It didn't take that long, a bit longer than usual though.  She has new anxiety medicine now that I am going to give her at bed time.  I hope she sleeps through the night.

I am supposed to have Calli for a lesson today, her mom, Heather, wasn't feeling well yesterday so I will have to wait to see how she is doing today.  I hope better.  It's awful when you are the mom and sick.  At least, it seems awful to me, not being a mom or anything.

2 days until competition and our mini vacay!  I can't wait.  I hope Mom does well, she will be with Tilley while I am with my students.  I will definitely be bringing her medicine.  I think I am going to try to have her take a rest in the afternoon for about 1/2 hour every day now.  Maybe she won't be so tired all day that way.  I know I wouldn't mind a 1/2 hour nap every afternoon, some days I sure need it!  Well, gotta get some music for my Calli-girl!  Have a great afternoon!  We will be!

It was a good night for both of us.  I did call the doctor and got her slightly stronger anxiety meds but the store had to order it so I will pick it up tomorrow.  Mom went pretty much right into bed so I was able to go to sleep right away too, well as right away as I can get.  Pain is regular today, not too high or too much, just the normal.  I am a happy girl for the day.  I have 3 students, the usual Katie, Charlie, and Zack.  Katie is going to competition, she was over last night to rehearse the duet with Rachel, who is not so ready for competition.  It is this weekend.  Yup, that's what I said, this weekend.  I for one, am looking forward to room service!  We usually get room service Saturday night with ice cream for mom and tea for me, sometimes cheesecake.  I don't know what Tilley will want, but she can get something too!  That is the treat of the weekend for us.  I have let me kids know who are going but aren't staying over they can just use my room key for swimming.  I mean, it isn't like I am going to be in the pool.  I don't swim much or well and i don't really like it.  I used to like snorkeling, which, I know doesn't make much sense, but hey, I am a Heather and we don't always make sense.  

I have to call the agency today to make an appointment for mom to be put on the waiting list for Long Term Care in Windsor.  I figure if I make plans for both sides of the border, she will be covered!  Right?  I know I once said I wouldn't but now that it is actually getting closer and not in the abstract, I have to think what is best for Mom.  It is best for me that she stays here, monetarily speaking, but not best for her.  I figure in the next six months I will be placing her in LTC.  It will be so difficult to do, but I will buck up and do it.  She is really declining right now.  I hope she levels off, but with this disease, one never knows, do they.

Not much happening today other than some phone calls and teaching.  I miss working and the busy part it brings.  I talked to my friend's friend, who is a recruiter and asked her to keep me in mind if something comes up.  I hope she does, in about 6 months after mom is placed I will be able to go back to work.  Maybe i will have a studio then, maybe not.  The economy is just not really good right now so who knows.  I plan to continue teaching no matter what.  Even if it is just a few and part time.

I hope your day is good, ours is so far!

This is turning out to be a not so nice day for me.  It started early, at 6:30 am when Mom came in my room with wet pants and undies.  I am not sure what exactly happened, but this is the second time.  I think she forgets to take them down, maybe???  Anyways, I will be buying proper pads for her for this issue.  That would have been okay, I have been expecting an issue with this, but she wouldn't really go back to sleep.  That is a problem.  She went right to sleep last night.  The amount of meds really work well.  So yeah!  for that.  But after she went back into bed about 7ish am, she didn't sleep and got out of bed at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30.  After that I didn't put her back to bed because I knew by then she wouldn't go to sleep.  I stayed in bed.  She kept calling my name as usual, but after about 8:30, she didn't do it as often as usual so I was able to doze while she was up.  The only problem was she put a pair of my pants on and put both legs in one of my legs and put it around her waist.  Now, yes, I am a big person, but I don't need my pants stretched out.  I hope they will go back into shape.  She also was wearing one of my shirts, the problem is, these are worn clothes that need to be washed.  So now I am going to have to hide my clothes when they are waiting to be washed.  Not happy about this new thing.  Not at all.

So of course, i have a headache and I am achy all over because I was so upset over the possible ruination of my clothes.  At least it was only a pair of sweats and not my good clothes, I would have really freaked over that.  She also keeps asking me if I am heather.  All in all, a crummy day.  

The bright spot of the day is that I have 4 lessons.  I hope everyone knows their music because today would not be the day not too.  Is it Friday yet????