Rainy Day Visit

I feel like I'm just stopping in for a visit at my own blog.  With all the happenings surrounding my Mom's hospitalization and subsequent death, working with my Dad to get him squared away - a slow process, a one-week necessary trip home and returning back to the northern wet land, I haven't felt much like blogging or even reading my favorite blogs (apologies there!).  When I DO, and I WILL, get back to that, I will have two or three months to catch up on.

Here in the wet land, it is in fact, w-e-t.  Does that surprise you?  I can honestly say, I am enjoying every bit of it.  I haven't spent Spring here in probably more than 30 years, and then it was but a two week vacation, so being here from mid-winter and into Spring, is just a delight.  My parents' front and back yards have a lot of flowers, some I don't even know what they are, but the many varieties of daffodils, the rhododendron bushes, hyacinths in several colors, primroses, have all been in glorious bloom for the last week or two, and now the tulips are close to opening.  And, venturing out through town the other day, after having not been out of the house for several days, I was astonished to see how many trees were blooming along the streets.  I can't even venture a guess as to what they are, though I recognized one as maybe a tulip tree and it may have a different name.  I think some could be cherry blossoms, maybe even apple blossoms and other fruits or fruit-less varieties of them.  Paying attention to them all, was quite a distraction while I was driving.  I apologize for the lack of photos at this time.

It was (still is?) very tempting to send in my resume for a local business seeking office help.  In fact, I sent the ad to my hubby and my son saying I might apply but they didn't think I was very funny, especially since Marty did finally get a job, though it's not in his former field but in the one he just received a month's training in and the pay is only about 1/4, or less, of his former income.  I'm missing my guys, but at the same time, I'm really enjoying my extended time here and getting to spend time with other family members.

Winding Down

Round One of my time here in the wet land of the north is winding down.  It is of course, bittersweet.  

I still find it hard to believe that my Mom is gone from this world, but her memory - good and bad - will live on.  

It's been nearly a week since she left and in that time, I've been coming alongside my dad in getting him, at least for now, familiar with his financial picture.  He has little to work with, but as long as he controls his spending and can remember to set aside the monies for those things that only bill once or twice a year, he should be ok.  Operative word is 'should'.  

At 80, he has some memory issues, and some minor (?) health issues, so while I'll be heading home this coming Monday morning, I'll only be gone for a week to take care of my own personal business, and then come right back for another month, or two, or indefinitely. 

It would be easier if I had great confidence in even one of my four siblings' abilities, but they have jobs and such and can't be here.  I'm not sure yet just how well my dad will do entirely alone even if I can get him on board with processing his own paperwork/bills/checks, and he has no confidence in the other sibs to do the things that need to be done.  Definitely a difficulty of living nearly 900 miles away, but I can be here for now, though it's hard on Marty and Nick.

My daughter will fly in on Sunday afternoon, and drive back with me; I am so looking forward to seeing her, and we're keeping her very brief time with us as a secret surprise to Nick.  We haven't seen her in over three years!