Bacon Rules.

If we have bought raw bacon and you want some, you must cook enough for everyone because the smell of frying bacon will drive everyone crazy.

However, if we have bought precooked bacon and you want to put a couple of pieces in the microwave and make a BLT, that's okay.

We pretty much only buy the precooked bacon when it's the season for home grown tomatoes, which it is now.  Thank goodness.

July winding down.

We're gearing up for VBS at our church.  The kids and I are helping this year.  I've always worked and haven't helped much in the past, so this is different for me.  I'm doing arts and crafts.  At first I was very nervous, but I think I have a plan now.  My daughter is going to help me, so that helps.  Next week my son and his girlfriend will be here (Yay!) and then the following week, I may start a new job.  I haven't got the final word yet, but I had an interview and they really made it sound like they were going to hire me.  If I do get it, I'll be a head start teacher, despite my cynicism about preschool being effective.  Oh well.  I'll just keep that to myself.  I also may have a lead on another job which I am going to try and talk my daughter into taking.  It's also working with preschoolers but is part time, just afterschool hours and I think it might be a good first job for her.

 Anyway, here are some pictures from this week, Cosmo sleeping, some art I have done, a house from the Homerama new home tour event my daughter and I went to and a strange looking dragonfly that's been hanging out around our back door.  I think we have more dragonflies this year than usual, as I am seeing them all the time.  It may just be because when I am outside, I'm usually in the pool.  :-)   

Life is going on.

My daughter made this apple dishcloth for the store where we sell our crafts.  She cleared 165 dollars last month.  I cleared 8.  Since I'm doing this for her to have some income, get some cashier experience and be comfortable in a working environment, it's a very good thing, no matter how little I personally make.   

I took these from the pool this past Sunday.  It was a beautiful day and the view from the pool is beautiful and my husband keeps the pool water so clear, it's wonderful.  I really appreciate it.  

We worked on our table in the store, trying to make it more vertical.  I think it looks pretty good.

Life is going on.  My son said that his first few weeks of adulthood did not go well and I agree.  He's had a hard time.  First my mom's illness, death and funeral and then our dog Lucy had to be put down this week.  She was falling and stumbling and finally was unable to walk, just lying by the road.  It was very hard on my son, but he lifted her into the car and carried her into the vet's office for me.  We're trying to look forward to better times.  I scheduled a board game party for us at the library, our oldest son and his girlfriend are going to visit in a few weeks, we're planning a trip to a museum while they are here and a homeschool group reunion and in November, a family vacation when we meet halfway to spend some time with my son, his girlfriend and her parents.  Today, I planted some bulbs a friend gave me, in lieu of flowers at my mom's funeral.  Planting flowers is a way to invest in the future.   The world doesn't stop.

Focusing on lists.

I've been kind of numb since mom got really sick and we knew the end was near.  I am not sure when the numbness is going to pass.  It's very weird.  I assume this is within the normal reaction of grief for some of us.  I'm not medicating but I am watching a ton of TV and doing a ton of art, also trying to keep busy by getting things done.  I haven't really felt like cooking (which is something I went through after my dad passed away too), but I have been doing some cleaning.  I haven't got my nerve up to go through the piles of mom's things lying around the house and I don't know when I will be able to do that.  We may have to live with them for a while.  Meanwhile, I am doing things like looking for a job, washing dishes, exercising, grocery shopping, taking people to the doctor, etc.  Anything to keep busy.  So today, I have 7 things on my list and I am going to focus on that.

One of those days.

The watermelon fell out of the fridge onto my sore foot and burst.  I was holding one of the new kittens when my daughter let Cosmo out of her room and he came running and the kitten scratched me all up and down my arm.  I dropped a cup, a knife and a bowl while washing dishes.  I got an email telling me I didn't get the job I thought I would really like.   The flowers are dying and the funeral home called and said the death certificates are ready for me to pick them up.  :-(

On the brighter side, it's not raining (yet) and I get to see a dear friend tonight, none of the dishes broke and the knife didn't stab into my foot this time when I dropped it.  Also, I didn't cut myself cutting up the watermelon, which is kind of a miracle.  

Trying to figure out what to do next.

Since I lost my job in March, with mom's health going so much downhill starting about the same time, I had been spending 20-30 hours a week on her care and basically all of the rest of the time worrying about her health.  So now, I am not a medical transcriptionist, I am not an alzheimer's caregiver, I am not a homeschooling mom .... it's weird.  The last few days, since the funeral, I have been concentrating on writing the huge amount of thank you notes to our wonderful family and friends and now that that is done, at some point, I am going to need to figure out what to do with the rest of my life.  I know some things I want to do but they are probably not financial possibilities.

What to do, what to do.


Meanwhile, I'll share one thing we did this week.  We got kittens, a boy and a girl, who at this time remain nameless.  If the kids don't hurry and name them, I am going to name them Ziggy and Zazzles.  Maybe.  Anyway, they're cute and a fun distraction from the seriousness our lives have been recently.

It's over.

My mom has gone to heaven today.  Continued prayers please.

Not going well.

Things are not going well for us at the nursing home.  We have more bad news each day and we've had to call and speak with mom's brothers and sisters and tell them how bad it is now.  Each day this week, mom has lost ground and gotten weaker, despite excellent nursing care and the doctor seeing her every day.  Prayers please.