10 years ago the kids visited us and how could they return to their homes without the vista of the Coulee Region?
Like the cooler temps that blew into Little Rock this week, this was also an extremely blustery cold day on Granddad's Bluff even for up North.
Those are grimaces, not smiles.' Come on Mom, take the pic already.'
TUESDAY TUNES is one that makes me smile because we all remember that special someone who takes us to a better place and we only want to reciprocate. ENJOY...
BETTER PLACE (NSync & Timberlake)
It was quite a flock...
TBT: Six years ago was Ms. H's First Turkey Day with Pappa (92) and Ms H at 3 months.
Counting one's blessings comes easier to some than others...
The holiday of Thanksgiving provides us an opportunity to be thankful for our bounty. I am so thankful to not live where a war is raging.
Many family and friends' tables will be laden with traditional foods of the holiday and appreciation for the opportunity to be together no matter what else is on their plates...
Even if you won't have the day off since you are needed at your job hopefully you will be able to have another day for some free time to reflect on your good fortune.
You know how long this scene will last...
not long.
There are a lot more leaves yet to fall...
TBT: We kids had a source for dry ice for Halloween as it was part of our Dad's lab supplies. Here is Doc Sherman, the cryobiologist still playing with dry ice in his eighties.
Dad "earned international recognition while he was still a University of Iowa graduate student. A side project, arising out of his job at the medical school freeze-drying specimens for the Department of Urology, led to the first human conceptions using frozen and then thawed semen. In 1949, a group of British scientists reported its success in impregnating chickens using previously frozen semen treated with glycerol as a protectant. Sherman read the article and began his own experiments."
As many of you know reading has not been high on my desires since Irv's passing. Apparently this is not an uncommon occurence having to do with a wandering mind and short attention span. But yesterday I read an entire book in a sitting titled Gone from My Sight, The Dying Experience.
Actually, this is a booklet provided by Hospice and was only 7 pages long. Each page spoke volumes. You see during the last 3 months our 98-year-old Dad who was sharp as a tack began to know his body was betraying him. As an anatomy professor, he knew the story...
Dad's interest in TV waned and he began to want to stay in bed more. We had to learn to give him agency making the few decisions where he could still have control.
We knew our Dad wasn't the same Dad when he didn't feel like company. This withdrawal and limited conversation placed emphasis on inward conversations with past memories more than with those around him.
Disorientation and physical changes are occurring with closed eyes, lack of appetite with petered strength. He's been on oxygen going on for ~3 weeks. His color has become sallow and he looks all of his 98 years.
The last couple of days he had a surge of energy with open clear eyes and conversation but the Hospice nurse warned us that was a rally and as the booklet indicated possibly days or hours left.
Everybody's path is different. But here's what I would ask of you, my dear friends and readers knowing you to be concerned individuals, PLEASE don't ask me how he is. He's a tough bird as my Mom would attest. Our goal now is to keep him comfortable.
"Death comes in its own time, in its own way and is as unique as the individual who is experiencing it."
Tuesday Tunes this week is by Miley Cyrus and yes, we all remember how young she was when she hit the music scene. She must feel really old reaching the ripe old age of 30...
TBT: Boy do I miss my Jazzerbuddies and our celebrations. This is from more than a couple of moons ago...
In addition to some personnel challenges with my Dad's care, the past 48 hours have been my most difficult mentally in a while as both my credit card and Facebook account were compromised. Countless hours of frustration have led to regaining access to both in addition to having a new credit card delivered via Priority mail.
I have newfound respect to those of you who have had to go through the countless info checks and notification to various vendors and services. No telling which I have forgotten until those late charges start arriving... Eegads.
Forget about challenging my memory with differing passwords. .. I am just glad to be reconnected to you all. Oh and yes, I was having jigsaw puzzle withdrawal which I remedied with an extra walk yesterday.
Finally. this email arrived in which I had very little faith...
| "Thank you for confirming your identity. You can click the button below to get back into your account. |
You've two-factor authentication turned on. This means you'll be asked to enter an authentication code when you try to access your account from a new computer or a mobile device to make sure it's you. You can learn more about managing your two-factor authentication settings" The other great pick-me-upper is that Fall has finally arrived. |
TUESDAY TUNES: What the heck is a Buckle Bunny?
Who cares? It's catchy with a great routine!
Tanner Adell's BUCKLE BUNNY
There is nothing like a holiday to bring out the kid in us. And so this Halloween week memory 'popped' up with characters from the Wizard of Oz.
Three of us from Cumberland's Fine Arts department decided to come as the Lollipop Kids. So here we are from many moons ago to the delight of our students that dress up day as these book characters:
left to right representing Music, Spanish and Art
We teachers are just big kids!
