Hubby and I survived hosting our first family Thanksgiving at our house.  The kids and grandkids were here.  We ate a lot of food.  We had fun.  But it was weird not having MIL here.  Hubby and I had no idea all the planning that goes into cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  She always made it look easy.  We just knew that she was laughing hysterically at us.  

 

We survived delivering the Black Friday ads on Wednesday night/Thursday morning.  We're giving up the paper route on December 27, so I'll never have to do that again. 

 

I need to clean my house. 

 

I need to go into work for a little bit.

 

Other than that, no real plans.  Maybe finally some cross-stitch or some knitting.   

 

Life has calmed down a bit and I'm getting to spend more time at home watching TV.  The doggies are loving it.  I sit on the floor and they snuggle on my lap.  I'm catching up on my reality shows. I'm catching up on my Soaps.  I'm seeing all kinds of new commericals.

 

 

  

 

This one is my new favorite.  I love the southern accent on the pot hole. 

 

You gotta love the simple things in life . . . .

Oh Dear.  I'm in Charge?!  Who put me in charge!?  I didn't ask for this but sure as I'm sitting here, I'm in charge.  Crap!

 

It's only been a month or so since MIL's passing, but it's pretty obvious who is going to be taking over the family tradition of Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinners.  Yes, that'd be me.  (See me smiling and waving!)  Crap! 

 

I don't want to be in charge.  I don't want to cook Thanksgiving Dinner.  MIL never let me help with anything so I have no first hand experience with cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people.  I can barely get the timing down right to cook dinner for me and Hubby.  I have to plan dinner for 10 people.  The first dinner as the new Matriarch of the Family.  The one where everyone is going to be saying "it's not like Mother's/Grandma's" . . . Crap!

 

Hubby and I talked about gathering the kids and grandkids and going out to eat.  I'm sure there's a buffet place that we could go to for a lovely Thanksgiving dinner.  But then we wouldn't have any leftovers.  What's Thanksgiving without a ton of leftovers?  And this is Princess' first Thanksgiving at home in over 15 years.  You can't start a tradition at a buffet place.  Crap!

 

Mom invited Hubby and I and the kids to her house for Thanksgiving Dinner, but they really don't have the room for 27 people in their little house. 

 

Just when I was starting to have a major panic attack . . . I read the Kr0g3r ad.  They have pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings all ready.  You just order the dinner and they do the rest.  Sooooo, I'm cheating.  I ordered a pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinner.  Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, pies.  All I have to do is the side dishes - easy enough. 

 

Since I know that my cooking will never live up to MIL's - or to everyone's memory of MIL's cooking - it won't sting so much when they say "It's not like Mother's/Grandma's"  I know that no matter how hard we try, things are going to be different.  Not bad.  Just different.  We have to adjust.  Just when you think you're adapting well to the adjustments, you get smacked between the eyes with something new.  

 

So, how many years will it be before I stop dreading holidays?   

 

 

The Game Starts at Noon!!

 

  

 

Go Bucks!!

 

UPDATE - FROM ESPN - "The Buckeyes clinch the outright Big Ten title for the third time in four years and will almost certainly be headed to the Rose Bowl. Michigan dropped its seventh consecutive Big Ten game to finish last in the league for the first time since 1962. The Wolverines will miss a bowl for the second straight season." 

 

Poor Michigan!  ROTFL

 

 

I can hardly believe it.  My baby boy will be 1 year old tomorrow. 

 

On November 19, 2008, Rocky made his appearance.  The story we were told is that his mommy was left at the Animal Resuce Place.  She was very pregnant.  How could anybody just leave a very pregnant dog like that?  They took her in and got her all comfortable.  Good thing because the very next day Rocky and his 12 siblings appeared.

 

 

He spent 11 weeks at the Animal Rescue Place before we found him.

 

 

It was love at first sight for Hubby and Rocky.  I needed a little more convincing.  Losing Blacky so suddenly was rough and I wasn't ready for a puppy.

 

 

It was love at first sight for Luci and Rocky, too.  I could see that I was outnumbered.

 

But how could you not love this face?

 

 

He's a sweet boy.  Obedient.  Well behaved.  Did great in puppy training class.  He's Mommy's sweetie.  But then he gets to romping with Luci and he's a holy terror.  We've already had more than a few trips to the vet for sprained legs.  He just never gives up when he's playing with Luci and she doesn't realize that she's so much bigger than him.  He's a joyful addition to the family. 

 

 

Happy birthday, Rocky.  Mommy can't imagine life without you. 

 

I found this the other day and it's been in my head ever since.  One of those songs that get stuck in your head and you can't get rid of it no matter how hard you try . . .

 

So in honor of That Game and to celebrate my Ohio roots. . . and the fact that regardless of the outcome of the game Ohio State is going to the Rose Bowl . . . I give you . . .

 

The Best Damn Band In The Land . . .

We had a plan.  We were going to have an auction and sell MIL's house and all the stuff.  Furniture, applicances, household stuff.  It would be done all in one day.  

 

That plan didn't quite work out.  For various reasons.  We just weren't comfortable with some of the stuff we were finding out about how the auction process worked. 

 

So we resorted to Plan B.

 

House is being listed with a local realtor.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that it sells quickly.

 

As for the household stuff.  Well, MIL is having a big laugh at me from Heaven.  I swore I was done with yard sales.  She never believed me.  We'll be having a LARGE yard sale this spring to sell the household stuff.

 

As for the furniture and appliances . . . all I can say is thank heavens for craigslist . . . and free "for sale" ads with the local paper.

For the first time in I can't remember how long . . . I'm bored. 

 

Hubby and I had dinner together.  I actually cooked.  I'm surprised that I remember how.  I didn't blow up anything and I didn't burn anything. 

 

I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.  Why, yes, there is a table under all that stuff!!  

 

Hubby did the laundry for me so I didn't have to do that. I folded socks and underwear while watching TV. 

 

We're sitting on the couch watching a movie.  Yes.  Me.  Watching a movie.  From start to finish.  Hubby's flipping through the channels during commercials and we get sidetracked on some stupid commercial. 

 

The dogs are sleeping peacefully at our feet.  In my case, Rocky's actually sleeping on my foot.  

 

After the stress of the last year or so, this is a nice change of pace.  I can get used to this. 

It seemed like a good idea at the time.  Honest.  But, like most of my brilliant ideas . . . it went horribly awry.

 

I was going to take Luci and Rocky to the do-it-yourself dog wash place yesterday. Then I took a good look at the house and decided I needed to clean instead.  With all the stuff going on here lately, the house has been a little neglected.  So I cleaned the house and made a promise to the doggies that they'd get baths during the week. 

 

My original plan was to take Luci tonight and then take Rocky on Wednesday night.  Then I got the bright idea to take them both tonight.  I got off work early enough and there was plenty of time to throw them in the Dog Mobile and get to the dog wash place before they closed.  I had a coupon for a free wash for one of them and a 10% coupon for the other one.  I figured they would be together in the car and they'd be happy.  They whine and whimper when they are apart so I thought it would be better for them to be together.  Rocky is no trouble when I give him a bath and I'd have the groomer guy give Rocky a bath while I gave stubborn Luci a bath.  After all, that's why I have the Dog Mobile to take the dogs places together.  

 

Like I said, it seemed like a good idea at the time. 

 

When I come home from work, the usual routine is for me to walk the dogs.  So they were a little excited thinking it was time for their walk.  Then when I took them out to the car, they were really excited.  Luci jumped right into the back of the car.  Rocky wasn't quite so quick to jump up.  I'm trying to load Rocky into the car while I'm trying to keep Luci from jumping back out.  The car was parked on the street and I was worried that one or the other of them was going to get hit if somebody went zipping down the street.  Luci hopped out the back of the car and I decided I'd load them in through the passenger door.  Again, Luci jumped right in and Rocky wasn't having any part of it.  I had to lift Rocky into the car while Luci was trying to sniff him.  There the three of us were all crammed into the passenger side door.  Aaarrgh.

 

Okay, we're in the car.  I've got the special shampoo for Luci.  I've got the coupons.  I even managed to remember my keys, my cell phone, and my purse.  Things are looking good.  Off we go.  We get to the end of the street and Luci's whining.  Evidently Rocky was in "her" spot and wouldn't move.  As a matter of fact, he didn't move the entire trip to the dog wash place.  It was like he had turned to stone.  Thankfully, it's only 10 minutes to the dog wash place.

 

We get there.  They manage to behave themselves long enough to get out of the car and into the place.  We walk into the waiting area and Luci jumps up and gives the groomer a big old smooch.  Rocky's still acting like a statue. 

 

We go in.  I let groomer guy take Rocky and I get Luci into the tub.  Luci is totally incorrigable when it comes to getting a bath.  It's totally my fault because when she was a baby, I gave her a bath in her baby pool.  She thinks bath time is time to play.  She's excited to get in the tub and play in the water.

 

Rocky has never really warmed up to the idea of bath time.  He's very well behaved but I can tell that it's not his favorite thing.  He won't even play in the pool or in the sprinkler.  He's just not a big fan of the water.  He never shakes.  He never makes any noise.  He's always perfectly well behaved.  At least he is when I'm the one giving him a bath.  He whined and whimpered and howled the entire time.  He couldn't see me.  He couldn't see Luci.  Some strange man was giving him a bath.  He was not a happy camper.

 

When Rocky starts to whine, Luci gets upset and tries to get out of the tub.  I'm trying to hang onto a wet 106 lb dog that's covered in soap.  She wouldn't sit still.  She kept trying to push me out of the way to get out to see what's going on with Rocky.  She's not a happy camper. 

 

I finally get her done and groomer guy is still using the blower dryer on Rocky.  Luci made a bee-line to the tub where Rocky was.  She stood on her hind legs next to groomer guy as if to tell Rocky that it was okay.  Sissy wasn't going to let anyone hurt him.  

 

Rocky's done.  Luci's done.  They both get bandanas and smelly spray stuff.  I pay the bill and we leave. 

 

They walk quietly out to the car. No pulling.  No fighting.  Now why couldn't they do that on the way in?!

 

They get in the car.  We drive home in silence.  Except for the heaving panting and the fogged up windows. 

 

We get home.  They both jump out at the same time and dash for the door.  

 

They haven't left each other's side since we got home.  

 

I think I'll go back to individual trips to the dog wash place. 

 

 

Yes, there is happy news from the Big Dog Family!!  It's been a rough month and I'm sure we have some more rough days, weeks, month ahead of us while we try to get the estate settled and live through the upcoming holidays.  Holidays.  Gee, not really something I want to deal with at this point but I'll get through it somehow.

 

Anyway, back to my wonderful news. . . .

 

Hubby bowled a 300 game on Monday night.  In the first game of the evening.  He's the secretary of the league which means he has a lot of paperwork to take care of on top of trying to bowl.  This is his second year being the secretary and he's been struggling to deal with both tasks.  Bless his heart, he's not a good multi-tasker.  But somehow he pulled it off on Monday night.  He got through the 9th frame before he realized what was going on.  He took a deep breath before he started the 10th frame and just threw the ball like he had all night.  And all the pins fell down. 

 

It took him 22 years of bowling to finally get his 300 game.  He's had a 299 and a 298 and thought he'd never see his 300.  It was like the Holy Grail for him. 

 

His team stomped and hollered for him.  The entire bowling league held their breath until he threw his last ball.  Then the place erupted in cheers. 

 

And I missed it.  After sitting in bowling alleys for all those years and being bored silly . . . I missed the biggest night of his life.  But I have a good reason and he understood.  See, Monday was All Souls Day and I was at Mass honoring MIL.  Near as I can figure, about the time the memorial candle for MIL was lit, Hubby was finishing his 300 game.  I'm thinking he had an angel or two watching over him. 

 

I found out about the 300 game by a voice mail message left at home by Hubby's BFF.  That's when I took off for the bowling alley.  You should have seen the smile on Hubby's face when I walked into the bowling alley.  

 

Believe it or not . . . that smile's still there . . .

This is Baby.  She lives with my Mom and Dad.  Mom adopted Baby to be a companion for Dad.

 

 

 

They rescued her five years ago from the local animal shelter.  Her previous owner was a sweet little lady that had to move to a nursing home and couldn't take Baby with her.  We think that Baby was about 6 or 7 years old when she came to live with Mom and Dad so that would make her about 12 or 13 years old now. 

 

 

 

Because we don't know a lot about Baby's history, we have to guess about why she does the things she does.  She doesn't like to play with toys and she doesn't play fetch.  She's a picky eater and prefers to have a little bit of people food mixed into her doggie dish but there isn't a brand of doggie treat that she doesn't like.  She loves to go for walks and rides in the car.  She was a friendly dog that loved everybody. 

 

 

When I visit Mom and Dad, I have to say hello to Baby before I say hello to anybody else in the house.  She's my buddy and she never lets me out of her eyesight.  I've been known to spend an entire visit at Mom and Dad's sitting on the floor with Baby. 

 

 

 

Baby passed away on Sunday afternoon.  It was sudden and it was awful.  We don't know exactly happened but we think it was a stroke.  She was fine Sunday morning and by 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon she wasn't able to walk.  Little Brother and Little Sister rushed Mom and Baby to the Emergency Vet clinic and they told Mom that Baby was paralyzed from the waist down and she was going downhill fast.  That's when Mom realized that it was time to let Baby go.  I wasn't home when Little Brother called to let me know they were going to the emergency vet . . . and he didn't want to give me such bad news on my cell phone . . . so I didn't get a chance to say good-bye to my furry little buddy. 

 

  

 

So now you know why I've had the chorus from this really old song playing in my head all week.

 

   

 

Yep, that'd be me.  Eating a big plate of crow.

 

I am happy to admit that I was wrong about Princess.  I thought it was going to be a bunch of drama when she moved back to Smalltown.  I didn't think she was serious about getting her life on the right track.  I thought she was going to be mooching off me and Hubby.  I thought she would end up living with us.

 

I was wrong.  I was wrong.  I was wrong.  And I'm sorry I misjudged her.

 

She did spend a couple of months with Jr and Girlfriend until she got a place of her own.  But she carried her weight over there.  Helping out around the house.  Getting a couple of jobs to help contribute to the food bill and other household expenses. 

 

She has a nice place for her and the grandkids.  She's still working a couple of jobs in the field that she's been trained for . . . she has a special knack for health care.  She's even been helping Hubby get MIL's house ready for auction.  All we need to do is ask and she's right there . . . and she usually brings one or two of the grandkids with her.  It's like we have our very own work crew. 

 

I've told her how proud I am of her.  How well I think she's adapted to being back home.  She's told me that she's glad that she came back home when she did.  She got to spend some time with MIL before she passed away.  Princess told me that she was happy that MIL got to see her and spend some time with the grandkids before she passed away.  Princess has a background in home health care and her specialty is seniors with dementia issues.  Her experience was a god-send to Hubby and me. 

 

Princess even hosted her first family dinner yesterday.  It was for Jr's birthday.  She cooked meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  All I had to do was bring the cake and ice cream . . . she did all the work and the grandkids did the dishes.  If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was my birthday.

 

The Princess that I've known and loved for over 25 years is back.  And I'm so very happy . . . .

All names have been changed . . . for obvious reasons . . .

 

One of my best girlfriends is someone I've known since 7th grade (no need to do the math - that's about 35 years).  She still lives in the little town where we grew up and is very active in the school district where we went to school.  For the last 20 some years, I've seen her at various school functions (my nieces & nephews are in that school district) and out and about in town.  Every time I see her, it's like time stands still and we're back in high school, but this time we're talking about kids, jobs, husbands . . . we were still close but not day-to-day close like we were in high school.  I was cool with that. 

 

That all changed a few weeks ago.  In the midst of all the drama with MIL's last illness, I went from hearing from her a few times a year to talking almost every day.  If it weren't for the drama in my own life right now, I might be better prepared to deal with the latest developments. 

 

For the sake of this story, I'll call my frend Chessie.

 

Chessie has been in love with High School Sweetheart for almost 30 years.  Unfortunately, the romance between Chessie and High School Sweetheart didn't quite work out.  There was a lot of unfinished business between Chessie and High School Sweetheart.  He joined the service and went to see the world.  She searched for him but was never able to find him.  He never came back home to look for her.  Chessie married Husband #1 and had two beautiful daughters.  Marriage #1 didn't work out and they divorced when the girls were still in elementary school.  About 7 years ago, Chessie married Husband #2.  Seemed like a nice man.  Loved the girls.  Worked hard.  Treated Chessie like a queen.  From the outside, they looked happy and I never heard her complain. 

 

About a month ago, Chessie got a message from High School Sweetheart through F @(e B** K Seemingly innocent request to say hi and catch up on what's going on in her life now.  That seemingly innocent request has turned into a full blown internet romance.  Complete with plans for Chessie to take a trip to visit High School Sweetheart to pick up where they left off some 28 years ago.  If things go well, she's thinking of moving to where he is sometime after the first of the year. 

 

I'm all for happy endings, but this story disturbs me on a whole bunch of levels . . .

1.  She's MARRIED!!.

2.  Her youngest daughter still has a year or so left of high school.  If Chessie moves to Where He Is, then Oldest Daughter will move into Family Home to take care of Youngest Daughter until graduation.

3.  The only thing Chessie knows about High School Sweetheart is what he's told her.  They've been apart for 28 years and a lot can happen in 28 years.  The person you were THEN isn't necessarily the person you are NOW.  There's no guarantee that what he's telling her is The Truth . . . 

4.  Chessie has told me that what happens during her Thanksgiving Visit will determine how she handles her marriage . . .

 

Chessie keeps asking for my opinion and I keep telling her that she's moving too fast, that she really needs to clean up her present situation with Hubby #2 before she plans a future with High School Sweetheart, and she needs to be very very careful about jumping into thing with both feet and with her eyes closed.  I hate to be a wet blanket, but I really don't see a happy ending for her with this guy.  He got spooked and walked away once, what's to say he won't do it again?  I sound like a broken record and she's not listening.  She's moving full speed ahead with her plans to capture her happily ever after.

 

It's like watching a train wreck.  I know what's going to happen but I can't do anything to stop it.  And I'll be the one that's here to help put her back together again when it all blows up in her face.  And it all started with a Friend Request from some stupid website . . .

 

But if I'm wrong . . . she gets her Happily Ever After . . . after 28 years . . .

 

You have no idea how badly I want to be wrong . . .

I'm here.  I'm fine - tired, but overall fine.  I still have my "moments" where everything overwhelms me and I have a small pity party for me and Hubby. 

 

We're getting MIL's house ready for auction.  Gathering up her things and trying to decide if we want to keep some stuff or sell it.  How do you decide to sell stuff that was part of MIL's life . . . I've bought out all the 20 gallon containers at the local dollar stores.  How could one little lady gather up so much stuff? 

 

Hubby's patience is non-existant these days.  He thinks the estate process should be moving along faster.  He doesn't understand why he's getting the third degree from everyone he's talked to about MIL's utilities, credit cards, mortgage.  Almost everyone is requesting a copy of the death certificate.  Which we don't have yet . . .

 

The poor doggies schedule is completely screwed up.  I'm hoping that things calm down soon so we can get back to their schedule.  I really miss our nightly walks.

 

Since I took a week off for the funeral, my sense of time is completely screwed up .  I can't believe it's the 20th of October already.  I have to buy Halloween candy this weekend.  It's Jr's birthday on Sunday.  

 

My house is a cluttered mess.  There's always something that Hubby drags home from MIL's house.  Something important that he can't bear to pack away or sell.  I have no idea where we're going to put this stuff. 

 

Saw a commercial for "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown".  It's going to be on next Tuesday. 

 

We get up every day, put one foot in front of the other and get through the day.  Most of the time, each new day is easier than the day before.  But then something small will set me back a step or two.  Let's just say I'm grateful for the many boxes of tissues that MIL insisted she have at all times.  I'm getting lots of use out of those tissues.  Yes, I hear her voice every day telling me, "I told you they would come in handy!"   

A whole week has gone by.  Wow, is that possible?!  It's been a rough week.  There are whole stretches of time when I'm fine . . . then there are moments when I'm a mess. When she would be twanging on my last nerve, Hubby woud tell me that I'd miss her when she was gone.  Boy was he right.  

 

I went back to work yesterday.  Mainly because I could tell that I was getting on Hubby's nerves and he was getting on mine.  We'd been together 24/7 since The Phone Call last week.  Yes, I believe there can be such a thing as too much togetherness.

 

Hubby and I have spent the last few days cleaning up MIL's house looking for the important stuff - the deed to the house and the title to her car.  It was NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.  Then we found the key to the Safe Deposit Box.  Yep, that's where she put them.  Along with the registration to a car they got rid of in the mid 80's. 

 

So far there hasn't been any sibling drama.  I'm not sure if it's safe to breathe a sigh of relief yet. 

 

Jr and Girlfriend are having some drama.  I don't know all the details and judging from what I details I have gotten . . . I don't want to know.  Let's just say that from where I'm sitting, it looks like The Family was seriously disrespected.  She should be glad that our last name isn't Soprano.  I know there are two sides to every story and I'm willing to sit and listen to hers . . .

 

Hubby found MIL's jewlery box.  Oh. My. Garwsh.  I don't understand why she didn't wear of this stuff.  Some of it is absolutely beautiful.  Some of it I just shake my head.  Think of 1960's era Old Lady Jewelery.  

 

We're finally getting back to a routine.  That suits the dogs just fine.  Yesterday was the first day I was home all evening in a while.  They kept running in and out to make sure it was really true . . . poor babies.

 

My house is a cluttered mess.  Between the flowers and the stuff that Hubby's bringing over from MIL's house, it looks like a disaster area.  And I'm afraid to touch anything because I don't want to upset Hubby's filing system . . . his filing system is a pile in the middle of the kitchen table.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be the first to admit that I've been a little pre-occupied lately.  I haven't been surfing the net much.  I haven't been watching my soaps faithfully.  But, seriously, how could I have missed this?!  How is this even possible?!

 

First Guiding Light gets cancelled and now this. 

 

I have no words. 

Today, I'm fine.  Hubby and I started the probate process by meeting with the lawyer.  The estate should be settled in 4 - 6 months.  That's one more thing checked off Hubby's to do list.  He can breathe a little easier now.

 

The service was beautiful.  Extremely short by my Catholic Girl standards but beautiful nonetheless.  The weather didn't cooperate so the graveside service was at the chapel at the cemetary instead of at the actual graveside.  No sibling drama - which made me very happy.  MIL always wanted the siblings to get along and for one day they did.  My house was filled with people after the service - which made Luci and Rocky happy because there were so many people willing to give them treats.  My house now is filled with flowers - and that's after giving some to the siblings and the children. 

 

Hubby and I were worried about how Mother would look.  She'd been so sick for so long that we were afraid she'd look like a sick little old lady.  She looked like she did before she got really sick.  They did a beautiful job.  I know that it's silly to say someone looks good laying in a casket - if she looked good she wouldn't be dead - but she looked like I remembered her.  That was important to Hubby.  He sat quietly in his seat in front of the casket for most of the visitation.  Not a sniffle on during the service or at the graveside.  After everything was done and we were sitting in the chapel, he turned to me and said that I really needed to stop crying.  When I turned to look at him, he said that if I didn't stop crying that he would start crying and he didn't think he'd be able to stop.  Of course, that made me cry harder for a minute or so. 

 

It was a rough day but we got through it.  There are more rough days ahead, but we'll get through those too.  The weather here stinks right now.  Chilly, dreary, and cold.  Kind of like how we feel.  

 

But it'll be sunny again soon . . .

That's how we're getting through the day.  We get up.  We put one foot in front of the other.  After a while, we realize that a few hours have gone by and we're getting stuff done.

 

Hubby's suit fits and doesn't need pressed.  Yippee!!  I even found a tie that we had forgotten about so that he's not wearing the exact same outfit to his Mother's funeral that he wore to his Father's.  Oh crap.  I just remembered I have to check his shoes . . . and socks.  Geeze, does this to do list ever end?

 

Hubby went with me to pick out an outfit for Mother to wear for the funeral.  Like everything else, he said he would know the perfect outfit when he saw it.  He found the outfit the minute we walked into the store.  I have to admit that it looks like something she would pick out for herself.  Except for the shoes.  I hate the shoes and I think they totally don't work with the outfit.  But how do you disagree with your husband about shoes he's buying for his Mother for her funeral?

 

My little black dress fits but it needs to be washed.  Thank heavens for machine washable clothes.  I don't have the strength to deal with the dry cleaner.  I found a pair of panty hose but I need to find a jacket to go with the dress.  Thankfully I found my black dress up shoes.   

 

I'm cleaning the house so that it won't be such a disaster when everyone comes.  Little Sister offered to come help, but I'm too embarrassed to have her see the clutter.

 

The Lovely Funeral Home sent over dinner for us tonight.  Warm dinner from a local deli. It showed up just as I was starting to think about what the heck am I going to do for dinner?  We picked this funeral home because of the wonderful service they had given to us over the years when dealing with the death of Goldie and Blacky.  We figured if the level of service was this fantastic when dealing with a deceased pet, can you imagine the service you'd get for a human family member?  We have not been disappointed.  They are amazing. 

 

The sibling issue is still a complete puzzlement to me.  Hubby's family just isn't very close at all.  I'm from a very close large family and the stuff going on with Hubby and The Siblings is the complete opposite of what I would expect a family to do in this type of situation.  I don't really know why I'm surprised.  Hubby and I have been dealing with all of the Mother issues by ourselves for a long time . . . why would I think that things would change now? 

 

Luci and Rocky know something is going on but they aren't sure what.  They're very clingy and spending lots of time with Hubby.  Hubby's been very clingy - which is totally not like him - and has not gone anywhere alone since the whole drama started.  Every appointment, every task we've completed together.  I know that he's hurting now and I think having me there with him is his security blanket.  If he loses his composure, I'll be there to finish the conversation.  At least that's how it's been going so far.

 

Off I go.  Putting one foot in front of the other to finish this day . . .