Back To Work Tomorrow

The only bad thing about being off is going back.I know I'll be fine after the day starts, but there's so much to do and so little time left to do it so working on top of that is a bit overwhelming. David's friends Tommy and Cecil are coming over and are bringing Pearl's friend Gypsy with them so that should keep Miss Pants occupied. She's feeling better, she started eating again last night and the diarherra has cleared up so I'm glad that's over with. We spent a lot of the day packing yesterday and took a major bite out of that activity, we're debating whether to have a yard sale or not as we're not transporting a few rooms of furniture. We have to start calling the utilities to stop services, bring back the cable boxes, on and on. We're also sorting and pitching out old magazines, food we'll never eat, things we don't wear - I don't think I'll start to look for a job until we land on the next planet as it's difficult to schedule interviews etc until you're physically there.  Becky came over last night and she and Jackson went out to a late dinner, that is another thing that's drawing to a close which will be very difficult on everyone - I can't believe how much I'll miss Becky!

Moving Right Along

I was going through some old pictures on the computer and found this one Kim sent me of her Dad wearing a "cardigan" that I had made. I hadn't bothered to do a gauge swatch and started knitting and as you can see it  was a bit off in size - it was supposed to be a women's medium. I sent it to Kim and since her Dad was visiting she had him put it on and sent me a picture. So Gene will be forever immortalized wearing a giant pink sweater. Things here are moving along swiftly, we're getting into what I always think of as the second phase of packing where you're just emptying out cupboards and drawers and leaving just enough to survive on. We are prodding Jackson along as he thinks he has all this time when in reality his date of departure for the navy is only 3 weeks away. He'll be clearing out on the 2nd and we'll be following close behind, closing the next day. The pods will be coming soon and we're deciding what to take and what to leave. We're leaving some of the exercise equipment as it's too heavy to transport and the buyers want to keep it so that makes it a bit easier. Pearl is still feeling under the weather, she did not behave at the vet's office (big surprise there) - it would've been easier to throw her into a volcano than try to get her to stand on the scale for 15 seconds. 10 minutes and 3 people later we had a weight and then she spent her time sitting in my lap, all 46 lbs of her. It doesn't help that everyone at the vet likes her, despite her misbehavior and antics she still gets babytalked to death - then she relaxed and danced all over. I'm not sure if she's better today - she got her shots while we were there and than usually puts her out for the day. The vet started her on antibiotics and the diarherra seems better, but she's really not eating too well so we'll just have to keep an eye on her. It's amazing how we won't see the vet forever, then all of the sudden we're there every week!

Pick Up Those Skirts And Run

Thank you Amy for compressing those pictures in a file for me and thank you Janet for taking them. We're running today, things are heating up quickly. We passed the termite inspection, the health department was here and left a note to call them. We debated whether we should vomit before or after since they didn't say why we needed to call. Turned out it passed with flying colors, we just need to have it pumped before we get the hell out of Dodge - I think that was the closest David came to doing a cartwheel. We just have to live through the bank appraisal on Monday and then it begins again. David called the RE and the buyers have registered thier kids in school so we definately will be out on the 3rd. Pearl has decided to make things go smoother by developing a mysterious case of diarherra which means she cannot be left alone in the house for any longer than 45 minutes at any given time. She has a vet's appt at 6pm and we needed a stool sample which we (EEEWWW) have ample supplies of. And in the middle of all this mayhem I'm still dealing with Mr. Lee's passing - we're getting her ashes back in a few days and eventually her ashes and Copper's will be interred where we put Mikio and Setsu's. I think I had such difficulty with these two pets because Copper and Mr. Lee are my last physical ties to Miki and Sets. This visit home was the first time I didn't go down to the beach to talk to them - with Mr. Lee gone it's such a profound feeling of loss, that door will never open again. I sometimes find it amazing how much I still miss both of them, that I think of them a few times a week, that I still cannot walk into an antique shop and think about how much Setsu would have loved this or that. That period  in my life was perfect at times and that's a rare thing. The long weekend brunches, the kids, the yard sales - all gone. And for some reason Mr. Lee passing away has made that, for me, final. I know in my heart they are gone - but Mr. Lee always allowed me to go back when I needed to, just for the tinest second and that was enough, it had to be. And I know in the coming days that would have been great comfort with us moving, Jackson leaving and us being alone for the first time in 27 years - but you cannot hug ashes and that is a hard thing for me right now.

Home Again

I still can't figure out how to put my sister's pictures of the party into a downloadable file so you'll all have to use your imagination as to what an attractive group we are. I could kick myself for forgetting my camera, but given the circumstances of our departure it was the last thing on my mind at the time. This trip home was wonderful, the only good thing about family fights is you no longer have to waste time visiting with people you only see because you're related and it frees you up to spend that extra time with those that you DO like. The day before we left I got to the nursing home early and pleaded my way in, Grandma Hendrickon looks great as usual - I'm sure she'll attend my funeral before I attend hers! She's still the same, she had to put on her face before we went for a walk but we had a nice visit. I went to see Grandpa Carter, it's sad to see how he's declined in the past year, I know it's a part of life but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I got home early afternoon and off to the beach with Joyce, her son is also in the military (airforce)  and we've known each other since grade school so we had a lot of catching up to do. I went back to Hope's that night and had pizza with David's family, Sue, Grace and Kim came over again. We left early and met up with our RE Harry and BACK in the car again(!!!) - to look at more houses. We headed off to the hotel and then back in the car again. Jackson called to ask me when we would be home, when I asked why he said the dog had an accident on the new carpet. I think the gist of the conversation was Jackson trying to figure out who was cleaning it up. Hmmm. That would be Jackson I believe.The reason the dog had an accident had more to do with someone not getting up that it did with the dog and that is all I'm going to say on that subject! We had to drop the car off in Waynesburg - I'm glad we decided to rent a small car this time. It was great on gas and it's nice not having to worry about the milage, etc.. The termite inspector showed up around the same time we did so that's out of the way. David and I are just hanging out tonight - it's been a really busy week

Yes, I am Still Alive. Thank You For Asking

There are no pictures because A) I am a guest and B) I forgot my camera in the frantic run out the door when we left. We didn't end up leaving until after 11am - but the time we got back from the vet and made sure Jackson would be ok it was almost lunchtime so we drove straight to my sister's house. It was a pretty sad ride as you might have guessed - it hasn't been too bad but I'm sure when we get home the absence of Mr. Lee will truley hit home. We stayed over Janet's and made it to LI in good time, visited with David's parents and then off to the party. Most of the family made it there, it was wonderful seeing everyone together again - the kids of course seem to be new people every time you see them. Amy's latest is adorable as are the rest of them. Grandpa had his cake, there's such a difference in him since the last time I was home, it's almost unbelievable - he's declined so much. The ambulette brought him back to the nursing home around 5 and he looked more than ready to go back. I spent Sunday with Liz, we speak on the phone and write on the computer but we haven't seen each other in 6 years! That was a very good afternoon and we did a bit of shopping too. David's brother Kim, his sister Sue and Grace made dinner at David's parents house - that was really fun, we laughed the whole evening. Yesterday Mom and I went to see my Dad, Rhienon is 6 and her room is completely Disneyed out, princesses and Hanna Montana peer at you from every angle. After Dad's we went out to lunch at Eckart's - I didn't think I'd ever been there but I have - I did private duty years ago and the patient took me out to lunch there a couple of times. We visited Grandpa, I missed seeing Grandma Hendrickson as Eva had taken her out for lunch. We had chinese for dinner (David came over) and then that was about it. I'm heading off for the beach later today with Joyce - you can't come to the Hamptons and not tread the sandy shores at least once I suppose. David and I meet with the RE on the way back, we have to find something SOON - our RE called and the buyer's house went into contract. The termite inspection and septic are tomorrow which Jackson was none too happy about as that involves having to tote Miss Pants around for an hour or so. So it's been a busy visit, but a good one.

Mr Lee

From what we can see, Mr. Lee had a stroke last night - her left pupil was blown and she was barely able to walk. Dr. Goeff was wonderful, Jackson and I were with her when she went and she went very peacefully. We are of course grieving, we've had Mr. Lee through everything, Adam was only 6 years old and Jackson wasn't even born yet when she came into our lives. It's not good timing - but is there ever a  good time for this? Even though it breaks my heart I know we did the right thing - she went as she deserved to - painfree and surrounded by her family who loved her.

Just When You Think Things Are Completely Out Of Control

The grand plan was to get moving around 6 am this morning - we have lots to do! and it all has been circumvented by a 5 lb individual. Mr. Lee started vomiting last night, we don't know what's going on with her but it doesn't look good. We know she's 18 this year and given her previous injuries that she shouldn't have recovered from we realize that every day we've had her has just been a day's grace. But that of course doesn't help in the least. We have had Mr. Lee from the day she was born under Adam's bed and she's been on every adventure with us - from the hysterical move to Missouri - and the subsequent hysterical move back, to everything in between. We don't want to put her through anymore and very much don't want her to suffer but this is never easy and who knows, maybe it's a little thing that can be fixed. But I don't think so.