Well it's been a while since I have been able to blog and I think I am losing it....
My brother has been here for 3 weeks now and it has been quite an experience. One I will have to keep learning to deal with.
The first week was wonderful. Full of visiting, getting to know each other, and all the fun stuff that goes with it.
The Second week was frightful...not that he was the problem...but I learned a lot that week. We had to go deal with Social Security, Dr.'s, psychiatrists, community support people, pharmacies and every thing else that goes with mental illness that I had no idea of....and for the record...MEDICARE sucks. The very people you have to contact know nothing more than I did.
The third week was hectic, all the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, cooking, wrapping, you know what I mean...HAHA I made cookies and my brother was eating them faster than I could get them out of the oven! I made him stop by putting them in the freezer and telling him they were for Christmas! He acted like a punished pup! When I got all the candy and cookies done I set them out and told him it was open season now....yup, he got sick from over eating....But this boy is 27 yrs old, 6'1" and 210 lbs!
And now I am having problems because the last 3 mornings I get up, pour coffee and come in to sit in my usual spot on the couch for my morning wake up peace and quiet and go figure..there he sits! DAILY! Drinking MY coffee and leaving only one cup in the pot, so I have to pour my one cup and make more! At night he stays up until I am ready for bed and its a race to the bathroom to see who can get ready first!
Mind you these are petty things that I will get used to, but I LIKE my down time when no one is around but me...that is my sanity...my personal time. I guess I will have to learn how to give it up.
Ever have a kid sit next to you or read over your shoulder when you are reading or blogging, or just sitting at the computer working? So not what I am used to, but apparently so what I will have to become accustom to.
I did learn that there are a lot of resources in this little podunk town that I was unaware of, and that is a good thing. Right now Little Bro has no desire to use any of those resources, but when the time is right I think I will gently push him toward some of them and let him know that he needs to use them.
Today thankfully I sent out a text for help to my son Chaos, and he came running to my rescue and came and got Little Bro and took him out to run around town. Bless that boy!
So today, the day AFTER Christmas I am thinking of my blessings and being thankful!! Yes, I am thankful to have Little Bro in my life for the first time ever ( maybe we will both benefit), and I am thankful for my Children who come running to my rescue when I need it most!
I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday and wish all of you a Joyous and Prosperous New Year!!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Christmas Shopping
Now is the time to get started on Christmas shopping if you are a procrastinator like myself!
Some of you know that I have a web store, and I am offering a 30% discount on all items in the store. To get the discount simply use the promo code GRATA. To be sure that orders arrive by Christmas it is best to get them in by December 14th!! This site is sure to have something for everyone and I am adding new things daily.
I am hoping to get my brother picked up tomorrow and get the rest of the Christmas decorating here done on Sunday! Am I the only one who feels rushed during the holidays? It seems every year seems to come faster and faster....maybe it's just me getting old! I have learned however that the day will come and go no matter if I am ready or not, so I really don't sweat the small stuff anymore. If it doesn't get done , well maybe next year...
I have picked up a few new planning tips from Pro Homemaker's site. A big Thanks to her!!!
And I must tell you that my hubby has been a great help in helping get the house ready! And that is a major accomplishment, as he hates the holidays....but as a father and a papa, he does participate with a smile! As he is aging I continue to remind him of the memories he is now making for his grandchildren and he just melts like sugar in water.
And now work is calling, so you all have a great Holiday and a MERRY CHRISTMAS !
Some of you know that I have a web store, and I am offering a 30% discount on all items in the store. To get the discount simply use the promo code GRATA. To be sure that orders arrive by Christmas it is best to get them in by December 14th!! This site is sure to have something for everyone and I am adding new things daily.
I am hoping to get my brother picked up tomorrow and get the rest of the Christmas decorating here done on Sunday! Am I the only one who feels rushed during the holidays? It seems every year seems to come faster and faster....maybe it's just me getting old! I have learned however that the day will come and go no matter if I am ready or not, so I really don't sweat the small stuff anymore. If it doesn't get done , well maybe next year...
I have picked up a few new planning tips from Pro Homemaker's site. A big Thanks to her!!!
And I must tell you that my hubby has been a great help in helping get the house ready! And that is a major accomplishment, as he hates the holidays....but as a father and a papa, he does participate with a smile! As he is aging I continue to remind him of the memories he is now making for his grandchildren and he just melts like sugar in water.
And now work is calling, so you all have a great Holiday and a MERRY CHRISTMAS !
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
More ...
Well, I have been so busy getting things ready for the new addition to the house... getting things about there.
I have managed to move the office upstairs, go through all the STUFF I had stored up there for the last few years and throw out a bunch and box up a bunch and hopefully in the spring I will be able to put together a huge rummage sale. I have the office made into a bedroom complete with everything except a BED! Go figure, a bedroom with no bed...I am still looking for something in the "affordable" range for me. I have 3 days left until my brother arrives, I have faith that something will work out.
I got to talk to his Doctors and have a learned alot about his illness. He is NOT paranoid schizophrenic as I had been told....he has been diagnosed as Schizo-Affective Bi-polar Type. Now I have more research to so to understand that better. This is all so new to me. I am worried that I won't know what to do to help him or whats best for him. I guess the phrase "learn something new everyday" still applies. So I am a little apprehensive and yet excited at the same time.
We are also making plans for 2 of the grandkids birthdays this week. One will be turning 9 and the other will be celebrating her 1st birthday! I hope to have pictures to post after the parties!!
I have managed to move the office upstairs, go through all the STUFF I had stored up there for the last few years and throw out a bunch and box up a bunch and hopefully in the spring I will be able to put together a huge rummage sale. I have the office made into a bedroom complete with everything except a BED! Go figure, a bedroom with no bed...I am still looking for something in the "affordable" range for me. I have 3 days left until my brother arrives, I have faith that something will work out.
I got to talk to his Doctors and have a learned alot about his illness. He is NOT paranoid schizophrenic as I had been told....he has been diagnosed as Schizo-Affective Bi-polar Type. Now I have more research to so to understand that better. This is all so new to me. I am worried that I won't know what to do to help him or whats best for him. I guess the phrase "learn something new everyday" still applies. So I am a little apprehensive and yet excited at the same time.
We are also making plans for 2 of the grandkids birthdays this week. One will be turning 9 and the other will be celebrating her 1st birthday! I hope to have pictures to post after the parties!!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Complicating My Life
Others have referred to their mixed up families in blogs and I am always able to keep up with the "half' sibling lines and the "step" sibling lines..Why?.. Because I have my own mixed up family.....
I have an older sister who shares the same set of parents with me...she is exactly 14 months older than I am. When I was 3 months old my parents divorced. My father felt the need to pursue his music career, beer, women, beer, well you get the picture.
Setting, early 1960's and my mother was a single mom with 2 very young girls to take care of. She took a job in a bar while attending nursing school. Needless to say, she had no time for children. Thus, my father was forced to take 2 kids he did not have time for. So we lived with my paternal grandmother for a while...We lived with my father's girlfriends for a while, and there were several of them....
Fast forward 6 1/2 years....My mother remarried to a wonderful man, had a son, and wanted us back....Ok, so we then live with her for 9 years. And have a "half" brother.
Nine years later...big fight...mom throws us girls out, We move to Very Small Town Nebraska when I was 15. Culture shock for a teenager to move from Big City Kansas....
Dad was remarried by then, no more kids that we knew of...
Age 16, Dad takes off the California. I stay with Step mom. Age 17, Step mom gets back with dad, they move to Oklahoma.....without me! I stayed in Small Town and finished high school.
One year later I move to Oklahoma with them...find out I have a "half' sister that is 6 years younger than I am. Didn't meet her...but Dad and Step mom divorced over that one.
I take off and say to hell with everyone and end up back in Nebraska to start my own life....
Got married, had a daughter....Dad calls me, he is remarried and has a son with new wife....Now I have another "half" brother who is six months YOUNGER than my daughter...
2oo2, Dad dies, I meet my half sister and brother at his funeral. Stayed in contact with half brother, half sister seems to have fallen off the edge of the earth or doesn't want any contact.
2008, Half brother calls and wants to move to Nebraska to get a "fresh" start on life. Okay, no problem.....Then I find out he has never lived on his own, was a state ward, and takes meds as he has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.
What the F*&k have I gotten myself into????? I can not say no to family, without trying first...and he IS family....
So for the next 3 weeks I will be rearranging my house to make the office back into a bedroom. Looking for a bed and dresser to get him started. Lining up Dr's, setting up his disability, and looking for a more permanent home for him. He is arriving with nothing more than a suitcase of clothes....This is going to be a serious task and I hope I have the strength to follow through with it...
I will be updating my progress and letting everyone know how it is going as I journey down this part of my life, and am thankful for the support I have from my family here and all my friends.
WISH ME LUCK !!!!!
I have an older sister who shares the same set of parents with me...she is exactly 14 months older than I am. When I was 3 months old my parents divorced. My father felt the need to pursue his music career, beer, women, beer, well you get the picture.
Setting, early 1960's and my mother was a single mom with 2 very young girls to take care of. She took a job in a bar while attending nursing school. Needless to say, she had no time for children. Thus, my father was forced to take 2 kids he did not have time for. So we lived with my paternal grandmother for a while...We lived with my father's girlfriends for a while, and there were several of them....
Fast forward 6 1/2 years....My mother remarried to a wonderful man, had a son, and wanted us back....Ok, so we then live with her for 9 years. And have a "half" brother.
Nine years later...big fight...mom throws us girls out, We move to Very Small Town Nebraska when I was 15. Culture shock for a teenager to move from Big City Kansas....
Dad was remarried by then, no more kids that we knew of...
Age 16, Dad takes off the California. I stay with Step mom. Age 17, Step mom gets back with dad, they move to Oklahoma.....without me! I stayed in Small Town and finished high school.
One year later I move to Oklahoma with them...find out I have a "half' sister that is 6 years younger than I am. Didn't meet her...but Dad and Step mom divorced over that one.
I take off and say to hell with everyone and end up back in Nebraska to start my own life....
Got married, had a daughter....Dad calls me, he is remarried and has a son with new wife....Now I have another "half" brother who is six months YOUNGER than my daughter...
2oo2, Dad dies, I meet my half sister and brother at his funeral. Stayed in contact with half brother, half sister seems to have fallen off the edge of the earth or doesn't want any contact.
2008, Half brother calls and wants to move to Nebraska to get a "fresh" start on life. Okay, no problem.....Then I find out he has never lived on his own, was a state ward, and takes meds as he has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.
What the F*&k have I gotten myself into????? I can not say no to family, without trying first...and he IS family....
So for the next 3 weeks I will be rearranging my house to make the office back into a bedroom. Looking for a bed and dresser to get him started. Lining up Dr's, setting up his disability, and looking for a more permanent home for him. He is arriving with nothing more than a suitcase of clothes....This is going to be a serious task and I hope I have the strength to follow through with it...
I will be updating my progress and letting everyone know how it is going as I journey down this part of my life, and am thankful for the support I have from my family here and all my friends.
WISH ME LUCK !!!!!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Today I am wondering if it is old age or what??
I woke up yesterday morning nearly unable to get out of bed. I figured I must have relly slept in a weird position to wake up that knotted up....nothing a hot shower couldn't cure I was sure. Well. WRONG.
Ok, patient babies and lots of heat later, still not better....
Next solution..Cranberry juice and water....A gallon of water and half a gallon of cranberry juice later...nothing.
Crawled back into bed hoping to feel better today.
Didn't happen.....It took nearly an hour of heat just to get out of bed. Drink another half gallon of cranberry juice, and I am talking the 100% stuff here not the cranberry drink cocktail shit, and another gallon of water.....and still not moving well. Any idea how hard it is to try to get up to pee after that much liquid? BAH
So now I am back to thinking a pulled or knotted muscle. What the hell did I do? Nothing I can think of, so I am eeking through today hoping to get a chance to soak in the tub this evening and call it an early night. Maybe if I am lucky I will feel better tomorrow!
If it is worse I will chalk it up to old age and call the DR.!!
One can only hope...
I woke up yesterday morning nearly unable to get out of bed. I figured I must have relly slept in a weird position to wake up that knotted up....nothing a hot shower couldn't cure I was sure. Well. WRONG.
Ok, patient babies and lots of heat later, still not better....
Next solution..Cranberry juice and water....A gallon of water and half a gallon of cranberry juice later...nothing.
Crawled back into bed hoping to feel better today.
Didn't happen.....It took nearly an hour of heat just to get out of bed. Drink another half gallon of cranberry juice, and I am talking the 100% stuff here not the cranberry drink cocktail shit, and another gallon of water.....and still not moving well. Any idea how hard it is to try to get up to pee after that much liquid? BAH
So now I am back to thinking a pulled or knotted muscle. What the hell did I do? Nothing I can think of, so I am eeking through today hoping to get a chance to soak in the tub this evening and call it an early night. Maybe if I am lucky I will feel better tomorrow!
If it is worse I will chalk it up to old age and call the DR.!!
One can only hope...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veterans' Day
I would like to take today to say Thank You to all the veterans in my life, the ones I know as well as the ones I do not know. They have all given up part of their lives so that I may have mine.
Doesn't matter what your political views are, doesn't matter if you personally know a veteran or not. PLEASE take the time to attend a Veteran Memorial Service, a Veteran Parade, or just look around at all the common people around you and know that someone somewhere, put their life out there so that we could have ours.....
Men, Women, Fathers, Grandfathers, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends of ANY military branch....Today I just want to say "Thank You".
Monday, November 10, 2008
Great Weekend With Great Friends
I love it when friends come to town and we get the chance to have a fun time.....
Even if it is to much fun!
My very good friend from high school now lives in Nevada so we don't see each other as much as we would like....BUT, when we do...we do it right!
Not bad for a couple of 40+ yr olds!
This was early in the evening, and I took over 100 pics! We were still sober here (well kind of).
A few hours later we were livin the good life and having fun!!
Celebrating Life and Happiness
Plotting against the men
To Awesome Friends !!!!
And in July we are planning to meet up in Vegas for a few days! I can't wait...have already started saving for that trip!!
Remember to tell your friends how much you appreciate them, you never know when you won't get to see them often or at all. In today's world there are so many ways to keep in touch that we all need to take the few seconds to do just that! I know I will, this weekend made me realize just how much I miss not seeing them more often......
Full album of pics on My space!!!
Even if it is to much fun!
My very good friend from high school now lives in Nevada so we don't see each other as much as we would like....BUT, when we do...we do it right!
Not bad for a couple of 40+ yr olds!This was early in the evening, and I took over 100 pics! We were still sober here (well kind of).
A few hours later we were livin the good life and having fun!!
Celebrating Life and Happiness
Plotting against the men
To Awesome Friends !!!!And in July we are planning to meet up in Vegas for a few days! I can't wait...have already started saving for that trip!!
Remember to tell your friends how much you appreciate them, you never know when you won't get to see them often or at all. In today's world there are so many ways to keep in touch that we all need to take the few seconds to do just that! I know I will, this weekend made me realize just how much I miss not seeing them more often......
Full album of pics on My space!!!
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