Robin's Nest

 It is Saturday, the first one of the summer breaks, and there is plenty to do. The first child to utter the ominous phrase "I'm bored" is in for a big surprise. This just might be the season they learn life skills like laundry and chicken house chores. On a brighter note, my sourdough starter is bubbly!!! Sadly, I may have just killed it. I will keep an eye on it and if needed, try again. It is a lazy morning. SIL just got out of bed and is not really into getting changed for the day. Saturday was an agitated day. I think if the weather improves maybe we could have some outdoor time. She was craving sweets and chocolate, as they both do, brownies were requested several times. I admit I said I can make some pretty quickly, but I got busy with other things. Dinner was on the table at 5 and she refused to sit down and eat. Six o'clock came she kept checking in cupboards and drawers and the refrigerator but would not say what she was looking for. I offered dinner several...

 Saturday my other oldest granddaughter (there are three oldest granddaughters) came by to visit. We had such fun. It was a short visit but very nice. Sunday brought fatigue. I was so tired, and the repeated spasms of the arm muscles make it worse. I neglected my duties and of course they were still waiting for me I finally woke up. I needed the rest, I am sure.  Today, Monday, we are expecting an estimate on replacing the sliding glass door with potentially French doors. Also, we need a deck on the back of the house if we are staying. If we are leaving a porch is enough. My granddaughter was inspired by the mobile home in the back yard. She was able to envision remodeling it as a tiny home for her and Lance. I thought that was amazing! Why? Because I cannot take it with me so it will have a good home. Well, the door replacement guy just cancelled so there's that.  I suppose I have enough to do anyway. I better get started. There is so much to do that it can be overwhelmi...

 Every day brings new challenges. Especially if I think I have it all under control. This week brought my oldest granddaughter joining the Air Force. She did tell me she was going to do it. I did encourage it. But others were told that she was leaving for college. So gullible me thought it was still college. Looking back many, many years I realized everyone else except her parents and me, were acting like my mother when I announced I was going to follow my then boyfriend into the service. Negativity with all capital letters, you are too weak, you will never succeed, you cannot handle it, and so on. In retrospect I am honored that she trusted me enough to confide in me. As I type this, I watch someone who is much too old to eat kernels of corn with her fingers do just that. Shower will happen after dinner, as it is a messy one tonight and a shower is needed regardless. Dementia is something I thought I understood fairly well, that is until it moved in. I try to celebrate the little ...

 What a day it was today. I took the kiddo to school, and one stayed home. Some silly rule about a fever in the last 24hrs I am not sure why since it was not a fever until she went to school. I digress, the morning started out in the usual way only change, the grandbaby that used to hate me, joined me for the morning chores. First, we dropped off the big kids to school, we then hit McDonald's for a hashbrown, (which later gramma found smashed in the backseat) we then headed to the tire store to get the racing slicks replaced. While we waited 90 minutes into the hour long wait, we walked over to a new store. Okay it has been there at least 10 years, but gramma had never been there, so it is a new store. It was called "The Home store". Lots of fun things in that store! Gramma might go back one day! Two hours into the one hour wait time the tires were finished, and we took off to Costco to buy gas. Expensive gas, I was the second car, if the first car had pulled all the way ...

 Yep, I'm going to can things this year. It might be people but I'm going to can something. Yes, I know that I did pineapple and that was this year, but I mean something else. I am thinking tomato soup or ketchup. Most likely it will be something simple though and those are eh, somewhat easy. I just finished making cinnamon rolls. It took all morning because I was lazy about it. I will admit I am tired today. I wish I could rest like SIL does. It eludes me though. Try as I might to get organized it doesn't happen. Probably never will. As the day progresses and the clouds get darker, I remind myself to be thankful for the rain. The little bluebirds in the yard are so fun to watch. It is a bit weird they do not look blue in the pictures, but they are. My son-in-law and grandson are currently in the attic trying to finish up the ceiling installation.  When this phase is finished, they are off to South Dakota for a bit. I will order the light fixtures and the ceiling fans. Hope...

 It is Saturday and it is raining. Yesterday I was so overwhelmed with driving and all the things that needed to be done. Today I had a plan and today the plan did not go as planned. I found the "Escape room" birthday party. I am also pretty sure that part of the party was actually finding the place. Before heading out to the party I prevented three falls for SIL as she leaned out the west sliding glass door. I shut the door she opened the door and leaned out. Over and over again. Then it was lean out of the chair time. This also gets old I attempted to put her in her recliner after this and returned to her with her head almost to the floor no time to take a picture of that lest she fall the rest of the way! I set her in a safe place or so I thought and started to the basement. She got up and fell. The kids are being kids and the cleaning is not going very fast. There is no one in this house that thinks to offer help that is actually capable of giving help. The adventure cont...

 This year is as dry as last year, I am thankful for the dryness today as there are many sheets of drywall outside on a trailer. I covered it with Visqueen just in case. Of course, if I would like rain, I should leave it uncovered. Today 30 sheets went to the attic as the remodel continues. Yes, I carried some of them but not near as many as my son-in-law. I checked on the cost of respite care today; I was not surprised at the significant increase in price. Luckily it is only for a short time. The shortest time they accept is 2 weeks. Better than the old rule of 30 days. Time to put the chickens to bed. Strangely enough the SIL who has spent most of the day in a semi-alert state is almost wide-awake. Not sure that even trying that the situation could be reversed. Part of it is medication related but I am not sure all of it is. When we watch television, the characters are real for her. There is no such thing as "actors" and the donation commercials are just as real. She is res...