Boy oh boy...I don't even know where to begin this one. I'm still beside myself after the phone call I got from my brother earlier today. The call came from my Aunt, while he was at work, telling him that the "sisters" have been talking and they are selling the house that he lives in and they are giving him first chance to buy it at the whopping sale price of 65K! (The last appraisal on the house was in the low 30s, several years ago. If I'm not mistaken, the real estate market in Morgan Co. hasn't jumped in years....the property is probably only valued at 20-25K...and they are offering it to him at 65K?)
First of all, we invited all the sisters to a meeting when Mom passed less than two months ago. We wanted them to know what we were dealing with on the financial end, which is a bankrupt estate, and to make sure that there would be no surprises in store for my brother as far as having a place to live since he rents from one of the sisters. A unanimous "you don't have anything to worry about" came from the 6 sisters in attendance, which gave us a little peace of mind in selling Mom's house.
My. my how things can change in a matter of weeks! Since Mom is no longer here to take care of all of grandma's paperwork and nursing home bills and rent and utilities on grandma's house (the one my brother is/was renting), it is now "a pain in the ass" to keep up. Funny it wasn't so much a bother when Mom was doing all that paperwork. It just pisses me off to think that the same people who were by our sides a few weeks ago mourning the death of our Mother, are now selling grandma's house (who by the way is still alive) out from under my brother leaving him scrambling to find another place "ASAP". Unbelieveable!
My Mother is probably rolling over in her grave right this moment! The closest connections to Mom, treating her kids like this....I wash my hands of them! As does my brother, who is at one of the sister's houses right now letting them know, face-to-face, exactly what he thinks. Good luck little brother, we are only doing right by Mom...she wouldn't have let this happen.
And for the record, I did call the sister in charge to verify that what my brother thought he heard was actually what he had heard...sure enough, it was...without hesitation, straight up, we are selling the house as soon as possible. Nice, eh? Really freakin' nice!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Good Riddance...
2010...
I am so glad to put 2010 behind me and move on to 2011! I'm looking foward to new adventures, unexplored waters, and living life to it's fullest... because you just never know what tomorrow will bring your direction.
Let's recap 2010...
January through March were pretty uneventful as I recall. So uneventful, in fact, that I can't even remember what we did for Spring Break! I had to text Mr. Wonderful and ask him what we did and he said we had a staycation and had visitors from Minnesota and Texas...ahhh, yes, I remember now! This getting old thing is for the birds!
April, Mr. Wonderful notices two lumps on the side of his neck which led to a plethora of tests, biopsies, and scans that were inconclusive. Didn't find out until May 25th (eldest child's 13th bday)that he had a tumor on his tongue that had spread to his lymph nodes. Another month of specialist visits and numerous other tests led to a treatment plan that consisted of 35 consecutive radiation treatments and three rounds of chemotherapy, and having a feeding tube placed.
Amid all the above turmoil and not knowing what the lumps on the lymph nodes were, our 14 year old Malamute, Shanook, took a turn for the worst... accidents in the house, constant barking from pain, and falling down all the time because his back legs and hips could no longer support the weight of his body. We ended up putting him to rest May 13th.
Although there was a lot of turmoil and unknown from April to June, there were also a few good times in there. One being a two night camping trip with The Gang on the 14th and 15th of May. It was meant to be Shanook's last camping trip, however, he didn't make it. We managed to have a good time, considering the circumstances, and made good memories with the family.
As soon as school was out, my Mom came to visit for a week. Hands down, that was the best visit she's ever had! She smiled the whole time, swam with the kids, made a gingerbread house, hiked in the mountains, and I didn't want her to go home. In fact, I offered her a room of her own and to make arrangements to have her clothes and car brought out so she could live with us. I truely believe that she would have done it in a heartbeat if it weren't for her feeling obligated to taking care of her Mom.
July, August, September... Chemo and radiation treatments began June 28th, chemo kicked in and reeked havoc on July 2nd (middle child's bday). Treatments continued daily and took their toll on Mr. Wonderful, physically. And on myself mentally and emotionally. Going through something like that changes one's perspective tremendously and also reduces the number of weeds in the yard! Last chemo comes August 9th, a relief because the end is near...5 more radiation treatments left before the healing process could begin. Chemo kicked in August 12th (my bday), followed by about a solid month of Mr. Wonderful vomiting and spitting and gagging while the inside of his mouth and throat shed the layers of radiated tissue and began to heal and he could once again swallow. If chemo and radiation weren't enough, every night was a battle with the feeding tube "sucking in" causing problems. Mr. Wonderful swallowed his first bite of solid food on Labor Day, prior to that he was still using the feeding tube and eating soups and soft foods, which he said tasted horrible.
October, the feeding tube was removed! What a relief! The day that came out was the first night I had slept all night, in months, without being woke up to help with feeding tube issues. We celebrated little man's bday on Oct. 4th and Mr. Wonderful's 40th with a pirate bash on the 20th. Things were definitely looking up, especially since the results from his PET scan came back cancer-free three months after treatment and his taste buds were slowly coming back.
I also got my test results back from AEPA that I had passed Middle Grades Math for my Math Endorsement.
In celebration of having the feeding tube removed, we spent 3 magical days at Disneyland California and a day at Newport Beach. Both were absolutely amazing! We have about 400 pictures documenting our 4 day adventure!
November rolled around and life was going well, until Sunday the 21st when my whole world was once again turned upside down with the news that my mom had passed away. I guess our bodies are set up to function on autopilot during times like that because the entire trip to OH, making arrangements, the funeral, and nearly the whole month of December are a blurr. Christmas season was very difficult to say the least. I spent a good bit of it grieving my loss, but somehow mangaged to make it good for the kids.
As soon as Christmas dinner had been served and dishes done and family sent on their way, I started to put away all the decorations. Everything was completely put away three days prior to New Year's Eve. I'd had enough of 2010 and wanted to "put it all away" before a new year, a new journey began.
As 2011 begins...
I can take away from 2010 that life is way too short to sit around and dream of the things you'd like to do someday, you have to go do them now. Not only do them, but enjoy them and every moment you have with the people you love because you just never know when your last day is coming.
I am so glad to put 2010 behind me and move on to 2011! I'm looking foward to new adventures, unexplored waters, and living life to it's fullest... because you just never know what tomorrow will bring your direction.
Let's recap 2010...
January through March were pretty uneventful as I recall. So uneventful, in fact, that I can't even remember what we did for Spring Break! I had to text Mr. Wonderful and ask him what we did and he said we had a staycation and had visitors from Minnesota and Texas...ahhh, yes, I remember now! This getting old thing is for the birds!
April, Mr. Wonderful notices two lumps on the side of his neck which led to a plethora of tests, biopsies, and scans that were inconclusive. Didn't find out until May 25th (eldest child's 13th bday)that he had a tumor on his tongue that had spread to his lymph nodes. Another month of specialist visits and numerous other tests led to a treatment plan that consisted of 35 consecutive radiation treatments and three rounds of chemotherapy, and having a feeding tube placed.
Amid all the above turmoil and not knowing what the lumps on the lymph nodes were, our 14 year old Malamute, Shanook, took a turn for the worst... accidents in the house, constant barking from pain, and falling down all the time because his back legs and hips could no longer support the weight of his body. We ended up putting him to rest May 13th.
Although there was a lot of turmoil and unknown from April to June, there were also a few good times in there. One being a two night camping trip with The Gang on the 14th and 15th of May. It was meant to be Shanook's last camping trip, however, he didn't make it. We managed to have a good time, considering the circumstances, and made good memories with the family.
As soon as school was out, my Mom came to visit for a week. Hands down, that was the best visit she's ever had! She smiled the whole time, swam with the kids, made a gingerbread house, hiked in the mountains, and I didn't want her to go home. In fact, I offered her a room of her own and to make arrangements to have her clothes and car brought out so she could live with us. I truely believe that she would have done it in a heartbeat if it weren't for her feeling obligated to taking care of her Mom.
July, August, September... Chemo and radiation treatments began June 28th, chemo kicked in and reeked havoc on July 2nd (middle child's bday). Treatments continued daily and took their toll on Mr. Wonderful, physically. And on myself mentally and emotionally. Going through something like that changes one's perspective tremendously and also reduces the number of weeds in the yard! Last chemo comes August 9th, a relief because the end is near...5 more radiation treatments left before the healing process could begin. Chemo kicked in August 12th (my bday), followed by about a solid month of Mr. Wonderful vomiting and spitting and gagging while the inside of his mouth and throat shed the layers of radiated tissue and began to heal and he could once again swallow. If chemo and radiation weren't enough, every night was a battle with the feeding tube "sucking in" causing problems. Mr. Wonderful swallowed his first bite of solid food on Labor Day, prior to that he was still using the feeding tube and eating soups and soft foods, which he said tasted horrible.
October, the feeding tube was removed! What a relief! The day that came out was the first night I had slept all night, in months, without being woke up to help with feeding tube issues. We celebrated little man's bday on Oct. 4th and Mr. Wonderful's 40th with a pirate bash on the 20th. Things were definitely looking up, especially since the results from his PET scan came back cancer-free three months after treatment and his taste buds were slowly coming back.
I also got my test results back from AEPA that I had passed Middle Grades Math for my Math Endorsement.
In celebration of having the feeding tube removed, we spent 3 magical days at Disneyland California and a day at Newport Beach. Both were absolutely amazing! We have about 400 pictures documenting our 4 day adventure!
November rolled around and life was going well, until Sunday the 21st when my whole world was once again turned upside down with the news that my mom had passed away. I guess our bodies are set up to function on autopilot during times like that because the entire trip to OH, making arrangements, the funeral, and nearly the whole month of December are a blurr. Christmas season was very difficult to say the least. I spent a good bit of it grieving my loss, but somehow mangaged to make it good for the kids.
As soon as Christmas dinner had been served and dishes done and family sent on their way, I started to put away all the decorations. Everything was completely put away three days prior to New Year's Eve. I'd had enough of 2010 and wanted to "put it all away" before a new year, a new journey began.
As 2011 begins...
I can take away from 2010 that life is way too short to sit around and dream of the things you'd like to do someday, you have to go do them now. Not only do them, but enjoy them and every moment you have with the people you love because you just never know when your last day is coming.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
HMMMMM....
It has been two weeks and 3 hours since I received that dreaded phone call that you hope you never get. The past two weeks have been such a blur and the reality that my Mom is gone and I will never see her beautiful face or hear her voice on the other end of the phone or wake up to a good morning text is finally sinking in...
Trying to do anything this weekend is a constant reminder of her and has been very difficult. I keep reminding myself that she is still with me, watching over us, but it doesn't ease the pain. I miss her so much!
Trying to do anything this weekend is a constant reminder of her and has been very difficult. I keep reminding myself that she is still with me, watching over us, but it doesn't ease the pain. I miss her so much!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
That felt good...
Posting that last entry felt sooooo good! I feel inspired to go work on my painting that has been collecting dust for nearly a year now! Hopefully I make it to my painting corner without being distracted by the laundry sitting in the machines that needs swapped and the dishwasher that need rebooted....
OCD ADD
I admit that I am a self-diagnosed case of OCDADD! I know this because the OCD side of me wants order, and clutter drives me nuts. I can't stand to open a drawer or cabinet or closet or fridge or... and not be able to reach in a get whatever it is I am getting without a million things falling on my head or moving a million things out of the way.
So yesterday, I decided that my bathroom drawers were out of control and needed sorted again. I started with the most used drawer, which contains my makeup and hair supplies. I started putting hair accessories into a nice cosmetic bag, makeup into the makeup basket, and nail polish back into the nail bag when I discovered a pair of misplaced earrings. The earrings belong in the second most used drawer in the bathroom which contains my jewelry. Needless to say there were things in that drawer that belonged in the other drawer and one thing led to another and the next thing you know I have all 4 of my drawers dumped onto the counter plus my jewelry box and medicine cabinet. It was a mess!
In walks Mr. Wonderful, who by the way is doing much better and recovering nicely, and takes a look around, says a few choice words (told you he was feeling better) and announces he is going to the feed store to pick up a bale of straw for yard decoration. Since we have been very limited on outings as a family since June, I spoke up and said why don't we all go? Next thing you know, we all threw on some flip flops and were on our way to the feed store. Before we left, I opened the kitchen drawer to grab whatever it was I was going to grab. I couldn't get the drawer opened because it was crammed full of teacher letters from back to school night and fliers and coupons and earrings and hair clips...OCD kicked in again, but we had to go to the feed store.
Upon returning with bale of straw, I started working on the kitchen drawer because it was nearly time to start dinner and all the stuff I had taken out before we left was piled by the stove! By the time that drawer was done it was nearly time to start dinner, but not before I got the laundry going. I ran upstairs to grab a load of laundry and saw the mess I had left with my earlier OCD outburst. I had to put on blinders to pass by the counter to get to the closet where the dirty laundry was waiting. When I opened the closet door, I found the unfinished disaster in the closet that I had started Friday night and didn't finish because of some long forgotten distraction. I couldn't just leave it like that, so I did the only thing I could, I started to finish the closet.
This happens all the time! I can spend the entire day cleaning and have a bigger mess than when I started...I want things clean, but it is very difficult for me to clean one thing at a time. It never fails, I go to gather laundry and find something else that needs done along the way, one thing leads to another which leads to another and before you know it a week has passed and the laundry is still not done!
So yesterday, I decided that my bathroom drawers were out of control and needed sorted again. I started with the most used drawer, which contains my makeup and hair supplies. I started putting hair accessories into a nice cosmetic bag, makeup into the makeup basket, and nail polish back into the nail bag when I discovered a pair of misplaced earrings. The earrings belong in the second most used drawer in the bathroom which contains my jewelry. Needless to say there were things in that drawer that belonged in the other drawer and one thing led to another and the next thing you know I have all 4 of my drawers dumped onto the counter plus my jewelry box and medicine cabinet. It was a mess!
In walks Mr. Wonderful, who by the way is doing much better and recovering nicely, and takes a look around, says a few choice words (told you he was feeling better) and announces he is going to the feed store to pick up a bale of straw for yard decoration. Since we have been very limited on outings as a family since June, I spoke up and said why don't we all go? Next thing you know, we all threw on some flip flops and were on our way to the feed store. Before we left, I opened the kitchen drawer to grab whatever it was I was going to grab. I couldn't get the drawer opened because it was crammed full of teacher letters from back to school night and fliers and coupons and earrings and hair clips...OCD kicked in again, but we had to go to the feed store.
Upon returning with bale of straw, I started working on the kitchen drawer because it was nearly time to start dinner and all the stuff I had taken out before we left was piled by the stove! By the time that drawer was done it was nearly time to start dinner, but not before I got the laundry going. I ran upstairs to grab a load of laundry and saw the mess I had left with my earlier OCD outburst. I had to put on blinders to pass by the counter to get to the closet where the dirty laundry was waiting. When I opened the closet door, I found the unfinished disaster in the closet that I had started Friday night and didn't finish because of some long forgotten distraction. I couldn't just leave it like that, so I did the only thing I could, I started to finish the closet.
This happens all the time! I can spend the entire day cleaning and have a bigger mess than when I started...I want things clean, but it is very difficult for me to clean one thing at a time. It never fails, I go to gather laundry and find something else that needs done along the way, one thing leads to another which leads to another and before you know it a week has passed and the laundry is still not done!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Cancer SUCKS!!
And that is all I have to say about that! I am so mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted that I can't even compose a thought here. I really thought that getting back to blogging would be a stress reliever, but I opened the page and I have nothing....
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday fill-ins!
1. The crickets sing, and I love that they drive my husband in-freaking-sane!
2. Here's to you wherever you are.
3. I want to get far away from the man I call Mr. Wonderful!
4. I was tan and skinny and my "girls" were where they should be and I was running naked on a beach; this was a dream.
5. But as for me, life is not a dream and I'm not the skinny, tan, perky boobed naked person running on a beach...dang the luck!
6. Moron County is where I come from.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to boat drinks, tomorrow my plans include a Halloween party and Sunday, I want to go where it's WARM!...oh wait, I am where it is WARM!
2. Here's to you wherever you are.
3. I want to get far away from the man I call Mr. Wonderful!
4. I was tan and skinny and my "girls" were where they should be and I was running naked on a beach; this was a dream.
5. But as for me, life is not a dream and I'm not the skinny, tan, perky boobed naked person running on a beach...dang the luck!
6. Moron County is where I come from.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to boat drinks, tomorrow my plans include a Halloween party and Sunday, I want to go where it's WARM!...oh wait, I am where it is WARM!
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