Rippled Effects – Page 13 – Living on the edge

September 8, 2009October 11, 2009

Good-bye Daddy

We laid my father to rest today. What an unusual way to say goodbye to someone. His funeral was nice, if they can be called nice, and many of his old neighbors and friends and hunting buddies and their wives were there. It was a beautiful, sunny Tuesday — and Dad would have liked the day — he didn’t like bad weather much any more these last few years.

My Daddy took his last breath on this earth almost a week ago — on Wednesday morning, September 2nd at Arbor Springs in West Des Moines, Iowa. I was with him and was the only one there (no big surprise, my sister just couldn’t handle this). I am sure that he could hear me and see me right up until he looked right at me and sort of just sighed his last breath and was gone. It is so unusual to have someone right there with you one second, and in the next second they are gone to some other place.

Good-bye Daddy — I loved you — I love you still. You and Mom made me what I am today — a totally honest, loving person. The responsibility you have left me is a big one, but from our conversations about this, I know you were confident that I could handle it and all the associated issues. Thank you for your confidence and thank you for all the years of your love.

August 18, 2009September 12, 2009

Fish Frenzy!

So, it’s hot here today — second day with temps over 90 degrees — and the pond temperature in the deep part had climbed to 84 degrees. I turned on the hose to add fresh, cold water to the pond and you would have thought I was feeding them the best, tasty food they’d ever had. They gathered and took turns (none too politely) swimming thru the stream of water, lifting their heads to the very top of the surface as the water poured on. The ripples in the photo are only a small part caused by the stream of water (it wasn’t that strong) but mostly caused by the furious fish swimming in a frenzy to get some cold water on them. Time to go out and check on them and give them some more, I think.

I played golf today and if someone had come out on the 15th hole and offered to pour cold water on my head too, I think I would have taken them up on it.

August 15, 2009August 18, 2009

All Hands on Deck

Well, we finally had weather appropriate for working on our deck sealing project. We needed two days in a row without rain and with good drying conditions followed by at least a third day to work on the deck and then 12 hours following that work day for the deck sealant to dry appropriately. With this goofy spring and summer weather here in Connecticut, four days in a row of dry weather were a rarity – as in not seen until this last week. So, the deck was washed, the drying occurred and all hands were present to brush on the sealant, then later mop off the excess. Hubby is shown here working his way to the far edge of the deck — on the last four boards. Everything to the left and right of him is finished, if not all wiped down. Then, he went back onto the deck with old t-shirts tied to his shoes and wiped off the excess.

Arms, wrists, knees, you name it — were all sore on both of us today. What were we thinking when we rebuilt the deck and made it BIGGER? Certainly not this task.

Furniture is back, umbrella is up, and we’re planning on dinner there tonight.

July 5, 2009July 22, 2009

Home in America

Does this quilt say it all or what? A house (home) surrounded by American flags (or a quilty representation of American flags). What does it mean to be at home and an American to you? I cannot even put into words what it means for me to be back here at home again, hopefully to stay a bit longer this time.

I finished this quilt the day before I left Iowa — again — on July 2nd. Determined to return home to be with hubby for the three day weekend, I was also determined to leave this project completed and on my sisters’ dining table. The photo is a bit wonky because Sister # 2 is holding the quilt. Trust me, she was smiling — she likes patriotic things. And so do I. Must run in the family.

Hubby and I attended the 4th of July fireworks here in Ridgefield. The photos are all on my bigger camera and haven’t been downloaded yet. I will update this post with some “oooh” and “aahhhh” photos later.

June 2, 2009June 2, 2009

It’s a frog’s life

You always hear that about dogs but, in our yard, I think maybe it’s a frog’s life. There are three out on the rocks enjoying this beautiful day here in Connecticut.

I wonder if they have any worries? Where is my next bug coming from? Not around here — the pond draws bugs like crazy. They have all become so tame that perhaps they should worry about the stupid humans stepping on them as we walk around the pond with cameras in our hands.

I’m thinking today that I might like to be a frog with a few fewer worries. Sister # 2 was taken by ambulance to the hospital last night — she’s having what they think are TIAs (mini-strokes). Sister # 1 rode with her and I can tell by her voice over the phone that she is just sick with worry. I am mentally making a packing list and hubby is checking the cost of last-minute flights in preparation for my going back out to the Midwest. In the mean time, I’m starting on some things I wasn’t going to do right away with the thought in mind that they also couldn’t wait until I got back here again if I do leave. I’ve been back a week and two days, though parts of my mind and heart have not left there yet. When will this little family get a break? Just when I thought things were maybe settling into our “new normal”.

May 27, 2009

Home sweet home

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home — — —

home-sweet-home

Back at the end of April, I set an arbitrary deadline to be home for Memorial Day weekend, and I made it.

I said good-bye to Des Moines, Iowa, but just for a short time — — —

Sunday, the first day I was here, was not great weather wise, but neither hubby nor I cared. We spent the day relaxing, watching the rain, and went out for dinner at Southwest Cafe, one of our favorite hangouts. I also picked some wildflowers from my garden — — —

wildflowers-from-my-garden

And on Memorial Day, hubby and I went to the parade here in Ridgefield. Lots of armed service veterans at the front of the parade followed by the town firetrucks. Some wisdom from the back of the truck — — —

Lots of flags too — waving everywhere — every parade unit — half the people on the street — almost all of the kids — — —

And, the last thing packed into my bag before I left was a crocheted gift from my sister’s friend — some kitchen towel wisdom — and probably the only reason that I have been able to hold it together the past 9 1/2 weeks — faith.

“All things are possible for those who believe”. Without the faith and prayers of my hubby, friends, church friends, and the church prayer team, I don’t know how I would have come through the last few weeks. And the prayers continue . . . . . . .

May 22, 2009

On the Road Again!

That country song has been rattling around in my head quite a bit lately. As I hopped into the car to drive from Nebraska to Des Moines, Iowa I was definitely “on the road again” for the second time on that drive in as many days and for the 6th time in 1 1/2 weeks. I was tired but the drive was good as traffic was light for some reason. I stopped for a snack but was determined to speed along so I didn’t even photograph the windmills this time. The breeze was gentle so they were all just turning sort of lazily and gracefully. With the air completely clear, the wind farm was visible from 14 miles away and was a beautiful sight for “mind pictures”.

May 19, 2009May 27, 2009

The answer my friend . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . is blowin’ in the wind.

My fascination with the wind farm in Walnut Iowa has not abated one bit, even with all the times that I have driven by it this spring in my “Midwest adventures”.

The answer? Perhaps it truly is blowing in the wind. Sometimes I just don’t see the rhyme or reason for anything and my thoughts are just blown by the wind to rather random places. So much has happened since March 18th when I flew out here to Nebraska that I could write a book. But much of it, I don’t want to remember, let alone re-live by writing about it. And the book would be really boring and a bit depressing.

Life goes on — one step at a time. Hubby and I used to square dance, years ago, and there was a fun dance to a song with the words “one step forward and two steps back”. It was really a challenging dance, but I can say for sure that living your life to those words is not nearly so much fun. Apparently, here comes that latest new theme for blog posts — “song titles and their application to current life as we know it”.

As far as the blog theme, rippled effects, I cannot even being to analyze the ripple effects of this latest chapter in my Dad’s life. Ripples? Ha! More like big, giant waves!!!!! waves

This is a photo of the lake at Dad’s house. The wind’s were whipping all day at extreme velocity (averaging around 30 mph with gusts higher). At this point, the sustained winds were higher and the skies were darkening. About 5 minutes after I took this photo, the tornado sirens went off at the lake and we went to the basement. The tornado storms flew overhead and one tornado touched down across the river (tipped over a semi and some empty railroad cars) about 10 miles from where we were. This stormy day was one of the last that Dad was in his home. The day was very scary, but so was the realization of how anything out of the ordinary so very confused my father. The dawn of understanding had begun to occur on my part — as to just how non-functional my Dad was even in his own home. The ripple effect (the wave effect) was just beginning at the time this photo was taken.

May 6, 2009May 7, 2009

Moving Day

Well — it was finally accomplished. After all the searching, all the angst, all the worry, all the . . . . . . . we moved Dad to an Alzheimer’s care center in West Des Moines yesterday. With my sister driving him and my other sister and I following (miles behind), we made the 3 hour trek from eastern Nebraska to West Des Moines Iowa with almost no trouble at all. We walked Dad from the car to his new home (he refused to ride in a wheel chair) and directly to his room. Walking into this unit again made me realize a few things, not the least of which was that we were VERY fortunate that there was an opening in this place. It looks so much like a home and the staff is so attentive and caring. The nursing assistant to patient ratio is 1 to 4.5 and there are other assistants around too, including the nurse that we talked to right away. Dad is SO lucky — he doesn’t know it or understand it, but we do. Despite the unfortunate situation he is in, this is the best thing for him — and he is so fortunate. Thank God for everything.

May 4, 2009May 7, 2009

Music in May

A quick trip back to CT and what a nice break it was. The reason for the trip was to play in the Fountain Series Handbell Concert on Friday May 1st. Long rehearsals for two nights prior to the concert helped brush the cobwebs out of my brain as I hadn’t been at a rehearsal for six weeks. And what beautiful music we made. Usually there is at least one piece that doesn’t go as well as the choir and/or director would have liked. But all went so well, it was amazing. The piece that I directed also went well — a slow, smooth song. The choir’s “signature” piece which ends the concert is the Lord’s Prayer. It was so beautiful that I almost started crying at the end. So — all in all — a quick trip — a much needed break — a wonderful concert — and I’m back in Nebraska again.

Photo to come of shiny handbells — it’s on hubby’s camera and I forgot to load it to my laptop.