kbois

Omg... those look good too! I can attest to the fact that fluffernutter sandwiches are a New England, specifically Massachusetts thing. Growing up, school lunch was either fluffernutters or bologna sandwiches. Has to be on Wonder white for the best flavor.

Went to Aldi yesterday. They have decent fresh baked cookies. At the check out, my husband was perusing the seasonal selection of cookies and pastries. Lo and behold... a new discovery: Fluffernutter cookies... peanut butter cookie with mini-marshmallows and peanut butter chips. WHY AM I JUST DISCOVERING THIS NOW???!!!! GENIUS!!!

Being in Florida was part of why writing took a back seat. Once my parents were gone, there wasn't really anything tying me there. The last three years were pretty rough mentally and emotionally with a lot going on. Moving was the best decision I could have made. I have two stories started and I'll have something for the anthology. I dont know which of the two stories will be finished first.

Ok... I have to admit.... when I was living in Florida I didn't do much in the way of going out and socializing. Being a substitute for Bunco a couple of times a year was as social as I got. Now that I'm home I'm discovering a whole slew of opportunities. Last night we met a friend and her husband for dinner and then we went to see Unforgettable Fire. They're a U2 cover band. The show was great and I swear the lead singer was a Bono clone. The venue was really cool. It was an old meeting house that was abandoned and pretty run down until a couple bought it a few years ago and did a complete renovation. Now they use it primarily for cover band concerts. We'll definitely be seeing a few more shows. The Candlelight Concert series has shows in this area too. We might try to go see the Coldplay/Imagine Dragons one. I'd love to go see the Queen show but the damn State of Florida still hasn't paid me the 5 weeks they owe me and I don't start work for another week. Also... I went to the meat store today to stock up on stuff. When I got home my MIL looked at me and said "your shirt is on inside out". 🤦‍♀️ Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

@MichaelS36 Nothing but great birthday wishes heading your way. Have a wonderful day!

I'm hoping to finish up this weekend. 🤞

Update. The wait is over. I got the job!!

Job interviewing is pretty stressful. Making it through three rounds with the same company is usually a pretty good sign, right? Then they drop the news that they will make a decision within the next week. Sure, they may have other interviews but waiting is still frustrating. Patience was never my strong suit.

I can work with that.

I used a level... and a tape measure. We mounted a piece of half inch plywood into one of the studs. That was perfectly level. I think when we were placing the actual mount onto the plywood, it wiggled just enough to throw the whole thing off. Its not horribly crooked... about the same as it was in the last house 🤣🤣

Well... hubby and I just labored for an hour and a half mounting a 75 inch tv on the wall. After a trip to the store to get a battery for the stud finder (don't even go there @weinerdog) we succeeded... ..... mostly. It's crooked. Sigh. Happy Labor Day everyone! ....and tim, can't wait to see how many sign up for your union.😀 🤣 But you know that Doms will follow suit and somehow end up taking over.

I could never be mad at you, my friend 😘

First person POV without using "I"? I didn't even know that was a thing. I think Will and Danny have a bright future. Nice job, my friend! ❤️

Warning, somewhat of a rant ahead. I signed up for this. I knew what I was getting into when I made the decision to move back to Massachusetts and into my mother-in-law's home. My MIL will be 91 in November and has been in a slow, but steady decline over the past few years. We could easily see it whenever we visited. It starts out slowly. They no longer walk as fast or as far. After a while they are holding onto your arm to go down the curb. Next, they use a cane for anything outside of the house. Before long, the cane is used all the time and the walker soon follows. Here's where it usually ramps up if you have a loved one with dementia/memory issues. Everyone has those moments of "where the hell did I put that". But with any kind of dementia, it will slowly evolve. Forgetting to take your morning pills occasionally turns into a few times a week. You buy stuff at the store forgetting you already have some at home. Out goes a dozen expired yogurts. This is where things get tricky, especially when multiple siblings are involved. In my case, my FIL passed away almost 9 years ago. The man needed to be in a nursing home, plain and simple. My MIL refused. The last few years of his life he was blind, extremely hard of hearing and could barely stand up. He thought he could, hence my MIL was on a first name basis with all shifts of the fire department who she had to call at least a couple of times a week to pick him up off the floor. Back then, we weren't in a position to do much. My husband's two sisters had to handle everything. Burnout hits fast and furious when your mother insists on keeping your father at home. Almost every time we visited the last 5 years of his life, there was a trip to the hospital for something. So I can understand why neither of my sisters-in-law want to go through that again. Which brings me to our current situation. Right now, my MIL is still pretty with it. Mostly. She does forget to take her pills, so I've become the pill nazi, reminding her every day. She forgets new information easily. We have to repeat things often, like when my husband is working or when someone is coming over. She has no clue how to work the tv remote other than on/off. Streaming apps are beyond her capability to understand. She still knows who everyone is and you can hold a lengthy conversation with her. Dementia is a fickle bitch. The end result is the same, but everyone's journey is different. However, there are stages that most will go through. Currently my MIL is at the stage where she knows that her memory is slowly going to shit but is in denial. Personality changes are common. My dad was always really laid-back and easy going. The last 5-10 years if his life he turned into Crankshaft (a cranky cartoon character). He got pissed off easily, which was hard sometimes. My MIL isn't as patient as she used to be. Obsessive behavior is common. People with memory issues tend to become fixated on an object... with my mom it was her pocketbook. My MIL is fixated on her cat. We moved here with our 16 year old dog and 8 month old kitten. If you ask my MIL, her 12 year old cat has been traumatized. There's nothing wrong with this cat other than she has a thyroid issue and is a skinny, bony thing. My MIL think the cat needs to be fed every few hours. She freaking gets up at 4am to feed the thing. Nine times out of ten, the cat eats two bites and walks away. The amount of cat food this woman throws out is mind boggling. She's also obsessed with laundry. Not a day goes by without the washer and dryer going. Hoarding, or "saving" shit is common. Does my MIL need 4 dozen plastic rosary beads that she gets in junk mail soliciting for donations? NO. What is really pissing me off the most is the lack of empathy the rest of the family seems to have. I get the feeling that they look at doing anything to help out as a duty. One sister takes her to the library and to lunch once a week. Another will pop in periodically to check on her. The sister in Indianapolis comes 2 or 3 times a year... but she is effing clueless and useless (that's another whole blog in itself). There are two other sons, one who pretty much went low contact when he was in his late teens, and the other is an effing pedophile who I will bodily harm if he comes near here. This woman's house has been in need of power washing for at least 3 years. Someone went as far as to buy a container of stuff you spray on, let soak, and rinse off. Did this person ever use it? Nope. I was outside today taking care of it. The light yellow house is no longer green. This woman has no power of attorney in place. We're not sure if she has advanced directives. She's still paying her bills, but we know she's missed things. The two sisters who are here took her to lunch this week and broached the subject with her. She seemed to be open to it, but where her mind is now, it takes a long time for her to make a decision... and let's face it, time is running out when youre almost 91. So, my GA friends, if you have parents who are approaching their twilight years, sit down and have that hard conversation. Ask them: Do you have advanced directives. Do you have a will? What are your plans if you cant take care of yourself? Older people have a hard time letting go of control and many think that by signing a medical or financial power of attorney then they are having those decisions taken away from then. Make it clear that power of attorney privileges come into play only when they are incapacitated and can't make decisions for themselves. If dementia is a factor, their doctor will be able to step in and advise at what point they cant be relied on to make informed decisions. Elderly parents need to be taken care of to the best of their caregivers ability. But caregivers need to take time for themselves and for fuck's sake DO NOT EVER MAKE A PROMISE TO KEEP THEM OUT OF A NURSING HOME. Is keeping someone at home better? Of course it is. Until their care exceeds what the caregiver is able to provide without compromising their own mental health and physical well-being. Nursing homes aren't great, but as a family member, you have to be able to make that choice if necessary. My mom should have been in one, but I found out that my dad made my brothers promise not to put her in one. That wasn't fair to any of us. I don't know why my MIL wouldn't put my FIL in one, but same thing. Her own decline was accelerated as a direct result of keeping him at home. Ive told my kids not to feel guilty if they have to park my ass in one someday. I don't want to be a burden on them. So, if you have elderly parents that you're on good terms with, sit down and make sure everyone is on the same page. And don't feel guilty cleaning out the cabinets and throwing away spices that expired in 1998 and laxatives that expired in 2002.

I've made it to the end of Super Mario Brothers way back in the late 90s. That's my one claim to video games. Nowadays my thumbs get too tired lol. I just spent 3 hours and 20 minutes on the phone trying to find out why I haven't gotten paid out my unemployment benefits from the State of Florida. After being on hold for over 2 hours, come to find out they needed a copy of my license and social security card. There was absolutely nothing during the claim process that indicated they required those things and I didn't get any notification saying there was an issue. With moving and job hunting, I haven't had time until now to deal with it. So its still under review and hopefully I'll get paid out the 5 weeks they owe me so far by the end of next week. Dealing with any government agency is a lesson is curbing frustration and swearing... but believe me, there were plenty of F-bombs swirling around my head. Anyways... have a great weekend everyone and if its a 3-day one for you, all the better!

Nope... no corner today. He can even have a treat. Do they still make Liv-a-Snaps?

I know tim usually posts these but I can resist today's.

Yes, kids will make you put your life on hold. For those who are empty-nesters, its a great time to finally focus on yourself. My nest isn't empty. At least not quite. Caring for an older person is pretty much parallel to taking care of kids. But, I took a big leap by moving back home and even though I know it's going to be a huge adjustment for everyone, I'm still going to take time for myself and for me and my husband to reconnect. I might not be able to do exactly what I want but I'll still do whatever I can. I already have plans with an old friend to see a U2 tribute concert in a few weeks. As always, tim's imagery is spot on.

I have a couple of other works in some stage of preparation, including one called "What Part of My Body Hurts The Most" Sounds like you're writing my life story. Every morning it's like spinning a roulette wheel... what's going to hurt today? Knees? Hips? Feet? Ankle? Take your pick lol.

I think a lot of us will recognize ourselves in this poem. Very well done tim. ❤️

Swapped out the pantry cabinets today because mine is bigger. Pasta count: 2 boxes orzo, 3 boxes of rotini, 3 boxes of ziti, 4 boxes of elbows, a bag of egg noodles, and I swear at least 6lbs of spaghetti. People..... don't show the elderly how to order groceries online for delivery. I still have to go through 3 more cupboards, two are mostly baking stuff, plus a box of stuff I brought from Florida. At least most of the canned items were still good, only about a dozen cans got tossed, the oldest expired in 2019. Good grief. I have taken over the cooking and will now plan to have a weekly menu that includes 2 nights for chicken, one beef, one pork, one fish, one vegetarian and one dedicated solely to effing pasta. Spaghetti anyone? 😆

Who needs to remember names when you can get in a good grope?

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Hugs to all of you. Sounds like a couple of rough days. I'm glad he's feeling a bit better. Xoxo

Oh jeez... deranged vampires, unicorns and weinerdogs... oh my! And I thought I came up with crazy stuff. I'm working on mine. No deranged creatures. Yet. I may have to rethink things. The only clue y'all get is that it's a twist on a classic.