Blogging on the Block Day 5 part 2

I am so tired, but I can't go to bed and I know that when I do sleep will not come. Seems these days I spend 95% of my time cleaning up after everyone else is gone to bed.

My son has been wonderful about cleaning up his messes, picking up after himself, and doing his own laundry. He does his chores too, and even helps with dinner and clean up. He's a great kid.

Hubby has been pretty good lately about picking up after himself too, and helping me with little messes. If he notices a mess in the kitchen or the living room he will pick it up or clean it up. Which has been really wonderful.

Lately my MIL has decided that part of getting even with me for not letting her have her way is to make little messes on purpose and walk off and leave them. Tonight was no exception. She waited til my son went to bed, and until Fred went to our bedroom to take his shower and read. Then she started her normal, normal for her, evening routine. She starts with a long breath, and then pretends to cry. Since I didn't respond she got louder. Tonight however I took hubby's advice and just ignored it. That just made it worse.

So, she turned on the water works, literally. So, I asked her if she was tired and she told me yes. I told her she should go get her pjs on and get ready for bed. She pulled the no meds in her box trick, so I told her to check her purse. That just made her mad and she stomped off to her room. My son took her purse to her and she got them out and came back to the living room claiming that at least someone cared about her. Again, normal around here.

I got up and went to put on my pjs and brush my teeth. While I was doing that she fixed herself a drink. I heard the ice maker and didn't think much about it. I hear her getting ice a thousand times a day it seems. But when I came back thru the kitchen I stepped in a nice sticky wet spot. She had opened a new drink (caf free pepsi) a 20oz and had spilled about half of it in the floor. She didn't even bother to clean it up, just left it. Not only that, the fridge was standing wide open and the box of ice cream was out on the counter.

I walked to the living room arch and asked her if she was done in the kitchen, very politely - honest. She responds with, "did I make a mess? Well just clean it up and leave me alone, you don't care about me no way."

I know I should be used to it, and I knew it was coming, but couldn't I just get a break. Yes, yes I can. Cause I got an email. Come spring break I get to go to the lake house all week. Yeah me! My dad sent me the dates that we're going down, and after the crazy holidays I'm so excited. Hubby's already said his brother can stay with her during the day while me and the boy are gone. So happy, so very happy! I get a break. Now if I can just make it til March.

Gotta run, I'm going to put the MIL to bed and mop the kitchen floor.

Blogging on the Block Day 5

Today was an awful rainy day. I really don't like to get out in rain, but I did anyway. The MIL had a therapist appointment and we had to go. Her therapist is usually half and hour late, but today she was only 5 minutes. We all felt like going into shock. These sessions are supposed to allow my MIL get all her pent up frustrations out, but that never happens. She tries to pretend nothing is ever wrong and that she's just as normal as a the rain coming down. She never wants to talk about what's really bothering her, what she's mad about, or her feelings on anything. She usually ends up pissed off at me because I tell on her for sneaking a smoke or throwing a fit. If I don't say anything the therapist always asks if we've been fighting. We really don't fight, sometimes we are both just so headstrong that we both want to be right. She doesn't like it when I clean, cook, do laundry, or anything. She says I'm too picky. My house is by no means spotless, but I wish.

Well, I didn't tell on her for smoking today, she hasn't as far as I know. She didn't even mention the fit I threw on the Monday before the 1st. Trust me, she remembers it because she hid her smokes so good she can't find them. I did throw one heck of a fit. Don't get me wrong, I don't smoke, I used to 17 years ago, my mother smokes and I don't like it. My oldest son smokes and my best friend, I don't like it either, but they are old enough to decide for themselves and I do tell them they should quit, but sometimes I'd love to have one myself.

The Sunday before we got word that the lady we held a festival for the year before passed away. A lovely woman who had severe COPD and has been on oxygen for a couple of years. Anyway, recently she and her husband both became very ill, they were both in the hospital and being moved to a nursing home. He took care of her, and he had to have a leg taken off, and they decided to go into a nursing home together. They went to the nursing home on Friday, and Saturday she had to be rushed back to the hospital, and passed away on Sunday. My MIL was very close with them, they ran a deli here locally for years, now their grandson runs it. She's known them for 65 years, and it hurt her terribly when she heard the lady passed away. I can understand that. So Sunday when we got the call she fell to pieces.

On Monday, her niece and aunt came to visit. I thought it was very nice and was thrilled that they had come to see her. When they left I went to get ready to go to town. My MIL was going with me, and the boy. I heard the back door close and came out of my bedroom to see what was going on. My son told me she had to go out to the car to get something from her niece. So I go out, she was pulling out of the drive way and my MIL was putting something in her pocket trying to hide it from me. Well, I saw that it was a pack of smokes. My temper got the best of me, she knows the doctor told her she didn't need to smoke at all. She hasn't smoked in 8 months, and now she wants to start sneaking and smoking again. I was especially peeved that the doctor had just increased her inhaler the last time we were there because of her wheezing. So I flew off the handle and told her off good. I asked her if she was going to start sneaking and smoking again, and she told me it was none of my business. That was the wrong thing to say.

I pulled my suitcase out, put it in the dining room and I went to spouting off everything she'd done to drive me nuts since Thanksgiving, and I proceeded to tell her just how I felt about her childish pouting and this was the last straw. I was tired of running her to the doctors just so she could let it go in one ear and out the other, I was tired of cleaning poop and pee out of the bathroom floor, wiping down every surface of my house with bleach spray because she wouldn't wash her hands, and how tired I was of cleaning up her sticky messes that she leaves all over the house, and I proceeded to tell her how I'm over her pissy fits she has when she doesn't get her way. I told her I could tell when she was playing at not remembering and when she really couldn't remember, because I can after 5 years. And then I told her, after I packed my suitcase, which is still in the dining room, that if she so much as lit up I was out of there. I didn't have to stay there and watch her kill herself, and that if she thought she had it rough now to just wait til she had to drag that air tank around.

Then we went to town, and she tried to pet my feelings the rest of the day. She hid that pack of smokes, and now she can't find them and she won't name it. I told the hubby about my fit, and why. She doesn't know he knows she has them or that I told him about having a fit on her.

I know my MIL is sick, I know she has Alzheimer's, but for the most part she is sane. She has COPD, suffers from depression, bipolar, and manic depressive. I know these things all too well. Each day is a trial, each day is a battle of wits, but she fakes a lot of it for attention, she pulls tricks like a little kid and she can also be quite an actress.

Right now my MIL and hubby are talking about the newspaper articles, the layoffs at Goody's and Searay's, drug raids, and property taxes. They've been talking for 3 hours about people in the area, who owns what, who bought what, who is married to who and so on. But in an hour, she'll pull the "I don't know why I get so nervous, my jaw just hurts, and can I have a pain pill." Because she took her last one for the day at 7 pm. She's only allowed 3 a day, and she knows it, but she'll ask anyway.

Well, I didn't mean to turn this into a "What a fit I threw" day, but that's what came out when I sat down here to type. Sometimes you just have to go with what comes out.

Jody, I'll get some pictures of the calves tomorrow. Might even have a new one by then. Goodnight!

Blogging on the Block Day 4

Today was a very long day. Very draining on my mind. I did get a walk in this morning. I walked out in the fields and found the new calf beside the hay feeders. Cute little thing, not sure if its a he or a she, since it was laying down. Its a deep brown with a white face. The first calf born, Christmas eve, was a brown grey, he thinks he's a big cow and chases the dogs.

I hate sitting in doctor's offices, and that's what we did this afternoon. It was a scheduled visit, and it wasn't as long as some have been in the past.

Before we left I got to hear all morning the same things over and over again. I know she can't help it, but after she tells you for the 100th time that she doesn't know what makes her so nervous and could she have something to settle her nerves. Believe me she takes enough to put a horse down for a week. I can't trust her to fix her own pill box, so I have to do it. I double check it every morning because she hordes pills and then claims it wasn't in there. She's very good at palming the pills too, and she can be very tricky with it. Today was one of those days where she tried all her tricks. She also put on a good show at the doctor's office too. Thankfully they all know how she can be and they humored her very well.

She did pull a new one today, but the doctor wasn't at all fooled. He very calmly explained her meds to her one at a time. She got bored and changed the subject. It didn't even phase him, he just smiled at me and winked.

She also got pouty before dinner. While I was cooking she wanted to fix her coffee pot, and since I was washing dishes as I went she stomped off to her room in protest. She didn't come out until dinner was done and my son went back and told her to come eat. When she did come into the kitchen my bestfriend came in and she had to have her undivided attention. This is when she ignores me completely or tells me to shut up she isn't talking to me. When she first started this trick it would hurt my feeling terrible, now I just ignore it and carry on. Tonight was not exception, she ignored me and didn't like it when Tam spoke to me. She finally hurried up with her dinner and went back to her room to pout again.

She did get over it quickly and came out to visit with us, very politely, and was fine for about an hour after Tam left. Then when I sat down at the computer to check my email she suddenly had to use the phone. She called everyone she could think of to tell them how dumb her doctor is and how she was going to find another one. I'm used to that too, she's been saying that for 3 years, I have no fear. She doesn't want another doctor, she just wants something to complain about.

Anyway, all is quiet now, and I'm gonna check my email and go to bed. Goodnight out there, I hope you had a great day.

Sunday on the Blog Block 1/4/09

Today is my mother's 62nd birtday and my son's 16th. So we loaded up and went to spend some time with my folks. Mom was ready to go shopping when we go there. Which is rare these days, she doesn't feel like doing much with 2 artificial knees and 3 pins in her hip. But she wanted to go to KMart. So off we went. Mom shopped til she was tired and we went back home.

George, the boy, was still sitting at the computer playing a game, and my brothers were determined to get something out of one of the bags we brought in. They didn't get anything, and they weren't very happy about it either.

Then on the way home I had to watch out for pigs crossing the road. NO, I'm not crazy, well I don't see things anyway. We took the back road and while passing this farm a pot belly pig crosses the road in front of us. I got the picture, it isn't very clear. But here it is. This was on my cellphone, so it doesn't come in very good. The dark spot it the pig, moving on.

Closer to home we had to watch out for deer crossing the road. I saw 4 does and a buck. They just watched us from the field so that was good. I don't need a new hood ornament right now.

Of course the cows were bawling when we got here. They wanted their sweet feed. The MIL was nervous cause she didn't know who to call to get to come feed them. Told her not to worry about it, that we'd get it done. She wanted some tylenol so I got that for her while George feed the cows.

After dinner and after Fred got home we feed hay bales and checked on the white round cow (Snowball) to see if she'd had her calf yet. She's hid pretty good so we won't be able to find her til tomorrow. Guess that will be on my list of things to do. I already have a long list, what's a few more.

Anyway, off to bed for me. Good night everyone!

Blogging on the Block Day 3

Not much to write about really today. It was cold and rainy and I didn't feel like doing jack spratt. I did get to see the sign Fred totalled when he wrecked yesterday. I should have take a picture. He's lucky he didn't need the jaws of life to cut him out of the truck. If he had hit the sign he would have been wedged between 2 trees. Thank goodness the man upstairs was watching over him.

I did get out of my PJ's and go to the feed mill with Fred. Then I came home an gather commented, checked email. checked book trades, and at a sandwich.

Then we took movies back, went to the grocery store, and came home. Boring day. Totally boring.

My MIL pouted that Fred and I spent most of the day together, but she had the boy here with her. Even if he was all caught up in the computer.

So, nothing exciting, nothing new here. Kinda glad we didn't have any real issues today. Besides, I'm sure tomorrow and Monday will be overfilled with them.

Tomorrow the boy turns 16 and my mom get to see her birthday present (the boy). By the time I get home to fix dinner the MIL will be having a fit. That's normal, and I'll have to clean up all her messes where she helped me while I was gone. That's normal too.

On Monday the MIL has a doctors appointment and the boy goes back to school, maybe I'll get called to work this week too. I can hope.

Anyway, gone for now, back tomorrow.

Another Day on the Blog Block

Ok, today is my 3rd post. How many days do you have to do something for it to becomes a habit? Hmmm, no idea.


Anyway, today started out with a bang. I had to get the hubby up at 4:30 am and I must have dozed right back to sleep. I didn't hear him leave, but at 6:15 the phone woke me up. It was his work, they were calling to check to see if he was coming in. I told him he should have been there by now and I was sure he would be there any minute. Not 5 minutes later he called me back. He got there, but he'd run over a street sign when he hit a patch of black ice. He said he missed the other 3 cars that hit it in front of him and he wasn't hurt. He told me not to go out until the temps came up a few degrees and to stay off of 2 of the roads near the house.


Then I asked him about his truck, cause he hasn't had it but a few months. I had to drive him to and from work for almost 3 months before he got this one. It isn't a new truck, its a 2002 F150, but it didn't have any dents or anything. It has a few dents now, but all he did to it today was bust the bumper on the front. His old truck, the one he wrecked before this one, took out a tree. He was going to work one morning and he went around the curve and the truck didn't turn, the axle broke and he hit a tree head on. Thankfully he wasn't hurt, but the truck was totalled.


The rest of the day was quiet. My MIL was rather quiet today, I think she was still pouting because I went to my mom's yesterday.



I did get outside and work in the yard today. I picked up all the news papers the dogs chewed up before we could get to them this week. Then I took a walk. I was out walking around the farm for an hour, that counts as excercise doesn't it. No, I'm not ready to tackle the bluff yet, but the hill out back took my breath away by the time I was to the top.


The bluff is a lot steeper than this.



Time to check my email and clean up the kitchen for the night. The MIL has gone to bed, hubby is snoring, and the boy is huffing and puffing on the couch. He wants the computer. I might let him check his game trades, then again, I might just ignore him and stay online awhile.

I'll be back tomorrow. Good night!

How I spent my New Year's Day

Well, I saw the New Year come in. I sat up until after 1 am. I was so sleepy, but at 4 am I was wide awake. It was really quite nice to sit at the computer and check email and stuff with no one wanting to use the phone or get online.



I woke the hubby up at 8 am. We fixed breakfast and sat at the table talking. The boy, as he so lovingly calls him, didn't get up until 11:30, about the same time my MIL got up. By 12:30 I decided I would go visit my parents, so the boy and I took off.



Sunday is my mother's birthday, and the boy will be 16. I tell her every year I don't have to get her anything because I gave her the boy on her birthday. She just laughs at me and ask where her present is. This year my dad and I went together and got her a digital picture frame. I've been putting pictures on a card for and today we took it to her.

My mother is a strong woman, she's suffers from crippling arthritis and has had 10 surgeries. In August she had her left knee replaced, she had her right one done 5 years ago. In September she fell and broke her hip and had 3 pins put in. So now she has 2 knees, one wrist fused, I thumb reconstructed, both feet redone, her apendix out, a stent put in, and a few other minor things done. She needs both hands reconstructed, but doesn't want to do it. The boys tell her someday she'll be the bionic woman, she just laughs. She pushes herself too hard and tries to do too much, and she pays for it in the end. I think I get my determination and fiery temper from her. Although I could get my temper from my dad, either way I come by it honest. I don't take crap from anyone lightly. Although I do have a lot of patience, but when I blow up..you better hope you're not in my line of sight.

Anyway, she's had some issues with the hip. The pins are working out and they will have to be removed at some point. She has a lot of pain, and today was one of her bad days. It did cheer her up to see us and she loved the picture frame.

Tonight I've been trying to get all my New Year's comments posted to my friends on gather. I've got 2 pages left to do, 2 pages of friends. I've done 4 1/2 pages, so...I'll get there.

Signing off for now, be back to blog tomorrow - well, later today.