Our lady no more.

I should have known better than to leave her on the yard...oh well.

Our Lady of the Play Yard

Look who was out on the play yard to greet me this morning for outdoor Physical Education class! Only in Berwyn.

What is the unencumbered woman?

Addie, photo credit.

 I've always said that the unencumbered woman is more an aspiration than an actual person or self.  I pondered this today, considering that I've lapsed deep into cataloging my exploits as a daughter of aging parents.  Hardly a vision of trouble free living, indeed.  Nevertheless, there must be a way to experience life's rollercoaster ride with a view on not being hindered by the sorts of worries, drama, resentments and aches that plague us all.  Naturally, we all have good days and bad days.  Equally, there are many who deserve much more room for ache, hurt, stress and worry than many others.  One of my latest strategies for relaxation is to take care of some long awaited improvements to the interior of my home.  I've been sleeping on garage sale and hand me down linens since college (literally).  So I finally went to Garnet Hill and I bought my first Garnet Hill set of linens and duvet cover.  I won't even link to GH because it's such an embarrassment for me to buy brand new bed clothes anywhere but Sears or JCPenney, but this shows how much lift my own current crisis calls for.  I must say, I'm happy as a clam up in our snug, tidy, bedroom.

This formerly white rocker was my great-grandmother's and it sat in her bedroom on Wasco Street in Portland circa1920-1960.

And then the front porch.  If there ever was a time for a short list of people who don't make me frustrated or angry, it's now.  Along with immediate family, Jim has been there for me on a constant basis for I don't know how long. When he offered to help me paint chairs and floor of front porch, I flipped.  It's about time!  I planned it so I came home from our last trip with all the work finished.

Needlework corner!

Game corner!

The little tables were sort of a last minute decision and I'm so glad we decided to paint them.

KRVM, again and again

I know I've said it before, but I don't know how to describe how enormous is the gift of terrific music programming on public radio in Oregon! I LOVE KRVM and that's all there is to it. According to one news report, twenty percent of KRVM's budget comes from the federal government, so when it comes time for all of us to dig even deeper into our pockets to support radio, I know where my pennies are going.  When I jumped into the car to run some solo errand on Saturday, my last day with Mom and Dad, there it was, a program called Magical Mystery Tour.

Memo Book

Last day of this trip. Never enough time. I managed to sneak away to my favorite ocean overlook on the way back from Fred Meyer (I wanted to replace Dad's memory book, which was destroyed in the laundry). I was ready to take a shot of myself, when a gentleman in a red felt hat offered to do it for me.  He was a quick study in the art of smart-phone photography. I noted his Elks jacket and asked if he was a member of the local lodge and does he know Dad (yes, and of course he does).  So as I'm composing my blog post in my head, Andy throws open the rear of his van to show me his handmade carved myrtlewood crosses.  He wants to give me one, and all I have to do is sign his memory book.  We talked about the weather, my dad, and the fact that the overlook was he and his wife's favorite spot.  We exchanged hugs and that was that.

TBFTGOGGI

So we got the call in the middle of the night that Dad had fallen and was en route to hospital, most likely not serious.  Dad was downright giddy at Peace Harbor...singing "Three O'Clock in the Morning..." I reminded him that he always fooled me on April First.  Quick as anything..."Look! There's Mom!" He can still get me.  When I get back to Regency I learn that there was a malfunction with the alarm that alerts employees when he's up and about...oops!
These folks are well-intentioned and over-worked, but perhaps someone was busy toilet-papering the administrator's office and forgot to plug Dad's alarm
in.  I know, I know, someone would turn this into an opportunity to get indignant and outraged...but my response is more of a shrug....another day in eldercare....there but for the grace of god go I.

And how about a recent Regency grad?

It's all about drive & determination.