Saturday, October 8, 2011

We're Not Teenagers Anymore, Toto...

It's been a rather sad week. First of all, Steve Jobs, of Apple fame succumbed to esophageal cancer. Mel says I can't count him because he wasn't a personal friend, but if it weren't for Steve Jobs and his insight and vision, my life (and that of just about everybody) would be markedly different, so I'm counting Steve Jobs as one of my losses this week.

Then, on Tuesday, Steve and I went out to dad's house to get the TV (that we EXCHANGED with dad), and Missy told me that her friend, Mary Churchich Holliday had passed away early that morning. Technically, Mary was Missy's friend in high school. She and Deanna Harrison hung around with Missy - they were kind of inseparable, like the 3 Muskateers of Bryan High School, but Mary was always so upbeat and friendly, not to mention the fact that she had a great sense of humor. I don't think I had seen Mary in years and years, the last time I remember seeing her, she was working at Johnny's Steakhouse on 25th and L, and Steve and I had gone there for New Year's Eve dinner. A looooooong time ago. She wasn't even our waitress, but she had come over when she recognized me and we talked for a little bit, same old smiling Mary that I remembered from years past. Such a shock that she died so young. She was only 50, and it happened quite suddenly. She had developed a blood clot and then ischemia in her bowel. Over the weekend she was fine, but Monday got sick, and was dead by 1:30 Tuesday morning. That is just so, so freaking sad on so many levels. My heart just aches for her family.

Then, on Wednesday, I was looking in the paper to find Mary's obituary to post my condolences online, and I saw that Vicki Bowles had passed away. She was only 56, and she passed away due to esophageal cancer. Vicki was married to Marty's cousin, Dan, so we hadn't seen each other in years, but when I was married to Marty we used to see them quite a lot. I really had a good time whenever we saw each other, she had the same kind of crazy sense of humor that I have and we always got along great. After the divorce I only saw her once, but she had 2 more children, both girls, I wish we had stayed in touch better.

People come in and out of your life for all different reasons and sometimes you wish you had never met them - but when someone touches your life for the better, you need to let them know. I don't know if Mary ever realized how much I envied her sunny disposition or Vickie ever knew how much I valued her friendship while I was in that marriage, but I'm going to try to make an effort to let people know how much they mean to me. I've read it, and I've probably said it, but we have to let the people who are important to us, KNOW they are important to us.

This all put a pall on this week, of sorts. I feel so old. I think it's so funny - I remember one time when Susie Steinauer and whatever her name was Dewitt were babysitting us and I just hated them having them babysit. Of course they'd have their boyfriend's come over and they were total witches when they stayed with us - and I thought they had one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel - they were THAT old. Looking back on it, they weren't even out of high school! I guess they weren't that old, but they were really BITCHY! LOL! Now, here I am, past that dreaded 50th birthday, and I don't consider myself old. My mind doesn't feel old. I don't feel any older than I did when I got out of high school - my body may argue with me, but my brain is still young! I look in the mirror sometimes and wonder just what the heck happened, but more to the point - when did it happen?! One day I was out there hanging out with my friends and sharing an apartment with Gene, going to wrestling, taking road trips to Minnesota, my favorite color was orange, and I would have sold my brother for tickets to an Osmond concert... Yes, I have very diverse taste... The next thing I know, I live in Keystone (which, believe me, was more than an out of reach dream for most of my life), and I have 2 grown children, and a grandchild who I adore. But really, it was only a few months between on and the other...

We (Mel, Steve, and I) went out to Grand Island today to take some more things out to my dad. Steve and I found a wonderful chair for him at Mrs. B's the other night, so we needed to deliver that, and we had forgotten a box of his clothes on Monday (I can't believe he's only been out there since Monday), and we had to take his shopping to get dress clothes for AJ's wedding. (Oh yes, THAT again.)  So, last night we went out to dad's and loaded up what we were going to take today, and then today since Mel's car is in the shop, Sarah brought her over and we all left for GI.

We had a great drive down there - stopped in York to have breakfast at Chances R... I love that place, but do not have the hashbrowns - not good - and I love hashbrowns... We got to GI about 11:30, so we got all the stuff unloaded, including some of his police memorabilia and his bison picture, went down and got something to drink while he ate lunch, and then set off to find him some duds for the wedding. He loves his chair!  He had to show everybody who came within 15 feet of his door - I"m so glad he liked it. It's brown leather with some some decorative wood on the front. We got a great deal. It had originally been over $700, but we got it for $200, which I thought was a great deal. n
For the clothes, we went to the nearest mall and found a J.C. Penney store - thank goodness it was cheaper than Dillard's! We found a black sport coat and black slacks. We also got him a long-sleeve white shirt - all for $167 - which sure beats the hell out of the $600 that Dillard's wanted for a suit. AJ had called dad and told him to tell Mel to get him a suit rather than a sports jacket and slacks, but dad's budget just didn't allow for that. I felt lucky enough to find a jacket and slacks that were the same shade of black. You'd think black would be black, but you'd be wrong! He wears a size 50 jacket and a size 44x30 pants, and they were both scarce as hen's teeth. The colors of the wedding are purple and gold, and Steve found an eye-popping purple tie, but that was another $30, and he has ties at home If he doesn't have a tux, who cares what color his tie is? I was very pleased we went today to get the clothes, Penney's was having a sale and we saved $145!!! I love it when I feel like I've made a good deal. Saved $113 on the jacket alone.

After shopping, we went to Baskin-Robbins and everybody but Mel had a Nutty Coconut cone or dish of ice cream - Mel had to be different and had Quarterback Crunch, but we were all happy with the treat! After all that, we took dad back home and then we headed back to Omaha.

All in all it was a damn good day! A day spent with family is always a good thing. It was a good ending to a pretty crappy week!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Thank You, God

 Linda, the Social Work Tech, and Katie, the 3rd floor social worker. 

Tasha, the Care Plan Nurse for dad

 Dad and Linda checking out his closet and dresser.

Bob and Mel in absolute awe of dad's new surroundings.

 On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again...

Bob had a tough day, he was ready for some snoozing. 


Got up this morning at 5:30 and we were on the road for Grand Island by 7:20. I'm so glad this has turned out the way it has. Dad is thrilled with the new place - really! We had a wonderful orientation and lunch and then got to view his new room. Very nice. Bob was very impressed. Actually, I'm just very, very glad that dad likes the place. 

Of course, he's going to be a little homesick, but he has to come back to Omaha for an audiology appointment on Thursday and then he'll be back on the 22nd for AJ and Emily's wedding. Mel and I are going out to see him this Saturday, take his TV, help him find a pair of slacks and maybe a suit jacket, and maybe, just maybe get a nice chair for his room. 

We had lunch at the VH (Veteran's Home - actually the GIVH) and I have to admit the food was good. Dad was happy with it, which is what counts. I can't even put into words how relieved I am that we don't have to depend on Missy to take care of him anymore. I just can't even think about what would have happened if he had fallen down the stairs like he almost did on Friday if I hadn't been behind him or Mel hadn't been in the house. Missy was out on the deck yakking to God knows who and never even knew he fell. Mel even had to yell twice before she got her attention. I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with Mel that if Missy had actually been taking care of dad, which is what she was supposed to be doing all this time, dad maybe wouldn't have even had to go to a home. In other words, when Missy starts blubbering about dad having to go to Grand Island, and now what's SHE supposed to do, I don't really give a tinker's damn. She was crying Friday night about how she didn't want dad to have to go, but when Mel tried to talk to her, the bottom line was, Missy didn't know what she was going to do; so it wasn't really that dad was leaving, it was just that it upset her plans. I would think between a boyfriend, a fiance, and a husband she might be able to make a choice. For the love of God. 

That's all for today - just a Very Good Day, and I'm soooo glad that dad is safe and in a good place. I might even be able to sleep well!

Ta-ta.