what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[W2R]

This is the weekend before Mardi Gras, with huge parades scheduled all weekend. Right now we have a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado warning going on. The thunderstorm is here and tornado caused injuries and damage to our west and there's another one just south of here.

Some of the parades have been delayed including the Endymion parade, which usually has >1,000,000 people attending, and is now moved back to tomorrow. It now will be back-to-back with Bacchus, another of our mega-parades. What a zoo that will be! Also another parade that goes by F.'s house is delayed until tomorrow.

However, many parades are continuing as originally scheduled. People have camped out for days to get a good spot for these parades, and at this point nothing could get them to leave. (Edited to add: But at least one parade, Iris, decided on the spur of the moment midway in the parade to cut it short immediately and turned off of the parade route. The present 60 mph wind gusts and carnival floats don't mix well.)

What a mess! I just hope today's parades are uneventful, though wet.

 

[freebird5825]

It is raining and chilly and windy outside today. But it is NOT SNOWING!

I made a nice comfort lunch of tomato basil soup and buttered rye bread on the side. Hot soup is so wonderful on such an icky day.

Mr B and I are actually sitting home watching some excellent shows, multiplexing among the Military, Discover, Biography and Science channels.
"Haunted History" is featuring sightings of Hollywood legends at sites including the Knickerbocker Hotel and a movie star cemetery in Hollywood. Woooo--ooooooo

 

[braumeister]

Today I listened to the rain and listened to the sump pump.

I had that experience a little too often last year, so I installed a second (emergency) sump pump that runs on a battery in case the power goes out. About $450 total, and a pretty easy job. The peace of mind it gives is wonderful.

 

[bbbamI]

DH and I went to a play today...this is the first time we've been to one in years. The music was written by a friend of ours and it was just wonderful. The voices of the young people were outstanding and everything went off without a hitch. Very enjoyable...

During the play, I kept thinking.....'Geezzzzz, they sure have a lot to memorize'.......

Ahhhh....to be young.

 

[Gotadimple]

Long wait along the east shore of Lake Union on the Lake Union Loop Trail. Lots of interesting sites including these house boats.

 

[JmfromTx]

I was going to play golf this morning but the first thunderstorm this year blew through. I goofed off all morning then got to the kitchen and made salsa verde and pico de gallo for a shindig my Sis and BIL are throwing tomorrow. It's going to be a party for my retirement and my Mom and younger sisters birthdays. The best thing about my day was that I accepted the weather and made the most of it instead of pacing the floor and and fretting because I couldn't do what I wanted.

 

[TromboneAl]

To see where you are going without looking up?

That's right.

Tried My Invention: Heads Down Display Neck Saver

 

[ls99]

You could try a pair of convex mirrors hinged on the bottom of your glasses at 45 degrees or so. Adjust as needed for a true mind blower.

 

[freebird5825]

I did it...I DID IT...I did my final tax return review and e-filed today.

Mr B shamed me into it. His words were along the lines of "stop procrastinating, sit down and go back over your entries and e-file the fr*ggin thing". Whimpering and a pouty bottom lip did me absolutely no good at all.

We are watching a pre-season Red Sox vs. Mets game on TV. Mets are ahead by 1 run right now at the top of the 9th inning.
A little voice in my head keeps chanting...
LET'S GO METS
LET'S GO METS
LET'S GO METS

 

[FreeAtLast]

I just did laundry and worked on my taxes most of the day.

 

[simple girl]

Finished my taxes today, too. Also went to practice for another dance performance I am in this upcoming weekend. Now enjoying a gin and tonic. Life is good!

 

[Dawg52]

Finished my taxes today, too. Also went to practice for another dance performance I am in this upcoming weekend. Now enjoying a gin and tonic. Life is good!

Didn't do my taxes, but do need a med. Kind of cool here today and wet. Hope it drys out enough for golf tomorrow.

 

[simple girl]

Didn't do my taxes, but do need a med. Kind of cool here today and wet. Hope it drys out enough for golf tomorrow.

I know, it was super cold down south here today...brrrrrrrrrrr!!

Enjoy your med(s) - I am!

 

[TromboneAl]

I did it...I DID IT...I did my final tax return review and e-filed today.

Show off.

--------------

Today I disassembled and lubed my turbo-charged electric toothbrush, so now it's back to warp-speed capability. Except for the design flaw that allows water to get down to the motor and cause rust, these Braun things are made pretty well.

 

[Ronstar]

Speaking of meds - we had the first meeting of our newly formed brewing club. It was brutal.

 

[W2R]

Slept late on this Mardi Gras morning, and now watching parades on live TV over my first cup of coffee. Breathtakingly beautiful! Wish I could adequately describe what I am seeing. The parades will continue non-stop all day, on all the parade routes all over town.

Too much craziness so I'll probably stay home, and F. lives on a parade route with non-stop parades already going by so he doesn't have any choice - - I'm sure he is blocked in.

 

[Nords]

Thanks for the support and the PMs and the "thanks" notes, everyone. The week's gone by pretty fast.

My father's almost completely recovered from the repair to his duodenum. Amazing progress since I saw him on the 5th day after surgery, when he could barely stand by his bed, to now ready to go hiking again. He had over a dozen staples in his six-inch incision (from below the ribcage to his navel) but those were taken out yesterday (the 9th day) and he's just holding it together with surgical tape. The duodenum hole has been stitched over with a strip from his omentum (sort of the biological equivalent of duct tape) and should eventually heal itself. Pretty cool procedures & technology, as long as you're a survivor. By the time the ER doc figured out the problem (not helped by Dad's incoherence and complaints of heart-attack symptoms) they had to hurry. His neighbor literally saved his life.

Unfortunately the doctor's subsequent diagnosis is leaning more toward Alzheimer's than vascular dementia. My father's been aware of his declining cognition for the last 18 months and (when he's lucid) he understands that he shouldn't try to live on his own anymore. Unfortunately "lucid" is infrequent, too short, and random. He spends most of his time in the late 1950s/early 1960s and usually thinks I'm his ol' college roommate.

We've had great help from the hospital's discharge planner, plus we've hired a care manager and consulted an elder-law lawyer. Money well spent. We're going to move Dad to a skilled nursing facility (rehab & therapy) followed by an assisted-living/full-care facility close to my brother's home. The hospital's discharge planner is finding a place now, and when the paperwork is ready then Dad and I are going to make the 250-mile drive in his Ford Explorer through the Rockies. Hopefully that'll happen by tomorrow or Thu at the latest or else we'll be looking at a delay until Monday.

My brother's working with his own care manager and lawyer in his town. (We're flinging money around with wild abandon.) He's filing to be appointed guardian & conservator, and he'll delegate the financial details back to me. Looks like that'll take a minimum of 2-3 months, and until then we're essentially having Dad sign the checks to pay his apartment rent & utility bills. Soon we'll get those on autopay from his checking account, and in the next few months (once he's settled in a facility) we'll close down his apartment and take care of his possessions.

Dad's covered with Medicare, LTC insurance, pension income, and his own assets. My initial impression is that the money will be OK. He's had a LTC policy since 1993 and has only paid about $11K in premiums for an inflation-rider policy that will now top out around $300K. If you're a John Hancock investor then you might want to divest yourself within the next 100 days.

I'm a third-generation engineer, and his apartment is a model of engineering neatness & efficiency for coping with progressive cognitive deficiency. Reminder notes and calendars are everywhere, and his filing system was designed to keep him from missing dates or payments. Everything is logged, dated, and annotated. I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on but I don't think anything is behind or unpaid. He made it work for far longer than he should have, but he didn't want to give up control.

So while we're awaiting the discharge plan, I'm packing up his clothes and a few personal possessions. (I'm getting good advice from the care manager.) Next up are his 2010 tax returns. Hopefully I'll be back home next week and back here on the board a few days later.

It's a shame that things had to go this way, but they're going as well as we could expect.

 

[Moemg]

Glad to hear from you . I was wondering how it was going . At least your Dad will now be in a safer place and he realizes he needs to be there .Usually a hospital stay is the only way that older people realize it's time to move . A good friend of our family was managed at home for a few years with Alzheimer's . The care was poor and they stripped the house of all valuables . We finally moved her to an Alzheimer's unit where she lived for several years and had excellent care . So you made the right decision.

 

[DangerMouse]

Nords, thanks for the update. It is sad to see anyone go from being a strong parent to being the one that needs the care.

 

[Dreamer]

Nords, sorry to hear all that you have been going through. I am sure that it is not an easy time. It does sound like you have things under control though. Good luck.

 

[Meadbh]

Nords, your Dad is lucky to have two such well organized sons to take charge for him. Because that's what he needs now, even if he doesn't realize it.

 

[Sue J]

Thanks for the update, Nords. It sounds like your earlier visit and pre-planning for this eventuality have been very beneficial.

 

[ls99]

Took DW ice skating. She bravely hugged he wall and my hand. Did pretty good. Stopped on the way home for a reward of Latte for her.

 

[Moemg]

Today my daughter called me to tell me that my Geo Prism is on death's doorstep . I drove it in the eighties and then gave it to my daughter who drove it until recently . It is twenty years old with $250,000 miles on it . That is one car I got my money's worth on.

 

[freebird5825]

I woke up to a nice pot of coffee already made for me. I was procrastinating to the fullest extent while Mr B took a ride to the Legion for coffee and man [-]gossip[/-] talk. I had the house all to myself. I had my sweats and tank top on and morning "pineapple" hair all perfectly in place.
THEN...he comes home around 11 AM and proceeds to coerce me into going food shopping.
I hemmed.
I hawed.
I cited the weather (which dammit was snow-free. where's my lake effect when I need it most? )

ARGH...I motivated, showered, dressed, and grabbed the shopping list.
One consolation is HE drove the shopping cart and did the price checking.
I was rewarded with some nice cold beers (his treat ), good company, and a free goulash dinner at the VFW after all was said and done.