February is Almost Gone

Well, Spring is in the air and I've actually been able to get out and enjoy it.  I've been able to take some nice walks, which have been noticed by neighbors who were concerned that they had not seen me for a while.  The weather has been beautiful, although another polar vortex is due within a few days.  It should not be as cold as earlier and I'm hoping to be able to continue my walking. 


As you can see, Mother Nature is as confused as the rest of us!  The yellow jasmine is on my mailbox and the azaleas were on the golf course.  I also saw daffodils and red buds in bloom, but couldn't get close enough to photograph them.  This may be very premature, but I'm so happy to see that Spring is near!  I need the feeling of renewal that it always brings.

In the many hours I've spent bedside, I credit the iPad for my sanity!  With all that has happened over the last few years, I've found it almost impossible to have the focus to read a good book or do anything that requires prolonged concentration; however, there are so many things available online to maintain one's interest.  Two of my favorite discoveries follow:

• Livestream App.....this offers live events/performances (front row seats, as events are happening).  I've enjoyed jazz from Lincoln Center (one of my faves!)---92Y, which are interviews with interesting/famous people from the 92nd Street YMCA in NYC ( our local synagogue charges for the series) ----TimesTalks, which are interviews with famous people by NY Times.---BooksandBooks, which has authors discussing their newest book.  There are symphony performances, lectures   I've really enjoyed what I've found, but I feel there are many things that I've not discovered.....the search feature isn't particularly user friendly.  All of these seem to be more low-key than major production pieces, as well as more in depth and diverse......so am continuing to search.
• The Writer's Almanac....this is a web site that you sign up to follow.  Each day you receive an email that begins with a poem, then gives a summary of a famous event that happened on this date, someone who was born on the date (with a little history), and so one....a lot of info in a short email.

I'm sure you've made equally enjoyable discoveries and I've love to hear about them!

On Saturday I treated myself to an afternoon in Savannah, Macy's to be exact.  I had been wanting to go in to take advantage of the white sale, but thought I'd missed it.  Then I received an email announcing ongoing sales; so, on the spur of the moment, I went in for a look around.  I actually found what I was looking for, at a great price.  I met a very nice saleslady, who found an additional 15% discount, which made my day.  I wasn't there nearly as long as I would have liked, but it was a good little jaunt.

 Before all of this happened with my mother (and after our Artist Uncorked class), I started an acrylic painting lesson online (YouTube).  It is absolutely amazing what you can learn online!  This is supposed to be a cherry and I'm 2/3s of the way through.  I hope to view the last instruction video this weekend and complete the project.  It you think it's an apple with a long stem, don't feel bad!  I thought the original photo looked more like an apple than a cherry, so I'd be surprised if I could get it to look like a cherry!!  This isn't anything I will ever be great at, but I'd be happy to just create something I like.....

Wednesday, February 26
Today is dark and rainy, which is fine.  My plans are to have lunch with Sharon, buy cat food on the way home, stop in for a brief visit with mama, and have the rest of the day at home.....sheer joy for a semi-recluse!  On the Mama front, she isn't rebounding as she usually does, and everything is so tied together - dementia, pain, anger, depression - that it is difficult to determine the major motivation for anything she does or doesn't do.  Since she has been mostly bed-bound, I've been going over at lunch and dinner to help with that.  Day before yesterday, she was uncooperative with the physical therapist, but he did get her to walk a bit and had left her in a wheel chair in the dining room.  Since she was there, I went with it and, lo and behold, she fed herself, no problem.  Lots of people stopped by to say they were happy to see her out and about, and she responded positively.  But, yesterday she was angry and wouldn't go to the dining room for lunch.....so I left and didn't go back for dinner.  She stayed in bed all weekend and wants to stay there most of the time, but the plan is now to get her up throughout the day, whether she likes it or not.....and I will not be going around meal times (or several times a day!).  She isn't going to like it.  It's not going to be pretty, and I've apologized to the staff in advance; but, it seems the only thing left to try. If nothing else, this plan gives me a little more personal time, for which I'm thankful.