Good Day!

I headed to Mom and Dad's this morning and arrived about 10:30. Mom had already been down to the road to get the newspaper, come back to the house, gotten Dad up and was in the process of getting him dressed when I got there. I took Dad's new favorite dish. tortilla crusted tilapia! It's so easy, just pop it in the oven for 7-12 minutes! I made baked potatoes and green beans and the meal was ready when Dad came down the hall! Dad doesn't seem to mind skipping breakfast and going right to lunch! He took one bite of the fish, pointed to it and said, "Ummmm!" He sure knows how to make me feel appreciated!

For years, it has been my job to do Dad's manicure! Nothing fancy, just clipping and filing his fingernails! Immediately after cleaning off the table, I set up the stuff and did my duty! I almost got fired for hitting a tender spot in attempting to go after a cuticle!

Mom washed her hair and I was tickled to help her roll it! She can do it herself, but sometimes it makes her hands cramp. She said that , since she has been sleeping in the wrist brace we gave her, that hasn't been happening! Hooray!

A friend, Pat, a dean from Mom and Dad's church, came to the house around 2:15 and brought them communion. That is so very kind of Pat and it is very important to Mom and Dad, even though they have been able to go to church on Sundays for a while now. After Pat left, the three of us found a comfy spot and had about an hour's nap! By then it was 4:00 and Dad was pushing Mom to go get ready for their dinner date!

Dad and Mom had dinner plans tonight with dear friends, Debbie and Bobby Sonnen. They were meeting at Russo's, a very nice restaurant "on the hill" on the south side of the bridge going in to Marble Falls. Mom asked Bobby if anyone else was going to be there and he said possibly a few others. Knowing Bobby, there is no telling how many folks were there to greet and entertain Mom and Dad! I can't wait to call her tomorrow and find out. That bunch of friends can get a little loud and crazy! Just what Mom and Dad needed to perk up their week! Mom and Dad adore them and it's mutual! They were both looking so forward to it!

God-willing, I will be back to Mom and Dad's next week and bring you more news! Until then, God's blessings! Love, Sandi

Hello to all of you!

I went to Mom and Dad's Thursday and, as planned, my housekeeper/friend, Dora, went with me! After introducing her to Mom and Dad she immediately went to work. Dora had to be back in Austin by 3:30 to pick up her kids, which was perfect. It gave us a time goal to work around.

Mom's favorite restaurant is Rosie's Tamale House on Highway 71, just west of Austin in Bee Cave. She doesn't get to go there often, so we decided to go there for lunch since we had plenty of time! They eat out in Marble Falls often, so Rosie's was a welcomed change! Our plan worked great! I called Glenda and asked if she wanted to meet us there. I didn't tell Mom and Dad until the last minute and they were pleasantly surprised! The four of us took our time and thoroughly enjoyed our Mexican-Food lunch! Mom and Dad's favorite thing to order is called "Willie's Plate." On the way there Mom was so excited about getting to eat there that said she thought she could eat two Willie's Plates!!! I often contemplate how much of our lives and our lives' pleasure is centered around food! However, cooking is such a stress/chore for Mom. This was really a treat for her!

While we were eating, old friends of Mom and Dad's had been dining there also and didn't see them until they were leaving! Delbert McKinney used to rope with Dad. It had been over two years since they had seen each other. In fact, he and his wife Ellen didn't know about Dad's stroke. Delbert and Dad used to rope together when Dad was team roping. Delbert was a header and Dad was a healer, so they partnered up at local ropings. Delbert reminded all of us that he was Dad's header at the roping where Dad won his big fancy saddle that hangs in his office! After spending a few minutes catching up with each other they left with promises to go visit Mom and Dad. I sincerely hope they do soon because even that short visit seemed to perk up both Mom and Dad!

We got back to the house about 2:15. Perfect timing...Dora had just finished up, so we grabbed our things, said our goodbyes and headed back to Austin. If you have been to Mom's house, then you know that her house is never very unkempt or dirty. Dora told me that, now that she had seen how clean Mom kept her house, the next time she cleaned it the cost would be much less because it wasn't very dirty! Now, if a housekeeper tells you that, that's pretty good!!! Mom enjoyed the fact that Dora vacuumed the window blinds, cleaned all the light fixtures, swept the corners and ceilings for hidden cobwebs and did extra things that Mom just doesn't have time to do! That was exactly what I hope she would do! Of course, Mom is VERY particular and was able to find a couple of things that didn't meet her approval, but they are very fixable, so I hope she will let Dora come once a month or so! It was huge progress that she agreed to a housekeeper even once!!! Thank you God Dora helping Mother!

Danny had spent time at Mom and Dad's last week. Dad was exercising his legs at the bar on the wall and Danny asked Dad if he could walk without holding on. Dad gave Danny a quizzical look and tried! Low and behold, he could! He was a little unsteady at first, but he did walk a short distance without assistance! Even Mom was amazed! We are never going to give up encouraging Dad to make personal progress! Dad's walking unassisted was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless! All through the power of God!

Jean visited Mom and Dad on Monday and went with them to Dad's doctor's follow-up appointment with the urologist. An extra pair of ears and the ability to ask our own questions is good! Glenda visited Mom and Dad on Saturday and encouraged Dad to go outside for a walk in the sunshine! She asked Dad if he would like to try to ride a horse and his reply was a loud laugh! She made sure he knew she was serious and he said that he would like to try! I am researching facilities in their area that have the capability and equipment to handle handicapped riders. There were two places that offered horseback riding and lessons for adults. I have emailed both of them to see if they can accommodate a handicapped adult. Horseback riding can be VERY therapeutic for the handicapped! If you haven't read about it, you should look it up on the Internet. It is very beneficial for physically and mentally handicapped children and adults!

So far we think it would be better to take Dad to a facility rather than have a horse at their place. It would be an added stress for someone to have to tend to it. One step at a time! Believe it or not, Dad has always wanted a mule! Yep, a mule! If horseback riding works for him, I would someday LOVE for us to surprise him with a mule!!! How I would love to see the look on his face to see a mule tethered to their fence! That's a wild idea, I know, but fun to think about! Anyway, if any of you know about handicapped horseback riding facilities in the hill country, please let me know!

Please keep in mind that Mom and Dad are always welcome visitors! You don't have to stay long, just go whenever you can! I think early afternoons are the best time to go. Call Mom (830/693-3957) to be sure they don't have a doctor's appointment or other commitment!

Thank you for reading and I'll leave you with this thought...

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

Author Unknown

I'm ready for some warmer weather!!!

I don't know about all of you, but I am ready for summer weather! For some reason, this year I have had a hard time staying warm!

I love this picture of Dad on his scooter! He is so much happier when he can be outside and independent!

I am going to Mom and Dad's on Thursday. I'm taking a couple of women who clean my house from time to time. I talked Mom into letting me bring them to clean her house! She tried to cancel them, but I told her we had committed to them and we couldn't cancel them!!! My plan is to get Mom and Dad (especially Mom) 0ut of the house for at least a couple of hours so we won't get in their way! Secretly it's because Mom will watch over their shoulders!!! I offered to take them to the Marble Falls movie theater to see the new version of "True Grit," but Mom said they would just wait until it comes to the television! No telling what we'll end up doing...at least I can keep them out long enough to have a leisurely lunch and run a couple of errands!! Wish me luck!

I am downloading some pictures from Christmas. I'll get them posted soon! Better late than never, right?!!!

Okay...I'll talk to you soon...I'm leaving you with this thought...

THE HANDLE ON YOUR RECLINER DOES NOT QUALIFY AS AN EXERCISE MACHINE!

:)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

My, oh my these weeks are flying by way too quickly! I can't believe I haven't talked to y'all since Christmas! Whoa! Fortunately you all know that I do what I can!

I have made the commitment to spend one day a week with Mom and Dad unless Ollie and I are out of town. I have been cooking brunch or lunch for them and they really enjoy it. Mom loves the break from cooking, it's always fun to taste someone else's cooking and we can visit better than if we were at a restaurant.

We all spent a quiet New Years. The last few years Ollie and I have had had the family at our home for New Years. This year we had been gone the week between Christmas and New Years, so we skipped hosting everyone this year and everyone did their own thing.

Mom has been having some pain in her wrists. Her PCP referred her to neurologist and an arthritis specialist. The arthritis specialist determined that Mom has osteoarthritis, not rheumatoid, which is a huge blessing. The neurologist did some testing of the nerve responses of Mom's fingers, feet and toes. The doctors concur that she has carpel tunnel syndrome and have recommend she see a surgeon. Mom and I sat down at the computer and read some articles about carpel tunnel surgery. She has a wrist splint and is feeling a little better. At least the pain seems to be subsiding a bit and has not been waking her up in the night. She wants to give it a little time and see how she does. Mom's doctors would like her to be getting more cardio-exercise and do more walking, but that's hard to do when the weather is so cold. She walks down to get their paper every morning and to get their mail in the afternoon. That's not enough, but at least she is doing that! We would also like for her to see and acupuncturist and get some massage therapy. She wants to do that and says she will try to work it into her schedule.

Things with Dad are pretty much status quo. He gets up from his living room recliner from time to time to use his walker and stroll around the living room, dining room and kitchen. He routinely sleeps until between 10 and 11:00, unless he and Mom have to go somewhere. Mom always has the newspaper waiting for him at the breakfast room table. He reads the paper, eats breakfast and then heads for his recliner in the living room. Mom discourages him from napping too much, but he still does that a lot. There is a syndrome called "Stroke Sleepiness." There are several different causes including medications, sleep interruption, and that the stroke could have affected the part of Dad's brain that involves sleep/wake cycles. I think, if Dad has his way, he would do nothing all day but eat and sleep! Fortunately he has Mom, family and friends to encourage other activities!

Dad spend a few hours in the hospital at Burnet recently. He was vomiting and dizzy so Mom called our dear friend, Leslie Stephens, to come next door and help her. Leslie encouraged Mom to call 911 and let them check Dad out. They took Dad to Seton in Marble Falls where he stayed for a few hours. They examined Dad and found that he was dehydrated. Mom puts water and other things out for Dad to drink and reminds him often to drink. He isn't enthused ab out it, so he balks! It caught up with him, so surely he will do better about keeping himself hydrated! When Ollie and I were there last week he had a glass of water at his chair and did drink from it often!

I am taking a couple of housekeepers to Mom's this Thursday to do some "Spring Cleaning!" Mom's house is never dirty, but I though it would give her a nice break to have someone do it all in one day. My plan is to get Mom and Dad out of the house and possibly go visit Aunt Mary and Aunt Dorene in Georgetown and have lunch. It is vital that Mom leave while the housekeepers are there, otherwise she'll want to give them instructions the whole time! God love her, she is so particular!!! I have been prepping her that they are not going to do everything perfectly, but at least they can give her a break! She laughs at herself because she knows what I mean!!!

Hershel and Lillie's daughter, Barbara Wilson, and I have been exchanging a few emails since Hershel's funeral. She and I were expressing our sadness that we did not write down or video the childhood stories told by Dad and Hershel. Barbara says that Lillie knows some of the stories Hershel told about Grandma Pauly when she lived with his family. Grandma moved in with Uncle Ira after Aunt Mamie died. Hershel was a baby and Grandma cared for him like he was her own until Uncle Iran Married Aunt Ida. I remember Grandma telling me that Hershel was "her baby." I highly encourage each of you to write down the stories you have been told or video your elders as they tell them to you. It is so sad to let the stories die. I think they are so very important to tell your children and grandchildren. Share your stories with the family at the reunion. If you are unable to attend the reunion, get them to me and I will be sure to share them with everyone.

It's our year to go to Ollie's family's reunion in St Louis, so we will miss this years' Mabel Pauly Family Reunion. However, please mark your calendars for the first Saturday in June, the 4th, as the day to spend with your family in celebration of our heritage! More details about that in the months to come. Family members, please make sure I have your current email address. Mine is sandic@austin.rr.com.

I pray that all of you are warm and healthy and happy. I do not believe in New Year's resolutions. My goal is to prayerfully have the strength to follow the prayer of St Francis of Assisi...

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

where is injury, pardon,

where there is doubt, faith,

where there is despair, hope,

where there is darkness, light,

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled at to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Until next time...love and peace to all of you!