Mending!

How many people still mend?  (the art of sewing clothes or items that need repair!)
I do and I love it.
Perhaps that comes from my Mom who instilled in me to not throw anything away before it's time and to be able to "fix" something to good as new.

I brought my Mom to her home from a 3 day stay in the ICU today.  She had a low sodium...116.  It needs to be 140 and she landed herself right in the ICU.  She was fine really, mostly her complaint was weakness which for the earlier part of the week she had chalked up to being 89!  And the fact that her muscles were not working well without enough sodium.  I'd go visit her and bring, of all things, potato chips!  To someone in the ICU that is not the usual.  But it did the trick for her, and a Saline IV and salt on her food.  Home she came with a sodium of 132!  Pink, strong and much more spry.

While she showered and settled in after her jaunt in the ICU I mended towels!  The sides were coming undone and I love these 2 red towels.  I felt good in doing so, but realized I may be the only person in the universe who mends...much less a towel!

I felt good, spent time with Mom and saved the land fill for awhile from my discarded things!

That's one big frog!

Wowza! While getting ready to leave Rehoboth Sunday I zoomed around back to pick some flowers to bring home. The lilies, daises, and (a flower who's name escapes me, that Tim planted and are so pretty in pink) are in full bloom and look so pretty together. Well there he was! Right in the lilies! I looked him up, an American bull frog. Gotta love him, and no I will not be eating his legs! Although I have in Canada. And that was a long time ago and I don't think I could do that again!  And Not in Delaware! Have the flower photos on my phone....not sure how to get those in here. That posses a problem. Maybe Bethany can help me with that one!

41 years old, 41 years gone

Hard to imagine him 82. My Dad forever 41.

The day was a usual Friday for me today. Busy day at work, after an unexpected 4 day work week.

I had Wednesday off and puttered around the house in the morning and picked Mom up by 11:30. She and I rode to Columbia Mall. I had gifts to exchange there and she patiently waited in the car reading, her knee was bothering her and she did not want to walk a lot. I found an Aveda store and picked up a few things for me and a treat for Tim for Valentine's day. I exchanged my gifts and we rode home. A lovely day with Mom.

Then Friday the 10th came. It seems to always sneak up on me. I remember the day well. It was a warm sunny afternoon and Dad was waiting for me to get home from school. It was Valentine's week and I was excited making my Valentine box. He was in the bed in the downstairs bedroom, he could not go up a flight of steps anymore, he got to winded. He kissed me and told me he loved me, the rest is a bit of a blur. I know Mom had our rocks out that we had finished tumbling from a Christmas present. Kate came over with a catalog for the summer classes at the University of Maryland. Dad was always bettering himself. The ambulance was in the driveway. Dad was so quiet, I remember him there on the stretcher in the living room, he seemed so still. Then he was in the ambulance.... Mom drove away following the ambulance. Kate and I did the laundry from his bed. He never came home that time. The funeral is a blur except for all my camp fire girl troop there in their uniforms and Ken Crowley. He had just played the scare crow in an Einstein Theater production of the Wizard of Oz and I was so impressed with him. I made a pipe cleaner pink heart to put in his coat pocket in the casket with him. Mom had a hard time deciding about weather to keep his wedding ring or not. She did and I am eternally grateful.

I really have no recollections about life from then until well into Junior High school.

My heart was broken, I was lost and lonely. Thank heaven for Mom, she for me and me for her. We became inseparable. I was the first latch key kid in my world. Everyone else had a Mom at home. I did not, she was at work. We did fine, my Mom and I.

And now, 41 years later, I am blessed to still have my Mom, to spend an unexpected day off with. To giggle with, spend time with and do the things together that we have always loved to do.

I miss you do much Dad. As usual, I'd love to sit and have a meal with you. I know you are with me often... I've sent many people to see you. Most recently Tim's Mom, Aunt Lois, Darlene, Mike, even Emily Blanche!

I have my Tim who is a constant companion and comfort to me. Thank you for sending him my way.

I love you Dad.
I love you too Momma.

Life and blessings

It seems in life no matter what I do there is always someone who takes things the wrong way. No matter who I have spoken to, everyone has the same problem. Why do people get upset and not talk to the person they are upset with? How can someone fix a wrong or explain their thoughts if no one lets them know there is something wrong.
I shall go on living the best life I can and know that I deal with others the way I want to be dealt with. Like it or not. That is how I am.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. A good model to live by
I try to be willing to say anything to someones face that I say to another about them to others. But sometimes that is not the best thing to do.

I have a wonderful, thoughtful, considerate husband who I am blessed to have in my life.
I am lucky to have my Mom still, she is an inspiration for me to be like when I am 88!
My sisters are my best friends and will always be. They can make me mad, but we get over it and always have each others back.
My brother blessed this family with 6 children who keep me on my toes. As adults they have each grown into individuals who I love and am proud of each of them in their own way.
My other niece and nephew hold a special place in my heart as well, each of them I have been blessed to live near in their youth.
I am blessed with many friends, and count many of them as family.

Perhaps this is a lesson to make me appreciate all that I do have and know I am indeed blessed.

Count your blessings, name them one by one. You'll be amazed at the glory in your life.

Hello February 2012

This will be just my thoughts:

• Where did January go? This seems to be a recurring theme with me. I cannot believe it is Feb. 1! Hardly any snow this winter and today it was 72 degrees!
• I have a new fangled computer. Mine died about 2 weeks before Christmas which gave Santa Tim the opportunity he had been waiting for to give me my gift early. He almost absolutely cannot wait till Christmas morning to open presents. My hard drive fried, and he could hardly wait to give me this wonderful new fangled laptop with all kinds of bells and whistles that I am still learning. If anyone wants "facetime" with me, I now have a camera and I will be here at the appointed time to talk....once I figure out this "easy application!"
• I had been having difficulty opening my own blog, but I seem to have overcome that issue. Now I just don't have any one's address. SO, if you want to e-mail me them I'd appreciate it, though no one seems to be "blogging" these days as facebook has taken over the world.
• Tim has been at his new job the appointed 90 days, so I guess he will be there a while.
• Mom has had a tough winter. She had a pacemaker placed December 20, 2011! Doing just fine from that. Now last Thursday she chipped off half her front tooth opening a creamer....now has a new tooth too! Has to be tough to be 88. But she is working busily away on her new stained glass project for Kate. A beautiful entry door panel with 5 iris. It will be breathtaking like all her other work.
• Tim and I are back to our weekly weekend trips to Rehoboth Beach. It is so nice to get away to our "other" house. We seem to putter and relax quite well out there. It is nice Eileen and Joe are in Lewes now and Pat is out much more often.
• My office is still ahead of me, but I am winning the race. Tim also bought me a neat desk to scan all my papers. Now to learn how to use that too.

That seems to be all for now. Time for bed and another day at work.

Toddo is 40, Lordy Lordy!

My first recolection of Todd is my brother being so proud to have a second son and saying: "Now David has what I always wanted! A brother!". That being said I am sure there were times Mike wished the order was a bit different when Todd and David were young. Though now they are much better friends, geography and life keeps them apart. Just like my sisters Kate and Holly who were arch enimies in their teens, now my sisters call themselves twins and I am lucky to be included as a sister. Todd, the second born of my brothers children. Born in Maryland, like me. The only other Marylander. Though you'd never know it, he is rooted quite deeply in Washington State. I doubt he will venture far from the Hogmans. His whole life it was David and Todd. Rarely Todd and David. And when the next sibling came along it was the blessed sister! Todd is definately the second child, overachiever. First to graduate from college, first to get a master's degree. Only one to have 7 children! He has spent his life being compaired to someone else, his brother, his wifes family, how they did things. And yet he is his own self. A good father to 6 sons and one daughter....so far! He loves the outdoors, unlike his father who only tolerated it. He is extremely busy, he will take the time for you if you reach out to him, though he rarely has time for himself or to reach out to you. The love of his life is his wife who is amazing after 7 children still looks like a teenager herself, yet she too is pushing 40!

So my Toddo, the second son of my brother.....who head butted his way into your heart. Here are a few copies of slides I've found and scanned and send to you. Know you are loved and have a family out east who still thinks of you, especailly one Aunt Heidi.

A funny thing happened

In high school it was a thrill to talk on the phone for hours to a girlfriend or developing relationship. Then college came and nights in dorm rooms spent studying, and talking replaced the phone. Letters from home and an occasional well timed call from home were the treat. Some where along the line in came the computer and your all important E-MAIL ADDRESS enters the picture. At the same time a cell phone which let me call anyone anytime (if I had the minutes) and a phone call, once again, became routine. Then it was a treat to get an e-mail from my friends and family. I'd open my e-mail with great anticipation of a quick note from someone keeping up or saying hello. Then came texting and no need to talk or be in person or even send more than a one liner. Then the photo on the phone, why text when you can send a picture, it is worth 1000 words isn't it?

So, now I sit in isolation from everyone and everything. No one calls, no one sends letters, rarely I get a text, and never do I have a personal e-mail. Except for my dear sweet Mom, she does all of the above. I sure do love her. Thanks Mom for calling, mailing, e-mailing and even reading my blog. I sure do love you.