SHEs Organized

d cathy shared this poem and it's perfect for me

"Don't quit

Don't quit when the tide is lowest, for it's just about to turn.

Don't quit over doubts and questions, for there's something you might learn.

Don't quit when the night is darkest, for it's just a while until dawn.

Don't quit when you've run the farthest, for the race is almost done.

Don't quit when the hill is steepest, for your goal is almost nigh.

Don't quit, for you're not a failure, until you fail to try." (Author unknown)

I found this recently going through some papers in my house. I thought it would be good to share it here.

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yesterday was mom's appointment and other out of the house actives
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I did a lot of research on Alzheimers and I will work on incorporating routines in my day - I think this might help with dh's on and off snapping at me or dogs. or anyone. His holding things in has always been a problem. I have tried to have him write things down that are bothering him. but I think I have to make a considerate effort to find out daily. I am sure that his sadness about not working anymore and being part of a working guy group is part of it. he got depressed with work a lot of the time but he sees things he missed and is now regretting it.
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mom's routine list has been an asset for this morning.
she is dressed hair brushed clean cloths on meds taken bp taken - she was up before everyone.
breakfast bought - I should have something ready the night before.

me.

trying to work out the kinks as I can with d mom and dh.

this morning my ADHD didn't help as I brought out more cloths than I should have for mom - I have to get to her apartment to pick up more cloths
that match. (without her)

so far she is in a third circle. she is in her old check book - when she is not in her purse circle then I will take it out then give it to my brother

Thursday was errand day - and we did do errands; lots of them!

I have been fighting headaches but more background pressure headaches - it feels dry in the house - time to bring down a humidifier
mom made her own eggs - she fried whites - yuck but she did it herself

dailies for mom:

s2s for me

kitchen
swish and swipe bathrooms
family room work
dogs

hardware store lights
chicken broccoli calzones
call on smoked butt
meds

dh picks up car
I have decided to keep track of adrenaline spikes for dh.
I was gone all day so he didn't have any - he was happy when I came home -

dd older and I spoke - we decided not to have me pick up the car but he can't drive mom's car back - he would have been upset if I had. she is driving the borrowed car back - I have a car. but he insisted he borrow.

walking on eggshell stuff is hard. - I have decided to keep track of why or when he gets upset and how often. brother and dd's do not want him driving mom's car bc she could loose her insurance even though she doesn't drive. In 2027 they will have to address it bc mom's Florida license will be expired.

January 17 Friday - trying to figure out what works and what doesn't with dh and d mom

mom fell asleep in her cloths again - I go to bed earlier - and she will not get dressed earlier - I may have to lie about the time -

mom - see if I can get her to change her underwear and top and socks. right now it's a no go.
she did make eggs for herself

I set up the toothbrush with toothpaste - not brushed yet.
pulled the underwear - and top - socks are missing? she changed top, used the same pants, same socks, I will see if she changes her underwear
goals mom: art or learning
set up meds for week took an hour with mom.
outside for 1/2 hour if possible done. she went and worked.

mom watched me exercise - gave me instruction but wasn't doing it
exercise me - done!!!
dh is washing dishes - no anger yesterday or today yet. a good thing!

dh had one angry face moment - he was upset that water was in mom's cars cup holder - that someone must have done it on purpose - nope I saw it and forgot about it and I dont know how it happened - I am thinking mom's bottle spilled. not a big deal. I thought my day was going to go down this negative route with him - but no! dh helped mom and I in the garage - I haven't seen him help like this in forever - he will do dishes and laundry though - sometimes he stops helping with that but I don't know if there is purpose or not - so I choose to believe he isn't doing it on purpose. Outside work is something I am not used to him happily do.

What a nice surprise!

mom had a whole ham and Swiss sandwich on Rhodes bread.
she also had carrots sticks and water melon.
She likes her new sweater I bought yesterday - and she remembered that we bought it yesterday and where we bought it from.

I need to focus again.
2 pm.
mom is watching murder she wrote and one dog has her head on mom's lap - Gracie is sound asleep - she loves mom.

what should be next: mmmm think think think - I am tired!
1. feed the birds
2. laundry work
3. kitchen counter, stove, microwave, sink, dishes empty, counter put away, front hall put away,
4. open gate for dogs and go
5. christmas village down and put away
6. large st. nick downstairs
7 sweep floors

make greek salad
bring to language book for mom to translate.

I noticed that I feel like I have been walking on eggshells with dh - he is sweet most of the time but I am finding myself expecting him to be upset by something. Not a good thing. Maybe it's because it's more or maybe because of more to take care of. He is being very nice to mom. Maybe I am being more sensitive to it to it - I think keeping track is a good thing. it should help me see what is actually happening.

January 18, 2024
getting things out of what I want from this season. it is a gift.
what do you want to put your energy to: roots and refuge

up at 6:00 am mom was up with me then slept a bit and up and slept a bit
dogs went back to sleep, mom went back to sleep.
sun is coming up.

simplify my world would be a good idea.

1. coffee, breakfast meds
2. menu plan kind of
3. set it in place
4. mom dressed - it's an hour process but she has new underwear, pants, top on
she needs to brush her teeth and brush her hair
she needs to take her meds.
breakfast - I have pancakes and 2 slices of bacon - I gave her a choice between banana or an apple and she wanted the apple but for me to peel it but i gave her a knife and board. done.
I put on her Alsatian music



mom - one side of me just wants to Get her dressed like a young child - just do it. But that's not good.
she already told me that - is it your job to judge "mom's name" cloths - her underwear seems to be an issue. doesn't know what color underwear she has on and that the clean underwear is a different color. Won't change her socks bc they don't match her outfit. some how her gray socks have disappeared and she wouldn't let me buy them. she finally took off the dirty pants and then put on the clean ones

she won't try on the new pants to see where we can shorten them - I will just get a pair of pants and measure against them.
her underwear is too big now even though she eats. I might have to add things to her diet to keep her weight up.

add knitting to mom's world again.

It was a busy day yesterday so I didn't come back here but things got done!

January 19, 2025 Sunday

mom was awake a lot last night - she didn't know why - no rhyme or reason.
she ate breakfast
had her meds
and is now reading her magazine.
mom is now watching the ghost and mrs muir
not dressed but it's Sunday and cold - it's okay - a day of rest for mom is okay.

dh is doing dishes - yay
I watched garden answer always a joy
had breakfast
now time for s2s
meds and listening to services
made my plan for the week - that feels good

change dogs water
feed birds
dailies

ordered lunch and split it with mom.
I need to make greek salad

I need a shower but I am freezing.

even though I stop coming here during the day - I still get things done!

took a break from everything and dd older took over for mom as she was very chatty added with her lack of sleep the night before made me tired.
dh was wonderful yesterday. he did dishes but chatted with mom while I rested.

I found her blanket in the hall by the bathroom and her underwear on the sink - assuming she must have had an accident - she also had three pairs my underwear on the floor in the corner of the bathroom - I am not sure about that.

Yesterday I didn't push dressing in the morning and she watched tv which actually hurts her more than helps her - my theory was that she would enjoy it and make it easier to start the week - I was wrong - she thought she saw her mom in the kitchen at one point and asked where mother was - it was me - I will take it as a compliment but also list it for the dr.

Nice thing is that d girls, dh, d brother, and myself are all on the same page

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routines are the only way to go!
adding things for me is also important.
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mom: morning
meds am. pm.
breakfast she helped with bacon
wash hair body
get changed no problems this morning
brushed teeth
set up her calendar with her and what she will be doing simply
eye drops 1. 2. 3.
blood pressure. oxygen. heart rate missing until later
strengthening exercise and flexibility - did work - but needs to move more - it's hard with this cold weather
something that will help her grow - art/history/photos etc. - music
have her clean her bedroom I swept.
change into her pjs at 8 pm hopefully found that if I heat her night gown up then she is willing to get changed.
pull cloths for next day with her
minimal tv as it affects her brain had turned off during day
lunch
dinner
help with dishes
do her laundry I did it
she helped with the light bulbs after I took them out she tossed them
she helped with finding the nails I took out


mom got stuck in a circle - her purse - it was an hour in total. it was a hard circle this time.
fell asleep for a bit.
that was the only circle she was in

-------------------------- me: 1:35 PM DON'T QUIT
me: shower
dressed
meds am pm

kitchen dh filled dw - I finished and is on now - emptied - rinsed the few dishes and put in the dw
next counters
stove
microwave
sink
floors

make dinner and soup
ordered

Monday weekly chores many done
bathroom swish and swipe
room by room put away and sweep floors
cook some prep
dailies
feed birds
fitness

dogs:
new water
wash bowls
dh fed breakfast and will feed dinner
training
play

continue on couch
continue on seed starting lights.

January 21, 2025 Tuesday bathroom day

Mom breakfast
Lunch rueben sandwich cut up fruit
dinner fish dish, spinach, rice with herbs, set up - salad made - fish in foil ready to be cooked.
Snack she loves ice cream
up at 9:00
put on her news for her until 10 - I don't do politics and it's been hard having it in our house again. I will be kind.

what needs to be done for her
am pm meds
wash her hair she didn't argue - it's done
she is washing up her body - it's too cold for a shower
s2s she even put on socks
I would like to do her feet today
brush teeth - I will put tooth paste on her tooth brush. - she will not brush her teeth. I will figure that out later
brain outlet - we talked about the news
creative outlet
being part of the house work and cooking - she helped with both

next:
me: am meds pm meds
wash hair - I want to take a shower but it's cold up stairs
s2s
set up my meds
dinner is in oven and salad made - rice made

I really enjoyed listening to simple farm house life - not about the children but how it can also relate to adults - boredom etc.\
open blocks of time is okay - that we as a society have the wrong idea that it should be uncomfortable - bored is not bad - it's a good way to find creativity etc.

made a menu for tomorrow off the premade list of recipes and ideas
I need to stop by the Polish store tomorrow

my abilities are slowed down - it's okay - keep on swimming.
I had my mammogram and bone density - got it done.
I will see if dr. wants me to get another blood test - I do have to find a dr. at my local hospital

1. change dinner plans as we have snow - it's light but slippery - not worth going to Polish shop.

BELIEVE IN MYSELF - sometimes my depression pops up and gives me doubt about my abilities.

dh washed his dish

mom:
am meds late bc I went for test ------pm
she slept in her cloths last night - she changed her underwear early this morning but refuses to change - not worth the fight today - we are not going anywhere

tomorrow errands: cleaners moms sweater, hardware store pick up lights, polish shop, curtain thing - fabric for door way in laundry room -

Have to do: take picture of the shower for glass shop.
make lunch - half ham/swiss/dijon on Ezekiel bread for mom and I - she had grapes and baked beans as well.
I had left over greek Salad
ate some grapefruit
rinsed lunch dishes and filled the rest of the dw and turned it on. counters cleaned
put away accomplished

Be positive - sometimes its hard when others want to sit - d mom I dont' know I am trying to have her busy with me but she has decided nope - not doing anything.

mom goals:
bring down pictures - just a few -
warm up her night gown and give it to her and see if she changes again.

dogs opened up the gate and they played with each other

room by room

had the shower door person here - now waiting for plumber - I need a tile guy as well. putting things off doesnt' work - I wanted to get it done earlier.
mom is doing dishes (she added dirty dishes to the dw - it's okay - I just turned it on again - still working on dishes at 11:05 sink is beautiful -

I washed microwave - dh's eggs and spaghettis pop in there - he doesn't see it.
he has been In a great mood and it has been nice.
today he is cleaning out his drawers in the dining room.
I cleaned the table, my computer, counters and stove and underneath the microwave as well
put away in kitchen needs to be finished.

plumber came -
other company came - I have to talk to my brother re: what they said

put on list - go to American standard or other faucet people. looked at Kohler