Friday Focus to Finish PWYC

[Twins' Mom]

Today dcleaning lady will be here, and I'm packing for the beach to leave in the morning.

What's your FOCUS today? Will you FINISH?

[CathyS]

Hi!

My focus was a late night/early morning tidy up. Dh's best friend is headed here to get something done on his truck. Kitty litter has be dealt with. All garbage is out and Febreeze has been sprayed on most soft surfaces. Dishwasher needs to be emptied. Other than a few sharp knives, all pots, pans, etc., are clean.

No idea what is for supper.

[helia]

Well, I finished my part of the payroll project yesterday. So, literally, no payroll to do. That feels strange - but I'll go with it.

It's sunny with a high of 90*F forecast here, which is hot for us though cooler than earlier this week. We've been reaching temps higher than our forecast so we shall see.

I think my focus today will be decluttering and desk work stuff. I did get in a jog yesterday so today will be a walking day - or, if I'm adventurous, I'll go do some weights at the gym. I'm joining dh at a coffee shop this afternoon to do some thinking, writing, and reading. And coffee drinking. We're going out on our weekly Friday dinner date but a bit later as he's going to his clay class at 6, I think.

[MysteryWoman]

Good morning! Long time, no see! I think it's been about a month, and boy, what a month!

So, when last I was here, I think I was getting ready for our trip to NH to visit DSIL. Well, the Friday before we were supposed to leave, my Mom passed away. As I've said elsewhere, this was not the sad part. It's been much sadder to watch her deteriorate over the past few years; her quality of life for the past year, at least, has been that of a potted plant. She stayed in one place, breathed, and took nourishment. The only difference, I suppose, was that she pooped -- God bless the folks who took care of her poop! At any rate, she is in a much better place now.

Well, Mom didn't want a full-on funeral, but I wanted to give her a proper burial. (I say "burial," but she was cremated and put in a columbarium.) But I didn't know what my options were within the Catholic church. Well, my priest was on vacation and couldn't give me any guidance. The parish secretary said they could arrange a funeral with a visiting priest, but again, Mom didn't want a funeral. So we ended up leaving Mom's remains at the funeral home and went on our vacation.

We had a great time with DSIL. My increasing issues with mobility meant we didn't do as many things as we might, but we still had a nice time. One day was perfect weather (and amazingly, no bugs), so we just spent the entire day hanging out on her front porch. We went to the movies, went berry picking, and went in to MA to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, where we spent most of our time at an exhibition on bats. Unfortunately, on the way back to the car from there, my cane/seat broke (I have a cane that folds out into a seat, or perhaps more accurately, a seat that folds up into a cane), so my mobility for the rest of the visit was pretty small. I was able to order a new one from the A place, but it would take a couple of days to deliver, so I ordered it to be delivered to my friend's house that we were going to see next.

We visited our friends outside of Rochester on the way home. The kids wanted to go to the "toy museum" -- the Strong Museum of Play -- so we spent a day doing that, hence my need for the cane. It used to be much more of an actual toy museum -- most of the second floor was toys in glass cases -- but now almost the whole thing is interactive. There are still toys in cases, but they're interspersed throughout and organized by different themes. I don't know what they've done with the rest of the collection.

So we got home, and the priest was still on vacation -- I had made an appointment to see him before we left, but the earliest I could get was a week after he got back, which was later pointed out to me as a full month after my Mom died. DH reminded me, or maybe I remembered, that he works with priests (his school is run by a religious order) and we could speak with one of them. Then I got Covid. So that got delayed. Eventually, I got better, and we met with the priest, who said he could do a simple service at the cemetery, which we eventually scheduled once DD got over Covid

I was a wreck planning the service; things would have been so much easier if we'd just done the whole wake/funeral/burial and left it all to the funeral director and the church. But it was a lovely service, and the family was pleased to see how close the columbarium was to the spot my grandparents are buried.

The time since then has been recovery from the whole nine yards, work, and getting DC registered for school. I don't think I can CUOP for an entire month, so do let me know if there's something big I missed, and I put my foot in my mouth, as it were.

So happy to see helia here and to know bw2 is on her way back! Congrats, Twins, on your article! Very impressive! And a belated Happy Birthday to lucylee!

[Lady Maverick]

((((MYSTERYWOMAN))))) What month you have had! Sending caring thoughts your way with the passing of your DMom. You have done well with all that you have been juggling. I hope you have some calm and peace to balance the stress of everything. I am so glad to see your CI

DS16 was out the door before 6:30am. He and a friend were meeting to finalize their rides for the parade which starts at 10am. I know they are hooking pickup up to the float but I didn't hear who was driving the pickup. I did hear DS16 and friend mention riding dirt bikes in the parade. I suppose it depends if both bikes are running. I just know they are excited and in teenage boy mode washing, polishing, and decorating something on wheels. However, it works out will be fine.

I made a pot of my favorite soup this morning. I needed to make several trips to the garden to gather vegetables to put in the soup. I had to stop adding ingredients to the soup because I reached the top of the pot. The soup is simmering now, and I have done a preliminary taste test. I am rating it 10 out of 10.

Time to leave to watch the parade. *POOF*

[Harriet]

Here's what I think.

What a COMPLIMENT it is to our village when one of us SHARES, letting us in on what's been going on, how their life has been unfolding, perhaps the "whys" of their busyness.

MysteryWoman, helia, bittersweet - THANK YOU for recently allowing us the compliment of getting caught up again with events, but maybe more important, your insights, and how you are feeling about those events or about your lives, priorities.

Feeling appreciation.

[Nancy]

It is good to see your post MysteryWoman.,

I've been on a walk and did some on my new book getting prompts in a notebook to use later.
Was able to see some turkeys again this morning it is lovely out here.

Last nite doing up the dog treats I froze up two bags of them and
have one for use now.
Waving! Thought of you all and prayed for U on my walk.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Driving up to the cottage now and was planning to read and catch up on posts but I am about to go out of mobile data range. So I can't post a lot or even catch up on my reading.

[helia]

Mystery! It's lovely to see you!! But oh my, what a month you've had. Thank you for sharing. My mom is in that place where I question her quality of life, but she still eats (feeds herself about 60% of the time, apparently) and occasionally wakes up to say a word of two. ((HUGS)) Hoping this next month will be easier.
Have a safe trip, Kathryn.
I always love hearing what you think, Harriet.
Yum - homemade soup with home-grown veggies, LadyM. Enjoy the parade!
Have a great trip to the beach, Twins.
WTG on the walk and I'm sure everyone appreciates prayers, nancy.
Have you figured out what is for dinner yet, CathyS?

Next:
- s2s and self care
- squeegee and wipe down shower
- make the bed
- finish decluttering new set of short-sleeved tops

I can't believe it's already after noon. I haven't showered yet, but I have. .
- reclaimed the kitchen
- had some qt
- payroll: communication, mostly social (but not all)
- put lists in notebook
- going through another stash of tops - downstairs in extra room closet. I have too many clothes.
- called Mom's bank
- scanned proper death certificate for my ddad
- emailed dc + trustee info to kind and helpful lady from Mom's bank
- lunch - wip

[Twins' Mom]

Mystery, so glad you're back, but what a month you've had. I'm so sorry for your mother's passing, IKWYM, I've said my mother's mind wore out before her body did. And then COVID. You've had quite a time, and I'm glad you finally have closure on your mother's remains.

I got things spiffed up for dcleaning lady and walked the ddog a lap. My step goal was very modest this week and I'll make it, so I'm not pushing myself beyond the :have-tos" for today. I woke up tired, probably from workout yesterday. My hands and forearms got a workout and I'm feeling it.

I need to start another load of laundry, write the check for dcleaning lady and go upstairs out of her way.

And again, I walked off and left this sitting.

I stamped a little and cleaned up that desk somewhat and have had lunch. Need to reboot laundry write some of those sympathy notes.

Wow. Temp is 95, "feels like" 102.