????

Now, really, why haven't I been using this blog for the past 9 years - or so. The last post looks as if 2015 was my last blog post.
Today is the January 2, 2020. Mike has lost his job and has applied for disability. Sam has no job and is getting ready to return to school - this time for an Associate's degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician. Both are here with me. I'm a single parent with 2 dependent children.
Last year and the end of 2018 was a tough time. My autoimmune system decided to attack my kidneys and my hearing. I had 2 iron infusions to counteract the loss of blood. Endured a 6 month course of prednisone, had 4 rituxin infusions, and am now on azasan - an anti-rejection drug. From October 4 until November 13, 2018, I was out of school because I couldn't stand up long enough and could not drive because of the dizziness and weakness. THANK GOODNESS Sam was here to help. I would have had to go to assisted living if she had not been here.
Goose and I are trying to update Mama and Daddy's house - it's on the verge of being a money pit, but it's SO hard to even think about doing anything other than patching it up to make it more livable. We're almost ready to paint the living room.

and time doesn't stop

 I am consistent with my inconsistency in posting ruminations to this blog. I can't explain it.

So much has happened since I last wrote - that was January 2, 2020!

I retired from my teaching career effective August 1, 2021. Began in 1971, so that's a pretty long run. IF teaching were still anything similar to past years, I would definitely have stayed at least until my National Boards ran out at the end of this year, but wowsers! nothing is the same. Maybe I'll write a whole post about that - there's so much to say.

Sammie is staying on Poverty Knob with friend Chad Davis. She has one more semester of Central Piedmont Community College's Medical Laboratory Technician clinicals to finish at Watauga Medical Center.

Mikey is still unemployed and seems to be spiraling downward in several ways. His personality has been adversely affected by medication and/or depression. He's not the happy, joking, cheerful Mikey that I know. His eating has changed - he seems to just not care about what's for dinner. He used to request or at least add input for the planning. So I'm concerned about his physical health. He's using up all his savings. I can't see any progress toward mitigating the situation. He won't even begin to discuss his medical, financial, or employment situation. I offer help. "What can Mommie do to help you?" Mike: "Nothing." I want my old Mikey back, but I have no earthly idea what I can do. I am distraught.

The Harrison Estate is shaping up a little. Larry and Barbara have footed the bill for cleaning up the area around the houses. Quite a contribution!!! to say the least.

I've tried to fix up Mom and Daddy's house to make it a little more habitable. Inside is all painted - even the closets! Just need to finish my room after all the "collectibles" get redistributed. Downstairs floors were refinished - they look AMAZING! Added a heat pump and two mini-splits to keep the climate under control. The dehumidifier in the basement has helped tremendously in reducing the mustiness, mold, and mildew. The back porch still needs to be addressed. Harold is working on finishing up the exterior painting.

My dear, dear friend Kendal Privette's husband, Chris, used his magic to make a wormy chestnut table for the dining room. Mike and I took a truck load of the wormy chestnut boards salvaged from the old smokehouse and maybe the outhouse to Chris. He built a table and a little bench. We LOVE it. I just wish Daddy could see it because he wanted so much to do something with the wormy chestnut. He had held on to it and protected it all these years.

I cleaned off the gravestone for Momma and Daddy yesterday. I miss them so much - still crying.

Mundane stuff over the weekend

Barbara has a new cat! She has adopted (pretty sure it will stick) Loki, a HUGE yellow tabby, from the Humane Society. We picked him up yesterday. He is so sweet, so cuddly, so BIG.

I attended the Unitarian service yesterday via Zoom. Stuff to think about, but not anything to initiate a paradigm shift. The original guy was sick (local guy), so the program was a video of a Unitarian minister in Texas. His gist: you are perfect, now change. There was some discussion of the meaning of this. The analogy that fit best for me was the guy who compared it to an acorn - perfect at every stage, but change was critical to fulfilling true purpose.

Saturday I attended the Wilkes Democratic Party meeting. They went over some agenda items and talked a little about how to get more recognition in this DEEP RED county. Sad that so many people in this county are so stupid.

Sam and Chad are in Florida visiting Chad's step-father.

Johanna seems to be improving. She has been moved to a different room. I'm pretty sure she has a roommate now in 304A - there has to be a B in there.

I called Bob last week. So good to talk to him. I wish he could/would be more present in our lives. Sad. He sounded good. All vaccinated and boosted.