We are progressing on our "list" of things to accomplish before we leave. The decks are COMPLETE!!! YEA!!! They look just lovely and Mom is so happy with them but she keeps saying if I can just live one more day to enjoy them???

Picked up the dry cleaning, did some case lot, picked up last minute medicines, Mom is surviving on the "meals" and I don't think she will die with them. Although, she does enjoy her own cooking much better.

Taking Mom to the doctor tomorrow and then grocery shopping and to pick up meds. Tomorrow is another busy day. Hopefully, then I can get my lesson for Sunday. Just hasn't been a lot of time and of course I kept finding other things to do. I have done some packing and now I have to wash again before we leave.

G has winterized the trailer, taken the beans out of the garden including the poles, picked all of the peaches, we've put all of the tomatoes into the freezer for future work when we get back. Made four batches of peach jam and run a ton of errands trying to get everything ready to go.

See how busy we've been? Yea, right! So much still to do, clean the house, wash, maybe take Mom to another doctor on Monday, which is when I wanted to leave but we'll see later today, finish packing.

I'm so excited to be able to take this trip, just feel like I can't wait. I keep telling G we should leave NOW!

Oh well, another day in our lives.

We've been away for a few days down in St. George visiting N and family. They are all doing really good. Nichole just went on her first date to Homecoming. Her dress is so cute and she is such a darling little gal. Ben is growing, he's as tall as I am. Wow, I am so happy for him although his Mom informed me that I'm shrinking. Oh great, just what I need!!!

JJ let me read with her and she is growing up so much. She loves to tease and is very good at it. Do you know how many bubble gums you can put in your mouth? Ask JJ?

Aiden is really growing up but he likes to play video games and he couldn't convince me to play with him. I hate them and really don't do well with them. But he beat your Dad good! He kept telling me, I'll teach your Grandma and I'll be easy with you. Yea, right!

We have a big week ahead of us and then we are leaving for the mid west and then down south. Wow we can't wait but there are a lot of things that need to be done before we can leave.

I was left a message from a lady with Meals on Wheels and they are starting to deliver to her tomorrow - Monday. Mom says she isn't too happy about it but I think she might come to enjoy not having to work so hard cooking. Although, I know her cooking is very good and I doubt their meals can compare.

Her decks still need to be finished, the guy that laid the carpet left several messages and G is going to contact him tomorrow and then they will get that finished for her. Also, have to take her to the doctor to see about her hand, I guess it's been really bothering her. I'm not sure what they can do for her. She already is taking some pain meds to help.

I still need to do my VT and get my hair permed and of course all of the washing and deciding what we should take clothes wise and then I have my lesson this coming Sunday. Oh, and I need to get the peach jam made and the tomatoes into the freezer. If we work very hard this week and get everything done, we just hopefully, will be able to leave on Monday if not Tuesday. Yea, I can't wait.

Yesterday I had a great day and a bad day too. I met a lady, Laurie, from Weber Senior services for lunch and we talked and filled out paperwork to get some help for Mom while we will be gone on our vacation. I told her how Grandma wouldn't let me get her Meals on Wheels. After lunch we went over to Mom's house. Laurie is really good! After she had talked with Mom for a while she said, what about Meals on Wheels? Have you thought about that? You know they would bring in meals once a day and here's a menu and if you don't like everything, make sure you eat the roll, desert and juice. Now Mom started to think about that and decided well I could try. Laurie says well try while Pat is gone and then if you don't want it we can stop it after she comes back. By the time she left she had decided to give Mom a gal to come in once a day M-F and on Wednesdays (Mom's choice) the gal would take her shopping for groceries and medicine and then on Fridays she can get her trash out and what ever she would like her to do. Afterward, Mom says, you know I really don't need anyone coming in each day maybe every other week. I told her Laurie had set it up that way and she should enjoy someone to talk to. I also suggested she could ask them to take her for a ride so she could get out. I think she's thinking about it.

Then the bad part, we picked up some meds yesterday for Mom and they said they didn't have three like she had told us but they were having some problems with her insurance and so I forgot about the third one. Well Mom called last night and she had discovered she only had two of her medications. She then called the pharmacy and they said the other one had been picked up on Saturday. Mom then called us back and said she had called K to see if he had picked it up. Well he called her back and yes, he'd picked it up and she didn't need it until Wednesday so he'd get it to her then. I think he's trying to make a point but doing it with medication just doesn't set right with me. He wants to upset me to show me "how it feels when someone does something you don't know about". Funny thing about that is the other two things he's all out of joint about he told me I had to either decide to let him know everything or do it myself. I had told him about some other things and he blew me off saying they didn't need to be done. Then after he came and accused your Dad of throwing money right and left as G is working to save Mom $1,000 by taking the old carpet off and the railing off and on afterward. I decided he was so busy that I'd just do. Guess I'm having a bad time, when he was "taking" care of Dad I supported him 100% but he knows more than I do, I mean I'm just a "fat, old woman".

It's Saturday and what a week. Been involved with Mom and her deck problems. The carpet was laid yesterday and G is up there putting up the railings. He is also going to wash down the front of her trailer - although if he gets started she'll probably have a million "other" things for him to do. On Monday the carpet guy is coming back to put the trim piece around the edge. He said the carpet is so thin that he wanted it to dry before doing anything else because the glue would come right through.

Also on Monday I am meeting with a lady from Weber County Senior Services. I have met her once before and talked to her on the phone. She is the one that runs the support group we went to. I asked her if she knew of anyone I could hire (because Mom has too much in savings to qualify for their regular programs). She talked to me for a while and then said she had a slot in a program that she would give to Grandma for someone to help her while we are gone. We are getting together on Monday for me to answer the questions (you know paper work) and then after a light lunch we are going over to Mom's so she can meet her.

I got brave yesterday after I had gone and got Mom's groceries and told her about this gal. She informed me there were lots around her in the ward that had offered to help - but up to now she would never take advantage of them. I doubt she would now. I tried to tell her it would make me feel so much better that I knew someone was there to get her groceries or take her shopping and pick up her meds and take out her trash. I don't know how this is going to work out, keep us in your prayers.

I am teaching tomorrow in the Gospel Doctrine class and the lesson is about Samuel the Lamanite who preaches to the Nephities about their sins and how they are unwilling to repent and follow the Lord's teachings through his Prophets. Some times I think we are a lot like those people and forget about what the Lord wants us to do and to give him thanks for all he does for us.

I am grateful for my "great" hubby. He makes me complete. I'm also grateful for our daughters and their wonderful husbands and of course for all of our grandchildren. They range in age from 16 years down to 5 months. Now how much more blessed can anyone be?

Working on Mom's decks now. She is getting new carpet on Thursday so the old had to come off along with the nasty old glue. G has been up there most of yesterday and a few hours today. He has it just about ready. Of course, K came up and acted like a teenager throwing a temper tantrum. Yes, life around him is fun? Mom called him up to come and help G to get things ready, as he didn't know anything about it, he was of course livid. He had his plans all made so what is going on and since we're throwing money around right and left? Anyway, he came and grabbed and bent and pulled and did his best to act like a true "A" and then jumped in his car the minute I got there bringing lunch, and ran away. How can a 50 some year old act so ridiculous? I know it's because he hasn't had any kids to smooth out his corners and activate his maturity. Of course, his hair is turning white but it hasn't helped his "problems". Oh and did I say, G has saved Mom almost a $1,000.

I feel like Mom enjoys these things, she sits them up and then acts all upset and wonders why they are happening. As I look back I realize she has done these things all of her life and probably doesn't even realize what's she's doing now. Just can't excuse it though, even if she is 91. Her greatest excuse is that she is 91.

There are times I want to run away and pretend I'm adopted - funny thing about that when I was a little girl I told the neighbor I was adopted. Funny how kids see things we adults take so long to see.

I wish I could figure a way not to react to her and my brother's stupid actions. In my patrihical (spelling) blessing I am told I should be a peace maker and honor my parents. Well, it's getting more difficult all of the time to do these things. G thinks it's about time I've reached this point but those words just keep coming back to me and the guilt factor rises up. I do love my family, somewhere in me, it's just right now I'm having problems feeling it.

We are planning on going on a trip to visit K & J & C and then down to S & G & N & H. While we are gone I hope to be able to find someone I can pay to come and take Mom shopping to get her groceries and pick up her meds. I know she won't be happy with this but at least I'll know she can get them taken care of. K would do it but he makes everything such a production and acts all out of joint if he has to do anything he hasn't sit up himself. If it were his idea I'm sure it would be fine but I just can't bring myself to deal with him since he called and blew up. Yes, I know - COWARD!

Thank you for being there and reading this - it helps to write it out.

We took P to the airport this afternoon and really hated to see her go. She has been wonderful with Grandma. Why Grandma looks so much better she has some color in her face but she is still complaining (bad habit!) On the way back, we stopped at Home Depot to get the things going for her new carpet to be laid on her decks. Once it was paid for the installers will contact us and we can set a date. Hope it isn't too far away. They can only do it if the temp is higher than 69 so keep your fingers crossed!

One less thing to worry about. Your Dad is planning on going up there next week to take the old carpet off and the railings off. I will be very grateful when it's done.

Then after that we're hoping to run down to Nan's and family so your Dad can help Ben finish off his train set. And then after that it's plans for heading East away from her for several weeks!! We can wait to see you guys out there. Sure wish our peach tree would at least look like it was trying to get ripe - still green as gore. Oh great!! Still have beans coming on so we have to take care that we get as many as we can and the tomatoes too. We have put several bags into the freezer for a later time of canning them. I always make tomato sauce, which is great because there is no additional salt or anything else, just the tomatoes and a little water to help them cook down.

Be nice if we could get our garden cleaned out a bit before we come back so there isn't so much to do when we come home.