Tractor
Mom called this evening. Among other things, she told me she sold the tractor. It felt similar to when she told me that she’d sent her mother’s sterling to one of her cousins, after telling me, as a child, she’d pass it to me. Not a death, but somehow an important loss none the less. […]
Tracking Fails
4-17-2016: 5PM Mom leaves, as described by daughter #2, very agitated voicemail saying she’s having a banking problem. 5:35PM Mom leaves me voicemail saying she has no record of paying the April mortgage payment, that she doesn’t have an April mortgage statement from the bank, and that if I’ve started paying the mortgage with funds […]
Birthday
I’m not at all hurt by this, but mom forgot to call me today. It’s my birthday! Yes, we celebrated together 10 days ago, yet, this is a first. Interestingly enough, in late March, she asked me in a teasing way: “And your birthday is on…?” And I laughed back saying she knew when my […]
Doctors – srotcoD
Mom called yesterday to tell me she thought she’d moved her medical care to a new doctor, but that her old doctor, who she has two appointments with this month, has no record of this transfer taking place. This is because when she saw the new doctor, in late May & June (regarding signing a […]
Homeward
4/3/16 We started Sunday by packing out of the cabin, and then receiving calls from mom that couldn’t connect due to lack of cell service. When I listened to voice mail later, she’d not only forgotten what time we’d agreed to reconvene at her place, but that there was a plan at all. Fortunately, she […]
Paint
4/2/16 We finished painting three quarters of the south wall of the house on Saturday. The stains defy two coats of primer plus a coat paint that purports to be primer and top coat in one. These white paints have not met the monumental fireplace smoke damage that covers/ed my mother’s walls and ceiling. Sunday […]
April Fool’s Day
4/1/16 My fearless husband and I arrived at mom’s Island home after nearly missing the ferry. We were in line, praying to the overload Gods, as 6 cars at a time were allowed to load. We were the 4th to last vehicle on board, with the last car having to back off the boat! I […]
The Wild Braid
I left “The Wild Braid” by Stanley Kunitz with my mom in February, knowing that she would love it. This is what she wrote about the book today. This is the paradox that is my mother, author and editor. In the written word she is flawless. “I finally really got into this book, and it’s […]
Taxes
Mom’s 2015 taxes are 99% done. It’s taken about 12 hours to bring this to fruition, not including the time its taken to hunt for and spirit pertinent documents out of her house during 2015 (mostly the charitable receipts, less they be forever lost). In all honesty, driving and ferry riding aside, 20 hours is […]
Cash
Each month I print of two copies of mom’s Island bank statement. One for me and one for her. This is a very, very small bank. It’s online system is somewhat limited (or very green). If you opt for receiving your statements online, they will not mail them to you. I need these statements to […]
Dementia Dance - Travels with Mom 