Week in Review: October 7 through October 13

This week was really quiet around Mom's house. We went to church Sunday morning, then spent the rest of the just lazing around the house.

Monday, Mom went to see her doctor, to get the final approval for in-home assistance. The group, Senior Friend, works closely with family doctors to make certain that the proper care is prescribed. They did a blood draw in the lab, but she's good to go, so we should be able to start care this week.

I finally finished a wedding gift for some dear friends, who were married on the 7th at Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course (Washington), and we got it sent off Tuesday. They're on a trip to Europe and a Mediterranean cruise, so they'll get it when they return. (Thank you, Michelle, for taking care of it until they get back.)

Tuesday Mom and I raked the leaves from the front yard for about 1 1/2 hours, until Dick took the rake from Mom and helped me finish. We filled 12 huge lawn and leaf bags. That night the wind blew--Wednesday morning it looked like we hadn't raked at all! This was the 2nd time I had raked--we're leaving the leaves now until most of them are down, and Mom's neighbor Dave will use the riding lawn mower to pick them up along with the leaves in his yard. (Thanks, Dave! The mower is in the shed!)

Just a small section of the front yard.

 On Wednesday, we woke to 23 degree temperatures. Although it warmed up to the low 50s, it was quite a shock! Also that day MacKenzie got braces...note the teal and orange elastics she chose. By that evening she was a hurtin' puppy, as her teeth had already started to move. She's been on a diet of soft foods for a couple of days, including soup, jello and ice cream. (She says, "thank you, liquid ibuprofen!") 

 

That evening my dad's youngest sister Milly and her husband Wayne (from Renville, MN) stopped by to see Mom. They were up visiting a close friend of theirs, who is in a nursing home here in the area. Always good to see them, and get caught up on the Brummer side of the family. They have a 700 acre farm in southern Minnesota, including a gravel pit (the gravel is used solely for highway concrete pavement).

Thursday we attempted to get in to eat at the Black Bear Casino, for their sumptuous seafood buffet. The wait time was 75 minutes, so we scrubbed that idea and went to another local restaurant, The Streetcar, in Carlton. It was "rib night" so my brother Rich and I had ribs; Dick had a burger; Mom had chicken marsala; and Karen and MacKenzie had German potato soup. Yum-yum!

Friday. The day arrived for in-home care for Mom. Yeah!!! We can leave now, with assurance that she'll have more companionship during the week, help with housework, and more attention to her personal hygiene. Thanks to brother Rich, wife Karen, and daughter MacKenzie for all they do, but this will relieve them of some of the burden of the day-to-day stuff. Mom says she doesn't need help, that she can do things and isn't helpless yet; and, yes, we know she can do things, but I remind her that she doesn't remember to do those things. The Senior Friend will come 3 days per week, for a couple of hours each day.

What a gorgeous day Friday was; temps reached mid-60s with bright, beautiful sunshine. The leaves continued to fall, reminding one of large snowflakes drifting to the ground. Made chocolate chip cookies--won't last long! Have to hide them from Mom, otherwise they'd be gone by dinner time!

Saturday dawned rainy, but still. The temps at noon were only in the low 40s. Made "quick caramel coffee ring" for breakfast, but made them in muffin tins instead. (Recipe is in the "Blessed Bistro" cookbook, ladies!) Served them along with scrambled eggs, bacon, and citrus salad. Yum-yum!

Saturday evening was the annual spaghetti feed, supporting the local Friends of Animals Shelter (sis-in-law Karen manages it, as I've mentioned in previous posts). Didn't need to cook!

We're doing the final preparations for departure, either tomorrow the 14th, or Monday the 15th. Laundry, moving clothes back out to the trailer, etc. The hitch and ramp is ready for the motorcycle, and the rack is ready for the bicycles. (Dick manufactured the bike rack from pvc pipe, so we can haul them inside the trailer between the living room slides. Cool, huh!) 

 First stop after we leave Mom's: Welcome, Minnesota. (Due to the delay in leaving Cloquet, the other parks we had wanted to visit are closed for the winter.) Originally known as Lily Creek for a creek that still flows to the north, the name was later changed to Welcome in honor of Alfred M. Welcome, an Englishman who homesteaded near there after the Civil War. Population: 680+/-. Total land area: 0.9 square miles. Median age: 41 years It's about 300 miles, or a 4.5 hour drive. Weather promises to be good Sunday, but better Monday. We'll see... Don't know how long we'll stay there...:)

Hope this finds you all well. We miss you, and look forward to hearing from you via emails or phone calls. Blessings...