Personal

Remembrance

A year ago, Mom died.

On May 16th last year, we had to move her from the bed she’d slept in for over 25 years to a hospital bed in her room because we were unable to get her in and out of her real bed anymore. She was too weak. Up to that point for weeks, we had bathed her, cleaned her, dressed her and put her to bed. Cancer is a bitch, as I am sure most of you unfortunately know.

Still the 16th was a shocking day, though we knew it was coming. She no longer would eat and barely would take a few sips of water. The hospice people started giving her morphine that day and she never really came out of it to full consciousness after that. She was on oxygen. Each day I would go over to my sister’s to see her and I hope she knew I was there.

On May 20th, the nurses told my sister I should probably come. So I did. She didn’t pass that night, but we spent time with her. She never liked to be touched or hugged or comforted that way. She was raised in a rather cold Irish Catholic family and that’s just the way they all were. But she let us that last night. We stroked her hand and told her we loved her.

I went home that night when the night nurse came. I returned the next morning, May 21st. We kept the oxygen on then only so the priest could come for last rites (they call it the anointing of the sick now). When he finally arrived, we went through it with him.

After his departure, they turned off her oxygen, and it really was very quick after that. Not even an hour. I was in the room next to her when she passed. It was both easier than I thought it would be and torture at the same time.

It’s hard to believe we’ve already had a year pass. Today we are bring flowers to where her ashes are buried and then spending the rest of the day celebrating her long life as she made it very close to 95 years.

Anyway, thank you for listening.

May 21, 2022 8

May Day Ramblings

I don’t know the date anymore, but it was several years ago, that M and I returned from a trip to find that sister and Mom had purchased for us our first “Smart” TV from Walmart and left it for us in our house. It was pretty small as far as those things are concerned but we only had a small space in our IKEA purchased entertainment center.

We’ve wanted to upgrade for a number of years now but we had the same old obnoxious entertainment center. This year we decided to get a new one, entertainment center, that would accommodate a bigger Smart TV. So M finally ordered one and we’ve been procrastinating ever since. Today we packed away our DVDs/BluRays and gaming systems so that we could finally put together the new one and get the old one out the door.

It’s a big project but we want that new TV and want this old entertainment center that’s been around since the 1990s, no not kidding, gone.

It reminded me though how many movies and television shows I actually own! Probably thousands of dollars worth. When and if the dang thing is ever finished I will post a picture once we get the new television.

Anyway that’s what’s going around here on a Sunday.

May 1, 2022

Happy Easter 2022

Photo by George Dolgikh @ Giftpundits.com on Pexels.com

If you are a believer in God

Check out old flashes of mine

Easter Eggs

The Easter Bunny

April 17, 2022

April Expectations

I have to laugh at the above picture. I can’t even tell you when I last used a type writer. Some of you younger folks probably haven’t even seen one in person.

Fun fact, when I was in “Junior High” which I think is Middle School now, one of our required classes was “Typing” and yes on a type writer. There was also sewing and cooking. And both genders had to take them. “Life” skills aren’t really taught anymore.

But I digress, obviously.

You can expect Totally Modern Jim M-F in April. If it’s not done by May, then I will continue the same pattern into May, but we will see how it goes. Some day when it’s finished I expect to post on A03

Speaking of, they told me to ignore those attempts and resetting my password. They said they had more reports of that but that there really isn’t anything a person can do to reset YOUR password and to ignore it.

I’ve got a couple of works that need updating and that’s what you’ve been seeing with Our So Called Life and The Ghost and Mr. Spock. Expect more updates on other stories as April continues.

Spring Break only has about 4 chapters left so I expect no issues with finishing that in April either.

I promised J a Pinto de Mayo story in May so I will have to get to work on that sometime this month also, though it won’t be uploaded until May.

And I think that’s it. I didn’t do T’hy’la Bang this year and I am so so glad as there simply wasn’t time.(never mind someone wrote a Spirk story with Spock as a black cat… Nine Lives by ME…is out there still but okay whatever). Feel free to ignore that very slight bitter rant. I know, I know.

That’s a full month for me and I hope you are looking forward to it as much as me.

April 7, 2022

More Rambles to End March

The good news is I think the roofers are done with OUR building, although they are still next door. But at least they are no longer pounding over my head all day.

The also good news is I am feeling about ready to write something again. But it’s a chapter for Joined when I do. I have already played out much of the chapter in my head though the problem with that is many of the good lines I write in my head never make it to paper (or in modern times the Word doc). Some would say I should write it down as it comes to me but in all honesty I am not wired that way. So the great chapter in my head will likely be the so-so chapter once it’s posted. Happens to me all the time.

There are a few stories I am no longer feeling warm and fuzzy about so we’ll see what I have to do about those.

The next part of the Modern AU will be up Monday. That’s the one where Jim goes to Spock’s apartment with pizza and beer, if anyone’s keeping track.

We have relatives visiting from Maine right around Easter next month. My sister is going to Disneyland with them on Easter. Fortunately I get to miss that. I love Disneyland but not at the prices they charge now nor the crowds so I definitely am happy not to go. They might go to Universal Studios as well which I like even less.

I think that’s all the rambling I have in me at the moment.

March 31, 2022

Burnout

I am suffering from a little burnout at the moment. It’ll pass, but as far as updating anything the rest of this week, it’s not likely. I believe everything will return to normal next week.

I do have something up tomorrow and Friday here on the blog, though, so you won’t have to do entirely without.

thanks everyone

March 29, 2022

Pictures from Vacation

I am super busy at work, came home sick, and there are roofers on my condo making unbelievable noise but here are some pictures from my recent vacay. Had a wonderful time. Thank you!

Stopped for great niece’s second birthday first

March 24, 2022

This Past Weekend’s Project

When we bought our condo in 2006 (hard to believe now) one of the sinks in the master bathroom had a chip. Well, both us and the inspector ignored it.

Until well…years later it became rusted and disgusting. The faucet barely trickled water too.

M looked online at a supply store for a sink to match what had been put in originally and lo and behold found one. Bought it last summer. It’s been sitting in the box ever since until we finally decided we needed to get it done. The old sink was literally putting rust dust everywhere.

Some before and after pictures follow:

March 7, 2022

Ramblings for the End of February 2022

Well nearing the end anyway

I have one more story to write for the Spring Fling but I did write three already. I also have to finish up February flashes.

This past week we took a short jaunt to Solvang, Santa Ynez and the Chumash Casino. I came home with about $800 so not too bad. I thought you might want to see some pictures from our little getaway.