Four Generations

 Spent a little bit of time yesterday with my youngest grandchild, Lizzie. She doesn't look very comfortable in this picture, but she was happy. She is almost always happy, or maybe I should say content. She doesn't cry much (at least not while I was there today) and she tries to coo and communicate.

My mother and father followed me to my daughter's house to see their great grandchild for the first time. Mother, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's had no idea that this was her great-grandchild or even remembered her name after two minutes. I think we had to tell her about seven time what her name was. She may not have known her, but she loved her! Wanted to hold her so bad. But she wasn't able. Dad, as always was all smiles. Always is when he is around his family.

My son wasn't here, as Lizzie was visiting with her Aunt for the weekend to give her mommy & daddy a break. But four generations, how is that even possible. It seems like yesterday it was just me and these two. My mom & Dad (that was before my brothers as I was five before my first sibling came along)

Mother is 82 now, and even though here in body, mother left us a few years ago. Slowly. Alzheimer's is a cruel disease. She is nothing close, personality wise to who she used to be. She doesn't know any of us now, except for Dad. Regardless, she still smiles, and gives the best hugs. She also tells us all about her mom and dad. My grandparents died in 1999 and 2000, but she believes she lives with them.  And maybe in her mind she does and that is okay. 

Cherish days like this. Family. Parents. 

This is what life is really all about.

Razputin, Anyastasia & Fisher or the "Babies"

 Yes, RAZ putin, not Rasputin. Or as he is called "Raz". He is my buddy. He is a beagle that DJ & B adopted from a shelter and he is the best guy ever! He either sleeps as you see here, in my bed or on the floor, by my bed. Well, that is until his daddy gets home. 

That other furry friend up there in my bed is Anyastasia or "Anya". She is a dachshund/pit bull mix and she is a princess! She also loves lying in my bed until Daddy gets home. 

Then there is the little baby. Fisher, named after Carrie Fisher as we got him the day Carrie Fisher died. Maltese / Shiatzu mix. Veracious bark, but a chicken shit.  Scared of his own shadow. He refuses to get off the patio when it is dark outside unless someone is with him. He prefers to sleep downstairs in his playpen. He doesn't like coming upstairs in the dark.

These three babies keep me company. DJ works normally 5pm to 5am and B works 10pm to 7am, so these three are my companions and my co workers since I've been working from home. They work cheap, for treats! They also help keep me sane. Yes, I talk to them. We have some great conversations!!😘

Getting into the Season

 HAPPY HALLOW--- oh wait it is still September.

That doesn't matter, it is officially autumn, so why not put up Halloween decorations? B is all about it, just thank goodness he didn't want to decorate the yard in Halloween Gnomes! Will get to that in another post at some point I am sure.

It does look festive, and after placing 17 inflatables and various other decorations (pumpkins, mums and scarecrows) the "boys" (how I refer to DJ and B) were finished, for now now anyway.

All these decorations had me going back in time to Halloweens of past. Trick or Treat as a kid was not that much fun for me, and once I got married we didn't participate as my ex wife thought it was some kind of worship of Satan or something. Then once I came out it became a yearly extravaganza! I would either host or co-host a costume party every year.

This year DJ & B are hosting a costume party (as long as Covid slows down, which unfortunately, it seems to back in rampant force) The theme for the party is Disney. So now I need to decide what I will dress up as. I am thinking an Ape, from Tarzan. B already has the costume and I will be in a full faced mask all night! We will see.

As for my shingles, they are still active, but slowing down. Had to get another prescription of the famciclovir, so hopefully they will be gone soon! 

So, Happy Autumn and let's hope for a party!

Trimming the Hedges

 I mentioned in my first blog post back on my birthday and my first post in seven years that I was living with DJ and his husband, B now. In 2013 they bought their first home and about a year later they asked me to move in with them. It was odd at first, but I finally settled in and their home became my home. Fast forward to today. About a year ago, sometime in August 2019, DJ and B put their first home on the market. On December 17, 2019 they closed on the new home. A thirteen room colonial with an acre of land. We all love it, including the babies (the doggies).

I went out for a little bit today (as I have not been out of the house other than to go to the doctor) and when I returned, B had hedge clippers and was trying to manually cut the huge shrubs in the front of the house. He was not having the best of luck. I proceeded to get the electric hedge trimmers out of the garage and finished the job, and the photos above is the completed project.

I was quite proud of myself as the last time I had done this big of a project was way back in the mid 1990's when I worked with my former father-in-law. He taught me quite a bit about landscaping (as well as other things, I may add).

Hat's off to me, and thanks to my former father-in-law, RIP.

Oh Shit! It's Shingles!

Thought I had a spider bite that caused my eye to swell.  So I finally went to the doctor today and it is not a spider bite. It's SHINGLES!! They are in my eyebrow and my eyelid, behind my ear and even in my hairline! Very painful!! Doctor put my on famciclovir and gabapentin. Hopefully this too will pass...

It sucks to get old. 

I hate 2020!

Meet Lizzie

 On Monday, July 27, 2020 my 4th grandchild was born. Now mind you I have 10 grandchildren, but six of them are step-grandchildren. I only have four "blood" grandchildren now.

This is Alizabeth AnneMarie, or as we will all call her, Lizzie.

Lizzie is my youngest son, Adam's daughter. He was the one that battled Hodgkin's and was told due to all the chemo and radiation that he would be sterile. But low and behold, he and his girlfriend did conceive.  Doctor's don't know it all.

Welcome to this crazy world, Lizzie.

Reality Check... How am I 60?

 Today I turned Sixty.

No this picture is not a current one, this was taken in February.

In the midst of a pandemic, I turned sixty. I had planned a big party with family and friends, but unfortunately I had to cancel due to the stay-at-home orders across our county. Pandemic or not, I still turned sixty. Party or not, I turned sixty.

Did I tell you I turned sixty today? 60!

This blog has been empty of new posts since 2013. I had just recently started my job with my current employer. Posted about it then nothing. A hell of a lot has transpired in seven years, and now I am 60!

I have been with that employer now 7+ years. We were sold to the largest Pharmaceutical company in North America about 4 years ago. With that change, I received a large raise and promotion and had my own office. But now, instead of going to my office every day we are working remotely. For me, that means in my bedroom. Not a bad set up, and I am actually more productive here than I was at the office. If you would have told me seven years ago when I got this job that I would be working from my bedroom and living with DJ and B, I would have said you were crazy. But I am.

Yes I live with my Ex and his husband (they were married in 2015) and 99.9% we get along fine. Even during a pandemic and me living in this house 24 / 7. However, they are essential workers (the pandemic has created new words and phrases) and both work outside of the home. I rarely get out. I have an auto-immune disease (MS and diabetes) so I want to avoid the Coronavirus / COVID-19 at all costs.

Like I said, so much has transpired in the last seven years, and I don't want to go into all of it in this post, but I will be posting more in the upcoming weeks and bring you up to date, if there is anyone still reading this. If not, that is okay too as this blog was always for me anyway.

So welcome to the "NEW' Reality Check.

Reality Check @ 60