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As long as he brings Tyrannosaurus sized chocolate eggs?
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I’m fine with it.
Happy Easter!
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A bunny by any other name…
Monthly Archives: April 2023
Hospice trees.
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If you’ve ever visited a hospice house, and I hope you haven’t because the sadness can be overwhelming, you’ll know that extra care is taken in the decoration. There are usually multiple rooms with comfortable furniture, soothing colors and thoughtful artwork.
The hospice in which my SIL currently resides has a thing for trees.
I suppose it’s a tree of life theme…which considering the circumstances seems appropriate. There’s a lovely quilt which greets you upon entry.
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And a beautiful stained glass door to a private room for grieving families.
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There’s no real reason for my posting this, we’ve just been spending a lot of time here so I thought I’d share.
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Let’s play.
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Because there’s a little bit of child inside us all.
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The first thing that came to mind was my husband, but since that’s not an appropriate response?
I’ll have to go with this:
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It’s just an old dessert plate from Bavaria but it belonged to my mother and her mother before her. My grandmother was born in Austria and didn’t bring much with her when she emigrated to the states in 1923, but somehow this survived and was passed down to me. It’s not my style or taste, but there’s something about the kitchen continuity of the third generation of daughters still using this plate that makes me hold it dear.
How about you?
What’s the oldest thing still in use in your kitchen?
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His Royal Highness.
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Because all I can manage today is a few photos of Lord Dudley Mountcatten.
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Who doesn’t understand why his humans are so sad.
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Not that it disturbs his naps.
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Oh, to be a cat and sleep 18 hours a day.
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❤️
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So much sadness….
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I don’t usually blog about deeply personal things, but the past week has been tough and my heart is too heavy for the usual fluff today.
It started with the death of one of my husband’s coworkers. An unexpected heart attack. He was 52.
The next day we learned an old childhood friend of my husband’s had passed from the cancer he’d been battling for years. Not unexpected, but still sad. He was 71.
We’ve also been helping to care for my husband’s elderly uncle who still lives alone at 91. His mind is strong, but his body is failing and he’s unable to do everyday things. We do his grocery shopping, run his errands and clean his house… and while I know he appreciates the help, he also gets very cranky with the invasion of his personal space. He really needs nursing home care now and though it’s not unexpected… it’s been sad seeing the slow decline of health of a once vibrant man.
But the situation that’s broken me is my SIL. A big hearted, funny, generous to a fault, deeply troubled woman who’s suffered from depression all her life. An unhappy childhood, an abusive marriage, a bitter divorce and a diagnosis of MS in her late 40’s led to a deep slide into alcoholism and opioid addiction. After trying to kill herself in 2010, we took her in and she lived with us for a year. We got her off the booze, the drugs and the cigarettes. We put over 30lbs on her frail frame, got her substance abuse counseling and psychiatric help and shared what she always tells people was the best year of her life. We gave her love and a fresh start and felt good about setting her up in a nice little apartment. But left to her own devices, the last 12 years have been a slow road to self destruction. Isolating herself from friends and family and smoking two packs a day led to COPD and emphysema and a total dependence on oxygen. Somewhere along the line she gave up on life and though we tried to help numerous times, you can’t save someone from themselves. Now… at barely 80 pounds, she’s dying in a hospice facility. We visited her yesterday and the literal husk of the woman we saw there broke both our hearts.
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It is.
But damn, it’s a hard price to pay.
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Ice, ice baby.
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It may be April, but in Maine that still means ice.
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These are photos of Sabattus Lake and the Cobbosseecontee Lakes…
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As you can see, some are still iced over.
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Spring may be here with daytime temps in the low 50’s….
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But with nights below 32, melting is a slow process.
🙂
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A little bit of nothing much, and me.
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The only state that beats us is Alaska, but since I’m still experiencing the hot flashes from Hell? That’s fine by me.
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The photo in which Lord Dudley Mountcatten discovers the old woodchuck burrow.
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And naturally does a deep dive investigation.
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Me.
Because I realized I haven’t posted a selfie in a while and I have nothing better to share today.
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A day of remembrance.
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The husband and I headed up to the State House last week to see our governor proclaim an official day of remembrance for Vietnam Veterans.
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It was a beautiful spring day with temperatures in the high 40’s.
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The ceremony took place on the third floor, known as the Hall of Flags.
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Basically because that’s where they keep them in four giant cases in the corners of the room.
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Governor Janet Mills gave a lovely speech ending with the all important thank you… and welcome home.
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After the ceremony? The husband wanted a word and waited patiently.
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I missed that photo as I was blocked by other veterans. And since they served their country? I figured I shouldn’t push them out of the way just for blog fodder.
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It was a nice day, and healing for those who needed it.
If you see a Vietnam Vet?
Welcome them home. And say thank you. It’s never too late.
❤️
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News you can’t use.
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Ridiculous headlines to follow. You know the drill..
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Ever since The Last of Us series on HBO everyone is obsessed with fungus. If it can eat my house? I’m not sure I want to know any further details.
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Worst. Mental. Image. Ever.
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Finally, a little justice in the world.
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It seems everyone is on board with ChatGPT.
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It lacks a soul… now.
Hang in there pastor. They’re working on it.
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Deer me.
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Our snow is gone and we’re beginning to see some green grass.
We’re also seeing a nightly herd of 10 who never get together for a group portrait.
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Young, old and the same harem master buck.
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They’re all kicking up their heels because spring is out there… somewhere.
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❤️
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River's world..... 