Monday, December 1, 2025

119 - down a smidge.

We are in the last month of the year already. It seems like every year goes by faster.

Golf yesterday wasn't bad though our friends were sick and didn't make it. It was warm but breezy so a fairly comfortable afternoon.

Today feels busy: Housekeepers come for the first time this morning. The marble restoration company which will be refinishing the countertops in the kitchen put stain remover on a few places where the marble has darkened today in advance of the actual work on Wednesday. I need to go to the store, then make that turkey pie to put in the freezer. This afternoon I have a medical dermatology appointment to do the annual skin check for cancer. Unfortunately I have to skip water aerobics as there isn't any time to fit it in. I haven't done any of my regular exercise classes in a week because of all the company.

But first, there will be a Justice walk. Have a minimalist Monday!

The workers arrived at 7am. I was showered and dressed, Kirby was fed, my car was at the street so I wasn't trapped, and the garbage cans were at the curb. It's coming along:

Before:

During:

The continuous ceiling was sleeker before, but what are you going to do? I think is the next best option if I wanted a vent.

Kirby and I had a walk while the ceiling was being cut as that was noisy. I need to go to town at some point to mail back some clothes I ordered that weren't right, but that's it. Funny ordering mistake: I ordered some Good American jeans because they have a line called Always Fits that says they'll fit multiple sizes with stretch. Sounded versatile. So I ordered what I thought covered jeans sizes 28-32 or pants sizes 6-14. Nope. Imagine my surprise when they came and were for plus pants sizes 28 -32! They were ginormous and made me feel tiny by comparison and I'm not tiny.

Anyway, off to scrounge up something for lunch. Take care all!

I bet the vent will look great and you need it!

Hi everyone, Question: DD is researching buying bulk Tirzepatide to reduce monthly costs. Her current supplier does not do bulk discounts, but she is considering a pharmacy called Belle. She will do more research, but curious of any of you have heard of, or used this company?

Update: Orderly does bulk pricing. It's a little more a month than this company, but since that is a more widely recognized supplier she's going to go with that one : )

Greetings all

More big sun today. And last night there was a sunset that was positively breathtaking. I actually pulled off the freeway to watch it on my way home from the gallery. Wish I had a picture. It was intense purple and orange.

Picked up new work at the studio and glazed some new things. Then I took the new stuff up to the gallery even though I was just there yesterday. I am out of wine stoppers but put out 5 for firing today. There are extra firings for Christmas stuff. I tried to ring up a sale on the new system at the studio but failed. Had to find a young person.

Yay for pie Liz. And yay for dermatologists. FB photo looks great. Pie!

I will make yum yum sandwiches tonight for dinner. The burritos I brought home last night from the deli were bad. Tossed the remainder. It is also dog pill day so there is the ritual of hiding them in liver sausage.

Our house cleaner hurt her knee while doing dog walking for other people. Not sure when she will be back but I must check up on her and maybe help out some.

CC that vent is going to be great! Are you feeling ok today? I was wondering if moving stuff stirred up some dust. Sure does for me. I hope the vent is finished soon so you can cook more pot roast!

DD I don't know anything about that company. Sorry. Is the social worker meeting today? Glad you have a brother who helps big time with your parents care.

We watched episodes from the new season of Stranger Things. DH loves it but the fantasy spooky element is now beyond me. Too gross. So I need to search for new Netflix favorites.

Diane S

Season 2 of Man on the Inside is released on Netflix. Highly recommend season 1 if you didn'****ch it yet.

Cold today, the high was 19. No days warmer than 30 in the long range forecast.

I hadn't weighed myself for a few days but I did this morning, and all is good. Auto pilot eating! I'm enjoying it.

This morning my Mom called at 9:45 am and said she had mixed up the appointment time with the social worker, and she was coming at 11 am. It takes an hour and 15 minutes to drive to their house, if all conditions are perfect. We blasted out of the house and arrived at 11:20. The discussion was about Hospice and what they had to offer. So much of what my parents need. My Mom is still hesitant, she said she's not sure she is ready to start this journey yet. It's so puzzling. I said you are on this journey whether you want to be or not. The question is do you want some company to help you on the journey. I also emphasized that if she didn't like the help that Hospice offers, she can quit. I am not at the end of my life yet, so maybe I don't understand how hard it is to accept that one is terminally ill. But if I had congestive heart failure and damaged lungs I would be so afraid of getting into a situation where I was gasping for breath and basically suffocating without any help to ease me through that passage. DD said in her talks with social workers who work with dying patients that is what most people are afraid of. I think my Mom is willing to risk this so long as she doesn't have to accept that she is going to die someday. It's an unusual response. I also spoke frankly with her and told her that she wasn't the only one involved here, and worrying about them was all consuming for me and DB so think about helping us too. Anyhow, she is going to meet with the actual intake people on Wednesday. My brother will attend. Maybe she will sign the paperwork. But I could still see her saying no. If she does, my response to all complaints in the future will be a reminder that Hospice could help with that.

No firm plans until Friday, when we have tickets to the Minnesota Orchestra, and Saturday, the annual Christmas concert we attend hosted by a trio famous in Minnesota. It's a variety show, where they pull in lots of luminaries of the Minnesota music scene, and is one of my favorite live performances we see each year.

DD returns to Boston (hopefully, there is a storm heading towards the east coast) tomorrow. It has been lovely to have her home.

When my daughter left the hospital for the last time they sent her home with hospice information and urged her to contact them. We met with them a couple of days after she was home. Though she knew she was terminally ill at that point she just wasn't ready to sign yet. The hospice people set up a plan and gave her all the materials to kick it off at any point. She possibly even signed in advance (I don't remember). When she hit a crisis a week later we just had to call and ask for help and they immediately stepped in. Maybe you mother will be offered that?

Maybe that will be part of the intake. She has at least taken steps towards some help. But here is my fear: my parents seem to choose chaos so often, and I worry that my mother's eventual passing will be full of drama, pain, turmoil and even more chaos. I hope I'm wrong.