Thursday With the Ladies and Friday Things.....

I was up early Thursday so I could finish cooking lunch for the ladies at the nursing home.

I did as much prep work as I could the night before and was loaded and on the road about 10:30.

I stopped at Nita's and zapped the food in her microwave for one last burst of heat before I served it.

Nita's house is less than 10 minutes from the nursing home.

I don't quite have my act together but I am working on it.

The table was a hodge podge of pretty dishes and tablecloth, Pioneer Woman silverware, spring flower napkin rings and cloth napkins along plastic bowls and re purposed containers.

I carry most of the table things in a large wicker basket with a handle. 

The basket is old. The handle is worn. The things were heavy.

I should not have been surprised when the handle broke off as I was walking from the parking lot to the door of the home. Thankfully I had cut across the grass so everything landed without mishap and I scooped it all back in. Without a handle, the basket was rather awkward to transport now. A worker was just arriving and saw my dilemma and helped me carry the things in.

You never know what you're going to encounter when you arrive at a nursing home.

That day there was a rather large and rather loud resident blocking the door with her wheelchair and cussing another resident who was just coming back in with his family.

I mean that woman could cuss like a sailor!

Thank goodness Lillian's door was closed but I know they could hear every word.

It took several of the staff to get the situation under control.

I went ahead to the living area and set the table with all my things - going back to get the insulated bag with the cold items in it.

By this time the woman who had been so disruptive was sitting in the middle of the nurse's station as meek as a lamb.

I went off to fetch Lillian and Margaret.

Lillian fell as she was getting out of bed a few weeks ago and her eye is still discolored and there's still a small knot above her eyebrow. 

We had a nice lunch together.

The pork chops were really good but they just ate half of one.

They both liked the baked potatoes and ate every bit and I was happy to see Margaret get a second helping of green beans. The surprise star of the meal was the pimento stuffed celery. They loved that!

You should have seen their smiles when I told them I was leaving the rest with them.

I guess the furniture at the nursing home is what has been donated.

The large dining table - used as a game table - looks good enough and appears sturdy.

It's never clean, though, and I cover it with a cloth.

But when I lean over to reach something in the middle - the table wobbles. It feels like it is not attached to the pedestal base but simply sitting on top of it.

They spend so much time in their rooms that we lingered long at the table.

I cleared the food and dishes off, packed up my things, took them back to the car and returned with a jigsaw puzzle.

We spent over an hour finding the straight edges.

I think it was a good activity for Lillian. You don't really think about things when you are working a puzzle. She seemed to relax and lose herself for a bit. Margaret got sleepy after she ate and dozed off in her wheelchair. After we found all the border pieces, we rolled the mat up and went back to the room.

It was too large a puzzle to fit on the bed tray in there.

By this time Summer had joined us and was helping put the border together when we dropped the entire box of pieces. Oops!!

Summer's friend, Mary, had been released from the hospital that morning so that was good news.

Since she was in the area, she decided to stop and visit with us for a little while.

She stayed while I made a grocery run to Walmart to stock their little fridge up.

We will be going to the  ranch next week so it will be awhile before I get back over there and I wanted to make sure they had some extra food and treats.

I asked them what they were hungry for and Lillian always says she doesn't eat much and seldom ever asks for anything specific. I asked about cereal. No....she said....but then I caught Margaret's eye and she started nodding her head up and down. What kind? "Raisin Bran," she said. 

I said, "I bought that and it wasn't what you wanted." Then she made a face letting me know that it wasn't what Lillian wanted - but she likes it!

What else?" I asked.

"You know what I would really love to have?? I great big ole piece of bologna!"

Now she was talking my language!

Turns out she likes a simple bologna and cheese sandwich on white bread with mayo. I do, TOO!

Off I went to get that and the cereal, milk, bananas, a container of the shrimp and seafood salad they both love and a few other things like a Glade plug in and new Sunflower place mats.

When I got back, they had decided the puzzle was too big with too many pieces so it was all back in the box from whence it came. I took it to the living room and put it in the game cupboard.

We may try a smaller puzzle with larger pieces next time.

I put the food things up and gave Lillian some nightgowns and pajamas I had for her.

She loved them and I was so glad I had not taken them to the Goodwill with all the other stuff I've been cleaning out. I had washed them thinking she might like them and she sure did.

While Summer stayed on to visit, I went off to check on Roberta and found her sitting up in a chair listening to the Texas Ranger game on the radio while she took a breathing treatment.

She's still on hospice and I don't think she will be here long but my heart soared to see her dressed and in the chair. I sat on her 'throne' while we talked. That's what she calls the chair in her room with the burgundy cover on it that Summer had bought for her. Her dinner arrived - and it smelled good! - and she said I could feed her. It made my day to see her eat fairly well. We talked some more and prayed and I told her I wouldn't be back for a few weeks.

She said that she would be with Jesus......if not here on earth....then in heaven.

I told her I want to be just like her 'when I grow up!'

I really do.....

I hadn't meant to stay so late and now it was in the middle of heavy traffic time. 

So I lingered a little longer.

When I got ready to leave, Lillian gave me the biggest hug.

Back when Mother was still Lillian's roommate, I had told her that even after Mother was gone, I was not going to leave Lillian. I assured her we would still visit and keep up our relationship.

When she hugged me again, I said, "I will not leave you! I will be back!"

She said, "Linda, I love you! If you ever leave, I want you to take me with you!"

I love that lady.

I am reminded of my great love for another dear old lady......Mrs. Morrison.

I was very young (15) and she was very old - or at least I thought so at the time. She was 63.

I love Lillian with that same kind of love. There's only 14 years difference in our ages.

Last night we talked about what she was doing when she was my age.

Much the same things as I am doing now.

We go to the ranch.

She and her husband had a place at Lake Palestine.

They were in the bus ministry at their church.

She was busy, active and happy.

Lillian has had a good life with lots of good memories to look back on.

Her recent sorrows have not stolen her joy and gratitude.

She's a fine lady and I'm proud to know her.

I ended up spending the whole day at the nursing home and that was a good thing.

I didn't work hard and I had sat and rested while visiting so it was with a light heart that I winged my way home. I unloaded my stuff and put all the dishes in the dishwasher and did some damage control before Louis Dean and I packed up an overnight bag and drove over to Dallas to spend the night at Amber and Mike's.

We wanted to go to the school assembly this morning but knew it would be hard to get there at 7:45 unless we were already at their house.

It was still hard. But so worth it!!!

I woke up at 6:00 and made a cup of coffee in their Keurig.

I found Louis Dean all dressed and asleep in the living room!

The kids were downstairs getting their shoes on and I showed that pic to Trystan.

She smiled and said, "Oh, Granddad!"

I asked her who could wake him up???

If I did it, he would be grumpy!!

So SHE did!

And he wasn't grumpy at all!

And just like that, there were all four of them piled on top and giving him a morning hug!

I'm happy to say Louis Dean and I were on time - nearly - at the assembly!

And we got to see Trystan receive the MVP award for the first grade!

I'm so proud of Amber and Mike!!

And Trystan!

I'm proud of Kailey, Harrison and Logan, too!!

And as a proud MeeMaw.....can I just say that they ALL got straight A's on their report cards??

We came home - it wasn't even 9:00! - and went straight to bed.

We got up after lunch and went to the center to walk.

 I have stayed in bed a lot today just resting. Did a little light housework and some reading.

Louis Dean made hamburgers for two.....plus extra!

Is he the only one to put cucumbers on his hamburger?

I am actually back in bed as I write this with my laptop on the white bed tray.

Classical music 101.1 is on the radio and the back door is open to the night.

It's been cooler today and will be cooler still tomorrow.

Saturday is my 'home' day - a day that I don't have to leave the house.

I'm going to do a good cleaning in the den, watch movies and light the fireplace.

And I do!!