Spent all day today either looking for a new place, or packing at the old place. Mom and Dad have been very helpful, almost overwhelmingly so. Here’s hoping it all comes together.
Posts Tagged ‘family’
Big Changes
Saturday, June 4th, 2011Vegas, Baby!
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010Ran off to Vegas for a short portion of the holiday weekend, to go see Star Wars in Concert with my dad, for his birthday present. When we made the plans, I totally spaced on the significance of the weekend, and that it meant I’d be missing out of NW Folklife in Seattle. Luckily, my desire to get out of Vegas ASAP meant I was getting back here in time for at least one day of folk-lifing, and it turned out to be dry and sunny during the parts of the day I was out and about.
Before we went to see the Star Wars concert, we went to go see the Cirque de Soleil martial-arts show, Ka. Wow. Lots of people on flying ropes, a stage that splits into two independent planes, rotating into humongous walls for them to fall down…the sheer omg-they-are-risking-their-lives-for-my-entertainment-factor is beyond measure. Quite the experience. And that’s not including the 4-way wheel-o-death bit they do near the end. It’s a spectacle worth watching more than once. I will be trying to find some friends to go back with.
Star Wars in concert was just OK by comparison. The orchestra performed admirably, the light show was competently presented, and Anthony Daniels did a fine job narrating things along, though having him walk from one side of the stage to the other after every movement seemed silly and pointless. There were a lot of kids for a show that seemed mostly focused on the music, rather than the visuals, or Star Wars. Lots of people in costumes. I wore my @@ shirt. =p
Aging Sucks
Friday, June 20th, 2008Spent a stressful few days visiting the family. We took a trip out into the desert with my grandmother, who is, according to her doctor, capable of keeling over dead at any moment…he’s not saying it’s going to happen, just that we should be prepared for the eventuality. All of her sons and daughters had come into town for one last visit, having all been avoiding coming to visit her as she fades. Meanwhile my dad’s been taking care of her, with appropriate (expensive!!!) professional help. From the way they talked about her, I expected something out of a lifetime special, but it was much more … sedated?… than that. She isn’t very vocal, but seemed mostly cheerful. She didn’t make any obvious failures of memory in terms of who people were, or where we were. Not that that didn’t stop my mom and dad from treating her like a 3 year old with a head wound, and talking at her with a, to me, exceptionally grating sing-song voice. More than a couple of times, when one of her kids would do that, she’d glance over at me and we’d roll our eyes together. She did have problems expressing herself though, getting some sentences started, but never being able to finish them. Yet she still did manage to get in her customary dig for me not being married yet, without having to say a word, just by feeling my fingers for a wedding ring.
I can’t imagine it’s much fun for my dad, having to help her go to the bathroom now, and changing her diapers when they don’t quite make it. She’s started gaining back some of her excess weight, lots of retained water seemed to be sloshing around in her skin, so it’s not just an emotional chore.
Between grandma’s deteriorating condition, and my mom’s heart scare, I think the family is a little moribund as of late. Mom was telling me that my two sisters announced to her the other day that C would get the big diamond ring, and M would get the multi-stone band. Apperantly mum pointed out that she has three children, and if they were taking those two items, I am to get the mickey broach. You may laugh, but from the way my mom talks about it, it has more financial value, which is just as well, since I’ve never seen her wear it, to give it any emotional attachment.
Oh yeah…if you ever go jet-skiing on one of the sit down guys, when you’re applying sunscreen, don’t forget the part of the thigh that’s going to be exposed when you sit down, and the tops of your feet. I didn’t and am now paying for a mere two hours exposure.
