slowly....

 I found this picture yesterday and wanted to post it.  How long ago was that???

I'm slowly trying to re-learn everything I used to know so well, with the computer and posting to the internet, etc.

It's difficult to do all this stuff without a desk.  It's just not the same having to write in the recliner, with the computer on my lap.  But it's better than nothing.

It's difficult being non-mobile.  E.g., I'm sitting here in my recliner with a blanket on my lap and wearing a sweater, but the heat is on and it's HOT in here and I can't sit up to take off the sweater.

I listened to Ned's show this morning.  My brain is really strange.  *I* know it's Ned's show, but part of my brain thinks it's David's show.  Why?

My brain does weird things.  For example, i have a massage function on my bed and whenever it starts for some reason, my brain thinks that it's nice that Stephen (Calegari) got it for me.  I haven't seen Stephen since the 1950s!  So why my brain thinks Stephen got this massager for me I'll never understand.

The computer tells me that my battery is low. I have to find a cord and plug this in, somehow, so Ill have to stop here and write more tomorrow,

...and life moves on

 So we are back at "normal," with Jeri back in Boston and all the holiday celebrations finished.  i slept in this morning -- I am so lucky I have such a comfortable bed.  I got downstairs for breakfast late and now (11:00) it's nearly time for lunch.  I'll probably have lunch sent up because I just got all comfortable in my chair and don't want to go through the wheelchair business again until dinner time. 

I'm trying to do stuff on the laptop and can't find ways to do things.  It's very frustrating....and the fact that I need new glasses and can't ssee well doesn't help.

Moving on...

 I'm trying to re-learn all the things I used to do on a daily basis.  Can't remember how to start an entry, cant remember how to get photos, etc.  I'm slowly re-learning, but it's very frustrating.  i used to do this stuff in my sleep and now I'm struggling to find pretty much everything.  Like I'm here on this web site...how do I find my mail?  I know it's here somewhere.  And how do I find the picture i thought I'd sent to the laptop.  It's going to take awhile before I feel comfortable using this laptop again.

33 degrees outside this morning.  it was good to be warm in my comfortable bed.

I had breakfast with Jeri and Ned and then came back up here to my room to try to figure out how to use the computer I used to be so comfortable with.  I've finally found how to write a new entry...and to post photos

I had breakfast with Ned and Jeri this morning. How I love having adult children who are my friends. I hear from so many who either don't see their kids or don't care about their parents. Somehow I have adult children who like me and I like them.  They are such great people and have become such interesting adults.

But the holidays are over and it's time for Jeri to return to Boston.  I will miss her.  It's been so nice having her around this past month.  But she has a job to return to (not to say a husband who is back home!)  

And life carries on.  I'm very lucky to have such a nice place to live in.  I like most of the people who take care of me.  I remember when I first went into a home in Sacramento after my fall, then a care place in Carmichael and now here in Davis.  It's been nearly a year since I left home for the last time...and may never be able to return there.  But if I have to live in a facility, this is a nice place.

I remember at first asking for only women to take care of me, but things have changed so much... heck if the janitor tries to take care of me I won't object.  My concern for the privacy of my body has changed considerably over the past year.

I'm still learning how to find things on the computer and hope that within a few days I'll start to feel comfortable again.  I have missed writing and it's nice to be writing  a little again 

Where am I?

 Jeri just left me my laptop and we talked a lot about writing and I'm trying to figure out how to make a new entry to this journal...and maybe start keeping it again.  Wow...it's been so long since i typed anything this feels weird!

OK...earlier in 2025 I fell and fractured my hip and went into first the hospital, then a recovery place in Sacramento and now Carlton Senior Living in Davis, where I am apparently here indefinitely.  

Hey...it worked.  I'm having to learn a whole bunch of things that I once knew to write this...big success finding a way to post a photo from my PHONE to the laptop and to this entry.  This is one half of my apartment, decorated for Christmas.

So where was I?  I am now in my second childhood, meaning I can't walk, have to wear diapers, and have a host of helpers taking care of me.  Thank goodness Walt took out long term care insurance when we were first married .... advice to newly married couples!  Get good long term care insurance...and have children!  My life is much easier having children who are helping me, especially learning all the financial and practical things so they can take over for us when needed,

Carlton Senior Living is about 4 miles from our house, where Walt lives with Ned and Marta, so he is able to come and visit frequently.  If you have to be in a place like this, this is a good one.  I like my room, most of the staff are great, the food is good and now that I have this journal up and running again, maybe i will get back to  writing.

There are activities here, but I don't participate in most of them, mostly because someone has to get me into my wheelchair and GET me to the activity, but I'm happy here in my room, reading and watching TV. (I'm part of the book club here0.  Fun watching the old quiz shows back from the 80s.  My kids remind me of how upset I was with my mother for not getting involved in activities where she lived...now I'm doing (or not doing) the same thing  I understand her better.

I've been doing a lot of internet, but using my cell phone.  If I get back to using the laptop maybe I'll start writing more.  I do miss writing  I find that as I'm going to sleep at night I am often writing a journal entry in my head.  Now I'm trying to use the laptop again.

I will be 83 in a month.  I don't feel 83...but then I don't know what 83 feels like.  The bad thing about getting old is that you lose your friends.  My closest friends are either dead, have dementia, or have written me out of their lives because we are at a distance.  I find that at this age, I'm not interested in making new friends....which is difficult for me anyway because I'm so bad at chit chat.  I take a book with me to meals and that keeps me occupied and nobody tries to sit with me.

I don't know if I''m going to start writing a daily entry again but i thought I'd try and see where it goes...so much to re-learn!  But I miss writing.  So let's see what happens,

Turning 82

 What a fabulous 82nd birthday .  It started with Marta going downtown to get fresh bagels for breakfast.  I had nice chats with Jeri and Tom and a box of chocolates from Jeri was delivered. Ned’s show turned out to be for my birthday, with music I like, phone calls from the granddaughters and Steve Schalchlin.  Ned went to Costco and got huge crab legs for dinner.  And we had cheesecake for dessert. 

I feel very special.

How things are

 Jeri tells me I need to get something other than “butt butt” written.  So here is how things are going. I’m

pretty much house bound now.  I spend my time in bed or in my recliner.  NoW that Ned has found me a tv table it’s great to be able to type more easily, though I can’t print unless I go into my office.  

Ned is doing such a great job taking care of me.  If he were not here I would not be able to stay in the house.  I am so grateful for all he’s doing.  

Monday I will turn 82.  How did I get so old?  Walt will be 85 at the end of the month.  

Jeri and I have a long distance book club going and have read and discussed several books.  It’s fun having someone to talk books with.  

Butt…butt…. E

 I put on pants today.  I had developed bed sores from sitting in my recliner for weeks and Ned decided that in addition to the ointment he was using I should keep my pants off. Everybody in the house has been seeing my bare butt for days. (And it’s helping, fortunately). But I wanted to work in my office so I had to actually put pants on.

I actually worked for an hour and a half before my butt hurt so much I had to quit but I did get some stuff done, including sending letters to each of my 15 Compassion kids ( thanks to their email system which allows me to copy letters to other kids).  I didn’t get any real letters written (which I hoped to do ) but I did spend 30 minutes longer than I have done in the last month. 

But now my butt hurts again and I guess it’s time to bare my butt again. 

Ned and Marta have gone off for several days and my caregivers are Jeri and Phil.