The quieter you become the more you can hear ~ Ram Dass



Monday, October 24, 2011

Mrs. Dunkin

I'm not going to be off the computer for a couple of weeks but I've toyed with the idea of doing an ongoing story, pretty much copying Jenny Matlock, ha.  I've emailed a little bit with her about another story for those that remember the one I started on Centus about Mary.  I got about 40 pages done of that and then I got stuck, as in suddenly the whole premise changed.  I emailed with Jenny and I was going to start that one over but then another one started coming to mind.  So, I'm going to start posting it.  I'm posting the first chapter today and then when I get back on the computer, I'll start posting every Monday.  I really have to learn to be disciplined and not just write.  So here it is.  This is my working title right now. 

                                                                    Mrs. Dunkin

  
Chapter 1

     “Mrs. Dunkin, can I get you anything?”  “I’m fine dear, and you can call me Annie.”  “Okay Annie, if you need anything you can just ring the bell.  I hope you have a good night’s sleep.”  “Good night, dear.”

     I looked around the room astonished thinking this was going to be life now, until I died.  I was in a nursing home.  How did I get here?  Oh I know, it was my idea.  My son or daughter would have taken me in but I didn’t want to be a burden.  My children objected to the idea but I knew secretly they were probably glad but who could blame them?  Who wants to look after an old lady who forgets things?  The doctor said I have early stage Alzheimer’s.  Just the word frightens me.  I took care of my dad when he had it, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.

     Tomorrow Julie and Jerry will bring the rest of my things from home.  I can’t wait.  I’m hoping it will feel more like home to me then.   At least I can be grateful that I can afford a private room like this.  I don’t know if I could share a room with someone.

     I don’t mean to brag but we had money, lots of money.  My husband, Hank, was a CEO.  We had our home in Ohio and then a Florida getaway.  When he died five years ago, I got rid of the Florida place.  My kids thought I should keep it because of the bad winters; but I love the change of seasons too much to do that.  I was what I would call a reluctant snowbird.  Hank was the one who loved Florida and couldn’t wait until after Christmas to go.  Every year, I would insist on staying in Ohio until Christmas and I only followed him because he loved it so.   My son Jerry the financial planner will sell the home I was living in and invest the money.  I should be in the clear moneywise; still leaving a large inheritance for my kids. 

      Just then she heard the phone ring loudly. I’ll have to adjust that, she thought.  “Hello?”  “Hi Mom is everything okay over there?” “Yes, Julie, I’m fine.” “Before we bring the rest of your stuff there, we just want to make sure you made the right decision.  It seems to us that you made this decision rather hastily and like a flash you’re there.”  “I’m sure.  This is the right decision for me.  I’m with people that are my own age.  There are plenty of things to do here.”  “But Mom, Jerry or I would love for you to be with us.” “I know but you both have families of your own.  You don’t need to be worrying about me.  That’s what I’ll be paying these people to do.  Really Julie, I know I’m losing my mind but I haven’t yet and this is my decision.  Please respect that.”  “Whatever, you say mom.  We’ll see you in the morning.  Good night.”  “Good night.  I love you Julie.”  “Me too mom.”    

     I climbed into bed.  It wasn’t as comfortable as my bed at home but at least I had my comforter and pillow.   I would have to see what I could do about this mattress. 

     As I lay trying to drift off to sleep, I could hear noises.  I could hear people whispering in the hallway.  I could hear someone yelling “help me, help me”.  I could see the dim light in the hall.   I got up and closed my door and finally it was dark and quiet.  I guess these are things I’ll just have to get used to and drifted off to a restless sleep.  

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Saturday Centus #77

It's Saturday Centus again - in a nutshell, Jenny Matlock gives us a prompt from either herself or a guest submitter and then we have to write 100 words or  less related to the prompt (the prompt doesn't count toward the 100 words) Then link it up to her blog. It's open until the following Saturday, so that means you have all week to participate by either reading or writing.  The prompt is in blue. http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/10/saturday-centus-i-planted-little.html

I'm going to be taking a break from the computer for a couple of weeks.  I thought this was a very hard centus.  If I seem frustrated in writing this, it's because I am LOL probably like many of you.  I could probably have written 100 things about what's going on now that gets to me, ha..



I planted a little story seed years ago; as my parents had done before me.  My child would do better than me.  
The economy tanked; unemployment rose and our government can’t agree on anything.
The corporations sit on the sidelines with millions of dollars unwilling to hire because of an uncertain future. Seems to me if they hired; more people would have money, and they would spend it
Banks are nickel and diming people.
Then there’s Wall Street the biggest culprit of all.  I can see why “Occupy Wall Street” came to be.
I planted a seed; I wonder is there still a chance? 
 

 







Thursday, October 20, 2011

65 & 60

Hippie turned 65 on Saturday and is now on Medicare.

I turned 60 today and got the Golden Buckeye card from the Ohio Department on Aging (it's a discount card). I also found out I'm eligible to go to the senior center, ha!

Can I just say I am astonished, amazed, stunned, and shocked by this turn of events LOL.

I'll be going out with the Dinner Friends
to drown my sorrowsto celebrate tonight.  






Monday, October 17, 2011

Random thoughts

1.  I got a flu shot on Friday.    Hopefully, I won't get the flu.  Although my arm was quite sore, ha.  

2.  If you have HBO and get a chance, they have a really good documentary on George Harrison called "Living in the Material World".  It was done by Martin Scorsese.  It's 3 hours and 29 minutes but well worth watching.

3.  The patio guy is supposed to come on Wednesday.

4.  Bad news - I chipped a tooth and had to go to the dentist.  Good news- No novcaine, only took about five minutes and he didn't charge me for it because it was a tooth he previously fixed. 

5..  Be aware -  There are many living with Stage 4 breast cancer with treatment but they are not living nearly long enough.





Saturday, October 15, 2011

Saturday Centus #76

It's Saturday Centus again - in a nutshell, Jenny Matlock gives us a prompt from either herself or a guest submitter and then we have to write 100 words or  less related to the prompt (the prompt doesn't count toward the 100 words) Then link it up to her blog. It's open until the following Saturday, so that means you have all week to participate by either reading or writing.  The prompt is in blue. http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/search/label/Saturday%20Centus

This week is something different.  I'm not sure this is correct because I think this part of writing is very difficult for me.  Some honest critiques, okay?

The literary device to use this week is Sensory Details. Describe the image using five senses: perception, hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste.
WORD COUNT - Not to exceed 100 words.
STYLE OF WRITING - Sensory Details Literary Device
NO ADDITIONAL PICTURES
THE PROMPT THIS WEEK IS:





Was this her dream home she always wanted?  She could see it would take a lot of work.

It had been abandoned for 10 years.  The curtains had been drawn for so long; she could almost taste the mustiness inside.

She climbed up the rickety stairs to the second floor, holding tightly to the banister; listening to the creaking steps under her feet.

It didn't matter to her.  In her mind's eye, she could see what it could become.  She could feel the excitement building.  Yep, this was the one she wanted and she called the Realtor.  





Thursday, October 13, 2011

Drip, drip, drip

I've said a bunch of times on here how much I enjoy the new patio enclosure, which I do;  but... what I've failed to mention is that we've been having issues with it.

Shortly after it was done, we started to notice when it rained there would sometimes be wet spots on the floor.  We could see drips on the ceiling and the underside of the gutter.  We waited about a month before we called.

The patio manager came out and looked at it the following week.  Then it took another week before someone came and fixed it.   Fine.  A couple of days later it rained and some of the same issues cropped up. It was over the weekend and we called on a Monday. 

It took two weeks again but then the manager came out this past Monday and supposedly fixed it.  This time I had pictures of some of the issues.  He said it might take a couple of days for the water to get out from the gutter problems.  All right!

Wednesday it started raining.  Still have a few gutter issues but not as bad.  Now I'm wondering if this is still the residual effects he told us about.  I'm thinking not.

One of the leaks inside that only happened once cropped up on Wednesday as well, which when it happened, I hadn't taken a picture of it. UGH.  I told him about it when he was here but when he looked on the roof he didn't see anything, although he did caulk around the edge.

Since I wrote this, late this afternoon another wet spot showed up, sigh... 

This is getting frustrating and even though it's not as bad, it's bringing back bad memories from the experience we had from the company that may or may not rhyme with blows http://vikisplace.blogspot.com/2010/02/alphabe-thursday.html  LOL.


I do really love the patio enclosure though, ha,ha!!!









Monday, October 10, 2011

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Saturday Centus #75

It's Saturday Centus again - in a nutshell, Jenny Matlock gives us a prompt from either herself or a guest submitter and then we have to write 100 words or  less related to the prompt (the prompt doesn't count toward the 100 words) Then link it up to her blog. It's open until the following Saturday, so that means you have all week to participate by either reading or writing.  The prompt is in blue.  http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/search/label/Saturday%20Centus



I have fond memories of Friday night football in high school. My friends and I would go on the school bus to the games.  We weren’t so interested in football. It was more about the atmosphere and boys although there was cheering for the team, ha!

I really didn’t understand football until after I met my husband.  He was an avid fan and while dating we used to watch it every Sunday.    I would ask questions and learn.  We used to bet on teams.  At the end of the season, whoever had the most losses would cook for the Super bowl.   

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Vodka

Last month when I went out with the dinner friends, some of them started talking about flavored vodkas.  I never even knew there was such a thing.  The only time I ever drank vodka, in my younger days, I used to drink screwdrivers.

Anyhow, one of the dinner friends got a shot of whipped cream vodka.  I had a couple of sips.  Sure enough it tasted like it had whipped cream in it but boy, was the vodka ever strong. Could be because I never drink just shots of anything lol.   Magellan said it would probably taste good in hot chocolate which at first I agreed.  Later when I got home, I started thinking about how strong it was.  I think I would have to have an extra large mug of hot chocolate to get it down, ha.

Has anyone had flavored vodka before?


**How appropriate I picked this topic.  Finally I got to my 500th post LOL. 


Monday, October 3, 2011

BC awareness month

Don't forget to get a mammogram, it could save your life.  Getting one saved mine.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Saturday Centus #74

It's Saturday Centus again - in a nutshell, Jenny Matlock gives us a prompt from either herself or a guest submitter and then we have to write 100 words or  less related to the prompt (the prompt doesn't count toward the 100 words) Then link it up to her blog. It's open until the following Saturday, so that means you have all week to participate by either reading or writing.  The prompt is in blue.http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2011/10/saturday-centus-number-you-have.html


"The number you have reached is no longer in service."
"No longer in service?"  She put the receiver down stunned.
Her furniture was coming from cross country and should have been there by now.
Her mind was going a mile a minute with worry.

A little later, she looked out the window and saw a moving truck coming.
She went out the front door as it stopped in front.  The driver got out.
"Sorry we're late; bad weather."
 "Did you know your phone is out of service?"
"We'll get your things moved in first and then I'll check on it."
"Go right ahead," and she sighed with relief.