Monday morning

Here are a couple of pictures of the yard from Monday morning before going to work - it wasn't quite dawn yet but light enough. It was in the 50's down here on Monday and most of the snow was gone. Tuesday came and with it came a snow storm, we got about 6 inches of snow. Hoping that most of the snow will be gone this coming weekend, temps will be in the 40's low 50's.

I'm back from the dark side

Work this past week was hard and long, not in a good way at all but glad I'm back !!!
There was so much to get caught up with, I had so many emails and didn't know which one to open first. My mail box (sail mail) was chocked full, most were lock boxes, so it went to Cookie, lucky woman.
I received an email from Zita Cousens, I went to Billerica High School with her, she owns and runs the Cousen Rose Gallery on Martha Vineyard Island during the summer (black artisans) the rest of the time she's a guidance councilor at Boston Latin in Boston, the oldest public school in the USA. Boston Latin only takes the best of the best and is very hard to get into there.
Watching the Super Bowl and saw the most amazing interception the guy ran almost 100 yards, it was just outstanding to see.

Thanks to every one

I would like to thank everyone for their heart felt expressions of sympathy, from cards, emails, Facebook.
The May Institute for the beautiful flower arrangement, pictured below.

Robin for the gift basket I received today, you know the lost very well since your mother passed in October 2008, love you .
Valerie your constant texting, emails, and phone calls meant so much to me, and did help me though this heart wrenching time. Love you so much and remember I'm always here for you.
Michael, your love and support during this time has been overwhelming, love you from the bottom of my heart.

Hey this kind of sounds like an acceptance speech for the academy awards. Is that the music queuing up I hear?

Really thank you everyone

Mom passed 01.14.09

I spent Tuesday night at my parents, when my sister Carol, who never went home to Florida after Christmas but stayed to take care of my mother, and I woke up on Wednesday morning, thought today would be our mother's last day. Carol called sisters Dottie and Beth , brother Jimmy and his wife Daisy. I talked to Michael at work and thought it best for him not to come since his mother, Pamela Ruby Arnold Edwards Jones died five years ago almost to the day of liver cancer. My Mom's breathing was labored all day, we all took turns hanging out with her even though she was heavily drugged, the last two days never gained conciseness. I was in the living room on Wednesday, with Beth, Daisy, Dad and of course my Mom in her hospital bed. I noticed the icicles that formed from the roof of the front porch. Thought they would make a great picture. I took only a few pictures and came back into the house, it was cold out there.

When I came into the house I noticed everyone going into the living room, Mom was foaming at the mouth, we called Hospice in North Reading and they told us she was in her last stage of life. We rolled Mom onto her side so the form would drain from her mouth. Her breathing was very labored and her eyes flew open, we were all crying holding onto her and her spirit left her body. It was hard on all of us, it seemed like we cried and hugged each other for hours, time stood still. I called Hospice to let them know she passed, of course I was crying and called the main number, they were great and called the correct number for me. Sandy, the nurse, who was taking care of Mom came over to do the pronouncement. Sweeny's came over after we all said goodbye to Mom. They took her out and we're now getting ready for the funeral next week. She'll be cremated in a day or two and I'm glad there will not be a wake.

Here's to my sister Carol, who stayed up here in Massachusetts with the snow and cold, instead of returning to Florida to play golf, Mah Jong and driving around with her husband Jim in his Miata, to care for Mom.

Carol it was a long four weeks but I know Mom, Dad and all us appreciated you giving your time. Love you!!!!

Michael, thank you for being there and giving me the support during this time, I'm so fortunate to have you in my life, Love you!!!!!

Storming Sunday

What a week, spent three days up at my parents home helping my older sister Carol care for my mother. She's fading fast, hasn't eaten anything except bits of orange popsicles and ice chips for the last week. My three sisters, my brother and myself all hope she goes soon. My sister-in-law, Daisy has been a God send, she is holding us all together during this time. I want everyone to know that as sad as it is, we are also having a great time with my Mother, even though she is in pain she has a great sense of humor, she has kept us all laughing with what she comes out with. A hospital bed has been set up in the living room which is much better for her, my Dad is upset because my parents have always slept in bed together. My Mom is 82 and my Dad is 86 and have know each other since they were teenagers, my father lived in Winthrop and my mother lived in East Boston on the Winthrop line. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts.
Seems like we've been having storms all winter, it started to snow last night and and this morning it changed over to rain, then about an hour ago back to snow, just looked out the window, it's raining again. I'm not looking forward getting out there to shovel, it's going to feel like I'm shoveling cement. It's time like this I wished lived in a city. My two younger nephews, Patrick and Matthew, did well in college for their first semester. My niece Kaitie, after two years in college decide she wanted to be a hairdresser, just graduated from hairdressing school and is very happy she is following what she wants to do.

Pumpkin Pie on New Years Day

Pumpkin likes to sleep on our bed, the green pillow in the center, had tassels all the way around but the sweet little cat has been pulling them off and using them for cat toys.

Pumpkin also likes to sleep on the pillows on the beds in the princess room, the bed closest to the windows in the girls room, the couch in the den, the chair in the living room, the couch in the TV room, okay any place in this house is her place to sleep, but she is so cute , well as long as she isn't clawing or biting me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

What a night New Year Eve was!!!!!
It took Michael and I, 3 1/2 hours to get home, it generally takes only an hour and it took Robin coming form Connecticut almost 7 hours, a ride that generally takes 3 hours. The weather wasn't working with us and the roads were a mess. Val came to our house the night before and spent the day making candy for all of us, YUM. We had planned a four course dinner starting with homemade squash ravioli, shrimp an lobster scampi, lamb roast, with double bake potatoes, and asparagus then finished with chocolate hazelnut bread pudding with real whipped cream and Russian cream. Three bottles of wine and one bottle of champagne. I think we started to eat at 7:30 and finished around 11:30. Turned on the TV to watch the Dick Clark show. Yesterday we watch HGTV, I think it was a marathon until Robin, Michael and I walked down to the beach, it was bitchin cold out, 16 degrees but with the wind factor it was even colder. Here are a couple of picture of the beach.

Doesn't Michael and Robin look nice and toasty warm

I like our shadows on the beach looking towards the water

Looking from the shore line to the houses right on the sea wall.

Picture of the water in the bay

Great waves