Feel Like Complaining

It seems like Mom only had one good week since she moved into her new home. During a recent phone appointment with her doctor, he totally took her off her maintenance dose of Prednisone. She's been taking 2.5 mg for years and all of a sudden he's worried about her organs. Within a week, she started coughing and it didn't stop.  Because it takes so long to get a simple prescription from him (even over the counter), she didn't get any Mucinex for a week. That simple med is a lifeline for her so I snuck her in some of my own.  On the 13th she got bad enough and was having trouble breathing, they called an ambulance and took her to the ER. They found some fluid in her lungs and legs/feet so they gave her some Lasix and diagnosed her with congestive heart failure. She was back home about 2:00 am. Debbie went and stayed the night with her. The owner convinced us to put her on Hospice, so on Valentine's Day I drove back out to meet a Hospice nurse. Mom was in on the conver...

 We've been having some new doggos join our pack recently. We had Harvey twice last month; 2 night stays each time. His owners say he's a Bernese Mountain Dog/Poodle mix, but I don't quite see that. He's about 4 and has just the right kind of energy. He's quite dog reactive so we didn't walk him. He liked running around in the back yard and playing with a ball inside. Once he figured out I'd keep throwing the ball, he'd bring it back to me....over and over and over. Funny how that works. He also learned quickly where the treats are; they all do really. On top of the fridge is where ours are and they get one every time they come back in. So of course they want to go out, a lot. We did have a lot of fun with him and would love to have him back. Next was little old man Benny, who was here for a week. He's stayed with other sitters so kind of knew the routine. It was probably one of the easiest borders we've ever had. He just basically slept until he...

Last week, my brother, SIL, Faith, and I finished up at Mom's house. It took us exactly a month to clean it out. So many trips to donate things and put into dumpsters. We've sold all of the big stuff except a glass coffee/end table. Good thing she doesn't check out FB Marketplace! No more packing, lifting, hauling, and unpacking...for awhile anyway. I will really miss by brother and Deb; we've spent so much time together the past 4 months. Other than the dogs, I feel truly retired, only visiting Mom once a week. I almost cried when the dining room table was hauled out; I've had so many of my lunches there and all of the Christmas's we spent there were centered around that table. But her truly important things are stored or brought home. To me, her paintings are more important than a table. The woman that works in the office of the park is a realtor so she will handle the sale. It was sad to see it all empty and devoid of anything Mom, like she was never there. I...

Reggie has stayed with us four times, with the first time being exactly two years ago. He is 6 years old and his bad behavior has not changed any.  He whines constantly; when he has to go out, wants a walk, treats/food/water, wants whatever is on our plate, and when he's blocked from any room we're in, which is all of them.  Walking is just not fun at all. It takes both Faith and I to wrestle his gentle lead on. The constant yanking and weaving leaves my back and arms sore (I won't let Faith or Tony walk him). Heaven forbid if he sees a squirrel/dog; I get all tangled up in the leash. I am too old for this. His dad walks him twice a day and he's 70 now; I don't know how he does it. We occasionally use a baby gate with dogs to keep them out of the bedrooms, but he needs 3 throughout the house! He wants to go everywhere we go which is fine but he gets into every. single. thing. This week he followed us downstairs where he went into my room and took my earplugs off my ...