Thursday, December 30, 2010

12/30/10

Mom is becoming more enthusiastic about her new living arrangements-I’ll be glad when the cleaning out and packing is done.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

12/29/10

Going through my mom’s apartment with her to discard things and pack is exhausting but I think this will be a time that I will treasure in the future as we are reminiscing about the past and what each item represents.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

12/28/10

How is it that I am spending my entire week off cleaning out my mom’s apartment in preparation of her move and my brother is on vacation in Palm Springs – what’s up with that?

Monday, December 27, 2010

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

12/23/10

Malicious and evil intent – is there even a legal definition for evil?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

12/21/10

So overwhelmed and angry today.

FTF December 21st

Welcome to Winter. The only good thing about it, is that the days start to get longer. Its after 7 am and still dark outside. Don’t like. I’m working from home today since I need to take my mom for her TB test and to drop off paper work at the doctor’s office. Many things to catch up on today. Mrrad has been home sick with either a really bad cold or a mild flu. Given the fever, I’m thinking flu (which means I’m safe since I had a flu shot). On to the day.

conference call

phone interview

invoices for Pima

mail cards

take mom for tb test

drop of paperwork at mom’s dr.

deposit checks

return call to M.

safeway for a few things

email sil regarding xmas eve/xmas

wrap?

Monday, December 20, 2010

12/20/10

Will it ever stop raining … is it time to build an ark?

12/19/10

It was a day to complete Christmas shopping while trying to stay dry with the monsoons that have hit California.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

12/18/10

The best Christmas gift that my mother gave us was her decision to move into an assisted living facility – she will be safe and well cared for.

I am overjoyed!

My mom agreed to move into the assisted living facilty today after we took her on a tour. We signed the contract and she is officially a resident of Atria Tamalpais Creek (see link)
http://www.atriaseniorliving.com/community.aspx?id=1534

I can’t begin to describe how relieved I feel (I know the rest of the family feel the same). She may not remember that she has agreed, but now the only thing left to do is move her in.

FTF Weekend of 12-18-10

It has been one month since Kona has left us. I miss him so much. Its the last weekend before Chirstmas and I have NO shopping done. The good thing is I don’t have a lot to do. Mrrad and I are waiting until Serbian christmas (Jan 7)so there is no rush on somethings. We’re taking my mom to see the assisted living facility today. And my right knee is bothering me. There is something in my knee that floats around and then gets stuck under the knee cap. I need to have both knees replaced but I’m not ready to do that. But I may be ready for a little arthroscopic knee surgery. On to the day.

-address last of christmas cards-

mail cards

meet with L

take mom to TC

grocery store

make spinach

bass lesson

xmas shopping

pay bills due before xmas

water plants

laundry

review mom’s expenses.

contact mortgage broker

bass lesson

Friday, December 17, 2010

12/17/10

It was a very stressful day at the airport and I am happy to be back home safely.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

12/16/10

Not a fan of the Toronto airport – no wayfinding in sight.

12/15/10

This project needs to have some serious project management put in place – there is no excuse for the way things have been run to date.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Monday, December 13, 2010

12/13/10

Phoenix did not have a biopsy when he had his ultrasound because we think there was nothing to biopsy.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

12/12/10

I am so very proud of mrrad and his 24 years.

Visited an assisted living facility today

It is time for my mom to move into such a facility. She is 91 and shouldn’t be living alone. Its just too hard for her. We have found one that is just beautiful, very close to home, and has lots of programs that would be great for her. She is worried that it will cost too much. It looks like her long term care insurance will cover it for three years. My brother and I will cover the rest of the cost after that runs out. Who knows what will happen in three years. She will get a nice studio apartment, with a wetbar, three meals a day, transportation, medication management. She will be safe. She will be in her own community. It will be easy to care for her. It just is the right solution. Now we just need to get her to agree and to move this forward.

12/11/10

I feel so accomplished by losing 10% of my body weight in 51 days, time to go shopping in my closet to see what I have that fits again.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

FTF Weekend of 12-11-10

Woo-Hoo! I hit my goal of losing 10% of my body weight today. Tomorrow I will start on the next 10%. Several things to do today. I think the killer migraine has finally left (I hope). I ordered our personalized xmas cards for family which included our annual note. I had a picture of Kona (see above) in reindeer antlers on the front. I receive a note from the printer that they had reviewed it and sent to the printer and the person offered his condolences and said it was a good looking doggie. How sweet. Dogs cross over so many people. Also had a nice conversation with my brother and we straightened out our issue regarding my mom. Time to move forward. So for the weekend.

hair appointment

address 43T xmas cards

meeting

meeting for LMRS

practice bass

pay urgent bills

clean PHX page

make spinach

work on K book

a little online shopping

celebrate mrrad’s 24 years

WOO HOO!!!!!!! I reached (and blasted through) my goal.

I reached my goal in 51 days (exactly 1/2 of the time that I had anticipated). After a very long stall due to medication, I’ve lost 5 3/4 pounds in 4 days (can you say water weight). After celebrating today, I will start my new goal of a second 10% tomorrow)

WOOHOO!

Friday, December 10, 2010

12/10/10

Had a good conversation with my brother and got all of the issues out on the table and agreed on how to move forward.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

12/9/10

Doctor’s appointments, errands, and a vet appointment for Phoenix consumed my day, but I was so relieved to be able to bring Kona’s cremains home – my boy is home with us now.

12/8/10

It was a long day filled with conference calls.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

FTF December 8th

Oh my, I am feeling overwhelmed today, but so happy to be back home. It was cold and snowy in Toronto and this California girl does not do cold and snow anymore. There is much to accomplish today and I am working from home on this rainy day. I was just hit with an moment of intense grief for Kona. It comes and it goes. I have learned to honor it, for it is the only way through it. I miss his physical presence. His spirit is everywhere, but how I wish he was.

-telcon on budgeting-

-follow-up telcon on budgeting-

telcon with communicator

-call mom about dr. appt-

-call J re: mom’s errands-

talk to A

Call PS re: refund

prepare for conference call #2

conference call #2

restock travel supplies

order drugstore.com

DO appointment

make mani/pedi appt

follow up on sim software

clean up/pack up laptops to ship back to LA

schedule LA meeting

schedule SF meeting

list of overhead numbers

PI sheet for consulting

make vitamins

take vitamins

data sheet review

test sim software

pay urgent bills

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

12/7/10

I was shocked to learn that Dickens died just three days before Kona – the old buddies are hanging out and having a great time I am sure.

There has to be a disturbance in the Force.

I wrote my former neighbor a card telling her about Kona’s death a few weeks ago. She had male black Lab named Dickens that came to live with her about three months after Kona came to live with us. They were about 6 months apart in age and were great buddies before she moved away. I just received a card telling me that Dickens died 3 DAYS before Kona.

Prior to Kona and Dickens, my neighbor had a female black lab named Midnight. She and our dog Sonnet (a dobie) never really got along (Sonnet didn’t like many dogs). They were also just about the same age (a few months apart) and they died about a week apart in 2001.

I was shocked when I read about Dickens. Coincidence? I think not. They have each other to hang out with now.

Here is Kona and Dickens as youngsters.

Kona showed up today (and no I am not crazy)

This morning I was loading a file folder of pix of Kona onto my hard drive from my external hard drive. When I came back to my computer, my desk top had a picture of Kona and I taken at the beach on his first New Years Day with us. I already had pix in the same folder. I did not change any settings. I never had a photo on my desk top. But I do now. I’m laughing, sitting, on a big log that the waves had brought into the beach and he had climbed into my lap (all 80+ pounds of him).

My powerful boy! Letting me know he is still around.

This is the picture. Its from 2002.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

12/5/10

It was a cold and windy day in Toronto, but I was indoors all day working and rehearsing for a presentation tomorrow.

12/4/10

Emotionally exhausted, the gig brought out a smile to my face.

Friday, December 3, 2010

12/3/10

I am so upset with my housekeeper… she washed and put away Kona’s pillow (which I wanted because it smelled like him). She can’t pick up an effin’ candle to dust around it but she washes and puts aways his pillow. We haven’t moved any of his things. WTF! Time to find a new housekeeper.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

12/2/10

I was really missing Kona today, it has been two weeks since he has been gone.

FTF December 2nd

It is so cold here, I can’t get warm. I’m in Kelowna BC and its -4C which is really cold for the California girl. Its the first trip I’ve taken since Kona died and I’m at the same hotel in the same town. Not feeling good. I’m also worried about Phoenix. Mrrad says he seems to be getting better today after taking some anti-inflammatories (the same stuff that we gave to Kona but different strength). And I’m really overwhelmed by dealing with my mom and my brother (SIL is on my “list” right now). Meetings today and back home tomorrow. While to sun is out here, its still to dark for me. Let me see what else I can whine about . . .

shower when the room warms up

book appointment for mom’s dr.

prepare for today’s meeting

review data sheets

cancel massage appointment

post info to ftp for my laptop

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

12/1/10

I am just so stressed out right now with everything that is going on . . . grief, sick bird, a lot of work out of the country, making a decision to move my mom into an assisted living home, having to come up with the cash to pay for said home, the dictitorial attitude of some family members . . . its just all too much!