Nice Day!

It has been a lovely Saturday thus far, despite the lack of sleep caused by a bit of overnight mom waking action. Yay!

First, our handy guy came and tried to cover the rust on the ceiling tiles in the red room with more white paint. I think another thirty coats and they might just disappear. Maybe. He also is getting more serious about putting in a removable gate at the top of the stairs. He noticed that there had been a gate there previously. I sort of vaguely remember a gate there - does anyone else? (I know that Karl won't read this, so Juliet? Ernst?) I think it is going to be pricey! And who knows if it will be any help at all. Anyway...

Then, a friend from Syracuse came with the primary intention of spending time with mom so that I could have a little time off. Yippee! Since this was her first time here, I decided to not venture too far afield, in case they didn't get along or in case there were questions. As a great guest, she actually came bearing gifts. A bookcase (who can't use another bookcase?!)

Lovely bookcase

Nummy cookies!

and a big plate of delicious cookies! Score! She spent most of the day sitting with mom, knitting and chatting. I fed us lunch (though I made her make her own salad) and then napped a bit and then took a quick trip to the Smith and puttered there for a bit. Then headed to Wegman's to get some of the ingredients for dinner tonight. I am making a version of tacos where the filling gets put in bun dough making a sort of taco sandwich pocket thingie. I am hoping that it will be easy for mom to eat that way. Anything is possible. If not, I will, next time, go back to making beans and rice and mixing all of that together. But I do like to do a little experimenting now and again.

Turned out ok - needed more filling I think

I also broke up some ice in the front of the house. My driveway is kind of scary just now. But I did do a little work on it. Yay.

Oh, I forgot to say that I have been working, slowly, on preparing for the next step in mom care. I called the Alzheimer's Association and am getting a packet of information from them, as well as an application for Respite care for mom. For me. For both of us. If I play my cards right, I can get 80 hours of respite help this year. Oooh, that would be nifty. I also have been playing phone tag with an elder care lawyer. My big questions for her are: what questions do I need to ask an elder care lawyer; what assets can be protected; how expensive is getting that help; what happens when mom goes into a nursing home, while there is still insurance money and after the insurance money runs out; when to transfer the house into my name and how I go about doing that - etc. Lots of questions, I guess. I will try again on Monday, all things being equal. Speaking of mom, we get to go to the dentist on Wednesday. Huzzuh. I get so confused at the end of February - how suddenly it becomes March. What a difference a couple or three days make!

Tonight I am going to watch Lucy. I am not all that excited about the movie itself, just interested in watching Scarlett Johansson. Yay! Though I do generally like Luc Besson movies...