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02-25-2003 @ 10:29 p.m.
Grandma's Moved!

Whew! It's been a long week but we found a place for Grandma, got her all interviewed and everything, rented a U-h@ul truck and moved all her earthly belongings into her new place. She's in a one-bedroom apartment in a lovely assisted living community about a mile from Amy's place. When a studio becomes available, they'll move her to that, but for now and the foreseeable future, she's in the one-bedroom. It's such a nice place--the apartment is 575 sq. feet! I had no idea we'd be able to put her in such a nice place. It's only about a year old and there is a high staff-to-resident ratio. The attendants are very kind and friendly to the residents and know everyone's names. By the second day, they all knew Grandma's name, even. She has an escort to meals (until she feels she doesn't need one), bathing assistance (if she wants it), laundry service, housecleaning service, and medicine delivery. There is a beauty salon/barbershop on the premises that is open 2 days a week and a podiatrist comes in twice a month to do pedicures. It's a really great place! That sound you hear is me breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Amy and I spent the better part of the day packing up the leftover stuff at Grandma's old apartment and either carting it off to Goodwill or throwing it away. Like many who survived the Depression, she will throw NOTHING away. Even cereal crumbs. We found an old yogurt container filled with crumbs and dust from several different boxes of cereal. I'm not sure what she planned to do with it but we tossed it. We have until the 26th of March to have her place cleaned and ready to check out and then she'll get her security and cleaning deposit which will be a nice bonus. We also used some of her money to buy her a few new outfits at a deep discount place in town. She had more than one closet full of clothes but they were things that she made and wore for 20-30 years in Hawaii. And some nasty old stained sweats and stuff like that. We got her some cute capri-length sweat pants and leggings (which are regular length on her because she's only about 4'10" these days) and matching tops that are just darling. She's very excited to wear them and we had her blessing to get rid of the other stuff. (Good thing because it's already on a Goodwill truck).

In the middle of all this, we started painting Amy's nursery but didn't get it finished. We'll be finishing it up on Thursday. And on Saturday I'm hosting her baby shower. I know that Miss M@nners would probably frown on a sister throwing a baby shower but my sister lives in a world of men. A world of firefighting men at that. And they're not going to throw her a baby shower. The only other friends she has live 3 hours away. So I'm doing it. And I'm even lending her some of my friends, too, since she's kind of short on female friends. That's ok--they know and love her, too. They've all kind of adopted her as an extension of me. I love my friends.

Oh, and Joey was sick all last week with influenza. She was feverish for 2 days, very congested, wiped out, and now she's in the end stages which means some coughing. At least it only lasted a week--some kids have been down and out with this thing for 10-14 days! I feel bad that she missed a week of school, though, given that our current state financial crisis means that Joey's school will be losing 7 days out of its curriculum. That's just awful. But it's better that the downtown schools which are losing 24 days. Yikes! That's more than a month of school.

Oh, and Ed is in Orlando. He left at 4:30am Sunday and will be back home tomorrow around midnight. I tell ya, when it rains it freaking pours around here. I'm looking forward to a nice quiet week next week.

And it's only 3-4 weeks until Amy's baby is born. I'm finding that so hard to comprehend. I mean, we've been planning it for more than a year and anticipating this date for 8 months now but it's so strange to think it's really going to happen. My little sister is going to be a mommy. To tell you the truth, she's a little freaked out about it, but excited, too. She hasn't had a lot of baby experience, especially with newborns, but I know she'll do great.

On Saturday while we were moving Grandma's stuff, we had her come over to the house to "babysit" Joey. In reality, Joey was babysitting Grandma and we actually paid her to do it. She took her duties quite seriously and when noon rolled around, she made Grandma some cinnamon toast and warmed her up some Spaghettios for lunch. I was so proud and impressed with her thoughtfulness and ability. I tell you--I have a *great* kid.

And now it's time to go. I'm getting tired and the bed is calling me from afar.

Later,

--L

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