New, But Not Necessarily Improved.

I headed out to The Farm, Friday.  It was kind of a gray, rainy day--just perfect for a visit with my sister.

Carpenters were there working on turning the parlor, bedroom and tiny bathroom into, a bathroom, dressing room, big closet, & bedroom.  Then next up, is a big deck on the west side of the house, by the sliding doors in their family room.  AND that's it!  They will have the first floor and the basement all done.  They put a new bathroom in the upstairs when they first moved in and nothing needs doing to the bedrooms up there.

Susan said when they first moved back here, "We are going to give it five years to see if we like it."  I reminded that in May 2017 will be five years.

She said, "Chuck thinks he's got another ten years that he can keep the place up.  We'll see after that."

I said, "Well, then, you just hire someone to mow the lawn, clean out the drives in the winter and you can stay here forever."

What I hope for them?  When they get these last two projects done, they can travel.  Neither one has ever been West of the Mississippi River and there is so much grandeur to see in the North West!!  A lot of walking involved to see all that grandeur, and Susan already has back problems.  They need to get to it, NOW!

We had lunch and then she and I played a new game her son had given her for Christmas.  It is called, "Ticket To Ride."  It comes with a map of either the US or Europe.  We had the European map that we had to get our trains from one city to the next--using cards drawn from a deck.  Since neither one of us  know European geography very well, it was quite a test.  It is kind of a complicated game, but one that tested my brain, which is a good thing!

I left there and stopped in to see Pam.  She was just getting ready to go to her new job.  Custodian at the school.  I fear this job is going to kill her!  She has two vertebrae missing from her spine--from a bad car accident she was in on her 18th birthday.  She has to clean and mop the weight room, the sculptor room, the athletic director's office and a very long hallway.  The mop weighs a ton and it hurts her back just awful.  Minimum wage--from 4:00 to 10:00 every night.  Then on Saturday and Sunday, she works at a small store in Byron.

I wish I had money I could give her every month so she could just work at the small store in Byron and not have to do the custodial job!  She is NOT living La Buena Vida, but you'd never know it by talking with her.  Always smiling and happy with her life.

I know she has been depressed.  I can hear it in her voice.  She misses Jen's little boy Evan and 9 year old Alex.  Pam practically brought up both of them.  She started talking about Evan and started crying.  I wrapped her in my arms and we both cried.  She misses "her" little boy and I miss my youngest girl, his Mom.

Apparently Jennifer has been at Karen's all week, going back and forth to her work, tying up loose ends.  Eric and Evan are coming in today to pack up some more stuff.  Pam is going to get down to Karen's to see Evan.  Maybe it will help her, but I'll bet she cries all the way home, knowing he is going back to NJ on Sunday.

Karen and her hubs Mark, leave next Friday as chaperone's for the Senior girls in Karen's school.  They are going on a pilgrimage to Rome.  Should be a nice trip for them.  Jen will still be at Karen's with Helene and Madeleine.  Should be fun for those three too.

I am, of course, left out of it all, so---I just won't dwell on it or think about it.

I upgraded my cable service.  There were three channels that I normally watch that had been put up into the next tier.  I called.  They had a good promotion going on, so I upgraded to the package I used to have before.  Digital Preferred.  In the deal, I also got Encore and HBO, so I might be able to watch some movies this winter.  It is only $10.00 more a month.  $114.00 a month for my "Bundle".

Now--I have to get motivated to make a doctor's appointment, get my annual blood work done a few days before that and get all my prescriptions renewed.  It's no big deal, I just am not in the mood.  Plus, I need an eyebrow arch and a hair cut.

What is that?  3 hours out of the rest of the month and I can't seem to get motivated?  

GEEZ LOUISE!!