Interesting two weeks in the old Chinese curse kind of way.
Back around Thanksgiving my brother and his wife of 15 yrs. separated. They still care deeply for each other yet since he picked up a drinking habit after some 20-25 years of sobriety she grew frustrated and moved out.
It took a couple of months but not being able to swing the rent on his own resulted in us moving stuff into storage and installing him on my couch until he can find something he can afford.
Between keeping a pool business afloat, attending AA meetings every evening and looking for a place to share while working things out with his wife I don't know what will happen for him.
He's a good guy with a very strong faith, great values and morals if not prone to the occasional poor choice. I can't do much more for him except pray for his well being and just be here for him.
About ten day ago my best friend finally went to see a doctor for a persistent belly ache and was diagnosed with abscessed diverticulitis. The abscess responded well to the meds and apparently the kink in the gut does not require emergency treatment.
This is a man I am proud to call my friend. He pulled his daughter and grandkids out of a bad situation and has kept them under his roof for the last two years. He put his printing business on hold for six weeks to care for a buddy in Ohio back home after radical cancer treatment. He can build or repair darn near anything and is the finest shot and most brutally efficient harvester of animal and sea life I have encountered.
We had to skip a trip to Okeechobee shooting range Sunday.
Mom (83) is in great shape despite a nerve pinch that will flare up causing discomfort in her neck and arm. She's trying to take it easy but hates to stay still. Sharp as a tack but I need to make it to Lake Placid more often than I manage.
Ma-in-law (88) came from a doc visit with ECG diagnosed with a collapsed heart valve. The other day the cardiologist determined an issue with an atrial valve that does not require anything immediate and said to see her next year. Good news!
MIL is in a residential assisted living for Old Gals with dementia. She doesn't know me from Adam but can carry a conversation and still laugh.
Sis-in-law been staying in MIL's vacant place the last two weeks to escape the Carolina cold and pursue her degree that will help her and my wife's brother run a halfway house for recovering addicts they have had for the last six years.
She's a heckuva gal, very self sufficient but I'm doing what I can to help with the busy work around the house while her old man preps some property for a rustic kind of corporate retreat with cabins they want to build in the Pisgah area.
My Auntie K (Mom's sis) husband of 20 years, honest, hard working and God fearing man, skilled in construction and computers snapped after setting up a move from central SC to Tenn. and finding he could not set a workshop on the property. He lost it and trashed his place with a sledgehammer. my aunt fled and I can't reach either of them.
To top things off, a couple nights ago I awoke at 2AM needing a blanket and when I lifted my legs to gain momentum to sit up I brought my heel down on my 11 lb, 11 year young pooch sleeping on the foot of the bed.
She's responding well to an anti inflammatory for arthritic horses to treat her dinged up cervical discs.
Such is life.
This was really hard to write. I'm not used to dumping my problems on others and I'm darn sure not looking for tea and sympathy. I'm forever grateful for what I have and would not trade with anyone, just can't help but wonder why stuff happens to those I care about while somehow I keep bumbling along.
I'm glad I found this forum. Some have it better than I do and a lot have it a whole lot worse but at least I can vent a bit to folks who understand what life is about. If you can, spare a happy thought or a nod of understanding and send it on down thisaway, I'd appreciate it.
Back around Thanksgiving my brother and his wife of 15 yrs. separated. They still care deeply for each other yet since he picked up a drinking habit after some 20-25 years of sobriety she grew frustrated and moved out.
It took a couple of months but not being able to swing the rent on his own resulted in us moving stuff into storage and installing him on my couch until he can find something he can afford.
Between keeping a pool business afloat, attending AA meetings every evening and looking for a place to share while working things out with his wife I don't know what will happen for him.
He's a good guy with a very strong faith, great values and morals if not prone to the occasional poor choice. I can't do much more for him except pray for his well being and just be here for him.
About ten day ago my best friend finally went to see a doctor for a persistent belly ache and was diagnosed with abscessed diverticulitis. The abscess responded well to the meds and apparently the kink in the gut does not require emergency treatment.
This is a man I am proud to call my friend. He pulled his daughter and grandkids out of a bad situation and has kept them under his roof for the last two years. He put his printing business on hold for six weeks to care for a buddy in Ohio back home after radical cancer treatment. He can build or repair darn near anything and is the finest shot and most brutally efficient harvester of animal and sea life I have encountered.
We had to skip a trip to Okeechobee shooting range Sunday.
Mom (83) is in great shape despite a nerve pinch that will flare up causing discomfort in her neck and arm. She's trying to take it easy but hates to stay still. Sharp as a tack but I need to make it to Lake Placid more often than I manage.
Ma-in-law (88) came from a doc visit with ECG diagnosed with a collapsed heart valve. The other day the cardiologist determined an issue with an atrial valve that does not require anything immediate and said to see her next year. Good news!
MIL is in a residential assisted living for Old Gals with dementia. She doesn't know me from Adam but can carry a conversation and still laugh.
Sis-in-law been staying in MIL's vacant place the last two weeks to escape the Carolina cold and pursue her degree that will help her and my wife's brother run a halfway house for recovering addicts they have had for the last six years.
She's a heckuva gal, very self sufficient but I'm doing what I can to help with the busy work around the house while her old man preps some property for a rustic kind of corporate retreat with cabins they want to build in the Pisgah area.
My Auntie K (Mom's sis) husband of 20 years, honest, hard working and God fearing man, skilled in construction and computers snapped after setting up a move from central SC to Tenn. and finding he could not set a workshop on the property. He lost it and trashed his place with a sledgehammer. my aunt fled and I can't reach either of them.
To top things off, a couple nights ago I awoke at 2AM needing a blanket and when I lifted my legs to gain momentum to sit up I brought my heel down on my 11 lb, 11 year young pooch sleeping on the foot of the bed.
She's responding well to an anti inflammatory for arthritic horses to treat her dinged up cervical discs.
Such is life.
This was really hard to write. I'm not used to dumping my problems on others and I'm darn sure not looking for tea and sympathy. I'm forever grateful for what I have and would not trade with anyone, just can't help but wonder why stuff happens to those I care about while somehow I keep bumbling along.
I'm glad I found this forum. Some have it better than I do and a lot have it a whole lot worse but at least I can vent a bit to folks who understand what life is about. If you can, spare a happy thought or a nod of understanding and send it on down thisaway, I'd appreciate it.
