Friday, July 23, 2010
Happy Blog Birthday
That's right - this morning I realized that June 21st was was the FIVE YEAR anniversary of starting this blog. Wow! I started it to pour out my grief and sorrow. I began writing here to prevent myself from going absolutely insane. I never dreamed it would take me to so many places and introduce me to people from all over the world. People who I have come to know and love so much. So Happy Birthday Blog and thank you to each of you for your friendship and support.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Still on the Planet
This has been an incredible month. I started a new leadership transition on July 9th and am still winding down the last transition in the family homeless shelter AND my mother is taking incredible amounts of my time. My new gig is about feeding hungry people - a mission that is dear to my heart. To make things more complicated, the food bank is a 28 mile commute (each way) from my home. I am not complaining but it is challenging right now.
One thing I have managed to do is to begin my summer food preserving - last weekend I put up 7.5 quarts of garlic, kosher dill pickles - yummy!! I have a few more cukes and I think sandwich pickle chips are in my future before the end of the week. I wanted to upload photos of my pickles but blogger is being stubborn right now. Maybe later.
Really exciting news: my bestest friend for over 40 years, J and her husband S are moving here from Florida in September. Hooray - we have wanted to do this for so long. The last time we lived close together was many, many, many years ago in Northern California. They plan to try out Minnesota for a year and see what comes next. I am excited and feel very blessed.
I will try to blog more often - even though I am not writing, I am reading everyone on my feed - trying to keep up with all your activities this summer. Take care.
One thing I have managed to do is to begin my summer food preserving - last weekend I put up 7.5 quarts of garlic, kosher dill pickles - yummy!! I have a few more cukes and I think sandwich pickle chips are in my future before the end of the week. I wanted to upload photos of my pickles but blogger is being stubborn right now. Maybe later.
Really exciting news: my bestest friend for over 40 years, J and her husband S are moving here from Florida in September. Hooray - we have wanted to do this for so long. The last time we lived close together was many, many, many years ago in Northern California. They plan to try out Minnesota for a year and see what comes next. I am excited and feel very blessed.
I will try to blog more often - even though I am not writing, I am reading everyone on my feed - trying to keep up with all your activities this summer. Take care.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Sadness
I have just returned from my second trip in a month to California to help my mother move into a new house. It was a really sobering experience. I accomplished my goal, she is moved and totally settled in her new home. That is a good thing.
The hard fact is that she is either entering the terrifying slide into dementia or she is becoming so forgetful that soon she will be unable to function on her own without more supports of daily living.
She has big mood swings. One minute loving and the next saying some pretty ugly things to me. She cannot remember what day it is and asks repeatedly, "what day is it? what date is it? what time is it?". She forgets to eat. She is unsteady on her feet and of course, she is legally blind. I am hoping nothing happens and that she can stay in this new house for the next year or so - we shall see.
Today, I am physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually spent. I am working from home to catch up and get back in touch with my clients and prepared to work hard the rest of this week.
I have accepted another transition client - I know I said there was a break at the end of the interim leadership in this homeless shelter but it feels like I am supposed to go to this next leadership assignment. Their mission is to feed hungry people - who can argue with that. They are a large organization and they have hired a search firm to assist in hiring the new Executive Director. That pretty much guarantees this to be a short-term, 100 day assignment. So, with the end in sight - tomorrow I meet with the Board Vice President to work out the contract details and Friday I will go to the organization to meet the Executive Team.
My work in the family homeless shelter ends on July 31 so for the balance of this month I will be juggling a great many balls. My new plan - take a good chunk of time off to enjoy the Autumn and early winter.
I know I will have to return to California more often. That is fine. Unfortunately that means I cannot do much of the other travel I have been hankering for - like going to visit my grandchildren in Philadelphia or just taking a trip for myself to have a vacation. I am not complaining - just longing for some time to myself to see and/or do some new things. Such is Life.
It is wonderful to be home. Home, in my own little house. Yes, I am sad to see my mother on this path - yes, I am glad to be home and to reflect on all my blessings. With deepest gratitude to be here on the Planet. Namaste.
The hard fact is that she is either entering the terrifying slide into dementia or she is becoming so forgetful that soon she will be unable to function on her own without more supports of daily living.
She has big mood swings. One minute loving and the next saying some pretty ugly things to me. She cannot remember what day it is and asks repeatedly, "what day is it? what date is it? what time is it?". She forgets to eat. She is unsteady on her feet and of course, she is legally blind. I am hoping nothing happens and that she can stay in this new house for the next year or so - we shall see.
Today, I am physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually spent. I am working from home to catch up and get back in touch with my clients and prepared to work hard the rest of this week.
I have accepted another transition client - I know I said there was a break at the end of the interim leadership in this homeless shelter but it feels like I am supposed to go to this next leadership assignment. Their mission is to feed hungry people - who can argue with that. They are a large organization and they have hired a search firm to assist in hiring the new Executive Director. That pretty much guarantees this to be a short-term, 100 day assignment. So, with the end in sight - tomorrow I meet with the Board Vice President to work out the contract details and Friday I will go to the organization to meet the Executive Team.
My work in the family homeless shelter ends on July 31 so for the balance of this month I will be juggling a great many balls. My new plan - take a good chunk of time off to enjoy the Autumn and early winter.
I know I will have to return to California more often. That is fine. Unfortunately that means I cannot do much of the other travel I have been hankering for - like going to visit my grandchildren in Philadelphia or just taking a trip for myself to have a vacation. I am not complaining - just longing for some time to myself to see and/or do some new things. Such is Life.
It is wonderful to be home. Home, in my own little house. Yes, I am sad to see my mother on this path - yes, I am glad to be home and to reflect on all my blessings. With deepest gratitude to be here on the Planet. Namaste.
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