August 29th,2016 My Mom

 Today is the anniversary of my mother passing away and going to heaven.  It sometimes seems like it was ages ago, and sometimes it seems like just a short time ago, but it has been one year.  I'm just going to share a few things that I remember to honor her today. She was a good mom, a good woman and a good friend to those who knew her.

I was blessed to be able to be with her for much of the last 10 years, and more specifically the last three. It was 2012 when I left my job in Yorba Linda.  I had initially planned on finding another job, but it became clear that I was needed at home with her.  My being home gave my sister Sue a break from being at the house every day and she gave me a break for a few hours every week. 

It was difficult at times, helping her do things that she couldn't do for herself and being wakened in the middle of the night because she needed something.  Because Mom was in a wheelchair due to her osteoarthritis, if we went anywhere, I had to load the wheelchair into the trunk, get Mom in the car, then reverse the process and get her into the wheelchair at Walmart, or Dollar Tree, or some other place she enjoyed going to.  She had a power chair to use at home, but we didn't have any way of transporting it, so we had to use an old fashioned kind when we left the house. Sometimes we would load her lap with so many items in the store that we would start laughing as she tried to keep everything from falling off.

This was her first ever ride in the new wheelchair

We did have fun on some of those trips out. Because we were often out at lunch time, I would suggest we go to Wendy's near Dollar Tree, for a hamburger.  That was not something she would have done for herself normally, but it became almost a habit to stop and get the children's meal that comes with a "frosty."  She thought that was pretty neat and really enjoyed it. Her other favorite thing to do was stop at Costco for one of their frozen yogurts.  She would ask for hers to be "swirled" meaning chocolate and vanilla mixed in the cup.  If there wasn't enough chocolate in hers, she would be sure and point it out to me!  I'm glad I didn't have to go back and tell them we wanted a new one, with more chocolate this time!  It was those simple pleasures that I think about often because they really did give her some pleasure and something to look forward to now and then.

After the trips out for shopping, of course the whole process was repeated when we got home.  By then it was time for her nap and me to have a break for a while.  Until it was time for her to get up!

Another favorite thing to do with Mom was make s'mores! She and I would roast a marshmallow on the gas stove and make a s'more once in a while in the afternoon.  Hey, if your 90 year old mother wants a s'more in the middle of the afternoon, you make s'mores!

Mom enjoyed gardening and doing jigsaw puzzles.  We worked on jigsaw puzzles on a daily basis. Her most favorite thing to do I think, was baking! She loved to bake bread and cinnamon rolls. Of course Sue and I did a lot of the work, but she would tell us what ingredients to bring her at the table, and then she would do the mixing.  She was a good cook too.

My Mom wasn't much of a dog lover, but she loved Elaina's dog Abby.  Abby was a rescue dog and was very scared of a lot of things, like Mom's power wheelchair.  (It had wheels! And it moved! Oh so scary!) I'm so glad I have this video of Mom petting Abby, even though Abby was scared to death at the time, she allowed it to happen.

If the video doesn't work, I'm sorry.  I don't know why. If it works for you, great.

Mom got a kick out of watching Abby run around the backyard, because she didn't just run, she raced like a greyhound and she chased after apples that had fallen from one of Mom's apple trees.  It was so great to hear Mom laugh and giggle at Abby's antics, even though she was in pain most of the time.  Abby keeps Elaina and I laughing all the time and I think of how Mom would be laughing at Abby today if she were here.

Mom's 90th birthday in 2014 with most of the grandchildren and great grandchildren

The reason I am here in North Carolina is because Mom had a reverse mortgage which we borrowed on in order to provide for her to stay in her own home.  Of course, that meant my life would be changing almost immediately when she passed away.  I needed a home and Elaina graciously said I could come here.  It's still a temporary situation for me, and I love it here in North Carolina, but I do miss my Mom.  Just looking forward to the day I see both my parents again.

Love and miss you Mom (and Daddy!)

End of August...Misc. Thoughts

• I went to Stovers Auction House sale on Thursday in Burgaw and found a few great things to list on Etsy.  It was a fun day being around other people who appreciate antiques.  It seems to me that people who appreciate antiques and vintage items, are just nice people. 

• When I have listened to the news on TV, I have thought in the back of my mind, that it sounds different than in California.  It hit me the other day, why it sounds different.  I know, you're thinking, well, duh.  But here's why. There is so much "country" between towns and cities here in Eastern North Carolina, that when an accident happens, or there's a crime committed, the reporters usually say that it happened in _____county. For instance, "An accident on highway 17 in Onslow County..."  Or "Big rig turned over on highway 24 in Carteret County."   They seldom actually say a city name because the accident probably wasn't anywhere near the town!  In California, events are usually named in the city they actually happened in.  In So-Cal, one city runs right into the next city, and often you don't even know you've crossed into the next city.  There are probably areas in Riverside County, CA more spread out, but the norm is city after city without space in between! Anyway, that's just a thought about living in the "country."

• Went to church last night (First Baptist of Jacksonville, or as they call themselves FBJAX). Was reminded that they bought 400 Law Enforcement Bible/devotionals for Jacksonville P.D. and Onslow County sheriffs.  I love that they did that. Several officers are part of the church.

• Had my first Bojangles dinner last night.  It came in a box 

and was chicken fingers, fries and a biscuit.  Yes, it was yummy. I saved the biscuit to eat this morning with some honey!

• There's a possibility of thunder showers tonight and for the next two days due to a tropical depression near the Florida Keys.  We're still in hurricane season, so who knows what will come next...

I hear Elaina in the kitchen preparing to barbecue some hamburgers, so I better go see if I can help.

August 23,2016 Royal Story Time

Today was the "Royal Story Time" at the USO.  The room was packed with little princesses and some would-be princes and their moms.  We hung up Disney princess posters and ephemera around the room and Disney princess place mats on the tables.  Everything was pink and pretty.

I helped set up the dessert table with cookies, brownies, and cupcakes.  Most of these come from people who volunteer to bring desserts for these events.

I worked at the craft table where the little ones were making  princess wands out of a popsicle stick or a tongue depressor. There were stickers galore and glue sticks and of course glitter. Lots and lots of glitter.  

The volunteer coordinator had on a Prince Charming costume and the assistant director had on a yellow ball gown much like "Belle" and read Beauty and the Beast to the kids.

Lunch was submarine sandwiches cut into small sizes from a local grocery store here called Lowes.  Of course they always have pb&j sandwiches for the smallest kids, chips, lemonade and tea.

Clean up means folding chairs, putting away tables, wiping down high chairs and sweeping the floor.  I did a little of some of these things and came home exhausted.

Whenever the USO does these events, they pass out surveys on the tables so that people can give their opinions of how the event went.  
Today, I asked them if they compile the surveys into one document for ease of reviewing and storing.  (My former co-workers will understand this.)  They have not done that in the past and mentioned that they have trouble storing everything.  So.....I asked if they wanted me to compile the surveys for them into one document.  They heartily agreed that it would be a good idea.  

So, this afternoon after I got home, I took 26 surveys from the last "No Dough Dinner" and compiled all the information into one 3 page document.  It's an easy thing to do, but could be time-consuming for the staff.  I hope they like what I did and will have me do more.  The No Dough Dinners and the story times all have surveys and maybe other events that I'm not familiar with.  By the way, a "No Dough Dinner" is done once a month at the USO or also now at the Cherry Point Base when it's not quite pay day, but you're "out of dough."  Local restaurants provide the food for those events too.  They probably average around 150-200 people for those.

Anyway, it was a tiring but fun day.  I got to do some office type of work that I enjoy and help Marine families enjoy a nice lunch.

Just found out that the auction house in Burgaw is having another sale on Thursday, so I'm excited about going to that again.  Let's hope I find some great bargains for re-sale there.

More Miscellaneous

I haven't written in a while.  I guess nothing exciting or interesting has been happening!  The weather has been so hot and humid that it's hard to feel like doing anything outside.  It feels like you just entered a sauna when you step outside.  We had a BIG thunderstorm two nights ago, the second one in two days.

I have spent a lot of time trying to promote my Etsy business.  Most successful Etsy sellers promote their business using Pinterest, and Instagram and a host of other social media sites.  So far neither of these has brought me any business, although I have had two orders this month.  One thing I have learned is that handmade Etsy businesses sell much more than vintage shops like mine.  I've seen people, (mostly young women) making a couple of thousand dollars a month with their handmade items.  That is a dream for me.  Don't know still what I'm supposed to be doing to earn a living.  I've applied for a few jobs, but nothing has come of them.  I can sew, but I'm still a novice and can't compete with some of these Etsy sellers who have been sewing for years.  I guess time will tell!

The USO had a rummage sale yesterday and I bought a desk chair (on wheels!) to use at my sewing machine.  It will make sewing a whole lot easier.  I also bought the book, Two Years Before the Mast.  I started reading it and couldn't put it down, but I'm not sure how long it will hold my interest.  It was written in the 1840s, by Richard Henry Dana and the first copyright date is 1909.  It's his account of being a seaman when he was a young man.  Since his sea journey took him to the coast of California, I'm assuming Dana Point is named for him.  Dana went on to be a student at Harvard and later a district attorney for the state of Massachusetts. Interesting guy.

Elaina and I visited a church last night that we think we will be involved in.  It's a huge church with a Saturday service and 3 on Sunday, plus a satellite location with 2 Sunday services. Apparently there's about 3,000 in the congregation. The church building is 120 years old and looks like an old fashioned style church building.  It's a church with contemporary worship, which we love, and a young-ish pastor.  They gave me a water bottle with their church name and logo on it as a first time visitor.


After church we stopped for dinner at Chuy's, a Tex-Mex restaurant that is quite popular here in Jacksonville. Good Mexican food used to be harder to find here in Eastern North Carolina, but it has improved a bunch according to Elaina, who has lived here for years.  Being half Mexican, she should know. We also like a restaurant called Mi Cabana.  The food is different than what I'm used to in California, but it's acceptable!

On Tuesday I'm working at another USO story time.  This one has a "princess" theme.  Should be fun!