Mortality

My father is legally blind and cannot drive, although he watches TV, reads, etc. So he relies on my stepmother Judy or someone else to take him places. Well Judy just had shoulder surgery and is not allowed to drive for about 6 weeks. So now they are both dependent on all of us.

Steve and I take Thursday off together and usually run errands. Yesterday, my dad needed to go the doctor. He was diagnosed with emphasyma about 3 yrs ago, so he is very suseptible to any viruses or when it gets really cold like it is now. He get to where he has trouble breathing. He is supposed to call the doctor immediately, but doesn't. It's very wierd taking care of a parent. Although he gets around and isn't incapacitated and still has a strong mind, he is not the strong man that was my dad growing up. He will be 75 this April and has lived 25 yrs longer than his father. But this lung thing is scary. And with Judy not able to things for awhile, I think he feels a little scared. He has to help her with her therapy and do things around the house.

And then there is my aunt Lois. She was rushed to the hospital by my mother and my cousin. She was throwing up blood. They operated on her for a perforated colon, but now they are wondering if that was it. Of course my mother is freaking out, and my cousin is feeling overwhelmed, because he's trying to carry on at work, and take care of his mom. Lois is very thin. We don't know now whether it's because she wasn't eating or it was from the bowel thing. I guess we'll wait and see. Both Steve and I have always felt blessed because our parent are all still alive and relativly healthy. But I guess as they get older, things are going to happen. All we can do is take care of ourselves so as we age, we have minimal problems.

Democracy in action

So I get a call from my father right before the new year wanting to know where my friend from Iowa lives. I tell him she lives outside of Des Moines. He wants me to call her to see if we can come to observe the caucus'. I call her, and she makes a call and before you know it we are on our way to Iowa. My stepsister Andrea went with us. We left Thursday morning and came back Friday. My friend lives on a pig/cow/corn farm and helped to enlighten us on the ins and outs of running a "family farm". They actually work with a corporation that helps them with a lot of their stuff. It helped my appreciate why prices are what they are.
She offered her home for us to stay in and fixed us supper and breakfast that was Bed and Breakfast quality.
We went to a Democratic caucus that was run by someone that Linda (my friend) knows. We were allowed to sign in as observers. I was encouraged about the youth and politics because one the observers was a 13 yr old girl who was sitting there writing what she was observing. I asked if she was writing a report for school. She said no, it was for her own benfit. Her parents are Republican and she has been there lots of times and wanted to see a Democratic one.
After we left there, we drove to Des Moines, about 25 min away. Linda had given us the name of hotel that the candidates had stayed in back in October. We finally found the hotel, but only Hillary was there. We got to go up to where the party was going on. She and Bill were there, but we really couldn't see them. There were too many people. Andrea picked us up offical guest tags off the floor, so we could prove we were there. It was definitly an experience.
The road trip was great too. We had some deep conversations on many topics..
Now my father wants to go to New Hampshire. He's on his own for that one.

Road trip to Iowa

cookie party

I'm the cookie baker in the family and we have to have cut out sugar cookies for my father. I don't mind making them, but I don't like icing them. So last year, I got the idea that kids might like icing them. So I invited all the nieces and nephews in town and some cousins kids over and said go for it. Apparently they liked it and wanted to do it again. Well this year my sister and two nieces from Colorado came to town. As you can see, a good time was had by all. It is a mess, but it is fun to watch them create. And I let them all take 5 cookies home to give away or keep for themselves. I told them that they will have to keep doing this, even when they get older. They may to bring boyfriends and girlfriends. I figure this will be my legacy. When I'm long gone, everytime they make sugar cookies, they'll think about aunt Becky. That's comforting.

2nd annual cookie decorating party