spend more time with my parents

Supposed to have my Dad’s 79th birthday party tomorrow, but Mom was not feeling well tonday, so she put it off.

I went to the grocery store and got her some ginger ale, chicken bouillon, and saltines. She seemed to really appreciate it.

(Also talked my dad into selling me his Koni-Omega Rapid, since he was trying to sell it to strangers for $150.)

Well, we were supposed to go to a piano concert but yours truly got the date wrong. Doh!

We did go out for a nice dinner. Mom’s chicken was dry and I told the server. The owner offered her a free desert.

Of course my dad joked about trying the chicken is dry “routine” again next time.

My mom tipped me off that grandson was not really going to help Dad with the yard. She suggested just telling him that I was going to come, so I did. I worked on 5 little projects: filling the bird feeder with sunflower seeds, using the leaf blower to clean off the porch and put the picnic table down, blowing all of the accumulated leaves off the garden so it can be rototilled, pulling the spines off of an old bird feeder cage so they could be thrown out, and going over the lawn with weed killer.

It was a beautiful day and I actually enjoyed myself plus it really blessed my parents.

Bought tickets for a show in April for me and Mom and Dad. It was her birthday present from me. Will meet early and go out for Vietnamese food. Should be fun!

Had told my dad that I would call a psychiatrist and see what was needed for him to go in. He has one already but no one is doing medication management and he has been very depressed lately. I am pretty concerned about it. Anyway, I called the doc and then called Dad to give him the info. The ball is in his court to make the appointment, though I said I would go with him.

Got off work early and decided to stop in to see Mom & Dad on the way home. I am glad that I am so much more stable myself and well enough emotionally to care for them, having forgiven them for past hurts.

Anyway, Dad is feeling pretty poorly – both physically and mentally. He agreed today to let me look into the geriatric psych clinic for a possible med eval for him.

I kept putting off calling in her birthday because I “wanted a good time to do it.”

Ended up buying a plant and going over after work to deliver. Probably nicer in the long run.

I called Mom and asked if I could come by for a visit and she said I could. Showed Dad some cool stuff on flickr and brought a book on collectibles for Mom to look at.

She made Chili and we had supper.

Dad isn’t able to remember some stuff lately. He is aware of this. He hasn’t lost it yet so it was kind of funny when he suggested that my baby pictures would be on the earlier videos. Uh, video tape wasn’t invented when I was born, so he was mixing me up with my niece. Whew.

Dad wanted to talk about issues around moving to a retirement community—it seems like a lot of money for what you get, but I could be wrong. It is a good thing for them that they are planning ahead. I am grateful for that!

And I’m glad I went.