You Can Always Find Something To Do...

I was writing in my diary and I was making a list of projects that I want to do around the house. It started off small with straightening up the second bedroom and then I added, organizing the closet, to organizing the pictures and the picture frames. We have several sized bags that we have used for carry on luggage or just when we need something to use to carry something around here. Well, these need to be gone through and fixed up as they are just all in one big pile.

Oh, lets see, the bed will be taken out as well as the dresser. Dad is putting up a door across the two night stands to form a table for me to do my scrapbooking. I use the dining room table now but it requires me to put things up and then take everything and put it away each time I mess with it. It doesn't make you want to do the scrapbooking that often when you spend all your time putting everything out and then taking everything down again.

Dad wants to put up shelving in that bedroom. Yes, he plans on doing it himself so that means trips to Home Depot or Loews! If we know anyone will be staying with us, we will get beds for them. For now, no one visits so we are going to use that space. This is the plan anyway. Of course this has been the plan for quite some time. I think it will happen, Dad just came in with a piece of wood for the table top.....

Monterey

We are back home from our quick trip to Monterey. We drove there and it was a LONG drive. We left at 8:00 am on Wednesday and finally got to the hotel in Monterey around 4:00. We did stop for lunch and a bathroom break but other than that it was driving, driving, driving.

The days were nice there but on the cool side. We didn't check the temperature like we ususally do so we had take short sleeve things when we should have had long sleeve. We each did have a jacket so that helped.

We didn't go anywhere but stayed at the hotel. Dad had his meeting all day on Thursday. Wednesday night we had a cocktail reception that we were invited to and then we went to a late dinner. It was an expensive dinner at the hotel restaurant. Thank goodness for travel expenses. Dad charged things on his corporate card and will submit the bills for payment.

Things were very expensive in Monterey. Gas was $3.89 a gallon. We had dinner bills over $100 for the two of us. We weren't getting the most expensive thing on the menu either. We were glad to get back home even though gas here is $3.53 a gallon.

The drive home took us forever! We left later than Wednesday's trip. We started out about 9-9:30 am. We decided to go by way of Big Sur. If you ever get a chance to do this, the views are spectacular. The roads are curvy so you aren't able to go real fast. That is OK. The road seems to be made for a leaserly drive. We started the trip home without breakfast and figured we would stop and get something on the way. We didn't find anything until almost 11:00.

We ate and off we went again. We changed drivers and I was driving now. Dad did pretty well in staying calm with me driving those roads of Big Sur. I could see him hanging onto the door handle but he didn't say a word. When we stopped for gas, we switched back again. I had only driven a short time but I think that was all he could handle.

By the middle of the afternoon, we were ready for lunch. Again it was hard to find someplace to stop. When we got off the highway, we had to drive into town a short distance to find a restaurant. It wasn't like the interstate where the restaurants are right at the edge. We found a TGI Fridays but they were slow serving. The food wasn't good either. The sandwiches were dry. I had a turkey burger and Dad a chicken sandwich. Dad asked for a refil on his tea and it took awhile to get as the waitress was doing other things in the kitchen before actually getting the refill. I could see into the kitchen so I knew what she was and was not doing.

We finally got back on the road again but Dad did not want me to drive as we were going into LA rush hour traffic. He said that it would be difficult to drive through. (I think he just didn't want me to drive) Anyway, to make a long story short, we finally got home around 8:00 Friday night. We had stopped for dinner before we came home but we were glad to be back. Chester was glad to see us too.

New Positions

Norma Rickard, who was the leader of my support group, passed away on May 2. This was very unexpected and a shock to all of us. She was 64 years old. It was quite a shock upon opening my emails after the trip to read about her passing. During the meeting today, the other leader, Jack, stated that a co-leader needed to be found. I was asked to serve as the other support group leader. Even though it was a sad time, it was one that we needed to move on from. I was nominated, voted on, and was unanimously elected.

My other bit of news is that I am also on a committee for the State of California Emergency Prepardedness. The committee I am on deals with mitigation. This happens after a disaster. For example, if a house is destroyed by a flood from a river, then when it is rebuilt the options would be to either move it back away from the river or put the house on stilts. Because I represent the disabled community, I would suggest not doing the building of a house on stilts for access purposes but another suggestion. This is just a quick example given to me. I will find out more when I get involved with it.

My first meeting will be a group meeting to teach everyone what the Emergency Prepardedness Agency does, how it operates, and what the different committes do. It will take place some time in June. I am also not sure of the location or how many meetings it would entail but it does sound interesting.

I am excited about the new positions but I then start to wonder if I took on too much. Time will tell.

A Quick Trip

We made it back home without too much problem. It was a little bumpy from time to time but for the most part the trip home was smooth. We came home to a heat wave! It was 97 in Long Beach when we landed. This was very warm for this time of year. We had a breeze but it was a warm one and not the cooling breeze we were used to.

We had a wonderful time seeing everyone even though it was so short. We know it was not enough time but we did what we could with what we had to give. The grandchildren are growing up and doing well. All of you are doing a great job.

Michelle and Jon, we look forward to seeing the group picture of us that was taken after dinner. We still haven't figured out yet what the problem is with my camera.

Jenn, I will get the pictures printed off of the one we took of Noah and PaPa and with myself and Noah and Madi.

Tony and Abby, I will send you the pictures of Gabe and Sophia that I took at the restaurant.

I will also send everyone the latest picture of Grandma Brusco.

Again, the trip was too short and not enough time to see one another. We miss you and love you bunches.

Mom

Physical Therapy Part 3 & 4

I just had my latest physical therapy. I have to admit it is helping me but today was a time not to be hard on myself. I needed to walk with one foot in front of the other. Now if you try this, you will see that it does take balance. It is one of those tests that cops make you do to see if you have been drinking too much. Well, I was very sober and yet I felt like I was going to fall on the carpet. I felt so unsteady and wobbolly. My brain needs to be retrained. It will take time.

Just try it....one foot in front of the other. Go forward then try it going backward. Try it with your eyes closed. Not easy!