The Continuing Adventures of Just a Waiter - a little thought about assisted living

 It's never easy when a beloved resident passes away.  No matter how many times we experience this, it does not get easier. We do not become numb to it.  And, if we do, we're really not working in the right industry and it's time to change career paths.  But this is a reality that comes in working with seniors and it just needs to be accepted.  Still, it's never easy.

This blog post isn't about that, though it's the catalyst behind it.  This morning we lost a resident that we all loved.  We loved her and her significant other and her family.  She had transferred down to assisted living from independent living about three weeks ago.  Many people think that it's the transition that wears residents down when they die so soon after moving.  That isn't always the case.  With this particular resident, it was simply her time.  This morning when I saw her significant other, he stated that he was so thankful that she had moved to AL, even for a short period of time.  She got the love and care that she needed.  She loved her room and was having a wonderful experience down there.  Her illness just took over.  If she had still been living in independent living, it would have been hours before someone discovered she had died.

The reason I'm talking about this today is that I want people to understand the importance of assisted living.  We have so many residents that need assisted living.  Many are paying for round the clock care on top of their monthly rents.  And I know from my job that long term care insurance will cover home health care in independent living but will not cover anything else and those costs add up.  If you have any kind of question or doubt as to whether someone needs to be in AL vs IL, chances are they need AL.  And there is nothing to be ashamed of with that.

Our AL facility is amazing.  I worked in the dining room there more several years and absolutely loved it.  If I could have afforded to stay there, I would have.  But these residents are vital, fun people who just happen to need some assistance with things.  So, do not count out the ideas of assisted living if someone's needs call for it.  I realize that families want their loved ones to be as independent as they can be for as long as possible, but independence with assistance is a great option.

Recipe Cards

 

This past weekend, Michael and I went to visit Dad and June.  We planned on going out to lunch but June would not be able to join us for that.  So, I decided to take dessert so we could share some food and visit after lunch.  I opted to make a strawberry cobbler.  It's delicious, easy to make and travels well.  I also had gotten some strawberries on sale, so this was perfect.  We all enjoyed the cobbler and June asked me for the recipe.

She always asks me to text the recipe to her, but I never do.  One, that takes so long for me to do LOL  and two, being the old fashioned soul that I am, I much prefer getting out a nice recipe card and writing it down.  I've learned that somehow my handwriting is better on a recipe card than it is when letter writing.  Who knew?  LOL  As I was writing out the card, I thought about the first time I received my very own recipe card.

It was some time in the early 80's....81 or 82.  We went to lunch after church at the home of Pat and Gene Herrell.  They were good friends of my parents and we all went to FBC together. For dessert, Pat served a pie she called "Fruit Fluff".  It's one of those wonderful cool whip pies with fruit in it.  I absolutely fell in love with the pie.  Pat offered to write out the recipe for me.  Mind you, I was only 7 or 8 at the time.  She wrote it out and gave it to me, but it was in cursive and I couldn't read it.  So, she very thoughtfully had her son type it out on a card for me so that I could read it.  And I still have that card in my recipe box.  I have made that pie hundreds of times and always love it.

There's just something very personal to me about sharing recipe cards like that.  Not only do you have a wonderful recipe in front of you but someone who cares about you took the time to write it down for you.  This seems to be a tradition that has gone by the wayside in these days of technology.  I get that.  But I cherish my handwritten recipe cards.  There is history there.

I would love to find some of my friends to exchange recipes with like that.  Just random recipes or requested ones.  I think that would be a wonderful way to connect with people.  By the way, the cards pictured above aren't mine.  But I have plenty if you want to exchange! Anyone interested?

That is all

My prayer for the day

 Dear God

I am very thankful that I have my own, unique personal relationship with you.  Ours is like no one else's and I truly believe that is how you intended it.  Lord, please give me the strength to persevere.  We have had another hard week in our country.  We seem to be forever turning against each other and that is creating grate hatred and discord in our nation.  Please guide me to be helpful in these situations and give me the patience to endure.

We are all created in your image and we are all...and by all I mean ALL...sinners.  People are focusing so much on our differences right now and not seeing that we are one mankind.  How can I help with that?  What can I do to make a difference in the world when most people do not want accept anything other than what they see in their mirror.  This week I have often thought of the song "Jesus Loves The Little Children".  We all sang it growing up.  But most people do not seem to remember that meant all children.  You, yourself, sent your son to Earth not only to die for our sins, which I am grateful for, but also to show us how to live in peace and harmony with each other.  Why has it been so easy for people who label themselves as Christians to forget that, God?  Obviously, I do not know the answer to that.  I must continue to live as Jesus taught us too and hope some of the rubs off on my fellow man.

I have to ask, God, does it bother you that so many people are trying to take over your job?  It has become clear this week that people hide behind you while at the same time are trying to be you.  Does that get on your nerves?  Because it's sure getting on mind this week.  Now that I think about it, maybe Earth is your version of reality tv.  If that's the case, I have a list of a few people I would love for you to vote off the island.  The ways people are behaving towards each other was not the way I was raised...in my home and in my church.  I hope that the cherry pickers are at least grateful for the 15 minutes of fame you have allotted them, even if I disagree with them.

Ah, well.  Hopefully people will come to their sense and stop trying to speak for you and let you do your job.  At least, that's what I'm praying for this week.  And maybe a winning lottery ticket?  That's a lot to ask, I know.  But if you don't ask, you'll never know!

Amen

Daily Goal - working on spending

 One of the things that I need to work on if not daily, at least every few days, is keeping track of my spending.  As an adult, I have always had spending issues and that is definitely something that could use improvement. Growing up, I certainly did not get everything I wanted and asked for, but I did not go without.  There was always some kind of compromise.  I need to carry that train of thought with me into adulthood.  

As a young adult, I had a credit card with my Mom.  Looking back on it, that was a big mistake and gave me some very unhealthy spending habits.  I would use the card and Mom paid the bill.  It was quite a shock years later when I really had to start paying the bills myself.  Unfortunately at that time, the way I spent money did not change.  And there are many reasons for that which will be saved for another time.

I think, though, that if I start really paying attention and keeping track of the money that is going out I might be more inclined to spend less and save more.  I always do better in general if things are written down and I can look at it.  If I try to do it in my head, it will work for a few days and then fall by the wayside.  I know myself well enough to know the truth of that.

So, my goal this week is do improve my spending habits.  Things like sticking to my grocery list will help.  And asking myself if I really need something.  Note that I said need and not want.  I tend to want a lot of things and I know I either don't need them or can't afford them.  And that made me think of our family friend Janet.  She always said that if you don't have the cash, you don't need it. I should have started paying heed to that a lot earlier.  While she did have good credit, she paid for almost everything with cash including her car and her house.  That's a goal for me to be able to do that one day.  Or at least to have that option.

Living paycheck to paycheck is hard.  Not being careful about how I spend my money makes it more difficult.  I don't exactly enjoy being poor, but I know that if I can focus on my active spending, I may be able to enjoy more things.  Who knows, I might be able to save up to buy something that I just want and don't need at all. We shall see!

That is all.

Dream of the Forgotten Child - David Lanz

 

With everything going on in the world today, I simply needed a beautiful and inspiring piece of music to start off my Saturday.  I needed it and wanted it.  David Lanz always delivers that for me.  I hope you enjoy it!

Quote of the Day

 This one just struck a chord with me today.

The Kikusui Green Checkers Tea Set

 Piggy backing off of yesterday's blog, I started thinking about when I really started my antiques and vintage collecting. It was somewhere around 1987 when I bought my first item at an antiques store.  It was in Wingate, NC.  The owners of the shop were a couple.  I remember that her first name was Bonnie.  But that's all I remember.  I don't even remember the name of the shop, just that it was in a big old house off of 74 in Wingate.  Actually the house was the childhood home of my Great Aunt Billie's 2nd husband, Bruce Hinson.  The home is historically called the Dickson-Goodwin House and is now a museum to Jesse Helms.  Ah, well.

Anyway, we went to the shop many times.  Mom and formed a friendship with Bonnie while Mom was handling Aunt Sara's estate.  Bonnie appraised the contents of the house for her.  I remember the first time Mom took me to the shop how amazed I was.  I hadn't really been in a shop like that yet.  There would be many more in my future!  The house itself was well preserved and very large.  As I made my way through the rooms, I came into the dining room and saw the tea set.  I immediately fell in love with it.  Green is my favorite color after all.

Of course I asked Mom to buy it for me, but alas, no.  It was somewhere around $60.  That's a lot of money for me today, much less 30 plus years ago.  I didn't make much of a fuss about it but Bonnie knew how interested in it I was.  Every time we would go to her shop, I would spend most of my time looking at it.  I would pick up each piece and examine it.  I loved it.  And there would always be this nervous apprehension that one day I would turn the corner into the dining room and it wouldn't be there.  Someone else had bought it out from under me but thankfully that never happened.

Well, after about 6 months of obsessing over it, Bonnie offered it to me for $20.00.  Yes, that was an incredible buy.  And I had been saving my money to buy it at the original price, so the $20 was no problem.  But I know she did it because she wanted to encourage my love love all things antique and vintage.  And she did.  I wish we had kept up better as I would love to talk to her again and tell her how much that meant to me.

So ends today's episode of Around The House.

That is all.