Oye! What a week! I hope everyone is doing well! If you remember, last weekend was a busy one with Joe’s nephew visiting-followed by Monday with a flower delivery – 10 bouquets. Tuesday morning we got a call from my mom at 6 a.m., I was in a deep sleep, so I was a bit foggy, apparently she had fallen in the bathroom at 3 and was in acute pain. I asked all the important questions, are you bleeding, did you hit your head, are you on the floor. I had her call 911, we got there within 10 minutes (getting dressed and grabbing gear to prepare for time in the ER takes a few minutes). When we arrived the EMTs were already at work. They determined she was in stable enough condition for me to transport to the ER, they suspected broken ribs. I suspected that and a UTI (hence the passing out) based on a conversation with her earlier in the week – we experienced it two years ago when I started taking her to the doctor more and being more involved with her health because she kept passing out. The body is a strange and complex amazing computer!

I finally went home after 9 hours – mom was admitted to the hospital with 2 broken ribs, and a possible UTI (that was finally confirmed two days later). They wanted to keep her for observation and make sure it wasn’t her heart. Now we are at the situation where they cannot release her without a safety plan in place…..as in she needs around the clock care for a while so she can build up her strength to get in and out of bed on her own. There really isn’t anyone qualified to take on that job – nor should anyone take it on in the family – mom needs expert care, not a family member who is going to park her in front of a tv, or let her lounge around, or get resentful with….they’ve recommended a skilled nursing facility – but no one will take her because she is unwilling to get the vaccine. When I left yesterday, I had her convinced that getting the vaccine might be a good idea, and a skilled nursing facility isn’t that bad of an idea with meals, help around the clock and people to meet. Then her brother called, all full of conspiracy theories and filling her head with fear. He texted me and said that he would take care of her …this should be interesting!! So, here we are….looking for some sort of solution to this lovely predicament.

I’ve managed to limit my visits to the hospital, for several reasons – to save my strength for the long haul, to avoid exposure to illness, to save myself and mom from too much time together (she likes her time alone).

I did have a conversation with her doctor – when I said that she has a temper and throws things – apparently he took that as she throws things at me then asked mom why she throws things at me….that’s not very helpful…

It’s a tricky tricky place we are in. I have no easy answers, my stomach is upset most of the time – trying to find something that makes everyone happy is weighing heavy on me. For now she is safe at the hospital.

In addition to that weighing heavy, we’ve been having issues with my niece — the one that I have treated as my own daughter for all of her 16 years – that right there sums up what is going on – she’s 16….! Let’s leave it at….she’s removed the braces Joe and I facilitated having installed – she removed them herself – and has announced she wants to do it on her own, and she doesn’t need our help and she’s growing up and doing well. ((insert facepalm emoji here)) It’s out of my hands at this point, we just hope that she can manage to come back around some day and see that Joe and I were trying to help, not control her, bring her down, or whatever it is that 16 year-olds think that caring loving adults are trying to do.

We had planned on having two grands this weekend, so I stopped and picked them up on my way home last night. We had an eventful night of cake baking, taking a walk to pick up the mail, visit Bruce & Jill, play time in the pool, their favorite dinner of spaghetti and meatballs in the yard, cake eating and bath time. It took them a while to settle down – I finally ended up going into the room and laying on the floor to get them to quiet down at 11, I came back to bed at 1:30. Coyotes tuned up at 4:30 this morning waking up the littlest looking for his sister, we managed to talk him back into going back to bed – the two of them wandered in at 8 to climb into bed with us and play on the phones and tablets. It’s always nice to snuggle and hang out together. They grow up so fast, before we know it THEY will be 16 and most likely doing what happens when kids turn 16-turn into to angry, confused, hormone infused nuts!

My daughter asked if we were up for another little this weekend – of course we are. Nothing like having a bunch of kids around to keep my mind off of other things going on! So, it will be cake for breakfast, picking apples to make applesauce, then Lily-Bean will be here. Zoey & Jaxson will be happy to have their cousin around! Lily-Bean will only be here for a few hours. I’m not sure if the other two will be spending the night again as planned, Jaxson had a rough night last night missing mom. We’ll see how the day plays out.

For now, the three year old is asking to ride his bike and eat cake – at 9 a.m. – in his underwear – he wants to ride his bike and eat cake – it must be the best ever to be three!!

There’s a rumor going around that we are supposed to be getting a huge rain storm – let me tell you – if that happens it will make a huge mess in the garden. I will do my best to get some things out of the field today and put in the fridge for my last big flower delivery on Monday. And of course harvest the rest of the Strawflowers to get them in to dry! Crazy times indeed!

Thanks for stopping by my friends, until next time – hugs to you!