October

Hera and Isis getting cozy. Good thing that bed expands. Until Isis went to squeeze in it looked like Hera was filling it up herself. I was surprised today when John told me he was thinking about turning on his heat to take the chill off this a.m. Usually heat is a hard no for him until November. The kitties have been sitting by the silent, cold heat vents already. I got the heated throw out for them Friday when I went to John's house. 

The guy is supposed to come check our furnace tomorrow. I had picked up a space heater a couple years ago when the furnace was acting up, but never opened the box. Well, it has come in handy because mom gets cold. It has been nice keeping her toasty and not dying of heat myself. 

Anyway, I had taken my car in Friday for an oil change, also had a headlight out. Was waiting and got called back pretty quick, uh oh. Not good, not my first car. The nice girl there showed me a photo of some pink cotton candy under my hood. Oh wait, not candy, leaking coolant, hose problems. The mechanic poured in some coolant and it came right out. I guess I was lucky not to have encountered difficulties. Anyway who gives someone a free loaner for their 12 year old Toyota Rav 4? Bill Walsh Toyota, that's who! How nice is that. And yes, I will likely buy a new car there . . . some day lol. Parts will be in the end of the week. 

My loaner, a 2022 White Toyota Avalon is very fancy pants. Very. It is also a lot lower then my little SUV. It would be fine with me if no one sees me getting in or out of it. Ever. The car even tries to help me, moving the seat back and raising me up a bit, which was surprising when you are not expecting your car to move you around when you shut it off. Nice try car. When I first saw it I said oh no. The girl was surprised, asked me what was wrong. I asked her if she didn't have some old piece of crap to loan me so I did not get the New Car Fever. She did not. 

I felt like Bernie in 1984 when he was too nervous to drive home his new 1984 Chevy Citation  (The Ci --- who got The Ci and who got the Nova, that was the question in the 80s at the Mallaney household) from Joliet and I had to go with him to pick it up and drive it home. I do not buy fancy pants cars. I guess I have some of The Bernie in me (cheap!). Once I figured out how to start it (pushing the button), I was off. I got the radio on after a while. I adjusted the seat and the lumbar dohickey for my comfort. I'm sure that camera is very nice, but it is hard to see while I'm turned around, backing out. I saw the button for the heated seat this a.m. once I figured out blue is cold and red is warm it was a lot nicer.

Mom is no longer Crab Ass Bitch, praise Jesus. She is in a good mood, food tastes good again, everything is delicious. She is agreeable. Whew. I think maybe the maintenance antibiotic for the UTI prevention is helping. Since  mom is having a good spell I have had some outings. 

I guess John and I were lucky we did not encounter any mechanical difficulties when we went to the Dane County Farmer's Market last weekend. It is always a fun trip. We stopped in Roscoe at Sophia's Family Restaurant on the way. I highly recommend it. All the waitresses seemingly have been working there forever, I love places like that. The waitress got a big tip from me after telling me I was charming with a good sense of humor. I mean I already knew that, but it is always nice to hear. I had no trouble ordering, Irish Skillet anyone? The waitress told me it was very good and that it is better if you swap out the tomatoes for green pepper, tomatoes just do not go. So of course I did that. She nodded her head approvingly when I ordered my eggs over medium and rye toast, so I knew I had done the right thing. John surprised me by not ordering immediately, the waitress had to come back. I mean that is just weird. Then he orders honey mustard chicken breast. What? That is just weird for him. Waitress asks him what side he wants, and he thinks about it (that is weird too), and then orders hash browns. Who is this person? Then a lady got the Heimlich Maneuver. She seemed fine after, enjoying her meal. John was watching and he was not at all sure this lady needed the maneuver. All this time this guy who is right in my line of sight is staring at me, I mean I tried to look away, but he is right there. He keeps looking at me. I'm not in his line of sight, he  has to turn his head. He is eating with his wife. John gets up to go to the bathroom and here comes this man over to me. He says "How are things in Florida!?" and Kay is thinking what the hell this is Illinois sir, and I just sit there with my wtf wide-eyed confused smile? Then he cracks up and tells me I look just like his sister who lives in Florida! Oh boy. Then he shows me a photo of her and gosh my first thought was gosh I look better than I thought! So that is good for a laugh gosh. Then our food comes, and you know how some places do it, John gets this huge platter with his chicken breast, another plate with hash browns, and a little bowl of corn. He tastes the chicken and seemingly approves. Cuts it all up, then dumps his hash browns on there. I'm watching this bemusedly, understanding the combining of foods, we get that from Mom. Then I see this lady across the aisle watching him too. She is smiling. Then John looks at his plate, and decides to dump the corn on. Now the lady across the aisle is laughing. I'm watching too, meanwhile I'm ketchuping and peppering my hash and eggs. John tosses all this food together, then has a moment of thought, then puts ketchup on the whole thing. Now the lady is a little wide eyed and I'm cracking up. John, in his own little world, contemplates his plate and then puts on a liberal amount of hot sauce. I thought the lady was gonna lose it then. LOLOL  It just seemed right that I offer him some rye toast to go with his concoction. He appeared to enjoy it and our neighbor enjoyed the show as well. That was fun. My skillet was delicious. Corned beef in the morning is always good.

Got together with some old friends, had fun, drank beer, laughed, yada yada yada finally got Covid with one of my other chums. Two of the others had just gotten over it and the other works at hospital checking people in, she was fine! Very mild case for my well vaccinated self, and somehow Mom and Joe didn't get it. Worked from home for a few days.

Mom's 85th is coming up in November.  

I must go put on a roast for Sunday dinner. Cool weather calls for Sunday roast and mashed taters. 

Best to all, and Happy Fall!

Kay 

August

 

My friend Mar painted this for me from a photo I had of Finnegan. I love it. Had the cash in my purse to go check out the kitties at Just Animals in Mazon yesterday, then found out on Friday that the reunion was on, so I can wait on felines a bit longer. 

John was able to come home and sit with Mom for a while so Joe and I could run over to the Area. Lovely to see the family again, it has been ages. Reunion was on Covid hiatus for the last couple of years. It was nice to get caught up and, as always, had a delicious meal and a couple beers. Okay 3. Small crowd, not like the famous year of 66 attendees, but it was lovely, as was the weather. Temps in the 70s! Too bad for the kiddos who wanted to swim, but very nice for this hot old lady.

Mom had been doing better after a couple of rounds of meds for her UTI. Her appetite picked up, she was looking a lot better, clearly was feeling better, things were looking up. She was doing so well I ran off to John's last weekend for a visit and to get my kitty fix with Hera and Isis. Got home Sunday afternoon and went in to visit with Mom and asked her what she wanted for supper. She told me she wanted to finish her plate she had started at lunch. Delicious ham salad, cole slaw, and macaroni salad. I was dubious but asked Joe if they had eaten out or something and told him about the plate mom described. It seems Mom had had half a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. She was satisfied with a nice cheese omelet that night, but of course the next day I got provisions and made macaroni salad, cole slaw, and OK I just bought ham salad at the deli. Took it to her and she looks up at me and says "Are we having this again?"

Now things have turned and she has turned into Crab Ass Bitch. OMG Nothing is right. It seems I'm supposed to use the tender celery from the inside of the bunch, not the tough stuff on the outside. She has seemingly gone deaf and can't hear a thing I say. And her TV is sooo loud. Not good for my self-diagnosed misiphonia, I do not deal well with annoying and/or loud noises. I'm pretty sure Mom thinks she is at Park Pointe, mostly because of how annoyed she is that her roommate plays her radio non-stop and mom doesn't like her choice of music. Every time she mentions the music she glares at her closet. I told her there is no radio, there is no roommate, it is just her closet and she is at her own house. If looks could kill it has been nice knowing you all. She also thinks Joe and I get paid to be "at this place" and she is going to get out of here as soon as she can. The nurse took another specimen on Thursday, so maybe the UTI wasn't all the way gone and the UTI Loopiness has kicked back in. We can hope that some medicine will restore Jo Ann to a decent mood. I like the Jo Ann who loved everything we served her, everything was delicious, and that Jo Ann was easy going . . . and nice. I am tired of this Jo Ann who wants to know when my shift is over, and tells me I might as well stop coming in because she can't hear a word I say and we don't get along. LOL

Thanks to all who voted for my boss. Glad the election is over. 

Best to all. Can't believe how fast summer is going by. 

Kay ☘

60

I turned 60 yesterday. Not sure what to think about that. I got gas that morning and the total was $60.22. Too bad I wasn't still 50, it would have been cheaper.

Decided on Aunt Iney's Prune Cake for my birthday. Saw it on The Pioneer Woman a long time ago and was intrigued. It seemed quite fitting for an old lady birthday. It has a caramel, buttermilk frosting. It was very very tasty, moist and delicious. 

I was also gifted some spinach pie by my coworker, Mia. She told me her mother had made spinach pie one night, and I said I missed spinach pie, that since John had stopped eating cheese he didn't make it spinach pie anymore. God forbid I should make my own! For my birthday she brought me a whole pan of it! Her mother made her own pastry, her own ricotta and oh my goodness. I'm going to need to take a moment it was so delicious. I had taken a couple bites (or could be just one, not sure) when I realized I needed to memorialize the glorious spinach pie. Wow. Heated up in the air fryer the next day it was the best breakfast ever. Heavenly. John does not make his own pastry or cheese, but he makes good spinach pie. I hope he starts eating cheese again . . . soon! I am doubtful though, boo hoo. I also miss his pizza, it was the best. 

There was also cake and decor and a tiara at work. It is lovely to have fun, friendly (and younger) co-workers lol. I'm sure lucky. Not sure how they got stuck with this old crank. LOL

Have to get my cat fix at John's now, being catless. I'm gonna hold off a bit until I bounce back from Finn's last expenses. Miss that boy something fierce.  Plus with Mom I don't need any more chaos. Not even fun chaos. I love seeing the sisters, Hera and Isis. John adopted them as "bonded sisters" and they still are.

We had Mom to the ER one night, she was bleeding a little bit and we were alarmed. She was not feeling good. We were there for 3 hours, they didn't really have any concerns about the bleeding but found she did have a UTI. I was exhausted that day, even before we went to the ER. They sent her home and we just called the ambulance to take her and bring her home, it is too hard to get her in the car now. The ambulance crew had left a bunch of snowy white sheets and blankets when they brought her home, and gosh they were just going to get messed up, so I gathered them up, then saw mom's hospital bracelets and decided to cut them off, did that, gathered up the sheets and the scissors and promptly got my feet tangled up in a sheet, tripped, fell into the door frame and jabbed the side of my wrist with the scissors and bled like a banshee all over the white sheets and had to go back to the ER to get stitches. Still shaking my head over that one. Another nice little bill. Did I really used to do anything even remotely athletic? Ugh. Stitches are out and I'm totally paranoid now when carrying a knife from the table to the sink, a distance about 3 feet. What a day. Nothing goes right when you are tired and worried and bitchy. Plus I need to make up a better story when people ask me about my scar. Ugh.

Mom isn't too peppy, not sure what is up. The nurse is going to re-check for the UTI this week. She probably needs more drugs, one round never seems to clear those up. 

Nothing much new to report around here. I'll be glad when the election is over and anyone who can, please pull a republican ballot and vote for my boss, Chris Mehochko for Regional Superintendent of Schools please. 

Keep cool! Not looking forward to the heatwave this week, yuck. 

Kay

March and April and The Best Cat Ever

I started this post in March and never finished it . .. 

Always miss Dad on St. Patrick's Day! He'd put on his best green t-shirt and drink beers at Ebbey's with his chums, come home and "nap" on the floor  until it was time for corned beef and cabbage. Then he'd "nap" on the floor again until it was time to hit the hay. LOL  Good old Bernie! 

I was late for work one day. Joe called out "Kay . . . Mom can't find her teeth!" Oh man, that is never good! So we are both in there looking and looking and looking. Finally I found them! They were in her mouth! LOLOL  Mom says "I was wondering what you kids were looking for . . . " What a hoot. It is good to have a sense of humor around the Morris Mallaney Household. 

Mom is holding steady, some up days some down days. Her appetite is good. Like mother like daughter. Her hearing is going now ugh. What next. 

Finn hadn't been himself and I had him to the vet again. For a period of time he had been off, he was losing weight and wasn't very peppy and I'd have him the vet and he'd have a vitamin shot, or an antibiotic if he had a little wound and for a time he'd perk up but then go downhill again. On his 13th birthday, after x-rays and an ultrasound, I found out he had some sort of cancer, most likely lymphoma. He had a steroid shot and a vitamin shot and some fluids and he perked up a little but clearly he was not feeling well. He only went outside when I took him out and he spent most of days on the floor in front of the heat vent. I opted for no treatment beyond that initial steroid shot and fluids and had him home a few days. I am tending to a friend's cat and to contrast a peppy, healthy older cat with Finn, it became clear to me he wasn't enjoying life, he just was not catting, and we had our last trip to the vet on Friday. I will sure miss that boy. He was much loved.

He was a sweet kitten.

He did engage in some petty thievery, but he turned out ok, it was just like misdemeanor stuff.

He liked to garden.

He was really good at being a cat.

Did I say he was a cute kitten? This is my first photo of him.

He liked to read the paper too.

He disappeared once for a few days and came back smelling like he had been moonlighting as a mechanic. He caught scary things in the house, bats and bugs. Of course he may also have brought them in! LOL He was excellent company for me during my recuperation from surgeries. A couple of times he came in my room in the night and talked to me and batted at me until I got up, and I followed him into mom's room and she was laying there all cold, her blankets had fallen off. He is the only Mallaney cat to face evacuation (due to the lithium fire) and he did not enjoy his trip to Streator one bit, but he behaved admirably. There was the horrible incident on the patio where his tail snuck under my rocking chair and he lost the tip, but he did not hold a grudge. He was not a good fighter, I don't even want to know how much money he cost me at the vet with his various ailments and abscesses, but it was all worth it. He was a keeper. I will miss that green-eyed boy very much. I told him to look for Bernie and he would get some pats. He purred all the way to the end and was a brave boy. 

Kay 

No News is Good News

Gosh I haven't posted for a long time. Yet I really have nothing to post, this could be the most boring thing you will read this year! LOL

Mom is holding steady. The Medicare bath aide still comes twice a week and the nurse once a week. The nurse recommended we call hospice for palliative care. She actually recommended this like 4 times. I finally called and mom was evaluated. With the palliative care a nurse practitioner will come out once a month and keep an eye on things and we will keep the Medicare nurse and bath aide. Well, the hospice nurse practitioner called after she evaluated mom and thought hospice being called was premature . . . which is why I dilly dallied on calling in the first place. She is going to come every 8 weeks for now, and we can call her if something comes up or if we have concerns. Once the time comes for more in depth hospice care the nurse practitioner will come weekly and hospice aids will take over the visits that are now covered by Medicare. 

Mom is still pretty much with it most of the time, though slightly out of it at other times. Sometimes she thinks she is at Park Pointe and she talks to me like I am an employee at Park Pointe. Like the other night she said, rather disapprovingly,  "I was supposed to see the doctor today." I said "Oh really, what for?" Apparently she was due for a medication review and she had some other issues she wanted to discuss with him. OK. 

Sometimes I'll go in her room and her legs are on the side of the bed. I ask her what she is up to and she'll say she was going to get up and do this chore or that chore, but she is feeling lazy. It is actually a real relief she doesn't try to get up at all, the sound of an old person falling is terrifying. 

And she is hallucinating a small, black kitten. When she first started talking about a black, furry object that visits her at night I admit I was sort of weirded out. But good old Finnegan would take care of any unwanted small, furry objects --- or even wanted small furry objects in case anyone is wondering why Kay doesn't go get a black kitten! Finnegan 25# tom cat vs. small kitten . . . the thought strikes terror into my soul.  My friend's father-in-law hallucinated a dead cow in his yard and would plead with any visitors to please go bury that dead cow. So all things considered I think a cute, black kitten is a nice fantasy. Apparently the kitten sleeps with her all night most nights. OK.

John came for a visit this past weekend, she liked that. 

Joe will be 61 this March. How did we get so old?

Feels weird today not wearing my mask on a lanyard around my neck today. 

My boss has an opponent in the primary in June. I would appreciate everyone pulling a Republican ballot and voting for him, Chris Mehochko for Regional Superintendent of Schools. He is a good guy and does a great job. Plus I want to keep my job. I always felt bad for my friends at the  courthouse at election time, change can be rough. My former boss was appointed, not elected, so this is my first time in an election situation. I gotta say, don't like it. 

So no news is good news, at least for the Morris Mallaneys. Things are pretty boring and that is fine with me!

Best to all. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had our usual bountiful meal. My turkey was almost too pretty to eat . . . almost . . .

John offered to make dessert . . . carrot cake was my idea. Yum.

If you are wondering if that is a really big piece of carrot cake or a really small pink plate, the answer is yes to both. John warned me the frosting on the carrot cake might be too thick. Haha he is such a jokester! LOL Is that even possible? It is delicious. 

Mom is in a good mood. She doesn't get up anymore. Her appetite is pretty good. She enjoys her meals. Sometimes she doesn't seem to know where she is. And sometimes she talks nonsense, but she comes out of it. Usually if she has a bad night's sleep we can expect some interesting old people stuff the next day. She asked Joe who his boss is. Sometimes she seems surprised to see me and comments that she didn't know I was staying here too. When she says stuff like that I suspect she thinks we are both in the nursing home! LOL  Sometimes I just say, Mom --- you aren't making sense, have a rest and I'll be back later. Whew, so far it has worked. It is sad to see Mom so weak and frail, but I gotta say, after chasing peppy Bernie around after the dementia and having to try to keep him from escaping and returning to his family in the United States, mom is pretty easy. Bernie was sneaky and quick, even in his 90s!

Best to all. 

Tryptophan Kay 

84

Jo Ann is 84 today. John has work stuff today, a fundraiser, so he came home yesterday for Mom's birthday celebration. Since John is off the animal products I decided to make a big pot of chili, which mom loves anyway, she loves all things soup and bean, and left some of it vegan and the carnivorous Mallaneys had some spicy sausage and a touch of beef broth stirred into theirs. I gotta say, with some toppers of corn chips, sharp cheddar, sour cream, green onions and cilantro, along with some corn muffins, it really hit the spot on a cool fall day. I made this no-bake cheesecake stuff Mom has made as long as I can remember, with pineapple and cream cheese and cool whip and a graham cracker crust. It was a good day. Mom will definitely want her favorite Aurelio's pizza for her birthday meal, but with John off the cheese we will have it another day. 

Mom doesn't get up anymore, she is in bed all the time. She is holding steady. Her appetite is pretty good and she is in a good mood (usually). Sometimes though we all get tired and short.  Sometimes she can't hear. Or chooses not to . . . lol. Once in a while she is totally out of it, but I've noticed those periods usually follow a bad sleeping night. Like the other day she said "Well, I suppose I'll get out of here one of these days!?"  And then one night she said "I don't suppose a person can get a cup of coffee and a cookie around this place!?" I mean come on Jo Ann . . . we always have coffee and cookies! LOL  I asked her where she thinks she is, and told her she was at her house on Benton Street where she has lived for 50 years. She told me she doesn't remember Benton Street, she remembers Douglas Street (pre-children) and the farm. I said OK, and got her coffee and cookie.  The next day I asked her where she lived and she looked at me like I had two heads, and she knew the Benton Street address and informed me that she moved here in 1972. Then I think she mentioned to Joe that Kay is slipping. Sigh. It was pretty hilarious. She is still getting visits from the nurse and the bath aide, which is incredibly helpful and makes me feel better about things.  

October seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. I think I say that every month. 

It doesn't seem fair to me that as he ages John's hair is getting black and mine is getting a white as can be. Though I admittedly would look quite strange with black hair. 

Aren't the prices of things crazy! Good lord. Groceries and gas and life! And the time change . . . I can't believe I forgot to change my clock at work on Friday. Kills me going in there on a Monday morning and turning it back an hour! Ok . . . done whining. 

Pretty quiet around these parts. Quiet is GOOD! Hoping to finish up the fall yard work today, John helped with some stuff yesterday, so almost done. 

Best to all. 

Kay ☘