Maureen Agatha's Dash

Someone posted on Facebook they were trying to donate 2 bags of towels. They wanted to know where or who to donate them to.  Several people said the local animal shelter, but one person said the willand Warming Center in Somersworth. I didn't know anything about this place. A temporary housing for the homeless that opens in winter or during inclement weather. I looked up their need and they had sign ups for donating dinners. So Dave gave me 50 dollars. His Christmas bonus from work. I went to Hannafords and bought stuff for lasagna. I was able to donate 2 lasagna pans. Enough to feed 20 people or so. The shelter on any given night serves 45 to 55 people. I think I found my new focus for 2024. When I arrived the doors were still locked. They were due to open at 5pm. There were already about 10 people waiting to get it. It was heartbreaking. An elderly woman, a car full of I'm guessing a family and it looked like everything they owned packed in and on top of it. A young man with ...

I had a dream that I was at the swap shop. I had donated some toy, a Tiger ship, maybe?  I have no idea what that is, but Shane or Muchael asked me"why did you donate my Tiger ship? They were there with me. So I frantically looked for it and someone else had already picked it up. This may have come up because I have been trying to get rid of things,even if just ONE thing, at a time. I'd say most of the stuff I have here is not mine. It would cost a fortune to send everything to Texas to Michael but I've been sending little things as I find them. Shane doesn't have a house and he doesn't have much here anyway. Faith is staying with a friend in one room, so she doesn't have space. Crysta doesn't have anything here that I know of. My Mom's stuff I'm still struggling to get through. I talked to Colleen last night. She, and Ray, on their way to Zachs place in Staunton VA. I sent Zach and family a 365 project for kid book. I spoke to Michael on his way ho...

It was one of the hardest things for him to do. Me too. But he is in a residential program. I've started to go to family zoom meetings like Alanon. Want to go to more of them. It's the beginning of a life change for both of us. Last night we took up the Medal of Honor that was his dad's and his watch. He said he's lonely but has met some good people. He even went to church.

Karen Sullivan liked my post about the Christmas stocking. She said I got her hooked on cross stitch many years ago. ROCKINGHAM Dispatch. I never knew. Grateful I gave a gift that kept on giving.

Tonight I had to say goodbye to my 19 year old companion. Annie was born under Crystas bed when she was 13. A trip to the Vet suggested the name Andy and he was eventually promoted to Sir Andrew through the years by Crysta. He slept under 19 Christmas trees  He helped 4 kids with their homework from middle school to college. He trained numerous other cats that came and went, and was brother to 8 dogs at some point throughout his life. He made moves to 5 new homes with me. He loved to sit in a box while we had bonfires. He would let the kids carry him around in their hoods. After being taunted by the squirrels out the back door as a kitten he grew up to hunt a few, and I got mad at him when he'd get out and wait under a bird feeder for a snack. He liked to lay on whatever papers we were working on to demand our attention. He would wait until I fell asleep then sleep next to my head on my pillow. Milk caps were one of his favorite toys and you had to keep it in your hand when you too...

Last night was the most beautiful dream I have ever had.  A lovely house with gardens and an atrium. Wood everywhere and large bay windows. Dave, Crysta and I had bought it together. It was $800,000. The kitchen had lots of room to bake and cook with cutting and dough boards. There was a room for Dave's radios and a barn for tools and snow mobiles and other winter gear. We bought it without looking at all the rooms and every turn was a new magical surprise. I think Faith was there too because I remember her looking for a room for me to make  sure it had built in book shelves. The previous owners antiques were still in the house. We all had a conversation about wondering if they were going to clean them out but we were ok if they didn't! After I woke up I kept squinting my eyes, trying desperately to go back to that nagical place.

Today Dave and I made Ginger bread men and Christmas crack for his work for tomorrow.

Crysta held my hand at Thanksgiving while going for a walk. She looked down and said, Mom, your hands are so thin, or boney" AT THAT MOMENT I REALIZED IM GETTING OLD.

I was going to move bins that were in mom's room,but now in kitchen, to garage. I opened the top one which contained mom's seven dwarves. I plan on giving them to faith one day. There I also found her yearbooks from St Josephs Academy, a grandmother book I had bought her and all the pictures she had framed on her pie cupboard  I started to cry and decided today was not the day to deal with it. I started to make gingerbread bears a recipe from a cookbook Joe got me. The memories would just not hold back. I called Charlie who put me on speaker phone with Ryan and Kris. I blurted out everything on my mind for over an hour. Maybe time to go back to a therapist.

I finished 2 of the legs last night

DAVES aunt, cinnts sister, Prudence Mann, passed away last night.

Snuggling with me

MacMillan Muldoons birthday is tomorrow. He's going to be 11 I think. He loves trains and crysta and Jesse recently got him a train from 4 corner Antique Store. Mom and I got St Luthern Churcg and some Christmas Trees from the swap shop in 2015. I bought some village people at the Aniltique store a couple years ago. I'm giving it all to Mac for his birthday. I'll be seeing him and Crysta today at 11. It's hard to part with stuff Mom gave me. At least it will be going to someone who will love it and give it a longer life than I can Thinking of you Mom! It's what you would have done!

We stayed around the house til my Dr appointment with Jessica Peelman about my right wrist. We had to wait over 35 minutes for the appointment. She showed us the MRI results indicating Rheumatoid Arthritis. I agreed to get a shot of cortisone. At first it hurt very bad. I squeezed the medical assistants hand and leaned on Dave's shoulder. It didn't last too long. Dave took mevto eat at the Thirsty Moose. I ate a Reuben I've been craving for weeks now and Dave got a steak and cheese. He opened the doors for me asking if I was playing the handicapped card. Just joking but I didn't find funny. After that we went to a goodwill and Dover Marine. My favorite find was a candle for the metal tin candle holder I have for Christmas. We donated a bag of David's old clothes. Last night I connected with Alice Stanton. Her grandfather is Patrick stanton. She gave me some family history. She only loves 6.5 hours away so I'm planning on going to see her in Athens PA...

Colleen again told me that 100 years from now no one will care about the stuff I've written and all my stuff will be gone. I just write in the event a relative wants to know their history.

Shane stopped by and we had sloppy joes for lunch. He got hurt at work. A cable hit him in the face and he hurtbhis knee.  He visited a couple hours and we putvan ornament on the tree.

La Corona just mexand Dave

I had a lucky morning and Dave made me coffee. He gave me a birthday box from Hotsy Totsy! I made him lunch then jumped in the tub with a tub bomb.

Made lunch for Dave. Called Colleen Put some decorations on the tree. Ordered a canvas for Crysta. Going to Walgreens. More later!

I worked on Faith's stock8ng a little, cleaned out Dave's car, picked Shane's bottles out of fire pit and barn. Emptied trash. Ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Parade was cancelled so didn't hear back from kiddos. Packed up a bag of Dave's old clothes for Goodwill. Went to MRI of wrist. Arm falls asleep but it wasn't too bad. Stopped at Lowes for an antenna part for Dave. He took me to Barnes and Noble to pick out a book for my birthday. I got my usual planner, for 2024. Some writing pens. A bad ass planner for Crysta. I looked for a saxaphone book for her but couldn't find one. I'll order from Amazon. We went to aldis before leaving portsmouth. Dave spent $197.but we were out of almost everything

I got up early to be the first person to wish Robin a Happy Birthday. Then I got in the bath and started looking for an activity to do tonight since Rochester Parade was postponed. I don't know what to do with the girls. I wanted to celebrate Crystas birthday but I don't have money. I have to leave the house at 1215 for my CT in Exeter of my wrist.

HAPPY Birthday Robin Reasbeck!

Dave yelled at me because Shane smoked in the car. Aldo that I gave him $5 to get cigarettes. Not just that he yelled but what he said. HIS car. HiS gas. What dies he have to do di stop letting me use it? After he yelled that I really didn't hear anything else and I didn't yell back. I didnt say anything. More than ever, it wanted me to ho buy a shitbox of a car to do whatever the he'll I wanted to do with it. I don't even want to ride in his car anymore.  That's my rant. I went up to the art room and wrote some Christmas cards. The lights and my favorite surroundings always make me feel better. Dave came up and apologized. My heart didn't heal. I just can't unhear the words. 

Bought the book with the new General license test and went to quilt shop upstairs. Bought  quilt for Rick for Christmas..never alone. Bought the lining and backing for Faiths stocking!

I received a call fr9m Robin Reasbeck. Her birthday is tomorrow. Rose Becker drining 8 hours to have breakfast with her. She wants postage stamps for her birthday. Michael called me. He had tovwork today. He might put up their tree later. They have a fake pre lit black tree with wild animals on it.

As part of my birthday present Dave took me to the Lee swap shop, one of my favorite things to do. I scored an annoying frog that makes noises. I didn't know it did that when I got it and Dave wants to throw it out! I also got blank post cards and other cards which I can't wait to use. And 2 Ken dolls to go with my barbie collection.

Megan came over. Me and Dave left to pick up truck from Labelles. Stopped at Dover Marine to drop off hub of boat trailer to get fixed.

Saturday Shane came home. I rented Faith and Crysta about Christmas festivities. Asked Shane too, about Rochester NH Vhristmas parade tomorrow  Took a long bath. Making oatmeal cookies. Gave Dave the beater. Then I'm gonna make breakfast. Will check in frequently this week since my birthday present to myself was a week off of work. What to do. What to do.

DAVES Ham Radio Dinner was here last night. He says he picked it for the lights but the weather did not cooperate. It was raining. Plus by the time we got out of dinner it was closing. I had a fabulous meal and company even though I really wasn't feeling up to going earlier in the day. I think it was due to the shingrix shot. It made me so tired. I took 2 naps during the day, onevst lunch and one at 4 which I never do. I had Cod. Dave had prime rib. I also had 2 glasses of merit. Dave drove me home at my request. Night time with rain and wine don't mix. It's an hour drive at 930 at night. Thank you Dave! Maybe I'll put a couple pictures up after I get them off my camera. I didn't take many. Also strange.

This came up as a memory today. My mom on the left, Patricia Albert Holmes. My Dads mom, Agatha Holmes on the right. Im in the middle, digging potatoes. Wheeling WV in the 60s. 

The shift in Healthcare is that you may be cared for by a nurse practioner instead of a doctor. We have less and less doctors at Core and more APRNs. My guess is that it's cheaper, easier to get the license, not as much school.  I'm not saying they aren't good, or don't have their place. They do. But sometimes you just need to be referred to a doctor or specialist. I guess family doctors have to do the same.  A big part of being a primary care provider is doing your homework before you meet the patient. If they read your chart before your appointment, they can make you feel like they know you.  You can tell when they don't. Yesterday I had my annual physical with J Skoczylas. Not my PCP but I did ask for her. She's seen me before. Patients just have to realize that if your doc or pcp see 16 patients a day, and they only see you 1x per year, chances are they aren't going to remember you. It's all in how we'll they prepare. I went to my appointment and...