Oh my. What is a passionate rose lover like you doing in that glacial hell hole? Reading about your endeavors has exhausted me and I haven't even lifted a shovel. I admire your grit and determination, but would love to see you rewarded with thousands of blooms on your rose bushes for all your hard work. I bet they could use engineers in zones 7 to 10!

Agnespuffin There's no doubt she's retarded but she may be beginning dementia as well. She isn't interacting with the other residents because she really doesn't know how. The rehab is in the same section as assisted living and it seems most of those people are fairly intelligent from what I've seen. In the nursing home section most of them are about like vegetables. The ones who aren't don't have their mind. She interacts with the employees but they get paid to interact! Some of them say they just love her but I'm sure there's some who probably don't really like her. As for being alone all day, she is never alone. I think she'd talk all day long if she had someone to talk to but there's only so much you can talk to her about. I rack my brain trying to find something to talk to her about. I don't think anything will break the phone habit. I think that's the main reason she wants to come home so bad because she says everyone there is very good to her. I think talking on the phone makes her feel normal somehow and I know it makes her feel powerful. So does spending money. She doesn't have a lot of it either. She lives off SSI. They did have a small nest egg but when my sister took over Dad's guardianship she went through it very quickly. She's addicted to spending money too. Between what the VA pays her and Dad's check she gets around 1,500.00 a month for taking care of him and knowing my sister the way I do I'm sure she wouldn't be taking care of him if she wasn't getting the money. I'm sure you're wondering how Dad gets a VA check with his severe retardation. The fact is the military goofed up by keeping him too long. He was a good looking young man and didn't look retarded at all. They probably just thought to start with that he was just a dumb country hick. Someone in charge was't paying enough attention or wasn't too smart themselves. Twiz-- You're probably right about the NH but I can't make myself do that yet and I don't think DH would want that at this time in spite of the situation. I have to keep a firm hand with her to keep her in line. She's a little better about the phone since she knows I can see every call she makes on the bill. We also have unlimited calling for a flat fee now and that helps a lot. Actually there were a few people who like for her to call but 2 of them passed away in the last 6 months. There's a few people who expect her to call every few weeks. I think she's finally getting the message that some people don't want to talk to her. I do intend to leave her in rehab as long as possible because she needs it and so do we. She'll probably be there another 3 weeks at least. We're taking advantage of the time to just be together and also take care of some business matters. I only have Mom. My sister has dad about 800 miles away. There's no way either of us could take care of the both of them. Mom didn't want to go there and Dad didn't want to come here so it worked out for the best. It's sad to say but I don't care much for my sister because she's a manipulative very controling person so we talk very little. When we did talk a lot it was very emontionaly draining for me. I don't need that. I'm already working with her Social Worker/Case Manager at the area agency on aging to arrange respite care so we can do some of the things we want such as going fishing in the new bass boat we bought last fall. That pretty thing hasn't even been in the water yet! If we can pull everything together we plan to go to Canada in August for 2 weeks and maybe Lake Erie for a few days in Sept. As soon as the weather permits we plan to go fising in the local lakes and river at least once a week. I talked to the case worker this morning and it seems we can get respite care for like 3 days a month and up to 15 days at a time. Mom will soon be 81 and with all her health problems I'm sure she wouldn't be living today if it wasn't for the excellent care I give her. I know I can't physically handle her with her weight being what it is and I've told her this. As much as I'd hate it when the time comes that she needs lifting I'll have to send her to a NH. I already have a bad back. She loves sympathy and attention and a few months ago she was insinuating to an aide that I was mean to her. That was because I won't let her have a little dog that she can't take care of and I won't because we just lost one last Oct. and I'm still greiving over him. I told her if she thought I was mean maybe should go live with my sister and she would find out what mean is. I do beleive my sister would be abusive to her. I apologized to the aid for my outburst but I told her I have nothing to hid but I can't tolorate that kind of manipulative behavior. I think the aid may have said something to her supervisor who is the visiting nurse because the next time she came to visit she made the comment that she told the aids they are only in the home for a short time and don't really know what goes on. This aid was a fill in for her regular aid. All the regular aids and the nurses know I would never abuse her or allow anyone else to. I'm not looking for sympathy or any prizes or martyrdom, I just needed to vent a little. I don't think she'd live very long in a NH and as I said I don't think my DH would want that anymore than I do at this time. I just have to continue to be firm with her and take the necessary steps to see that DH and I can have some quality time together.

Thanks for your comments jane, nana, punk & candy, Funny that some of us were in ceramics about the same time...think we've talked of that before...nice "adult get-away" time. Jane, I don't have either of those type of oil lamps...Googled ...& the closest I come is a brushed nickel finish on one in my computer/craft room on a shelf w/some of fav collections/books...it must be a replica...not old & very light wt...I bought at GS some yrs ago. But from the pics I've seen, your's sounds wonderful! Can also relate to your old wood stove...our very first was a old pot-belly one (from a farm sale bk in early 70's) we put in our unfinished basement & would love to have that one now! nana...DH & I brainstormed (ya know you forget these things) & he remembered it's called a "single tree"...so Googled...not for oxen, but an old horse drawn buggy or wagon single tree yoke..also in his antiques below the mantle is a horse collar...thanks for asking. punk...we're having "thaws" here, too...but know that the snows will yet come...it's only Feb. (as you said)! LOL! But I'm so ready to start Spring decor..>I may earlier this yr as winter seems it's the longest right now! candy...glad you enjoyed...& DH does like to TS w/me sometimes...sometimes I smile to myself when he holds up something he thinks might be of interest to me (dishes, esp)(& I may think it's not ME at all!) LOL! YES, always nice to have an excuse to get new things! Pardon my rattling...I know it's Spring Fever (waaaa-y too soon!) Jeanne S.

Hi Kathleen, I've just been putting the scrapbooking paper letters on with Mod Podge and then another couple coats over the top. It goes on "milky" and dries clear. Dries pretty quickly too. I will probably buy some vinyl soon and I've heard that it already has the adhesive and doesn't even need a sealer on top. Some is even good for outside. I'm getting ideas for all kinds of signs, sayings and blocks for various seasons, holidays, and occassions. ;o) Lynn and Jaybird, glad you got a laugh out of them too. Jaybird, so glad your little sign worked--mine haven't yet! LOL Luvs