Carrying on...

Spring has sprung in the back of beyond. The rains have gone, and the NORTH wind is howling round the place, drying every little thing out, and causing white caps on the bird bath.

Willie and I miss Dad a lot, there is so much to take care of and do that even if I weren't so inclined I would be constantly reminded.  I'm barely holding firm to not going full berserker on my brother & his wife. But friends, my kids, & the Cowman's family have been awesome in their help & support as I navigate my way through this.

 This last week I was called for jury duty, a small computer glitch at the court house, caused half of the county to be called up!  Four and a half hours to get from the security check in, into a courtroom, then told to come back the next day... 

a quarter of the line waiting to be processed for jury selection

 Back the next day, 2.5 hours later the jury was finally seated.  I wasn't called to be seated, and though I have no problem with doing my civic duty, this was a child molestation case, with no hard evidence.

Saturday, a friend and I went to the big quilt show at the fairgrounds. So much talent in our small community.

Saturday night my SIL, a few friends, and I went to the performance of Cinderella by Mercy High School. We laughed, cheered, clapped, and enjoyed every minute. (Didn't hurt that we had stopped off for a little wine tasting before hand.) The girl that played the fairy godmother, stole the show with her antics. Outstanding performance by the whole cast.

Sunday my niece, SIL, and I went to a bridal shower for my granddaughter, Ali.  Another good day, full of family, friends, and much laughter.

Today I met up with the guys to pickup the map with coordinates for the hunt'n camp where Dad wanted his ashes to be scattered. Their dad was Dad's best friend. 

T should be done with his Rubicon run, and a few other adventures by later this month. He will fly Dad and I up to hunt'n camp. Though I love to fly, I have a feeling that is going to be a hard day. 

An old friend came by the other day on her way taking some of her mares North, she has invited me to come stay with her for a few days when the others are foaling.  It would be nice to get away for a couple of days in the saddle, and shoot'n the breeze... 

Chirp...

White hair moments are few and far between around here, thank God, but they do happen. When they do it is usually too embarrassing too relate to you, even for me, but what the heck!

A week ago, I was awakened at O dark thirty by an occasional Chirp. Got up and went in search of the offending Chirper. Finally got to the area, which happened to be above the doorway inside Dad's bedroom.  Dad was sleeping, and didn't have his hearing aides in, so it wasn't bothering him. It was bothering me. Got the ladder out of the garage, and  proceeded to climb up to the Chirping smoke alarm. Checked it, it seemed fine, but still Chirping, must need new back up batteries. The smoke alarms in the house are hard wired, so the back up batteries had to be the problem. Easy fix, well not quite. Managed to wrangle the unit open and pull the old batteries, Chirp... what?  Ok, put new batteries in, check the the wiring plug, Ok... Chirp!  What the hell!  It has to be this one, because this is where the Chirping is coming from. Put it all back together, go on line to do a little research, and the advice is: "You need a new smoke alarm."  Well that's just dandy. The hardware store doesn't open for a while yet, and I can't leave til Dad's home health lady gets here, anyway. Crawl back in bed, and try to go back to sleep, nope, Chirp... 

Finally, the home help lady arrives and I climb back up the ladder, unplug the unit, throw it in a bag, and head out to the hardware store.  Did I hear a Chirp as I got in the pickup!?

Arriving at the hardware store, I ask for help in the smoke alarm section. Of course, the employee that finally decides to breakaway from the morning coffee klatch of building contractors,  has only been in this section a few days.  He looks at my smoke alarm, asks how old our house is, 2001.  "Oh, that old, well they have changed the plug in on all the newer smoke alarms, so you will need a whole new unit, and have to have a new plug wired in."  I presume this will require an electrician, Damn. 

Get the new smoke alarm home, and I'm greeted by a Chirp as I walk in the door. What the hell!  Up the ladder, plug the old smoke alarm back in, screw the base back in, push the tester, screaming noise, then silence... then Chirp...  I climb back down the ladder, ask Dad (who is now wide awake thanks to the screaming test alarm) if he knows why/how that damn thing keeps Chirping.  He gives me a smurky smile (which I should have learned to be suspicious of)  and says "nope, you will just have to figure it out." Chirp...

I start to go back up the ladder and decide it would be safer if I close Dad's door and work from inside his bedroom. As I'm closing the door, CHIRP...  What, What is that on the wall, (behind the door that I have never closed from inside the bedroom) but a CHIRPING... carbon monoxide alarm! 

Change out the batteries in that alarm, no more chirping. Put the newly purchased smoke alarm back in the bag, and return it to the hardware store. "What is your reason for returning this item?"
"I'm a white haired berserker!" 

Come home, and ask Dad, "why didn't you tell me there was another alarm behind the door?"   

"You figured it out didn't you?"  

Cleared to climb UNLIMITED...

Dad passed away this afternoon, here at home, very peacefully. He lead a good long life. He was a farmer who hunted and fished and golfed all over the West, but his greatest joy was to kick the tires and light the fires in a fighter jet. 

Love You, Dad.

 

Cowcamp news...

It has been crazy around here, what with hospice people, friends, and family in and out. Dad is still with us, but weaker.  My brother blew in for a day an a half, and has gone back home to Ideeho.  It was so good for Dad to get to see & talk to him. They went through old photos, and told hunting stories, and loaded my brother up with things that Dad wanted him to have. Now if Dad will just hang in til my Sean gets here to see him. 

I love my kids, they are straight up awesome. When I put the word out to them that Grampa was on Hospice care they went into action.  Marymine rounded up her brood, loaded'm up in her crewcab pickup, and headed up to spend the day with Gramps. 

My Sean texted to say he and Amy would fly down and spend the weekend with Grampa and I.  If I thought he needed to come sooner, he would make that work, too. I didn't think that was necessary... So they are flying in Sat and staying til sometime Monday, Yay!

In the Best News department... 

My Sean has popped the question to his girlfriend Amy and her response was "Oh Hell Yes!"

She is a really nice gal and Sean and his girls love her and her boys. 

I'm pretty excited, she just might fit pretty darn well in this crazy clan.

 

Running out of time...

Dad is fading, I took him to see his VA doc Tuesday, and we discussed getting Hospice in place. Dad was all for it and said he was ready to go.

I did the intake evals with the nurse, and social worker, and signed the Hospice papers on Friday. Dad will be able to stay home, and comfortable.  They have been sending supplies and info, and have been very supportive.  I have been down this road with mother, so some of it is known.

Dad is in no pain, other than the occasional twinge from a pressure sore, that the nurse and I have been aggressively treating.  We get a hospital bed on Monday, and that will help with re-positioning him, and changing him.  He is very weak, and fragile.  He is taking some liquids, but it is difficult for him. He doesn't really want to eat anything, nothing tastes good, not even his ol favorites.  If he decides he would like a certain food, I make it and two bites later he says, no thanks.

 We talked about his last wishes for quite sometime the other night.  He wants to give me all the guns but two, all his tools, and the much prized fly rod & reel that was my grandpa's.  (I'm not looking forward to when my brother finds this out.) 

Dad doesn't want any services, just his ashes scattered at an old hunting camp in the high country. 

Dad & his best friend Oscar

It's where he scattered his best friend's ashes years ago.  I asked him if he wanted to be driven up there or flown.  "Do you think you could fly my ashes up there, Sis?"   " Damn straight I will if that's what you want!" I replied.  He got a big grin on his face, and said that would be good, he would like that very much.

My brother is on his way from Idaho to see him, and I kinda think Dad is just hanging tough long enough to speak to him.