Happy Halloween!!

It's Halloween -- time for ghosts and goblins to trick or treat for candy.  It has been a busy week in Lubbock.  Daddy took Mother to her new hairdresser on Thursday after we had lunch at a local cafe called Rooftop.  They enjoyed the banana pudding that comes with the lunch special. My sister,Linda was in Shallowater for daughter Stacey's birthday.  I'm off work every Friday, so went and picked up Linda to spend the day with Mother and Daddy.  We did a little scrapbooking with Mother watching.  Nic fixed us all Tortilla soup in the crockpot and Amber and the boys came over to eat with us. Saturday I got a break and spent the entire day at a scrapbooking retreat.  It was fun and good for me to get away.  Then Saturday night, Amber invited us to her house for pizza and pumpkin carving time.  I took pictures but don't have a way to post them right now.  Mother and Daddy loved watching the carving and impressed with the intricate pumpkin designs they did.

Sunday, we drove over to Stacey and Perry's house in Shallowater for taco lunch.  They built a house a year or so ago and it is beautiful.  Mother and Daddy were impressed  after hearing so much about it.  We did have issues with Daddy's driving.  Mother yells at him if he drives over 40 -- and he was driving on a 70 mph highway.  We were leading and he wouldn't keep up, missed the turn, etc.    AAAARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHH!

Poor Daddy woke up with a swollen face Tues morning.  Went to the dentist and he has an infected tooth.  Got antibiotics.  

Bob, Nic and I are in Dallas at the "old" house this morning.  Our intent is to get some packing and cleaning done.  We stayed up till 1:30 AM  .  All I can say is "oh my, oh my.......we need lots of prayers and stamina.  Linda and David are bringing 100 moving boxes this morning.  Who would write "bad" on a light bulb with a marker, and then keep it???  Found many of these......Need to go.....coffee is waiting.

They're here!!

With the lure of getting to see Landry in Abilene, Mother, Daddy and Nic loaded the car and headed to Lubbock on Sunday morning.  There was some resistance early Sunday from Mother, and from Tiger, the cat (hid behind the dryer and had to be pried out with a stick with Mother yelling not to hurt her!!).  They arrived in Abilene and spent a couple of hours before finishing the "lonnnnggg" trip.  Mother said that was the longest trip she's ever been on.  About 5 miles from Lubbock, she was desperately needing to urinate, so they stopped at a baseball field in hopes the bathrooms would be unlocked.  Of course they weren't, so Nic just took the portable commode out of the car and as Mother said, "I just peed right there in public"!! 

Bob and I, and Amber, Jason and the boys were all at the new house waiting for them to arrive.  There were fresh yellow mums on the table and a big pot of goulash for supper, along with Phoenix's leftover birthday cake.  

Mother, Daddy and Jenny (the dog) all seemed to love the house and how big it was.  Tiger was freaked out and did not come out of her travel carrier for 2 days!!  We all went to bed tired and happy.  

Monday morning, Daddy went out on the front porch to find the morning paper, a small teakettle (for boiling water for instant coffee--yuk!) and a small can of green chilies.  He was confused about the chilies until a short time later, his "personal chef" (Nic) showed up to fix them his special - "green chili cheese scrambled eggs" for their breakfast.  When I went over at lunch, Daddy told me that they had been drinking coffee out on the patio, and Mother said she would trade the new house even for the Dallas house.  While I was there Daddy told her "This is our new house and we now live here!!"  Although she was very confused, she did not seem mad or angry, just could not figure out the details.  She actually seemed excited that this was their new house.  Wow, what a relief that she didn't get mad and have a stroke!  Monday evening we watched Payton in a tennis match, then took them to eat at Fazoli's (fast food Italian) followed by a short time at our house watching Monday night football.  (Their TV will only pick up religious and Spanish channels).

At lunch today, however, we experienced a different attitude.  Mother was mad, angry and threw what I call a "hissey fit".  She still loves the house, but we should have asked her if she wanted to move, we are bossing her around, spending all of her money, etc. etc.  And of course, it was all MY fault because my only motive was to boss her and tell her what to do.  Well, she pushed my buttons and I am sorry to say I somewhat yelled back at her.  I realize that was the wrong thing to do, but it happened.  Stacey, Perry and the kids visited this evening and said she was fine. 

Tomorrow is a new day!!  She will be happy because Daddy said he is taking her to Kohl's and the Dollar stores to shop.  That always makes her happy.....makes me happy too!! 

Thanks for everyone's support and prayers.  The story continues.....

We did it. We did it! The fat lady sings.

We did it.  We did it.  Watch the video below for my song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBCw4_XgouA

Closing on the house was Wednesday in Dallas with Daddy and Thursday here in Lubbock.  Big thank you to Linda and David for getting Daddy to the closing and keeping Mother at home on such very short notice.  We have the keys and getting it ready to be occupied.

Since we won't be able to bring their furniture from Dallas for a couple of weeks, we emptied Nic's storage unit yesterday so they can use his furniture, dishes, pots and pans, etc. temporarily.  Today we will move a bed, TV and refrigerator.

Talked to Daddy in his regular Thursday call.  The closer it gets the more worried he is.  I can understand why.  Mother doesn't have a clue about what's going to happen.  I wish she knew, but it is better this way.  I have faith that once she gets here, and we are all around her she will be OK.  It may take a while though.  She is very stubborn.  Just hope she blames it all on me, instead of on Daddy.  I will be the scapegoat.  She just doesn't realize that we have done this because we love them both and want them to have help. 

Nic has a plane ticket to fly to Dallas tomorrow.  He will help Daddy pack up the car and get Mother, the dog, and the cat loaded in and drive them to Lubbock.  I am confident that Nic can pull this off...he's very low key and matter of fact. 

As I type, Landry is finishing her last radiation treatment in Houston.  She has been a little trooper this week.  Many prayers have gone up that this will be the last treatment she needs and that her brain tumor and cancer will be zapped and never return.  We love you Landry, Campbell, Shannon and Kory.

Need to go for now.  Spending the day at our "new" house getting it ready.  Say some big prayers that this all goes down without a meltdown by Mother!! 

Nancy aka "the singing fat lady"!!!!

The fat lady will sing

A while back I sent a family email entitled "It's not over till the fat lady sings".  This was just after we had gotten a denial of Dad's loan from the mortgage company just 4 days prior to the closing date!  Well we now have closing set for the "new" house on Tuesday in Lubbock, and Wednesday in Dallas.  We are planning on having Mother and Daddy here in Lubbock by this time next week.  The plan is to fly Nic to Dallas and he will drive them in their car, with the dog and cat, back to Lubbock.  And this fat lady will sing!!!!!

A great big thank you to Payton, Kayl, Phoenix and Nic for cleaning up all those "beans" in the front yard and also the vines in the back yard.  That was a big job.  I meant to take a picture, but got involved and didn't.  Nic and I have still spent many hours painting and cleaning and still have a few more rooms to go.  My old fat body is letting me know too, sore legs and back!!  Wish I were 30 again :)  :)

In my weekly call from Dad on Thursday, I told him that Thanksgiving this year will be at his house.  He was very surprised and at the same time pleased and excited!!  It has been a long time since that has happened.  The entire family will be here and we will all bring a dish to make this the best Thanksgiving ever!!  Memories waiting to happen.

Vicki and I were remembering back in the 50's when everyone would go to Grandma Lusk's house for Sunday dinners.  There must have been 50+ people show up in that small 2 bedroom house.  She would just spread out all the food and people would fill their plates and eat anywhere they could find, including the front yard.  We kids always had so much fun with our cousins, just running around and playing.  The women mostly stayed in the kitchen tending to the food and washing dishes.  The men would gather and tell tales and smoke.  The good ole days, for sure. 

Going to the Texas Tech game with Amber and the boys today.  Don't think they will win, playing the #5 team, West Virginia. 

Taking requests for songs for the fat lady..........!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday Calls from Dad

Every Thursday around 10:30 to 11:00 AM I get a call from Dad.  This is when my Mother goes to the beauty shop each week to get her hair done and he can talk freely.  I always enjoy the update and our discussions about everything.  I believe I have talked more to Dad during the last couple of months than in my entire life!  The past 2 weeks have been pretty quiet at their house, as the "real Chester" was home.  But today, Dad said she started the day asking if Chester went out the front door.  Dad tried to explain he was there and had not left!  Our discussion then turned toward the status of the "new" house and the MOVE!!  I gave him the news that the real estate appraiser had come on Tuesday and we are very hopeful that we will have a closing date next week.  Wouldn't that be great?  

So then we started talking about the actual move itself.  It's very difficult to tell someone that after all these years of buying and accumulating "stuff", he doesn't need to bring it all with him to Lubbock.  For instance, he said he has about 10-15 nice winter coats that are hanging on a wire/chain in their garage.  I told him he should pick out 2 or 3 that are his favorites to bring with him and sell/donate the others.  "But they are all my favorites and are  good nice coats".  Me:  "Yes but you will never wear all 15 coats"  ...So I finally said, "if you only bring 2-3, then if you see a new one to buy, you can buy a new one."  This same train of thought carried on about tools, lawn sprinklers, dishes, towels,clothes, shoes, etc. etc.  I also tried to convince/reason with him that it is going to be sooooooo much easier to live in the new house, because there will not be so much clutter.  They will be able to wash dishes and put up the clean dishes instead of leaving them on the counter because there is no room in the cupboard.  Don't know if I got through to him or not, but will keep trying.  I love my Dad so much, and Mother too.  We just want them to have an easier life with less clutter and stress.  Time will tell..............

I just changed some of the setting for Comments.  So hopefully you can leave comments now. ---Nancy

Blue Monday

We are all feeling sad and "blue" tonite with the news that Landry's tumor has grown.  Cannot find many words to say...

Nic and I have spent much time getting the "new" house ready for Mother and Daddy.  We have mostly been painting.  The game room had a red wall, and one bedroom had green and blue walls.  Then we undertook re-painting all of the kitchen cabinets...major job.  We have almost completed them and even painted the inside of the cabinets (they were buttercup yellow!).  Now they are all "decorator white" and look so much better.  Called the mortgage co. today to make sure there are no "glitches".  Just still waiting for the FHA appraiser and a closing date.

The last picture shows the color of the cabinets before we started painting.