Fall

An autumn tree in the Fort Walla Walla Museum pioneer village. Not my photo. I'm still hiding inside and avoiding the wild fire smoke that is parked on top of us. I hope to get out tomorrow and get some photos of my own. It was pointed out to me that those KN95 masks many of us have are really good at filtering out smoke particles. Jupiter was right next to the beautiful full moon but you can't see the planet here because of the smoke. The Hunter's Moon by name. Amazing, even with the smoke it's so big and bright it seems like I could touch it.

A less happy note. Two of my sisters now have dementia. What I said when I heard the news is not repeatable. I'm the eldest sister and it's my next youngest sister, who is 78, who has rapidly expanding Alzheimer's. In six months she's gone from losing things to not knowing her TV remote from her phone. I knew she was forgetful but it worsened rapidly. I had a long telephone talk with my nephew discussing options. She is still living alone but only three blocks from him. He's been handling her life business for months now. He got her a credit card with a small limit so she can still shop some but not over do it. She once ordered a pile of stuff from QVC and didn't recall doing it, nor did she want any of it. He asked her to come live with him but she's refusing. Her doctor thinks she needs to be in a memory care facility. She still drives but she recently thought her driver's license has expired but she drives anyway which is her lifelong M.O. She managed to shut off the power to her garage so she can't get the door up and the car out anymore which enabled the conversation about whether or not she should be driving.

Last week my 71 year-old sister was told she had dementia and was referred to some kind of a geriatric clinic. I am gob smacked. Neither of our parents had dementia. Nor any of our aunts and uncles.  Neither do I. My youngest son told me I was just my usual oddball self but I got tested after the 2nd sister's news and his assessment was correct thankfully. He said he wished I would forget some things.😁

More upbeat, the new son in my son's household seems to be doing OK so far. He's next on the list for a learner's permit. He'll be 16 soon.

Go out tonight and check out the moon. 💙

 

Birthday and New Beginnings

The weather is still in the 80's but not the suffocating heat we had all summer. I watered my patio plants twice a day but still wasn't certain they would make it. With the cooler weather my lavender burst into bloom again. It smells wonderful and I am so surprised. I was about to give up and prune it for the season.

Then my Geranium staged a comeback. Not quite as fabulous as the lavender but enough for me. 

Today is my eldest son Chris' birthday. He passed the 50 mark. Our family dinner last night was his birthday party. Again I failed to do photos, too busy talking. However, he got two desserts a delicious lemon cake and some brownies that I made. 

The family party was made larger by one more person. My youngest son Dave and his wife (with the nine assorted kids) who both said "no more" changed their minds and now added an almost 16 year-old boy to the family. He's been homeless over year since his remaining parent abandoned him. He's been going from shelter to shelter ever since until the foster system caught up with him. Foster homes are really scarce in our State even more so for teenagers. The boy is a sweeet kid who some how has managed to keep up with his studies for the last two years, which is pretty impressive in itself. The two 16-year olds in the house have taken him under their wing(s). After the five eldest left you can believe there are spare bedrooms and now the new boy has his own room. There won't be any photos or names, the State would get their panties in a bunch and then there is the issues of the boy's privacy. I like him, the other kids like him. I think it's a great match. He and my son sat on the sofa after dinner looking at the same thing on their phones and chatting about it. He's starting to smile. 💓