Monday, July 3, 2017

A month without a job

It's maddening to find my feet on a path with no direction, no end, no joy. A friend send me a Flo cartoon: "My train of thought often leaves the station without me." That's my euphemism for "TBI's Suck!"

Laura is in the kitchen making supper. She's playing decent music on her smart phone. She makes meals from recopies on her smart phone. She mixed up weed killer from a smart phone recopie.

In the meantime, Laura mastered her push mower in one evening's lesson, and I've farmed her out to the neighbors. My next door neighbor, Cathy, is no more capable of lawn mowing than am I, so it works out OK. Neither one of us is breaking our contract. Except--we must week wack around the skirt and around the deck, and so forth and so on.

I perused Amazon for weed wackers and found a nice, light one for under a hundred dollars. Now I'm done buying stuff. I did wonder how I would help her figure out how to operate the thing. Weed wackers have never crossed my path. Not to worry. Laura has weed wacked at the old house for the new owner, and that unit is electric, too. And even the same brand. Am I living right, or what!






Pig is so happy!

Happy 4th of July to all. A friend invited us to watch fireworks.


31 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    Oh those mandavillas are just GORGEOUS... and bravo to Laura, learning to drive all manner of machines. Eat up gran; you need your strength. Hugs to both. YAM xx

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  2. Your garden is looking lovely. I am very glad that Laura is on top of machines (the phone defeats me often).
    A very Happy 4th to you.

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  3. Laura sounds to be a very capable young lady!
    Enjoy the fireworks!

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  4. Your flowers are gorgeous. Laura is a great gardener. Happy 4th to you both, Joanne.

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  5. You too Joanne. It is a slow progress, the TBI. For our daughter, they told us two years. Hers was deep right side, so her outcome was different I am sure. Just keep on putting one foot in front of the other and resting.... If a tool is electric, I can do it. I cut through the chord once, with a hedge trimmer and spliced the wires back together. I was so proud of myself. Now, if you have to start a gas powered anything, forget it. Flowers are looking good.

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  6. Sorry to hear you're at a loose end for now, but hooray for Laura! I couldn't operate a weed whacker, those things scare me a bit, I might whack off my toes :(

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    1. She's cautious about learning, but when she's got it, she's got it.Snatch the tool from your hands and have a go at it.

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  7. Happy fourth of July, Joanne. It's now Laura's turn to take care of some things for you. I wish half the young kids I meet were half as capable as she is! -Jenn

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  8. I had a tough year (or two) after I retired and can't say that after six years of being unemployed, that I don't miss the having a purpose and a paycheck. I volunteer and that helps enormously. Maybe after you recover from your TBI, you might find something else that gives you joy. Meanwhile, you have Laura, and how lucky you both are to have each other. There is no better purpose in life than to contribute to the life of another.

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  9. Actually, you do have a job: to get well. It takes time and focus to do that. Pour your considerable energy and fine mind into that, my friend. I'm glad you have Laura there, and have you noticed that you are reaping what you sowed with that young lady? You've taught her many skills, and now she is confident and taking on new skills without a second thought. Good going, both of you.

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  10. Laura is such a lovely girl. It's wonderful to see her learning all these skills. Enjoy the fireworks x

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  11. You gave Laura many wonderful tools for life.

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  12. I never knew any of my grandparents. I think I missed out on a lot, especially when I see H.I. with her grand children and you with yours. I hope you know that even as ordinary grandparents go, you are right at the top.

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  13. That Laura is amazing. One month isn't all that long - don't lose hope. You will find your purpose in retirement. First order of business is to get well.

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  14. love the mandevillias. patience. it will all come together though I'd be just as impatient. I wonder if a jigsaw puzzle would help with recreating those bruised connections.

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  15. I know it is hard to be patient in such situations......But I am convinced it will be better and better. Paul's re-perfusion brain injury was slow, slow, slow to heal, but it did.

    I think it's wonderful that you and Laura have one another to help. And I do love your wonderful flowers!

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  16. Happy 4th of July! I wish I was nearer. She could mow our lawn too.

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  17. We have all said how lucky Laura is to have you. I need to say that you are lucky to have her as well. What a lovely responsible person she is.

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  18. Happy July 4th! I'm not sure how happy it could be by having the president you guys have, just to say our prime minister isn't much better... Today I learned that the Trudeau government is offering an apology and a $10-million compensation package to Omar Khadr.
    Flowers look amazing, I have dark pink mandevilla in my garden too!

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  19. Pen friends on blogs give interests to share.

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  20. Thumbs up to everything here except the bit about making weedkiller. Please DON'T. I have read horror stories about people blowing themselves up doing that. I know how expensive it is. I have just spent a fortune on lawn weedkiller. But making it isn't worth the risk unless you are using safe ingredients such as salt, vinegar etc.

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    1. Weed killer: 1 gallon vinegar; 2 cups Epson salt; 1/4 cup Dawn detergent. Eco friendly.

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    2. Weed killer: 1 gallon vinegar; 2 cups Epson salt; 1/4 cup Dawn detergent. Eco friendly.

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  21. Beautiful, colorful flowers. Hope you had a good fireworks show.

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  22. Hope you enjoyed the fireworks. Do loud noises cause any problems for you?

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  23. It must be hard after all the years of work. Did you ever wish, when you worked, that you had more time to research other ideas or interests? If you have the energy maybe this is your time. Laura is intrepid!

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    1. I don't miss my job. I bitterly resent the way I was forced out--by my daughter. It was an act of meanness.

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  24. Your flowers are beautiful. My girl is good with helping with the push mower and the trimmer. I ride the tractor!

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