(Bahzah) Cee's Spring Things

FLAT STANLEY VISITS THE COAST OF MAINE IN APRIL ???

Books read in 2012:
* indicates BOTS (Does NOT incl ER books)
JANUARY
#1 The Tiger by John Vaillant (4.25 stars)
#2 The Elephant's Journey by Jose Saramago (4.5 stars)*
#3 Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (4.5 stars)
#4 Wheat Belly by William Davis (4 stars)
#5 Big Miracle by Tom Rose (3.5 stars)
#6 Cake Wrecks by Jen Yates (3 stars)
#7 Sarah's Key by Tatiana deRosnay (2.5 stars) *
#8 Blizzard of Glass by Sally Walker (4 stars)
#9 Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman (4.5 stars) *

FEBRUARY
#10 The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (4.25 stars) *
#11 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (4.5 stars) *
#12 The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck (4.3 stars)
#13 The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (4.5 stars)*
#14 The Siege by Helen Dunmore (5 stars)
#15 The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (4.5 stars) *
#16 The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care by Virginia Bell (3.5 stars)

MARCH
#17 The Owl Service by Alan Garner (3 stars)
#18 Little Chapel on the River: A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most by Gwendolyn Bounds (4 stars) *
#19 A Dog Year by Jon Katz (4 stars) *

Geesh! I'm totally embarrassed about the poor March numbers. But I'm almost finished with 2 more books :-}

APRIL
#20 River of Doubt by Candice Millard (4.5 stars)
#21 Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh (4.5 stars)
#22 The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck (4 stars)
#23 Overseas by Beatriz Williams (3.5 stars)
#24 The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (4.8 stars) *
#25 Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman (4 stars)

#23 Overseas by Beatriz Williams (3.5 stars)
ER book



Overseas is Kate and Julian’s love story tortured with twists of mystery, time travel, and danger. She is a contemporary New York City woman – educated, feisty, and working in banking investment. He is an old-fashioned English man from the early 1900s – cultured, wealthy, and romantic. They represent different cultures, ideologies, and values, but they learn to trust each other and fall deeply in love. Will they be able to bridge the gaps or will they find it necessary to make sacrifices that will pull them apart?
This is an easy read pulling the reader forward at a quick pace. The theme obviously demands a suspension of realism. The characters are too perfect – too privileged. I’m guessing that is what romantic novels are all about. A bit of fluff… a good summer read.

Found you :)

Love the Flat Stanley pic, LOL
Beautiful place for him to visit!

Congrats on the new thread, Cee! We are big fans of Flat Stanley here- when my son was in second grade, Flat Stanley spent the weekend at our house and really enjoyed riding our toy poodles! We made a little cardboard saddle and a cowboy hat for him, and he had a good old time riding the range. I myself would like to visit the coast of Maine - beautiful!

Cee - congrats on the new thread. Never heard of Flat Stanley but he seems a jolly fellow.

Flat Stanley? I could get frisky here, but will control myself..

Obviously, I don't have experience with children...so have no effing idea what you're talking about

and that creepy kid cartoon ruined a lovely shore line

i think i blew it, here......sorry

;-}

haha- Flat Stanley, superb!

Hi Claudia- I like the new thread but I am also clueless about Flat Stanley. Now, Stacked Stephanie I know all about!

OK. Done. Overseas is reviewed up in message #3.
3.5 stars ER book
A romance novel slightly better than expected. I do wish there had been more time travel though... that's why I requested it.

Hi Kath, cute bunny! Thanks...

Hi Mamie - I'd never heard of Flat Stanley till my grandson's school sent him to us with (thankfully) a letter explaining his travels. We like to play all kinds of games with the kids. This was fun. Sounds like you had a great time too!

Paul, Apparently Flat Stanley (I'm thinking flat because he travels in envelopes) travels around the world and brings back information to school kids.
Greg (our grandson) lives in Connecticut and picked Maine for his Flat Stanley destination.
FS arrived in our mailbox with instructions to take him around town and help him bring info back to school.
We thought pictures might be nice but did run into a bit of a problem. It's quite windy around here for a small paper guy to stand up - so we set him in a clear picture frame which helped. It was also a bit of a challenge getting the right angle on the shots - but many were interested and offered suggestions.
FS caused quite a stir in our tiny town. LOL
FS is still smiling... so perhaps he is a jolly fellow!

Juuuuude! You're a hoot :)
That "...creepy kid cartoon ..." IS Flat Stanley! ;-)
He was a complete surprise to me, I'll tell ya! Don't usually find guys in my PO Box - flat or otherwise! After all the good times we showed him, he's still flat! (Nothing to get frisky about.)
Don't worry. I won't send him to Ohio. Kitteh would make short work of him!

Megan, you are a good Mom and a cool Auntie. I'm not surprised you liked FS ;-)
LOL
Has he ever made it to NZ?

Hey Mark, I'm glad to help you broaden your horizons! I actually wondered if the girls had a female version - perhaps "flat" might be too controversial???
But then, we are only talking 4th graders here.
Calm down :}

Time for bed! Yay...
i'm getting droopy.
My eyes, Mark. My eyes!

I'm with Jude. I second every word she said. Even AFTER reading your explanation. Don't mind me, I'm just a grumpy childless cat lady. xx

Oh, and congrats on the new thread!

Love the Flat Stanley pic on your thread, Cee. You could laminate him and send him around to the LTers ... Flat Stanley travels with LT.... that could be a really cool blog.

A clear frame? You are a genius. Yes you are!

Caro... you should have a FS all your own, one that travels with you to all of
the amazing places you go. I am still FB friends with the evildoer bear originator :)
She brought him up no long ago. She and her daughter take him out now and then and
peruse ... I admit, it was a lot of fun.

Ilana - Complaint from Coco being forwarded...he told me that his Montreal mistress cannot be described simply in feline terms. "Dog Lady" is not a description I could, in all sincerity utilise in terms of my Weisz-like pal.

Nice to see Flat Stanley enjoying himself!

Just stopping to say hi!

No idea who Flat Stanley is, but I envy his surroundings!

Flat Stanley made a hit with our friends and family here in Springfield, MO as well. No lovely ocean view, but we found plenty of picture taking opportunities. Thanks for the fun memories, Cee.

Just checking in... too grumpy to comment.. it might be contagious :PPP
One of those mornings..

This is all related to books! Who knew???

Flat Stanley is a 1964 children's book written by Jeff Brown (January 1, 1926 – December 3, 2003) and originally illustrated by Tomi Ungerer. It is the first in a series of books featuring Stanley Lambchop.

Stanley Lambchop and his younger brother Arthur are given a big bulletin board by their Dad for displaying pictures and posters. He hangs it on the wall over Stanley's bed. During the night the board falls from the wall, flattening Stanley in his sleep. He survives and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is entering locked rooms by sliding under the door, and playing with his younger brother by being used as a kite. One special advantage is that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope. Stanley even helps catch some art museum thieves by posing as a painting on the wall. Eventually Arthur changes Stanley back to his proper shape with a bicycle pump.

Wikipedia rocks!

So nice to see all my grummpy friends here - mixed in with the happy ones :)

Ilana - I'm sorry my explanation was so sketchy, but as you can see, I still didn't really get it myself til I looked it up on Wiki! Thanks for the inspiration to do so - now we are all more knowledgable!

So there you go Jude! Apparently all you need is a bicycle pump to revive the flat Stanleys of the world ;-)

Hi Caro - You're right. It would make a cool blog. But I spend enough time on the laptop. I'll bet there is one out there.

Thanks, Kath! "You are a genius. Yes you are!"
I thought so too! LOL
What/who is "the evildoer bear originator "???

Hi there Paul. Ilana defies description. She is a goddess!

I'll tell you, Lucy - Flat Stanley travels more than I do lately! Perhaps I need to find a way to be flattened so I can go throught the mail :)

Tammmmmmeeeee! Nice to see you here. Hi back and a hug!

Stasia, you MUST come to Maine... it's all beauteous!
See Flat Stanley story #20 above.

Hi Donna! I'm sure Flat Stanley has had many exciting adventures. I love Mamie's experience above in #5. Imagine FS riding toy poodles in a cowboy getup! Too funny!

Oh, Kath! Pls don't tell me your coffeepot messed up again! Hope your day turns around - but if not, I like you even when you are super grumpy :}
*******************
Not feeling well today. Sore throat getting worse and having a hard time talking (one of my fav activities). BUT - I WILL be going out tonight - even if I'm half dead. Have not had a date night for a couple weeks and I am outta here. Need a night of peace and kindness, maybe a nice dinner and a few drinks :-)

Take ibuprofen and drink tea laced with honey and whiskey.. it's a sure cure ...

I'd never heard of the travelling Flat Stanley's before. But my son used to love the books.

Kath - I'm working on some lemon tea. Is that ok?

Hi Rhian - hmmmm, another book series to hunt down? lol
Perhaps we should send FS over to the UK?

Hi Claudia- I hope you are feeling better before you go out (or went out). At least I know I'm not one of those "grummpy friends". Smile & hug!

Hi Claudia: I finally found your thread. You have done some great reading, and I LOVE your pictures.

>20 -Cee-: ah ha! Will the real Flat Stanley please stand up :)
I love the idea of him being used in schools for learning about new places. Feel free to have him posted here to look into New Zealand, Im thinking in a pile of Autumn leaves to talk about different seasons in different hemispheres, next to some earthquake ruins for talks about that, amongst some native rainforest...the possibilities are endless!

Goddess is maybe putting it a bit strongly. I'm not energetic enough to be a goddess. Also, if I were, I'd take away that sore throat of yours. Plenty grumpy today though. Still, I wish you a wonderful date night. I hope there are bits you won't be able to tell us about. ;-)

That said, I loved your description of the Flat Stanley book. Sounds like a great little story!

Oh my yes, I used Flat Stanley to teach Social Studies for many years. He was always a favorite and I had no trouble finding people dying to have him accompany them on vacations. Hope you're having a lovely date night Cee.

Cee - Just checking in and hoping you had a fabulous evening. Sorry to hear about the sore throat.

I'm so glad that Flat Stanley had a nice visit with you. When my son sent out his Flat Stanley a few years back we thought we'd send him to a good friend in Florida. What a bad choice! He said he was busy at work and just sent us googled pictures of the places he would have taken him had he had the time. Bummer.

Love your photo of flat Stanley. My son in law was ever so kind to send my grand daughter's flat Stanley back to her after he took Stanley to the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio. Kayla was the hit of her class.

Linda! How lucky that was for your grand daughter.. it sounds fascinating!

Lynda.. that is a bummer. Why on earth would he agree in the first place :(

How are you feeling today my friend??
I hope better... They are predicting snow here.. how about there?

Hi Mark, Beth, Megan, Ilana, Bonnie, Mamie, Lynda, Linda, and Kath - thanks to all for stopping by! Will try to respond to y'all later... and visit your threads :)

I knew bragging about no colds for the past 3-4 years was gonna get me in trouble. I would not call my condition today a "cold" (no stuffy nose) - rather a combo of raging, angry, painful sinus headache and snarling, scratchy, spastic, blocked airways. Oy. Took a handful of various pills this morning and am hoping to get some painting done today.

Last night's "date" was an episode of both of us saying/thinking - we just want to go home but we can't!
Excuse my abbrev.... but wtf?
We are 60+, grown adults who have worked hard all our lives, own our own comfy and beloved home, sitting in a Mexican restaurant eating nachos, and trying hard to think of something to do for 2 more hours.
Neither of us felt hungry, so we didn't go to a nice restaurant for a full meal. We wound up in Freeport - walking around - and slipped into LL Bean's to make up for last time when I did NOT buy a blasted thing. So, this time I bought a black tee and black flip flops. Hmmm... guess I was feeling kinda dark.
Came home - went straight to bed. (I did sneak in a bit of reading before I passed out.)

Ron and I agreed this AM - my Mom is in better shape than we are :(

Cee - not like you to post a downbeat post especially on a weekend - had a similar experience actually today when 4 of us (sans Yasmyne) were having some lunch prior to the cinema and SWMBO got into a real huff about lack of attention and me reading instead of entertaining the family - my performing monkey bit didn't do it for me at all - and we spent the rest of the day thus far exchanging grunts instead of words. Don't give her enough quality time actually and will have to come up with something to put the smile back on her face.
Hope the smile will soon be back on yours my dear - questions of mortality push us all but you have always appeared to wear it well as Rod Stewart used to say.

Cee: Sometimes it's nice to stay at home. It sounds like you didn't feel well. I hope you feel better and better luck next date night.

Finally bought something at LLBean.. okay then..

Hope you feel better.... sorry bout the date being a bit of a bust. And sorry about the nasty head thing and cough :(

Well, thank goodness you're at least back to normal with LLBean. Have you tried Sam's Italian sandwiches, right next door? Fabulous. Man, I could use one right now...

I'm sure the date flop was a result of the feeling lousy. That's kind of a bummer, though. We still have dates, but they're usually spontaneous; when we were actually dating, we just spent all available time together, doing whatever.

Huh. That's just like we are now. 26 years later...still just hanging out. It could be a lot worse, no?

Hanging out seems to create low expectations.. which, imo, is good because good things
can seem so much better when they are a surprise :)

#25 We'd be happy to see Flat Stanley in the U.K. Over here young primary school children tend to take it in turns to take a teddy bear home for the weekend and write up his adventures in a journal, but a bear isn't so easily posted of course.

I posted this yesterday but for some reason it completely disappeared off the face of the Earth.

Readiing quickly through the blue! I so love Flat Stanley! Would you believe I purchased my own copy of the book a while back, when my nieces were both sending Flat Stanley on trips! I had to read what it was all about! One of my neices was able to send her Flat Stanley over to Belgium and also Germany! Such exciting photo's and adventures for the kids and Stanley of course!

Sorry you too are not feeling up to par. hugs!I think we all have days when we feel "old". I know I do!

Sorry you're not feeling well. My son had a turn hosting Flat Stanley, I think. It was one of those times when we couldn't go anywhere or do anything interesting . . . (like most times, actually. . .)

any better tonight? I hope?

I am very jealous of Flat Stanley dancing on a Maine beach. Funny I've never heard of him, or if I did as a child, I don't remember. The timing would have been right, age wise for me.

I hope you're feeling better!

I hope you're soon over your cold Cee and feeling tip top.

Cee, so sorry that you are feeling so lousy that it requires the excessive use of adjectives! That is never a good sign. Here's hoping that you are on the mend and that your next date night goes better.

Hi Cee. Well, all the drama about Flat Stanley cracked me up! I thought the picture was funny, then I read your description of the ol' guy and (having been born in 1960), I think I remember Flat Stanley! I don't think I read much of him, but some very old neuronal connection up there fired.

I hope you're feeling better soon (although the description of your "date night" also cracked me up; I could relate too well!) and that you enjoy your black t-shirt and black flip flops. :-)

I hope you tool last night to relax and do nothing much..
and that you wake feeling much better today. I wish you a week of zero excitement...
and maybe one last bit of snow. :) hugs

Love the flat stanley picture!
Hope you are feeling better today!

Still among the living - but it took a morning of sleep to accomplish. Nice grey, rainy day. Perfect for sleeping off a virus :) Feeling better.

Hi Paul, Sorry about that downbeat posting... I was feeling worse than I wanted to admit and did NOT want to give up a date night. Unfortunately, all I wanted to do was sleep. Should have checked into a motel for a nap! lol
Hope you and family are finding some time to smile and play together. I'm thinking Hani had such a good time on vacation w/you it's hard to let you go.

Thanks, Beth. You were exactly right!

Hi Kath! Thanks, I am much better now.
My "relaxing" was more like "dragging and crashing". Happens sometimes.
So, you like surprises? Good thing - cuz they keep landing on your doorstep. Oh, wait. You said "good" things are nice surprises. Yeah. Those are less frequent and more fun :)

Hi Gail - Sam's near LL Bean's??? I totally missed it??? We do have a Sam's in Brunswick with great Italian food, and several places around have "real Italians" (sandwiches). I'll have to look closer next time I go to Freeport. We rarely go there to actually eat... I've been know to be utterly oblivious to very obvious things. oy.

I wish our dates could be spontaneous - then we could pick better days or times. But, we have respite care on Sat evening 4-8. It's do or die. Or both... like last Sat... lol.

2Bcon't...

So sorry your date night was a flop...but, it sounds like you flipped it around...oh, funny, funny..

I love the Maine LL Bean store and the street where it is located and the various other establishments nearby.

I basically love Maine, but don't think I could live there in the winter.

I do hope you are feeling better.

Hugs

Hi Rhian, Let me ask Greg (grandson) if he can send Flat Stanley to the UK... Do you have a young son? The cute guy in your profile picture? If Greg wants to send it, I can ask you for your address, etc. Gotta check first. He could include the letter and pictures I am sending him re FS's visit to Maine.

Hey, Deb! FS - Another book I missed as a kid :( Good concept though - make yourself flat and travel around the world! And, yes, I do believe that you bought the book ;-)

Hi Terri, If Flat Stanley were to visit your home now he would find lots of excitement! How to build a bathroom - even when things go wrong :}

Thanks, Joanne! You can come dance on my beach anytime! And when you get tired, we'll have a clambake with lobsters :)

Hi Bonnie, I'm finally starting to breathe w/o coughing fits. Life is always more fun when you can breathe :)

Mamie - The next date night can't be anything but better! (she says with crossed fingers and toes) Maybe a picnic supper on the beach... or a movie that's newer than 5 yrs old... w/popcorn!

Hi Ellen, Glad I could provide a bit of entertainment for you. I think I must have subconsciously bought black attire for my own funeral (which seemed imminent at the time). Still - even now that I feel better, they are basics I neeeeeed. Especially the flip-flops. I only had about 5-6 pairs already (lol)but they are year round wear for me :)

Thanks, Chelle! And I hope you found some starfish ;-)

Hi there, Linda! Yes indeed - a flip-flop date (lol)!
I'm thankfully better and only need about a week's more sleep :}

**************
Sorry I have not been writing on everyone's threads. I have been lurking a lot... but not too talkative. I expect this will turn around soon. I am one to rest when my body says "whoa". I thought this was all an allergy in the beginning. Still not sure what hit me. Probably a tiny little microscopic virus dude. *heavy sigh* Sometimes size does NOT matter....

#53 My son's twelve now so a bit beyond the Flat Stanley stage but we'd be happy to take some pics anyway. The profile picture is a bit old - taken when we were on holiday in Croatia in 2009. When I was looking for a photo I really struggled for a good one of me - we don't take many photos anyway but I take more than anyone else so there aren't actually that many of me. By the time I'd eliminated all the ones with me in embarrassing swimsuit on beach, and the ones where I look really fat or very red in the face after climbing a big hill there weren't many left.

Probably a tiny little microscopic virus dude. *heavy sigh* Sometimes size does NOT matter....
Part of this is funny and part is not!
Hope you are feeling better today, and feel free to continue lurking until you do :)

thinking of you and sending gentle hugs

Hope you are getting the upper hand over the bug...
so you can go dancing through the threads once again....

I dunno... can anyone be too old for Flat Stanley?
I never hosted him, but the Evildoer Bear was quite a lot of fun
and we were all middle age or older folks :) IT is amazing
how much fun it is when you get started..

Maybe Rhian can start a Stanley of her own? Then he can start trouring schools
All over the world.. what fun would that be?

Whatcha doin' today.. ?

I"m living proof the one cannot be too old for Flat Stanley! As for me, I think my bug is just about gone! :)

I hope your day is wonderful, Kath!

Cee - love that you keep your sense of humour even when you are on a downer....hope you are now on an upper. x

Take several - they're small. (Just kidding!!) Hope you are having a wonderful day and that you are feeling better. I know exactly what you mean about going through with your date night even though you didn't feel up to it because you didn't want to miss your opportunity of a night out. When the kids were little, my husband and I used to go out for dinner every other Wednesday (he had Wednesdays off). We would hire a sitter for the kids and take the evening to just enjoy a quiet meal where the only food we had to cut up was our own, which had the added benefit of actually getting to eat the food while it was still warmer than room temperature! The problem was that many of those Wednesday nights all I wanted to do was soak in the tub with a good book and a glass of wine. If I had it to do over, some of those Wednesdays I would have hired someone to take the kids out and leave the house in all of its comforting quiet to us. You always think of going out as getting away from things when really all that is required is a break from the routine. Sometimes the simple indulgences are the very best ones. Feel better.

Flat Stanley - LOL forgotten about him for decades, thanks for the reminder. ISTR the first page has a great line - "Hey is for horses, not for humans" - brilliant!

looking for an update... hope you are all good and just lying low and gathering your strength :)

Sorry 'bout that virus Dude. I'd like to sleep for a week, too, and I'm not even sick! Be well, Cee. Things get dull when you're not around to spread cheer.

Hope you're feeling better. I just got over a stomach bug - no fun.

Keep resting up and feel better soon, Cee.
And I'm just like you with flip flops. Cold out? Wet? I don't care. I love flip flops. :-)

Sheesh! I love flip flops too.. but I also love thick socks when the weather is cold . lol
I never used to wear socks when I as younger.. always barefoot in the house.. no sock with shoes.
Then I started wearing them. These days.. my sock drawer is full .. but I also have a nice array of
flip flops for when it's warm :)

Yoo hoo.. Cee... I sure hope that you feel better today. You have been pushing yourself so hard, I
am not surprised to find that you haven't been feeling well. Hope today is better!

hey... are you ok? Don't make me come up there !

Just stopping by to make sure my buddy is doing okay! Come on blink your eyes or wiggle your toes or something! Hugs!

Thanks for good wishes and concern.
Sick but still in the land of the living - will B OK
as soon as I cough up my lungs :P
Sorry - no energy to visit threads.
Will catch up later :(

BLINKING EYES


WIGGLING TOES

You always make me smile, my friend! Get better.

So sorry that you're still not feeling well.

Hope you feel better soon, Claudia!

totally stealing

cause I love it.. Glad you are ok.. if not actually well..
hugs

phew, she soldiers on :)
Out damn snot!

Sleep tight and feel better!

glitter-graphics.com

Hoping today is a good one for ya!
Miss your smiling posts here in the LT hood..

Hi to all my kind friends for keeping my thread warm -
Rhian, Megan, Linda, Kath,Deb, Paul, Mamie, Chelle, Feca67, Donna, Joanne, Ellen, Mark, Mamie, Pat, Terri, and lurkers, I appreciated the comments, gifs, and smiles....

I've always maintained that winter is healthier than spring. Too cold for the bugs that invade us once spring gets here. Let's here it for winter! Yay!

I am definitely feeling better today - or at least I was until I took a look at all the messages I have to catch up on... yikes. Where have I been? I think I missed a day or two of my life :(
Got lots of sleep & rest in between stuff that had to be done... everything got put on hold and the dust has settled. Time to stir things up again ;-)

Feca67 Hi there! Welcome to my thread and happy belated 1st Thingaversary. Did you buy yourself two books?

Yeah, Cee, so glad you're feeling better!!

Hi Mamie!
I've told myself for the past 3 mornings that I was getting better (lies, all lies) - but I think today will stick. It's sunny and warmish - I might sit out on the deck and do some reading.
Wasn't able to read much due to blurry eyes and med induced sleepiness. Got some serious reading work to do now!
:)

And on the deck is the best place to do it - I love to read on our deck; it's so soothing and feels decadent. Enjoy today, Cee, don't push yourself.

Compiling a movie list was fun and an honor. I hope I get it "right".

"Casablanca" No introduction needed. One of the Greats!
"Double Indemnity" Billy Wilder & James M. Cain. Enough said.
"Notorious" Mr. Hitchcock in his glory
"The Searchers" John Wayne & John Ford. Breathtaking
"The Hustler" Paul Newman & Jackie Gleason. It doesn't get any better

And as an added bonus, if you haven't seen them, are my 2 favorite films of all time:
The Godfather I & II

Thanks, Mark!
I recognize "Casablanca" and "The Godfather" - both of which I also liked :)
The rest will be an adventure.

I know, what rock have I been under?

Have fun with that list... not my uppa !

:P

Oh Cee it's so good to see you among the living again. Welcome home!

Cee - Mark top six movies?

The Searchers (agree with Mark)
Rebecca
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Witness
Hobson's Choice
Twelve Angry Men

>87 PaulCranswick: oh, I like this one, I'll just have to pretend you opened up that question to the floor :)

Once Were Warriors
The Big Lebowski
Jaws
Being John Malcovich
American Beauty
......and.....
Whale Rider

I'm in.

Casablanca
Notorious
The Big Sleep
The Long Hot Summer
Charade
To Have and Have Not

*I also really like The Searchers and Rebecca

Megan / Mamie - also great selections; other than "Whale Rider" which I have not seen.

Well.....
Ghost
How to Make an American Quilt
Fried Green Tomatoes
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Star Trek
City of Angels

I'm glad you're feeling better, Cee. I'm checking out folks' top six movie lists. I may have been under the same rock you've been under. No, I have seen some of them ---- I could never put together a top six list, but I can say "oh, yeah, that's a really good one!" I will say that about Whale Rider and Witness, in addition to the obvious Casablanca. Oh, and Notorious.

I would add To Kill a Mockingbird to the list of greats. It's probably both my all-time favorite novel and my all-time favorite film.

#24 The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
4.8 stars



I LOVED this little diamond among the gems I have read in the past few years. A story of enormous trust/mistrust issues, forgiving, attachment, emotional handicaps, devastation, and attempted rebirth out of the ashes. Diffenbauch brings us full circle in a mother/daughter struggle and deep need for love.

I was startled by this heart-wrenching and heart-warming story. I didn't expect the destructive twists and tough honesty. The writing is clean, spare, and gripping. The characters are an amazing collection of one woman's community who share the work of her growth and transformation.

Oh, yes.... there is a great smattering of flower-talk and learning the meanings of this form of communication.

There are many great reviews of this book. I can't do better.
Recommended.

That was a good one! I liked it, too...

So, Hi everybody!
Lots of movie goers here :)

Thanks so much for all the movie recommendations. Somewhere around here, I asked Mark for rec of classics since this seemed to be a big gap in my past. I love that it has expanded to all time favs! I always have a hard time choosing videos - really can't tell a movie by its cover!

Oh, Bonnie! Its so good to feel good again :) Thanks.

Paul - such an interesting choice of movies. I'll add them to my list.

Hi Megan, I'm always interested in what everyone has to say... and this is a welcome list. Who knew? All I had to do was ask!

Well, Mamie - you are not so crazy!
I took your advice: "...don't push yourself..."!
Notice there was no real arm-twisting involved? Anywho, I did some reading on the deck till the breeze got a little too chilly. I think that one more day of resting was just right.
Thanks for your movie recs. It always amazes me how much I have missed and don't even recognize. Gotta fix that!

Thanks to you too, Kath! I have seen and loved some on your list. Have to get to the ones I have not seen... and maybe re-view the ones I have. Those were great!

Well, Ellen - turns out you did have a list! I like the confirmation you make of a couple previously mentioned. Perhaps the hot days of summer will be a good time to get these videos and sit still in the evening breezes - with a bowl of popcorn, of course!

Thanks to all for the suggestions! I'm making a list now :)

oh oh oh... I forgot.. A Rumor of Angels...
I love love love that one..

http://www.flixster.com/movie/a-rumor-of-angels/#videos/10896385

I'm enjoying all this movie talk. Some of my favorites off the top of my head:

To Kill a Mockingbird
Chinatown
Catch Me If You Can
Galaxy Quest
Crash

Cool! The list is getting longer.
Thanks Kath and Pat...
How do you guys remember these movies?
I have seen a very few of these but most of them - no.
This is great ;-)

Has anyone seen the Irish comedy "Waking Ned Devine"?
Not a classic - just fun.
OK... I admit, I don't see many movies - but I enjoyed that one which was rec to me by my SIL. And I don't know why I remember that one...

I did and liked it !

Waking Ned Divine is a good laugh, if I remember it correctly. Love seeing peoples favourites, gives me ideas!

eta: Paul, Whale Rider is adapted from Witi Ihimaera's novel. It's a wonderful wonderful film, and I shamefully admit to not having yet read the book! *shock horror*

Claudia- That movie list should keep you busy for a few years, but of course please start with mine. And that wasn't even my "Best Of" list! I also like Waking Ned Devine, although it's been awhile.

Megan- I also loved Once Were Warriors. What a tough gritty film. I'm ready for a re-watch.

Pat- All best of lists NEED to include Chinatown. It doesn't get any better.

Thanks to all - I'm psyched to have a list of really good recs for movies. I espec love that there is agreement on a lot of them - so how can I go wrong? I'll let y'all know how it goes :)

I might start with one of yours, Mark - or -
I might put the titles on slips of paper and pull from a jar. Hmmmm.....

Hi Claudia!!! I read The Language of Flowers a few weeks ago. It was a good one.

Hi Tammy!!
It was much better than I expected.

Spoiler for The Language of FLowers
For some reason I am startled by books about foster and homeless children that somehow seem to work out ok... gives me a little more faith in humanity, I guess.

All these great movie lists! Here's mine:

Memento
Crash
L.A. Confidential
Witness
Twelve Angry Men

Excellent review of The Language of Flowers Claudia. I've heard a lot about it and, uh oh, I need to borrow your blue filtering glasses.

Ooh, I really liked Memento and L.A. Confidential too.

So glad you're feeling better, Cee!

I'm not much for movies, I fear. Not sure I can name a list of favorites . . .especially classics. Favorites that come to mind for me:

The Sting
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
The Natural
Jaws
Close Encounters of the Third Kind

I just realized that all the movies I named are ones I actually saw in a theater (which is rare for me) -- a couple of them, I saw in the theater more than once! Hmmm. . . .

...I think I saw Back to the Future about 4 times at the theater as a kid!

I hope I'm not too late to add in some movie titles. Lots and lots of good ones already mentioned and I'll add:

Key Largo
East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath
Brief Encounter
Mr Roberts
Pappillon
The Man Who Would be King
Gunga Din
The Long Long Trailer
The Secret of Roan Inish

Cee - such a lot of great movies listed but I don't think much can be told about us necessarily from the movies we like - must dash I'm off to the movies and I don't expect "The Avengers" to make the list - have a great weekend.

Hey, thanks for the great review of The Language of Flowers. I think that I may have it on my kindle, but you have nudged it up the list!

The Secret of Roan Inish ...oh, loved that one, too... !

So which will you watch first?
Why the sudden interest in movies?

I'm so happy to see Galaxy Quest here!

Il Etait Un Foi dans L'Ouest/C'era una volta in West (Sergio Leone, 1968)*
Harold and Maude
King of Hearts
Lord of the Rings (counts as one right?)
Tom Jones
Star Trek

These are all movies that, at one time or another, I watched COMPULSIVELY, and that are firmly attached to some epoch of my life.... They seem to fit some feeling or mood or situation or serve as an antidote to it, or something! Nothing to do with the overall aesthetic blabla. V. personal.

*If you haven't seen this, you are in for a TREAT! THE classic spaghetti western! I was a student, living in Paris, and it was such a deep favorite of Parisians that it simply played for a year at one theatre, and there were always people there, including frequently me. Just the music......

Star Trek is the most recent fetish movie.

I'm so happy to see Galaxy Quest here!

Il Etait Un Foi dans L'Ouest/C'era una volta in West (Sergio Leone, 1968)*
Harold and Maude
King of Hearts
Lord of the Rings (counts as one right?)
Tom Jones
Star Trek

runners up:
Becket
It Happened One Night
any Fred Astaire

These are all movies that, at one time or another, I watched COMPULSIVELY, and that are firmly attached to some epoch of my life.... They seem to fit some feeling or mood or situation or serve as an antidote to it, or something! Nothing to do with the overall aesthetic blabla. V. personal.

*If you haven't seen this, you are in for a TREAT! THE classic spaghetti western! I was a student, living in Paris, and it was such a deep favorite of Parisians that it simply played for a year at one theatre, and there were always people there, including frequently me. Just the music......

Star Trek is the most recent fetish movie.

Yah, that young Albert Finney!

WOW! What a treat for me to get so many recs for movies! I have seen a few, but lots of new ones for me.

Why the sudden interest in movies, Kath?
We just finished watching "Downton Abbey" (season 2) and Mom seemed to enjoy the after-dinner movie routine we have been following.
There has been so much talk of classic movies around here, I thought it might be something we could all do every once in awhile - instead of Mom drifting off by herself in her sitting room all night.
But I had no clue which were good ones.
Now I have a nice long list of great movies in general.
I just hate wasting time on movies that are stupid or uncomfortable (lots of graphic violence for shock value).
Especially when there are good ones out there...

Thanks, Bonnie for the movies recs and kind words. I hope you will not put on your blue-filtering glasses for Language of Flowers. It was on my shelf for too long. Glad I finally picked it up!

Pat - I have not seen either... so thanks for seconding those :)

Hi Terri! I loved "Butch Cassidy"! and "Close Encounters", too. See? I have seen a couple LOL
We took the kids to see "ET" when it first came out and I remember it to be the only movie I have ever walked out of in tears - though now I can't remember why!

I guess you liked that one, Megan! It is unusual for me to watch a movie more than once... but... I recall when my girls were in HS they watched "Princess Bride" til they had it memorized!

Thanks for your input, Joanne! I'm loving that I am getting a nice long list. The few times I have gone to a video store, I think it has taken me longer to pick something out than to actually watch the movie! Oh, the agony of just not knowing!

Hi there, Paul!
I'm thinking "The Avengers" just might not be up my alley either... hope it was entertaining for you and your weekend is somewhat relaxing :)

Deb, The Language of Flowers will not take you long to read and certainly NOT boring! Give it a try. You'll probably get hooked.

"Il Etait Un Foi dans L'Ouest/C'era una volta in West (Sergio Leone, 1968)*, subtitles - right Lucy?
And thanks for the runners-up!
I don't think I am complusive about anything. Is that good or bad or neither, I wonder?

Such a resource here for good books and good (I'm trusting) movies.

Perhaps it's time for NetFlix again ;-) I could never figure out what to watch from there either :P

Hope everyone has a great Saturday/Sunday :-)

OIC well.. I hope you like some of the ones you have listed....

I can never find a movie on my own... too many choices do me in ...
I have been keeping a list on my computer of new movies that I want to see sometime..
the list is at least a year old.. and we haven't watched one of them. I do hope that you will elt
us know which you watch and which you like :)

It might inspire me to watch one!

Planned: (4-8) Heidi & Mom time / Ron & Cee date night at a fav restauarant.

Reality: 4:00 Emergency tone goes off - Ron must respond (so few emerg personnel in town this evening)
4:02 Heidi comes - offers to come another time. I am holding out hope to salvage some of tonight - so I say, nah. Just do whatever you usually do.
4:05 Red emerg truck w/flashing lights goes by house (opposite direction of 1st call I know about)
4:10 We decide it is a second emerg call. Heidi and Mom are off for ice cream... (devil women!)
4:30 Ron calls to give me quick info:
suicide attempt - one end of town
dear, old lady friend fell out of her scooter - other end of town
4:50 I guess LTers are my date tonight - any takers? Let's see. I have wine and beer... cheese, crackers, chips, shrimp, and fruit. Figures. This is the one time I did not prepare a full supper for Heidi/Mom cuz I did have some good leftovers...
waaaaahhh! I'm lonely.

Wait a minute! This is GREAT! I'm ALONE!

Alone is not a bad thing... Good for Heidi!
She is salvaging something for you :)
Enjoy..

( bet you don't know what to do with yourself )

Hmmm... one drug suicide attempt thwarted - just got to hospital
she puked all over ambulance
*Ron must be in great shape :P*

Ron heading back - no word on #2 yet. Might be a "no-transport"
and we will be semi free... catching a quick supper if anyplace is open in town???

No one wants a drink? I have other stuff too... G&Ts?

Run... do not walk out the door as soon as Ron gets in.. hose him down a little on the way.

Ya never know how these "dates" will work out.

Maybe Heidi will be able to stay an extra hour?

Seriously... I am so sorry that this night didn't work out...

:(

hm, I think I might have missed the boat on cutting in for date night. I would have taken a G&T for sure, and that food on offer as well :) Hope the townspeople are safe for the night now, and the puke is all cleaned up :/

O.K. As they say, half a date is better than none!
Took the dog... got some pizza and salad... had a quick picnic-like supper waiting to see if anyone else needed an ambulance.

No one did... yet. But things tend to happen in 3s - wonder if we will be able to sleep thru the night???

So, thanks for keeping me company, Kath.

Maybe next time, Megan!
You missed the boat - but here's something for you anyway :)

Always ready to keep you company... even at risk of being a third wheel :P

And you're right.. half a date is better than none!
AND mom had a treat, too.. perfect!

Heidi is a good woman! Adjusted well... took charge with Mom.

You were not a third wheel :P
For the first half of my free time, you were my sole companion.
You are a good woman too ;-)

Sleep well...
oh, and, if Ron gets another call tonight do you want me to call and wake you???? LOL
Don't worry... chances are I'll never hear him leave.

G&T's with Kath and Cee: my idea of a great night!
Oh the stories that would be told....

Yep! Stories, indeed....

Sorry not quite as planned Cee....don't mind a G&T if there are any spare. Enjoy your Sunday instead my dear.

*waving* at Claudia

One of these days I will make it up to Maine!

So... a whole new day... did Ron go out overnight?
Wonder what the day will bring for us all? Only good things, I am determined!!!

Morning Claudia- "half a date is better than none!" Hey, it sounds like you made the best of it. The G&T looks delicious. And yes, you may need to sign up for Netflix to find a few of these titles. It would be worth it.

This internet thing is some amazing!
Who woulda thunk 50 years ago that I would hear from NZ, PA, KL, and TX over a whimsy whine? Pretty cool ;-)

Megan & Kath, would love to indulge in some stories under the influence of G&Ts! Oh, heck. We do that pretty much anyway :)

Great philosophy, Paul! I will indeed enjoy my Sunday! Hope yours was wonderful. G&Ts always on tap for you! You can bring the crazy snack food!

Stasia! I hope you DO come to Maine. You'll love it.
One of these days I will make it to your thread!

Hi Kath, If Ron went out last night I didn't hear him.
When I got up w/ Loki he said he had a horrendous headache. VERY unusual for him. He is still in bed. Quiet around here. I'm a lucky gal!

************
Finished another book!

Oh! Hi there, Mark!
Cross-posted as I am such a slow typist, etc.
Actually, it's pretty easy to tell I am getting old. I spend all day planning a "date" and the least little thing throws me for a loop! I used to be so much more flexible in my thinking! *heavy sigh*

Guess which book I finished... and LOVED????

Which book.. do tell?

#25 Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman

4 stars



Wonderful stories deftly woven with wisdom and highlighting cultural differences in the intimate Chinese life experiences of Mark Salzman during the 2 years he taught English in a medical school in China.
This could be read very quickly but I chose to stretch it out and savor each new idea and perspective.
There were many and well done.
Family, respect, hard work, goals, sacrifice, new ideas, foreigners, political control, priorities, etc....

Thanks for recommending, Mark and Caro!

That one is on my short stack, but near the bottom.. due to Vine, LTER etc........
I do want to read it.
Glad you liked it :)

It took me awhile to get to it too. But well worth the reading!
I debated whether to call this a BOTS it sat here waiting so long. But no... I can't rightly say it was. You will get to it and you will like it too. It's good to read about how others live and think.

Hi Cee, just touching base you and wish you a happy sunday. How dare people mess with your date night! But, l surely can appreciate your appreciation of just being by your lonesome for awhile. Yikes, I'm sorry to have missed the booze party.

Hi Claudia: I've been wondering about The Language of Flowers, and with your recommendation will pick it up. Iron and Silk is another to add to the list. This is a dangerous thread.

You have a good list of movies; I can't think of anything to add. I'm glad you're feeling better.

Hi Lynda!
Yeah. Really! Don't people know they need to plan their emergencies better? You didn't miss much. Maybe next time. There *will* be more of these times.

Hi Beth - Those were two very good reads. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did. This thread is really not all that dangerous, imo. I had hoped my reading speed would pick up this year. But, no. There are just too many books I want to get to!
I'm quite happy now to have all these movie recs I can tell you. What a bonus!

I'm so glad you liked Iron & Silk. See, I only steer you wrong every blue moon. I just picked up the audio of the Soloist, which I'll get to in the next few weeks.

#136: I liked that one too! Glad to see that the book has found another fan!

right, Mark
every couple years there is an extra full moon and you rec a book I struggle with... not bad numbers there! Hope you like The Soloist. I have that around here someplace...

So, Stasia, are you on break or finished with your course? yes, yes... will try to find your thread again

Ah, crap! #3 is hitting. HUGE (?) structure fire in Bath, everyone being called in... Ron on the way. Well, at least he made it through the night. Hope everyone ok. They switched channels and I don't know how to work his radio here.
:PPP

Hi Cee. Sorry to see that your date night got messed up. Hopefully your next one goes smoother
Ron seems to be in great demand, hopefully there won't be a #4!

oh no :(

Poor Ron.. hope his head is better...

Hope everyone is safe

Geesh! I hope no #4, Chelle. Usually these things happen in threes.

btw, packing my bags to come help you with invitations... is it still nice and cold up there???

Ron said his head was much better - I threw him a cup of OJ on his way out the door...
hope so too....

Ron certainly is having an exciting weekend. I hope it has had some restful moments for you!

Bummer about date night - I would have joined you for the G&T and munchies! You got me with Iron and Silk - adding it to my WL. Hope you have a lovely Sunday, Cee!

Cee, I'm so glad you liked Iron and Silk. The hubster doesn't usually read the same books that I do, but I forced him to read this after I had read it, and he maintains that it's one of his favorite books to this day. I hope you find The Soloist because that's another book of his that I liked. It's not a memoir but fiction, but he did play the cello as well, I think... or was that his mother? I forget... hmm... must Google later.

Ah Iron and Silk...I picked it up after Caro's review but haven't gotten to it yet. Note to self: read Iron and Silk. Thanks for the reminder Cee.

Hi Lucy, Ron gets all the excitement. I try to keep things going forward in a relatively straight line around here - boring :}
I did do a little quiet reading this morning.
I decided to finish the wall painting in our bedroom this afternoon. Still have trim and one wall of papering to do. Taking it in easy steps.

Thanks, Mamie! Maybe next time.
I hope you like Iron and Silk - a small book but packed with good stuff!

Caro - I was thinking of forcing Ron to read it too :) He'll thank me. As a matter of fact, I did find The Soloist right where it belonged in my newly organized (by author) bookcases. I'm loving this system. I've saved time and running up and down stairs several times already.
And, yes, it was Mark that played the cello - he had it with him and it was in one of the stories he told.

You're welcome, Bonnie!

Hi Cee, I hope that what is left of your week end is peaceful. My husband liked Iron and Silk, too. He has learned to love China and its people over the past few years. He's off on another visit in about ten days. I'll go with him when he retires and we can see something besides the inside of factories!

Nice! Something to really look forward to, Donna :)
I doubt I will ever get to China... but Iron and Silk was close!

I decided to read Iron and Silk before Gillespie and I... shorter....
I will have 3 Vine books showing up in a couple of days...

Wondering if I will like it as well as you :)

Another Iron and Silk fan here, Cee. My reaction was like yours. I'm thinking about reading his Lying Awake when I get through a few tbrs.

Um... I can never predict you, Kath :)
I sure hope so.
It's another way of looking at things - another culture.

Hi Joe! Hmmm... Lying Awake? Will have to check that out. Salzman is a pretty amazing person.

I can't predict me either... so?
I really want to get two books read quickly as I have 3 Vine books on the way ...
One of them is one I have been waiting for for YEARS!!! The Virgin Cure by the
author of one of my all time top ten.. ..
hmmm I need to make a list.

Hi Kath!
I really want to get about 300 books read quickly! But I don't do quick anymore. I couldn't stand the pressure of Vine and all those other good freebies. ER is enough for me :->
(psssst.... I think I know the virgin cure)

************
Does anyone know if there was a thread for Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility in the not too distant past? I'm finishing it up for our book club tomorrow and would like to find other opinions here... I seem to recall an Austen surge - was it last year?

Hope everyone has a pleasant Monday :-)

Yes it was last year Claudia. Here are the links

Austenathon 2011: Sense and Sensibility (Non-Spoiler Thread) - http://www.librarything.com/topic/104774
Austenathon 2011: Sense and Sensibility (Spoiler Thread) - http://www.librarything.com/topic/104775

Good grief! That was super quick!
Thanks, Calm! Glad I asked ;-)

No problem Claudia:)

Seventy-one posts behind. Thanks for sharing your cold with me, Cee. :-)

I'm laughing about your date night adventure, or non-adventure as it turned out. All the best laid plans and such..... I'm glad you enjoyed Iron and Silk. I think I gave it fewer stars than you, but it has stuck with me since I read it earlier this year. I did enjoy it. Lying Awake is still my favorite by him.

Oh, no! I'm sorry, Ellen... you got my cold?
That was a nasty little jag in my plans.

uh oh - that's the second mention of Lying Awake
it's coming after me! help!

LOL --- don't run, Cee. Just give in to it. It's a worthwhile and relatively quick read.

Yup, Lying Awake was good too. That was the first Salzman book I read, and then after I read it, coincidentally, the hubster and I were in Cambridge doing some book shopping and lo and behold, he was in the Wordsworth bookstore (sadly, that closed a few years ago) doing a book signing and reading. So we went and I fell in love with him, his personality and his wonderful stories. Iron and Silk was the next book of his that I read and then they've all just rolled in like pinballs.

Lying Awake is one of these books that could generate a whole evening of delicious discussions.

Checking in on you tonight. . .

Cee - Hope you had a great day. Can't believe tomorrow is May already! Sweet dreams!

Stopping by to say hi. Sorry they're keeping Ron so busy that your date got abbreviated. Life is full of surprises, huh?

Having a cup of Sleepytime Tea - not working.
Dog by my side - everyone else asleep.

Tomorrow Today I am going to see the owner of a really nice retirement home/assisted living for Mom.
She needs it. We need it. I've made the decision.
But I don't know how to do this :(

Maybe I'll read some more.

Tough decision to make Claudia, not made easier by the time of night for you Im sure. Got to go with what is best for you all, and Im sure you know what that is. I hope you are sleeping now anyway.....Im not supposed to be as its only 7.49pm here :)
Be nice to yourself (((Cee)))

OK Megan - going back to bed to try again. Sky will be lightening up in about an hour. :(

grrr, I was just telling you off about being up so late over on Kaths thread too....kindly of course. Poor you not being able to sleep :(
Rest is good too though, if you can switch your mind off that is. Harder than it sounds i know. Take care :)

Morning Claudia- Just checking in. Enjoy your day.

hmmm first of all, no discussion of Lying Awake, just before bed any more. It
just seems counter indicated. As for Your mom..remember, you were worried about
her accepting someone coming to keep her company so you could get out. Turns out
she likes Heidi, and enjoys her company... right? Now, a nice place with other people her age..
where there are things for them to do all the time, and people in and out and a busy atmosphere..
( if she wants to participate) might be even more pleasant for her than you can imagine. And..
you need it, too.

Next time, two bags in the sleepytime ... works better.
Hang in there and remember, your needs matter, too.

Ellen Ok, I'll give in. It's on the WL. I know when I'm beat. It does look good.

Caro - when it gets to the third mention, I crack. You did it ;-)
(see note to Ellen)

Hi Stasia! I was actually reading when you last checked on me. So that part of my night was under control. Lack of sleep thereafter reminded me some of your difficulties with sleep. Hope you will be getting more than I did.

Hi Mamie, You'll be glad to know I did squeeze in one dream last night. Yesterday actually was great as I finished painting my bedroom - on to the wallpaper.

Terri, I'm sure you know all about those life surprises. Thinking of you coming down the homestretch on the bath reno. Good luck!

I trust you are soundly asleep now Megan... I know rest is better than nothing. I did manage a bit. I'm pretty lucky to have a friend on the other side of the world to tell me to get back to bed :)

Hi Mark! It's slightly raining here - hope you have a nicer day!
*************

Happy May Day to everyone!!!!

Kath, I'll remember the 2 bag trick. I only used one and it was so weak - even for me who likes weak tea! Never thought of throwing in another. lol

Cee - Sorry you had trouble falling asleep last night - I hate that. Usually I can get to sleep, but then I wake up between 2-4 a.m. and can't go back to sleep. I worked night shift for years, and I think it messed up my system. Now I'm on my own clock. At least my kids are older now so it doesn't matter as much.

Wallpaper, huh? Um... you do not want to see me attempt that. Nobody should see me attempt that.

HI Cee. Sorry to hear you are struggling with that tough decision.
I don't know what I would do, but my mom always says she doesn't want to live with us when she gets older. Her mom, and then years later my dad's mom, lived with us when I was growing up. My mom took great care of them but I know she didn't like the lack of freedom and privacy that having them brought.
Even if she says she won't live with us I wonder if she will still say that when she is much older and actually needs help.
Good luck when you go look at the place today. Hugs!

Cee, that is definitely a tough decision to be facing. I hope you can find a place that is nearby, allowing for frequent and easy visits. That will make a difference for all of you. It may allow for more quality time actually spent together because her basic needs will be more easily met. Still, I don't want to minimize the sadness and pain associated with the decision. It's a tough one no matter what. Take care -- and know that we're here if you need to vent or process.

Cee - heartbreakingly difficult decision IMHO well made. My mum faced the same sort of decision with my Gran when at 85 she was no longer at the races. My mum is a slight lady and my dear old gran was a proper gran with a 50 DD bust. There was no way my mum could have coped and seeing how she deteriorated over the two years before she passed away a team of able and conscientious helpers was vital to make her as comfortable as possible. My Gran passed away on 7 April 1994 exactly a month before her 88th birthday. I came to Malaysia on what would have been her birthday - and I still miss her terribly.

Claudia, I hope all goes well with the retirement/assisted living decision. I went through that with my parents 6 years ago and with my MiL last year. In each case, there were alot of worries that the parent(s) moving would not like it and, in each case, they loved it and seemed to get a new lease on life with all the social stimulation. I must say it was a HUGE stress reliever for the younger generation and actually for the parents as well because all their needs were taken care of but they felt fairly independent and didn't have to ask for help from family. This is not an easy time but I think it has the potential to make life better for you and your mom. I'll be thinking of you.

All about Mom - skip if you are looking for book stuff ;-)
Hi Mamie... that has to be tough. When you sleep a few hours and wake up - you've already had just enough sleep that you are not sleepy anymore. In your case working the night shift must have messed up your internal rhythm.
That hasn't been a problem for me.
When I have trouble it starts when I go to bed and persists forever!

Hi Chelle. Having taken care of my Mom for 3 years now, I can say I feel the same way your Mom feels. I already told my kids - just put me in any old folk's place with a bunch of books. I'll be happy. I don't want to stress them out or prevent them from having a productive and happy retirement. I feel so strongly about this. I hope they are listening.

Ellen - We have found a really wonderful retirement home/assisted living combo only 20 minutes away. After looking at several others - this place is far superior and I really believe it is the right place for Mom to flourish for whatever time she has left. I do believe our time together will be a higher quality for all of us.
It's all very tough and I know the transition will be the worse part of it. I just don't want her to think she is being dumped... that is far from our goal. We want her to have the best life possible - incl socially. She deserves to take advantage of what her money can buy her while she is still able to understand and enjoy it.

Oh, Paul. So sorry you lost your Gran and the piece of your heart she claimed. Bottom line... when you are a caretaker you have to admit when you cannot offer whatever the person needs.
In our case, we can give Mom love, safety, and comfort. But we have nothing to fill her social, activity, play, and productive needs. We are not of her generation sharing her past and so far out of everything she is not inclined to join any scattered activities. I feel very bad and wonder if she is not getting depressed but hiding it from us. Anyway - I have high hopes. Just have to pull this off with aplomb.

Well, Pat - Mom is still in an early-mid stage of her dementia and fairly stabilized... in great physical health.
So, I'm hoping sincerely that she will
"...(love) it and (seem) to get a new lease on life with all the social stimulation..."
And I do believe we all need the stress relief.

****************

So. I want Mom to get the most out of the time she has left.
I want Ron and myself to do the things we can do now before we lose our own opportunities.
I have agonized over this for a looong time and feel this is the right decision.
I'll never know if we don't try it.

The place we looked at is very, very nice.
Staff is qualified and friendly.
Residents interact and seem happy/content.
Lots of appropriate activities and amenities.

The owners are a married couple who wanted more than what they found for their own parents' care.
They tore down their own house on a beautiful piece of property and built this little village environment.
There is a large spring-fed pond, walking paths, and a peaceful environment.
The apartment we picked for her is good sized, faces the water and woods - and has a private balcony on the sunny side.
I would love it myself. Who wants to move in with me????

1/3 of the census is independent, 1/3 varying levels of dementia, and 1/3 needs higher levels of care. Sounds like a good mix.
The building is only about 10-15 years old and thoughtfully planned for the residents. Bright and cheery. No smells. Very clean.
Medical staff 24/7. etc, etc.
We gave them a deposit and they are hosting the 3 of us in their dining room for dinner and a tour for Mom.

I'm scared. I don't know how to do this. I want her to love it.

I want her to love it too, but know that it might take her a few days to settle in.....
You are doing the right thing.

Hugs and best wishes always Cee from tropical climes.

Thanks for saying so, Kath.
It will no doubt take time for me to feel comfortable with that.

We had a long talk with the owners today. They seemed 100% sincere and authenticly caring. They have had an excellent track record of residents settling in and never wanting to leave... even the stubborn ones who dug in their heels at first.
They sound accomodating and customize as much care as possible.

Thanks, Paul. You are very kind. really, u r

Claudia, I think you're doing a great job taking care of your Mom. It's a very hard row to hoe and you're covering all the bases very well. It's hard but you should feel good about how you've weighed all the options before choosing the best one for Mom. I wish you peace now and in the future because you've done what you could.

Cee, I wish you and your Mom the very best with this transition. I know it was a difficult decision that took a lot of thought, but it sounds like the right move for all of you. I hope she loves the place! It sounds so much nicer that many places that I've heard about. That track record of even the hard-sell clients settling in and not wanting to leave is a very, very, very good sign!

Claudia, the place you found for your Mom sounds wonderful, especially the part about the owners wanting to create the kind of living environment they wished they could have found for their own parents. My father was one of the "difficult" cases (in that he was very anti-social and not a nice person at times) and he ended up thriving in the place he moved to. Your Mom sounds very sweet and I'm sure she'll adapt and fit in well.

I'm scared. I don't know how to do this.

Claudia, I can totally relate to that comment but I think you're doing everything right. You've checked out different places, you obviously have a good feeling about the place you've chosen, and you've taken the time to make the decision with everyone's best interests at heart. It's a very stressful process to go through but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and hugely relieved at how well it all turns out.

Hi Cee, I see you got some sleep at least. Not much, but some. I was awake between 1am and 3.30am this morning...thinking of my LT friends and their lives. Amongst other things. Its a long night when you are just lying there! Good/bad time for thinking and over thinking.

The place you are visiting with your mum sounds great. The fact that the owners created it out of their need to see something better out there shows their hearts are in the right place. And Im sure you will see and know if things dont turn out as they seem. And can go ahead and open a can of whoop-ass on them if need be! :)

Cee ....my best wishes and prayers that everything continues to go well for you and your Mom. It is always so difficult to contemplate losing our independence because to so many of us that means losing our selves. I am thrilled you were able to find a place close by so your Mom shouldn't feel abandoned. We are crossing fingers and toes for everything to work out.

Oh Cee, sorry to see what you have been going through. I hope your mom likes her new place. Sometimes parents can be happier in assisted living that being lonely on their own. My dad passed away at 65, so I've only got my mom to be concerned about. However, she seems to an energetic 70 year old, and one of my sisters still lives in the family home.

My in-laws made the decision to go into assisted living on their own! Amazing really!

I think that you and your mom will do very well.

Thinking about you, Cee, I know it's hard. I hope your mom loves it and everyone enjoys the visit.

You are a wonderful, loving daughter, Cee! Remember that.

That's right, you are a wonderful daughter... and your mom would say so too.. now
and a year from now.. Sometimes the thing that is best for everyone is the hardest thing to do..
hugs

Wow. That helps!
All your wonderful sentiments and kind words are truly uplifting.
I'm hoping it won't be long before the world that has been upside down rights itself.

Bonnie, Terri, Pat, Megan, Tina, Deb, Joanne and Kath - Thank you all for offering your support. You have all said things that resonate and prop me up in my distress.

I know some might view this as a failure to embrace a needy mother and care for her at home. Sometimes I think that myself. It is very draining and we are losing our own strength to keep this up and maintain our own sanity.

I feel a grave responsibility in making decisions for her - as she herself would have done just a few years ago. This really isn't about physical care. It's about making the most of her abilities before she loses them all. I think 5 years ago, she would have totally agreed with this move.

Ron and I purposely picked our home and location for our retirement for its isolation and peace - which is contrary to her socialization needs. Perhaps in another 3-5 years things will look different. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

One day soon, I will get back to books. I promise... I think.
Don't mean to use this as a sounding board - but you have all become trusted friends and represent the input of the world.

So... last night I started A View of the Harbour by Eliz Taylor.
Chapter one - introduction of a mixed bag of characters.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day :-)

Cee - Just checking in on you today. I don't think you are failing to embrace your Mother - you are agonizing over a difficult decision which shows just how much you do care for her. Knowing and acknowledging your own limitations, and understanding her needs is paramount to finding a solution that works to everyone's benefit, including your Mother's. Life is a cycle and when you were young and needed your Mom to make difficult decisions for you, she probably agonized over them just as you are doing for her now. She's your Mom and so she wouldn't want you to run yourself into the ground trying to care for her, and there is no possible way that you could meet all of her needs - you are just one person. I am staggered by your honesty and your trust in sharing your thoughts and feelings with us.

My Dad just passed away this past September, but before he died we had to place him in a facility that could care for him properly because we just couldn't do it all at home, and he ended up being relieved because he didn't want us doing all that caring - he did not want to feel like a burden and he also didn't want us addressing some of his physical needs. He said if was just as draining for him as it was for us; he wanted his dignity he said. He could hire a nurse, but he couldn't hire a daughter. He did not want the two roles confused; he just wanted to be our Dad. And he was, the facility gave us back the freedom of just keeping each other company and being able to focus all of our time and energy on enjoying the time that he had left.

I've missed so much here Claudia, and am finally fully appraised. I completely agree with the first part of Mamie's comment above. It's completely understandable that you need to talk about this with a group of supportive friends who care about you. I think you're making the right decision for yourself, for your mom, for your marriage... I'm sure it's the best decision all around, though I can imagine how hard it must be for you right now. Sounds like you found a truly wonderful place where your mum will be well cared for and will probably thrive. And just as importantly, it'll take huge pressure and responsibility off your back so you can make sure that #1 is well taken care of too—YOU.

This topic always sends cold fear in me though, because I have no idea what will happen to my parents once they get too old/sick to care for themselves. There is no way I could live with my father without eventually trying to kill him, and living with my mom wouldn't really be an option either, not after having lived alone for the better part of my adult life, and me barely able to look after myself as it is. They're both broke now, none of us have savings... so yeah. Scary. *sigh*
Hopefully I won't be faced with any decision for a long time to come (knock on wood).

I'll be reading my first Elizabeth Taylor novel this month too, A Game of Hide and Seek. Look forward to that as I've been hearing so many good things about her this year.

I send you a big, BIG hug my dear. Hope you're getting the rest you need. xox

Cee: I can only echo what others have said so well. You are doing the best you can during this time. You need to trust yourself. Good luck; I hope everything goes well.

Hi Cee,
I hope you have been able to get some sleep last night :) Sleep is so rejuvenating. Seek it out whenever you can.
Hugs to yo (((((CEE)))))

Hi Claudia- There's not much advice I can give but I can send along as much support and hugs, as necessary. You tell me when to stop!

((((((HUGS)))))))))...First Wave...

We did it! We had "the big talk" ... and ...
Mom said "OK, sounds good!" huh? srsly?
And I think she meant it. She even seemed relieved! yup, relieved! I'm even thinking she is looking forward to this.

We are taking her for a tour and dinner in the dining room tomorrow evening. She will be able to choose which apartment she wants and meet the staff and a few residents. Am I dreaming? Is this really gonna work? Good heavens, I hope so!

Mamie - Your message (198) is perfect and just what I am ready to hear. I am close to tears with the truth of what you say and the huge relief for all of us.
Your Dad was very wise -
"He could hire a nurse, but he couldn't hire a daughter. He did not want the two roles confused..."
I believe this is exactly how Mom feels, too. I've tried so hard to maintain her dignity - but being a daughter makes it really hard.

Ilana - It is waaaaay too early for you to worry about your parents' end of life needs. You have plenty enough to worry about now re your own needs. I am only allowing myself to think about the next 3-4 years. Will make future decisions in the future.
Thanks for your support and hugs ;-) I think I will start getting much better sleep tonight. Geesh! I can sure use it.

Thanks, Beth. You are right and thanks for reminding me I need to trust myself.

Megan, I thank you for hanging out and holding me up with the others - I do need sleep - and NOW I'm gonna get it!
"Seek it out whenever you can. " Yes, M'am! You learn that real quick when you are a mother - right?

Mark - those are great hugs! Keep 'em coming ;-)
Smiling now....

I may have to repeat my pitch all over again tomorrow - but I must humble myself and admit,
I think Mom was waiting all this time for me to come to my senses!

Oh oh oh!!! So happy the talk went so much better than you expected. AWESOME! You'll be sleeping like a baby by now, no doubt.

Sleep tight and good luck with lunch tomorrow!

*closes the door gently and tiptoes out*

eta: sorry, dinner

Yes! That is great, what a relief for you Cee!
nighty night :)

Cee - I'm really glad to hear that you've find somewhere that sounds so nice for your mother and that it seems to be what she wants as well.

My own mother is 90 and at the moment lives completely independently but I do worry about what will happen if she is not able to carry on with this. We live over 200 miles away and while she likes to visit I know that she finds our house a bit hectic for long periods. My sister is abroad a lot of the time and has a large family of young grandchildren which keeps her busy when she is in this country. My mother is a person who very much likes her own company and would struggle to cope with any form of communal living. My sister and myself tried to persuade her to move into sheltered housing a few years ago - with her own apartment and complete independence but with someone on hand in case of problems - but she would not hear of it.

Cee - I don't stop in for a couple of days and.... this is momentous and good news Our culture is the way it is, for good or for ill, and it is not possible, given how isolated families and neighborhoods are, to give someone all the care they need - sounds as though you have found the right place for your ma. You are doing what you need to do - not only for yourself, but everyone. Brava!

So far so good...and so very right.
It won't be easy for either one of you, in the first days..
but it will be. And it will be good. This place sounds wonderful..
and you will finally have a chance to breathe... all good.

Hi All!

Ilana I did indeed sleep like a baby last night - only woke once in the middle of the night for necessaries. lol
Last night was much easier than I thought. It could have gone either way. Luckily she was in one of her better frames of mind and understood what I was saying and the future advantages. I just hope some of it stuck so I don't have to go through this whole thing again.

Megan - yes that would be CAPITAL R-E-L-I-E-F!!! Looking back on it I seem to have been way too worried - but this was a very hard and important step. I needed it to come out right. This was me making a life changing decision for Mom - and a huge test of the parent/child role reversal. I really didn't want to be in that position at all - didn't know if I could really do it.

Rhian, If (when the time comes), you find the right place for your Mom chances are it will all work out. I say this based on the track record of lots of places we checked out.
The place Mom is going (Sunnybrook Village - hate the name, but I'm getting used to it already) said they have only had one resident who dug in her heels and refused to even talk to her daughter for a couple months. But Sunnybrook won her over. It's such a lovely and family friendly place - and now that woman doesn't ever want to leave.
Good luck with your Mom. Everyone is different - perhaps she will never need to leave her home... I understand her independent feelings.

Thanks, Lucy. If we had a large extended family nearer to us, Mom had more outside stimulation, and we had more support I think things would be different. I'm just happy she has some money to make this option possible for her - at least for several years. I would much rather see her reap the benefit of her lifetime savings and enjoy what's left of her life than have it passed down. She worked hard and deserves that.

Kath, Right. "So far, so good." Can't say we are completely out of the woods yet, but I'm very positive and hopeful about it now. It won't be easy - there's a lot to do.
But it's going in the right direction :)

Oh Happy Day!

Cee - I cannot add anything meaningful to some of the lovely messages posted here by our pals except to say my thoughts are with you and your mum as you try to make sense of a slightly rearranged future together. x

Ditto for me, Cee. We have this kind of decision ahead of us for our dad, and I can sympathize about the difficulty of it. Sounds like a great place for her.

Thanks, Paul. Your presence is meaningful to me :)
"...slightly rearranged future together."
I like that.

Hi Joe, We were lucky to have such a great place available so close to home - really. It's a hard decision - but Im so v. glad I did it instead of continuing on as we were.
I lost a lot of "weight" last night - but I think it's all found due to my cookie celebration for lunch today - gak!

Wonderful news, Cee! I'm so very happy for you.

Hi Claudia!!! Just wanting to chime in a say, Hoping your mom's transiton goes well!!! Even though it's a hard decison to make, you've thought things through and you are doing what is best for all of you.

yay! glad everything is going better than you thought it would! Hope the good feelings stay!

I am just going to mosey around here and wait for good more good news..
I am so glad that you are on your way to some much deserved peach. And mom?
A whole new exciting way of life, friends nearby.. always something to do if she wants..
Yeah... good.

Cee - waiting to see how dinner went. Keeping my fingers crossed that you didn't have to repeat your pitch all over again. I'll check back...

Hi Terri, Tammy, Chelle, Kath, Mamie and Mark!

If anyone is interested in a few pictures:
Sunnybrook Village ~
www.sunnybrookvillage.com

Tour with the owners was informative - incl a peek at some entertainment going on (a live band playing old-time music).

Diner was good. We sat with a nice old couple who have been there 5 years... but other residents stopped by to chat too.
After dinner - Mom chose her apt overlooking Moose Pond and signed papers.
She'll be moving in sometime around the 15th. Wow!

So far, so good.

About ready to crash!

Cee - So happy that all went well! Hope you get a great night of sleep.

So, one bedroom? Efficiency??
The place looks beautiful...good security.
Contented residents. Good food?
live entertainment....all in all, it looks pretty darn great.

This all sounds wonderful for your Mom but also for you Cee. Such a relief! I know the feeling well. Eventually, the guilt will dissipate and you'll feel very good with it all.

Wow! How awesome. Apartment picked, papers signed, move in less than two weeks... BIG changes ahead! Congratulations. Obviously, this was the right choice at the right time.

I don't know if you're like me, but I tend to do ALL my worrying ahead of time, and it usually turns out that ALL the worrying I've done (or most of it) has been for naught. BUT. I'm convinced that had I not done all the worrying as preparation in the first place, then things couldn't possibly have turned out as well, when things go right. dayaknowwhadimean? ;-)

Sleep tight. bugs bite. don't' let 'em. and so on. xx

I love that area Cee, and I think that's exactly the kind of place I'd choose to live "when the going gets tough".....I'll suggest this to my kids who are always quick to point out that they will be the ones choosing my final earthly abode...

Seriously, I'm thrilled for you that you've found someplace that you're ALL happy with. Can't wait to hear how she settles in. Blessings on your whole family.

Very nice, Cee! You did good.

hmmm too much celebrating last night?
I know that I am here late, how about you?
Where are ya? Buying new jammies ?

Sleeping till noon?
* checks behind sofa*

Hi Mamie! I had an excellent night's sleep... I woke up a few times wondering if I did the right thing but fell asleep quickly. Thanks to my brain for pushing that worry aside for now :)

Kath - I'm starting to forget who I told what. So forgive me if I repeat anything.
She has a one bedroom ...assisted living care.
Food is good and they are extremely accommodating to all diets. There are young (high school, I'm guessing) waitresses and the cooks are in and out of the dining room checking on everyone. The dining room is beautiful and bright with pond views and configured in a charming manner (not a big square room - but sort of meandering with nooks).
I think so much of this has gone over her head, but I have faith in her ability to adjust with time, e.g.,
I said to her last night -
I'll have to give you a few of these plants to take with you
She said (surprised) -
Oh! I can have plants?
So - she has a lot to digest about this being an apartment with lots of opportunity for her to feel a sense of control.

Bonnie, You seem to be inside my head and heart. I still do feel waves of guilt - probably because I need to see how it all really works and get the assurance that will bring. And - I keep getting moments of excitement thinking about my own freedom and getting back my life.

Hi Ilana!
"...the right choice at the right time..."
It all happened so very fast after a year of slowly going through the process but we still have lots to do.
I half dread another move - but am strongly motivated about this one. Really - I'm nervous to say so - it couldn't have come together any better. Knock wood.
Yes, I too very much tend to try to get ALL my worrying done ahead of time - and for the same reason as you. You have to smooth the process when it actually comes about using pre-worry as a deflector to everything that could possibly go wrong. Even if much of the worrying seems unnecessary - it serves its purpose. So, yes. Iknowwhatchamean!

Thanks so much Tina. Ron and I looked at a lot of places and there are a lot, really. They differ quite a bit too. If anyone can't find the right place, they haven't looked enough. I really hope Mom finds this nearly perfect.

Joanne, I do feel like I have successfully come thru some "rite of passage". Still shaky, but feeling pretty darn good so far. Ron has been an enormous help and emotional support.

Hope everyone has a great beginning to a fun and relaxing weekend :)

I know I'm late here

but...i'm proud of you, and what you've done for your Mom. You should be thankful that there is a "good" place for her....and a place "for her"....if that makes any sense. Of course you'll feel some guilt, but I bet that will pass, as she gets used to her new surroundings

Not to seem cold...but I'm glad I never had to do any of this with my Dad...the opportunities here are very limited, and I would have had zero help from my brother....so there.

Step back, take deep breaths...life does go on, whether we like it or not

{{Hug}}

Yay! Jude still loves me! She came to my thread! :)

Thanks for your comments. I AM very thankful for the resources that are available. Not everyone gets choices - esp 1st choice.
I have had zero help from my sister. No surprise there. I think she is just relieved not to be involved - though I do keep her updated. She wants none of it.

"...life does go on..."
yes indeed - unless it doesn't

*just thought I would add a little wisdom there - lol*

Hugs back!!!

Is there a lovefest going on over here! Okay, I'm in! Nice day here. Partly sunny about 70. Hope you are enjoying your Friday. Do you have a book going?

Me, too -I'm in! So happy you are feeling better about things, Cee.

Sunnybrooke Village looks awesome. Sign me up! I have no qualms about retirement living after seeing how happy my dad was. Even my mother in a caring nursing home environment perked up.

Cee, I'm glad you found such a lovely place. Not only will your mother like living there, you will enjoy your visits. I know this is a difficult thing for you to do, but it is the right thing. Adding my hugs and best wishes for moving day.

Of course i still love you. silly C

Just because i'm not here every day, doesn't mean I don't think about you

Jeesh!

;-}

Cee I am REALLY happy for you and your mom!
You done good :)
there will be an adjustment period for all of you but it will be worth it :)

{{hug}}

Claudia, I'm so glad it's going more smoothly than you had feared! I'm very struck by your mom's reaction of "sounds good." Perhaps she is also aware of some of her needs that simply won't get met without this move ---- and perhaps she is really hearing your commitment to stay connected, to stay engaged, and to stay present in her life. There may yet be bumps along the way, but what a relief to have it start out relatively gracefully.

Oh, and: "One day soon, I will get back to books. I promise... I think.
Don't mean to use this as a sounding board - but you have all become trusted friends and represent the input of the world."
You'll get back to books when you get back to books and one thing I hope you know about us on this here LT, we're really good about supporting one another through the life that happens in between the books. :-)

Keep taking care of yourself, Cee. These are big transitions you're navigating.

Hugs Cee. I'm sure once your mom settles in, she'll start making friends and having a grand time. One of my grandaunts didn't want to have to go into a home, but unfortunately she was at the point where she really couldn't and shouldn't live on her own anymore and her son and daughter were all working with young children of their own, it was not ideal for her to live with either of them. But they did find a really nice home with her own private room and good staff who seemed to really care for their residents. Within 2 weeks, she made friends and was loving all the activities that were available to her. I remember going to visit her when we were up their way, and she said she wished she had known about this place because she would have sold her house and moved in years back. haha...

So I hope your mom has the same experience.

Cee - Sunnybrook looks delightful. Another week like mine and I'll PM you to try to reserve an extra spot there for yours truly...feel like I aged a year a day this week if that makes any sense. Anyway it is already Saturday here and I am chirpy again. Have a lovely weekend. x

Ohh Cee, I had a good look about at the care home that your mom is in, it looks just lovely! Spacious rooms, beautiful grounds. I think it should work out beautifully for your mom.

Seriously, it is beautiful! I am happy for you and mom that you found such a great place!
It strikes me that if our tome home was a reality, having a place exactly like Sunnybrook would be nice!

So.. What will you do for the weekend? I suspect you will have a very busy next week or so..
Hope all things go smoothly and that summer doesn't stop you in your tracks like it did us.
I miss having Spring :( Today is supposed to be a little better though..

Hi Mark, Mamie, Donna, Jude, Kara, Ellen, Caro, Paul, Deb, Kath - and lurkers!

I can see I will be super occupied with the imminent move. I will be here when I can - but I apologize up front for my distractions.

Mark - Of course I have a book going! Currently reading A View of the Harbour by Eliz Taylor and about to start something by Agatha Christie for your M&M month. Does that qualify? I'm pretty much looking for a murder, right?

Mamie - Thanks! I'll feel even better in about 2 weeks, I think.

Donna - I know, huh? Sign me up too! Just to have someone cook for me would be worth it :) Of course Mom is used to me doing it all now - but thankfully she is not fussy and I really think she will adapt with time and enjoy this place more.

Jude - Jeesh ;-) I hope you don't think about me too much! That would be boring... Give Kitteh a hug for me if you can catch him!

Kara - Thanks. Hugs help :)

Ellen - You are always perceptive, sensitive and wise. Everywhere. Thanks for your warmth and support. Always :)

Caro - I hope Mom will be open to meeting new friends. I know it is hard for her - she can't remember names very well... but I'm hoping that turns out not to matter too much when they are probably all struggling with old age impairments. Mom is fun-loving and the other residents will probably be understanding and forgiving... finding humor in the similarities.
On the other hand, if Mom wants quiet days it's her decision. Either way/both ways - it will be a nice environment for her.

Paul - I like chirpy! Glad you are feeling better. When you look longingly at a retirement home - I think that means you need a rest!!!

Deb - Actually there are some nice pictures on the website, but it really doesn't capture the real beauty and the caring you feel when you walk in. Even standing on the balcony the other day, we saw a mother duck and her little ducklings swimming across the pond. So reflective of the family feeling around there LOL. I'm just so impressed... hope we are not disappointed in any way.

Kath - Our date night tonight will probably be shopping and gathering stuff for Mom's apartment. We have a lot of stuff here she can take, but there are still some things we need to get her. And - since it is Cinco de Mayo - I'm thinking Mexican restaurant for supper!

Doesn't look like it will get HOT here quite yet. Still grey skies this AM but supposed to clear.

Wishing everyone a great weekend - whatever that means for you!

You know.. there will be other people there who don't remember names very well...
it will work out fine.. It sounds alike a great arrangement!

Have fun at dinner out! Kim invited me for tacos and nephlets. I am going, but
more for the nephlets.

I should go stay with your mom, Cee ..... I am horrible about remembering names too.

Hope you have a good weekend!

whatever that means for you!
Since you asked (hehe) it means
Movie, book buying (3 for $1!!), trip to the beach, and to the pool with little one in tow, yummy curry for dinner and a good laugh watching Are you Being Served reruns on dvd, and a good uninterrupted 30 minute read of The Bone People- yup, all good.

Hope yours is good for you too :)

Caro.. I am too.. but I am one of those horrid people who just look at you with a perplexed expression and say something like.. Sorry, but who are you?

stopping by and waving hi!

Hi Kath -
Oy! (as Jude would say)
Ron and I went out for our date tonight - and after some shopping - went to a restaurant.
(Unfortunately not Mexican tonight as Ron is trying to calm his poor nervous belly. )
Anywho - the first place we went was closed for a private wedding party.
The second place - as we were walking up to the door, Heidi (Mom's companion) came flying out the door and warned us they were having supper there. We had a good laugh and left - lol
Finally got in to eat at the third place...whew! what a night.

Thanks, Caro. Sounds like you are enjoying yours :)

So far, so good Megan! A lot less hectic than yours though. We bought a set of Are you Being Served dvds for Mom last Christmas. She loves that show! I love to hear her laughing.

Hi Linda! Hope you are feeling well. Need to go check your thread - any new puppy pics?

Off to bed - too much wine :}

Well.. here it is again. Morning. Oh Well..........

Glad to hear that you finally found some dinner!

Hope it is a good day for you :)

In our case, we can give Mom love, safety, and comfort. But we have nothing to fill her social, activity, play, and productive needs
I want Ron and myself to do the things we can do now before we lose our own opportunities.

Oh Cee, you've expressed your feelings so well!!!!! We felt much the same way about moving our mom's to senior living. In my mom's case, she would have loved to stay with us but she's met some lovely people who are now considered friends. She has "professional" wound care management everyday. And since she's not up to all the social doings right now because of pain she still has different stimulii everyday. She called the other day excited because there were ducklings on her patio. Nothing had gotten her excited at our house.
My MIL seems to have actually improved mentally since she's moved in.
In both cases they are in a caring and safe environment.
In our case, we can enjoy our son who will be out doing his own thing in a blink and like you said, we're not getting any younger and the healthy years don't last forever.

Have a wonderful Sunday, and know that you've made a wise decision all around :0)

Checked out the pix - you've found a marvelous place!

A Sunny Day!!!
Turkeys in the marsh - leaves on the trees starting to pop out a little - 50 degrees - light seabreeze :) Sweet.

Kath, yeah - these "date" nights are crazy. Doesn't really work well for us. Things will settle down soon (I hope).

Lynda, thanks for the words of experience and encouragement. That really helps my still unsettled mind and heart. I know it's the right thing to do - or at least give it a chance. I'm glad to hear it is working well for your moms.
I only wish you didn't need to do so much driving for those treatments. I imagine a new car will perk you up on that count ;-)

So - I dunno what today will bring quite yet... seems like a day to be outside. Gotta start a new thread soon.

Cyber hugs to all - - - -

Sunny day here too ... now, Cee. It was dark and threatening to rain this morning but thankfully the threat hasn't materialized. Nice to get some sun again.

I love that all the trees are leafing now, and some of our spring flowers are in full bloom, so the side of the house is pretty with early flowering bushes.

have a great day!