Finished Caregiver Class

What a great surprise, at the end of our 6 weeks of a caregiver class we we all handed certificates!  It was a pleasant little surprise.  They also included a small note book to push us toward writing a journal.  I can not say enough good things about this class.  The class was free but surpassed my expectations.  The teachers were caring and understanding, able to relate to all of our concerns.  I have told others about it and hope that they will sign up when it is offered again.  The one really great thing about this class was sharing our problems and ups and downs.  Have you ever noticed that when you think you have it bad someone always has it worse.  As I am just coming into the caregiver roll I heard and learned a lot.  I am in the wilderness area right now where there are consent changes from day to day.  Wilderness was the right word, there are times I think I can hear the wild sounds, total chaos all around, like living in a zoo. Until that calms down this is where I will be.  Not so scary when you understand it. 

This is a class to teach the person who is taking care of someone they love to care first for themselves.  If I am not happy, rested, strong and able to do so, how can I care for someone else.  I see that all the little things you do for yourself help both of you.  I know when I miss a few nights sleep or am not feeling all that great I am frustrated with every little thing that happens.  My temper can be quick on those days, and although it is not always directed at my husband, I can sure make it sound like it.  They told us to make an action plan every week, like; I will read 1/2 hour, four times a week, or I will walk with the dog 1 hour 5 times a week.  It helps to motivate you, and we all need that little push.  I hope with winter coming I can practice what I have learned and care for me first, (sounds so odd to put one self before others) I know it is going to be a challenge but I am better prepared for it now.

Salsa is done!

Yesterday, Nov. 9th, I finished my last batch of salsa.  I have not seen my stove clean or my kitchen counters for a few weeks.  I didn't want to put everything away until I was all done.  This year I got my tomatoes very late, I think everyone else was done canning.  I had almost thought that this year there would be no salsa, but the person I get my tomatoes from called and said he had them ready.  He had a very late ripening time.  Our weather had been cold, hot, cold, and so on. Not the best kinda weather for tomatoes.
My recipe for salsa starts out with 35 cups of tomatoes, so when I say I made 3 batches, I mean big batches.  Last night when I heard the ping of the last jar, it was such a moment.  Done.  I even enjoyed cleaning my stove and counters.  I was happy about a job well done and that it was over.  I love getting my salsa out all winter long and I use it in everything.  When I make my homemade chicken soup I add a jar, chili, scrambled eggs, usually any soups I add some salsa to it.  It gives it a little extra zing.

I am happy it is over.  Enjoy your day

Stupid time change

I have not handled the time change very well.  First, I had to work Sunday morning and was very tired when I went to bed. I remembered to change the alarm clock but in the wrong direction, so instead of getting up at 7:30 I got up at 5:30.  NOT a good beginning to my day.  Of course I had to stay up then because I don't sleep well anyway and once I wake it is all over.  I thought Sunday night I would sleep great because I had been up since 5:30, but no.  Woke up off and on all night, ended up get up out of bed about a quater to 6.  I had my coffee, did the Facebook thing, fed the dog, walked the dog, started laundry. About that time the coffee must have kicked in because I called my neighbor to tell her to come over and have her coffee here. I wanted to talk to her about taking her Christmas card photo.  I had all these brilliant ideas that just came to me.  When I called I was surprised no one answered the phone, it went straight to the answering machine. I left a message to call me and about 10 minutes later the phone ring.  It was her wondering if everything was alright and what had happened.  I called her without looking at the time since I had been up for what seemed like hours I figured she had to be up to.  She was not.  I got to laughing and saying how sorry I was to wake her, ususally she is up before me.  I had no idea I called her before 7, and she thought something terrible must have happened.  So here she is on the phone listening to me go on and on asking her to come over and talk about the photo for Christmas, good neighbor that she is she just let me go on. 
She did come over and all those great ideas I thought I had I could tell as she is sipping her morning cup of coffee, she didn't think they were that great.  The look on her face as I scratch one idea after another off my list was priceless.  Maybe I should start keeping those GREAT ideas to myself from now on or at least wait till later in the day when I have had time to think it over. 
But isn't it nice to have a neighbor who will run right over and give you those looks.  You know you have a friend. 

proud dogmom

I was so proud of my dog Baxter the other day.  I took him with me to Freeport and had several short errands to do while there. One was stop and say hello to a friend.  While I was there I asked if I could use her for a training session with Bax, she said sure.  Also at her home where two grandchildren.  I have never taken Bax into someones home before and I thought this would be a good test for him.  I told them all that I would most likely  have to take him in and out a hundred times before he understood what he had to do especially with kids there. 

I went out and got Baxter, walked to their door and knocked. The granddaughter opened the door for us and stepped back.  I told Bax to sit on the carpet in front of the door and lo and behold HE DID.  I gave him the command to sit and stay.  I got so giddy I could hardly stand it.  I kept saying I can't believe he is doing it.  I remember once hearing Cesar the dog whisper say dog need to know what is expected of them. I went into this with that attitude, like here you are, a new place, just sit and look for a while.   I told the kids after about 10 or 15 minutes that I would release him from staying.  Baxter ran around looking and checking it all out.  He is such a chicken about things I was happy to see him checking out stuff.  His butt was wiggling harder than I have seen it for a while.  It still makes me laugh when I see him wiggle like that.  Being a Bulldog he has a little screw type of a tail. Not to good for wagging.  But the effort he puts into it is something to see.  There is no question that he is one happy dog.

I was so glad it went as well as it did and I hope to take him there again and see how visit number two goes.  We went to the dog park later when I was done with the errands and heading home.  He ran and played with the other dogs, got some petting from dog owners and was ready to go home.  Such a simple life, he always seems so happy.  Wiggling that little butt of his.  He makes us all happy.