Birthday celebrations and pool

My dad and I went down to celebrate my oldest brother's birthday the other night. Even got in a couple of games of pool with him, although ended up winning both games. Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I should have let him win, but it is not exactly nice to just throw a game and besides, first one he scratched shooting at the eight, and the second one.. well... I probably would not have won that one, except with one ball each on the board he lined up on my ball and sank it by mistake instead of his. Oooops. I definitely miss getting to play pool and need to get a table for the basement. Thought I had one a couple of years ago, but could not get help getting it in out of the weather before it was destroyed. I'm thinking with all the wood working tools I have I might just try my hand at making my own one of these days. We'll see. Lots of other things I want to try to make before I try making a pool table.

New Heater Soon

According to the gal from the Alaska Community Development Corporation, we should be getting some help by February with installing a new heater in the house, which will be wonderful, because I am starting to get worn to a frazzle with having to watch over the fireplace 24/7 and only able to catnap for a few hours during the night.

We're looking at sometime over the next few weeks though, and she said that she does not see any issues that would make it take longer than to the end of January unless the heating people can't schedule getting out here in that time.

Sun is out - Cold day in Alaska

It is a lovely day out there today. The sun is shining. The snow looks lovely. There are small glimmers of sunlight refracting off the snow. And it is COLD.Until the sun moved around to the porch side of the house the temperature out on the porch was 13 degrees Fahrenheit and dropping. Now that the sun is on that side of the house, the thermometer is saying it is 16 and rising.

Inside... it is finally up to 69 degrees Fahrenheit in the living room where dad is. He's still cold, but it is a tolerable cold with blankets piled on him in his chair. The thermometer in the hallway, just around the corner from the fireplace, the reading is 65. I think over here where I am by the back door it is more like 63. I can at least take the sweater off, so I'm happy as long as dad stays warm. I don't even want to think of what it is in the back bedrooms with the doors closed. Think they're in the mid 50's or cooler.

I can't wait until we can get the heater fixed and the house can stay warm. I plan to start it at 72 degrees Fahrenheit, which is what dad needs to stay warm, and slowly back it down to where he can stay warm, but it is not kept so warm that the heater has to work hard to keep the house warm.

My dad's heart doctor says dad's doing good

Took my dad to see his heart doctor yesterday and the doctor was saying how most people that were married to someone for many years, as my parents had been, will often pass away within a few weeks or months of losing their spouse. The doctor said that dad was doing unbelievably good and that the doctor attributed that to me and how I take care of dad.

That got dad and his doctor into a long discussion on how I was dad's baby girl and how good I took care of dad and such. And I have to admit, there is a small bit of delight to be gleaned from listening to stuff like that, to have it said that all of the efforts to limit the smoking, to keep the care recipient comfortable and on a good diet while allowing them some of the things they like that I know are not exactly healthy is all actually working. That my ducking and trying to dodge out of the way of sudden bad moods is not in vain.

After we left the appointment dad and I was talking about it all and once again agreed that he is one day going to be the oldest living Korean War Veteran - or at least the oldest living WWII veteran. It's good to have goals to work toward. May all our soldiers have VERY long happy and healthy lives!

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I have a goal for 2010 to take a few minutes every day to quietly center myself and find a moment of calm in an effort to make sure I am ready for anything that I might have thrown at me this year.

I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful new year, and that 2010 is one of the best.

I'm looking forward to a new start and to 2010 being a good year for me.