The last day of January...

Today has been a good day. Mama doesn't seem to have any after effects from last night's fall. The only sign is a rug burn on her upper lip. I know she is feeling better because she said that if she still felt okay she would like to go shopping tomorrow to get some slacks and cash a check.

John and Marie came by to visit for a while. They were here about 45 minutes. You can tell that Marie would really like to have "Here Boy" Sam but Mama has decided to keep him. I guess we'll call the vet and make an appointment to have him neutered and get his shots, etc. We also need to trim his nails. He's almost skating on the hardwood floors. Marie reminded Mama that she used to use a whistle to call the other Sam. Since I do most of the calling, I'll start using the whistle along with calling him and slowly get to where I just use the whistle. He loves to explore the woods at the back of the property. He's coming in with seeds, beggar lice, and stick-me-tights in his coat. He's also carrying in some gravel in his paws. The first week I was here I bought a carpet sweeper (the old fashioned kind that doesn't use electricity) and it has really come in handy. The handle keeps coming apart so I'll be getting some duct tape to seal up the seams.

Today I repaired the lamp shade that Mama fell into. I used some clear sealant and so far it has held up quite well.

I discovered that the Will and all the other papers have Mama's name spelled incorrectly. I will be checking with the lawyer's office about it. She said again that she would like me to take care of all the bills, etc. It makes her nervous and she said her hands don't work as well anymore.

I finally crashed on Friday. I had been pushing myself to get things cleaned out, sorted, and organized. I have gotten a lot done but Friday I realized I couldn't do any more for a while. I really missed John not being able to come for a visit this weekend and at first I just thought I was a little depressed about that. Then I realized that I wasn't depressed. I was exhausted! Friday, Saturday, and today I haven't done a whole lot. We've eaten but nothing got organized, sorted, or cleaned. There will be plenty of time for that as we go along. I'm feeling much better tonight so I think I gotten rested and can begin again. Much slower this time!

Mama really likes Reuben sandwiches! She ask me to make them for lunch today even though we had them for lunch yesterday. I think she was surprised how much she liked them. She actually ate the entire sandwich and some potato chips.

We tried making the butter cookies again. I really can't say I love them. I like how crunchy they are but the flavoring is very strong and there is very little sugar. In the end they actually taste a little bitter from the almond extract.

Mama tried to tell me about the family tree but kept getting mixed up. She was telling me how she and Etta laughing while they were trying to figure out their family relationship. I don't know if they ever did but Mama and I finally figured out that she and Etta Skaggs are 1/2 first cousins. I've never met Etta but she sounds like a lot of fun.

Sorry that this was such a hodge-podge. Good night!