Please excuse my absence! It’s not that I haven’t been thinking about you!! Truth is… my adult kids got me a mini-iPad for Mother’s Day and I’ve discovered been introduced to Instagram! I’m still learning, but, enjoy ‘playing’ with my new T O Y . woohoo!
The summer is racing by and I barely have time to catch my breath. So much has happened with little projects around the farmyard [down-sizing for efficiency survival]!! More on that later.
The barnyard menagerie is fine. Looking for good homes for my Shetland lambs and Oberhasli doeling. Several weeks ago, Katie got a German Shepherd puppy, Zeak. He has quickly taken over our lives and stolen our hearts!
Also, we [mostly my younger sister and I, even though we have three other siblings] have decided that it is time to sell my mom’s home. She’s 89-years-old and been more seriously ‘forgetful’. I don’t believe we can trust her to live alone for much longer. We’re discussing the possibilities of rotating live-in arrangements between us? Another life change…
Our local Armada Fair is quickly approaching and so is the whirlwind of activities/responsibilities as 4-H Goat [and Fiber Sheep] Superintendent!! One more ball to juggle… all in a day’s work!
Finally…
Matt, my post-graduate geologist, is currently working on a research project at Mt St Helens, Washington. He’ll be continuing his post-graduate work/education as a research assistant (actually ’employed’ by MSU since May) and graduate student at MSU next semester. Katie and Matt will actually be sharing an apartment! WOOT!
More on farmyard projects soon! I promise!
Sheepy Hollow Farm 
Thanks so much for the update. Had been missing you!
Sorry, I’ve been neglectful… I do love my ‘connection’ with my followers!!!
Please don’t forget to include your Mother in your discussions, no matter how forgetful she is becoming, or possibly unable to completely grasp situations; it doesn’t matter, include her anyway! (And be prepared for her to object to leaving her home.) Whatever you decide to do it won’t be easy, and there will always be someone who will criticize what you’ve done. Don’t worry about that either, but don’t be shocked if some pretty serious inter-family fighting develops.
Thanks for your well-wishes! My mom is very much ‘involved’ in daily activities. She’s lonely and is not eating well. She is very forgetful [aren’t we all?]. This is the first year she has not had a veggie garden, but, we didn’t want any excuses for her not to go ‘up north’ for visits with my sister. She left a pot on the stove – twice – and forgot! Yikes! It’s time to intervene on behalf of her welfare, I think.
I agree with chicagomuslima – bring your mom into the discussions, and brace yourself for when the other siblings catch wind. 🙂 We went through a similar situation with my mother-in-law several years ago. She suffered from Alzheimer’s, and lived with us until it was no longer possible to leave her home during the day. We then had to struggle with which of our limited options would work. We eventually went with assisted living, near three of her 4 daughters. That 4th one put up a huge stink, as did my MIL. It made a hard situation harder. Alternatively, my dad worked with his mom very hard and long to keep her living at home as long as possible (like, ten years!) and when he finally could not do it anymore, she also moved to assisted living, with much less fuss.
I’ve had my mom ‘visit’ for four days earlier this Spring when she had a swollen ankle!! She COMPLAINED the entire visit and INSISTED I take her home. I finally agreed, took her home and followed-up with a doctor appt – which she cancelled!!! I waited in the doctor’s office for three hours to ‘fit-us-in’. All ‘tests’ including an ultrasound indicated all was well. Go figure!
Well, some things aren’t found with medical tests. But you who know her, know what has changed. I am afraid you are in for a tough row if she is resistant to the idea. And it may be that you start the conversations now in a gentle way, and work toward the eventual outcome of she doesn’t live alone any more.