What happened to August???

Dear Friends!

Blink and it’s September… already!! Much has happened since we ‘talked’ last.

Our local Armada Ag Fair occupied a good portion of my time before, during and after Fair Week. As the 4-H Goat and Fiber Sheep volunteer Superintendent, I was busy coming and going, but, mostly all went very well. We had one ‘Open’ goat family turned away due to suspicious health concerns – which is always difficult and heartbreaking, but, necessary for the health and welfare of other goat exhibitors!

Also during the month of August, one Friday evening [while enjoying our family traditional pizza and video night], I received an emergency call from the ambulance driver/attendees that my mom was discovered by a neighbor laying in her backyard unconscious!! YIKES!! That was a long night/morning. After spending several days in the hospital and a zillion tests, it was concluded that she was in fairly good health… most likely passed-out from hyperthermia/dehydration. Certainly, very serious for a woman almost 90 years old.

The family has concluded that mom may no longer live alone! Mary, my younger sister came to live with her [in the meantime] as we prepare to sell her house [a major undertaking to ‘connect’ to the City sewer and abandon her septic system]. Mary will be moving mom into her home in Traverse City… where she’ll be well-cared-for under a watchful eye.

Then, springboard into our next crisis… my MIL suffered a mini-stroke (mini???) leaving her unable to speak and use her right arm/hand. She’s also experiencing difficulty balance/walking and requires assistance to use the facilities. We have spent two weeks so far in the hospital (all the while Dennis has been working on a project in Ann Arbor, about 1-1/2 hour daily commute). Needless to say, we are like two ships that pass in the night. Now, more tests are required due to some recent developments. The test results indicate inoperable brain tumor. We are devastated.

Can’t get much worse, right? We receive news that my ‘big sister’ has died tragically. Depression is a real disease; an ugly monster!

 

My sister with baby goat this past May 2014.

 

 

Left to right: My sister, mom, me and Dennis on the farm, May 2014.

She is in the loving arms of our heavenly Father! ((If any ‘family’ reads this, please, no calls to my mom… my sister doesn’t think she can cope with the sad news.))

…and I’m missing my kids who are back at college, working hard!! Do me a favor and hug someone today (and every day), perhaps give them a kiss and a kind word! XXOO