Carmella's Hang Out

So we leave in less than a week now, and I have yet to write any of the lists I normally would have re-written three times by now. Not really sure why that is this time. It is not like I am NOT looking forward to this trip. I have not seen this side of my family in thirteen years. I am excited. It maybe the fact that so much has been happening and I have just been enjoying not having to do anything I didn’t really want to! I really love being around more, I know I have already said that before, but I felt it needed to be repeated.

I hope that I have not been a pain in the butt the past few days to my family. I have been on edge the past four days…..but not because of them. Not that I have been angry all the time or anything, like I said I really love being at home. I have just been having a few more ‘attacks’ of emotion where I had to remind myself that I am in control of my temper and really just myself. Had to pull myself out of a funk or two here.

I close tomorrow, so I should have some time to start on my lists then. Or, if I stay around here much longer tonight, I can start now.

Today, Mum and I went to help a neighbor clean out some closets in his house. We use to help his mother out when she was alive, but she passed away close to two years ago. He now lives in her old house and is himself in poor health. He has yet to get rid of any of her things and is just living in a house full of the late ladies belongings…..and many are they!! There was so much dust and who knows what else in there, that my lungs actually HURT pretty bad after we left there. It was nice to help him though. We have known his family since we were pretty young really, seeing as how she had lived here since ‘86 or ‘87 and we started shoveling her sidewalks shortly after we moved here in ‘91.

That job was a real answer to prayer for me. When I agreed to help out, I really did not even think it was a paying job. I just figured we were helping him out since he is unable to do little more than sit and concentrate on breathing. {Throat cancer took his voice box awhile ago, and his health has continued to go downhill since then. He can no longer breathe and stand at the sometime.} As we left though, he handed us money. The Lord really blessed me there, cause it was more than enough to help me with the rest of this week, and add more to my vacation fund!!! Thank you Lord!!

The bathroom in Grampa and Gramma’s house is getting closer to being finished now! Mum, Kade and I painted it on Saturday. I am glad that it will be finished soon, but I must admit that I have enjoyed the excuse to go over more. Even if Grampa does not remember that we have seen him four times in one month, I know I saw him, and that means allot to me. This week was even nicer, where he was concerned. Because we got there SO early in the morning, and they did not have any other company nor had for a few weeks,  he had not yet had the chance to get really, really tired. He may not have remembered my name, but he knew who I was. One of the last times I saw him, he did not even know that he had met me more than once. He thought I was someone he had met at my Aunts house. Even once I told him who’s daughter I was, it took him a long time before remembering I was, as he puts it, ‘One of his’. I don’t mind so much when he forgets my name. For one thing, many people who see me everyday cant get my name right. He has SOOO many grandkids to remember, and so many of us have red hair that of course it would be easy to mix us up. What bothers me is when he does not even know he knows me at all. I can see how much it bothers him too, so that also causes me to hurt for him. Anymore, I don’t expect him to ever call me by my real name. Sometimes I might be referred to as Missy or Rachel, as I have many times over the years. And that does not bother me. It is not so much that I NEED to be remembered or anything. Its just that, him remembering I belong to his family means he is doing better that day, and it is not as scary. Long as he looks over at me and says “Hello honey!! You going to give Grampa a hug??” then I know he remembers me enough!

My week looks something like this:

Tuesday: Work 4:30-9:30

Wednesday: Start packing. Nothing else much for that day I think.

Thursday: Work 4:30-9:30

Friday: Pay day. Will have to do last minute shopping and other last minute things I need to do for vacation.

Saturday: Gotta get up EARLY to get ready for a day at the Faire, cause we will want to be there way before opening to see the pre stuff and to get a great parking spot.

Sunday: Bible study and lunch with Chris. Leave for Canada at 5pm!!! WAHOO!