So much to get caught up on.
Dixie continues to be brave and non-complaining as her health continues to nose-dive. It's like she levels out, figures out how to maintain avoiding Hospice in self-care and family-care, and then she plummets to a new low. Right now she needs someone there 24/7. She has 4 daughters, a magnificent neighbor that is a close friend, along with another dear friend since they were both 22 years old (Dixie is 75) plus a group of 4 friends that do lunch and me. She has an assortment beyond those but those are consistent friends. She also has a VT that is faithful and checks on her plus, you and I know, she also has a bevy of RS sisters at the ready, to help in other than 24/7 but that group is not on her list as she does not attend Church. It's family time as the main helpers and that is as it should be.
She feels a sense of urgency to get some details finished up. She has a white suit now and the lavender dress previously mentioned is out of the running for funeral attire. I picked up the pink nail polish she wanted and hoped it was the right color. It wasn't. But...she found putting two coats with another color was perfect for what she wanted. Women that were teens in the 50's are detail oriented and outfit coordinated right down to the minutest thing! (Loved that era and she has stayed true to that marvelous way of dressing. She was showing me a catalog that had a navy dress that we both thought gorgeous and she said...oh, white chalk would be perfect with this! I agreed. White chalk was a jewelry that all of our generation had in our little jewelry music boxes. Most nowadays wouldn't know what that means, if you say white chalk jewelry. Or if you say...that's a dilly...that's a doozy...what a pill...whoa nelly..that's a humdinger. we speak 50's when we are together!)
Off track. sorry. Anyhow she gave me a Dutch oven. A reddish one! 6 quarts. Plus she gave me her Kitchen Aid. The Dutch Oven is new because her old one was given to her by two of her friends and she keeps it out on her counter and wouldn't want them to think she gave it away. The Kitchen Aid is the end of an era in her life. well/often used for years. Cooking/baking days are over. She wants me to have something to think of her when I cook/bake. It was a sweet moment when she said good-bye to her kitchen friend! I will cherish it. I filled a freezer section with TV dinners for her. Others will bring her home-cooked plates on occasion and family etc. but she wanted to have something to microwave. Now she does.
Two years ago my friend, Myra Faye, passed away. The very end of her life she was so concerned about birthday cards for her family that weren't in readiness to mail. I helped her with those. I saw the same concern with Dixie on some recipes that 5 of her grandchildren wanted her to share. Especially a 13 year old boy who had his birthday yesterday. I remembered how heavy that weighed on Myra Faye and saw that same look on Dixie's face and feeling in her voice. So we tackled that project.
Between choosing, her poring over specific cookbooks, finding recipes taped inside cupboard doors etc., getting copies made at Staples, sorting, cutting, gluing etc....we got it done!! She had a blank sheet recipe book for the 13 year old and it turned out just as she wanted. plus she wrote a few out by hand and put notes on them. This boy loved her brownies and pleaded with her to share the recipe for them and cinnamon toast! She taped the cover of a Betty Crocker Brownie mix and told him that was her secret recipe. Cinnamon toast...toast/butter/sprinkle sugar and cinnamon! We both laughed at those recipes that he feels are so outstanding and only she has the recipe!
(her penmanship is still awesome as she does not use her computer or type at all so for a lifetime she has done cursive. mine?...typing fingers and physician Rx scribble penmanship!)
I was happy for her when the task was done. she was so relieved and satisfied and glad.
Anything you are procrastinating on doing for your family? I have letters to write to mine! One of her grandson's wants her to write a letter about what she has learned in life and what she feels is important. A daughter also requested a letter from her. Will that get done? I don't know.
I feel to do mine. I've had 5 copies of I Hope You Dance in book form along with the CD that is to accompany my letter. I just checked the copyright date, the year I purchased them. 2000! 16 years ago!!!! Yikes! feeling to do something and actually taking action and doing it are light years in distance. I don't seem to understand that idea!!
Going to have to show you pictures later (when I get help from son) Speaking of son...Did I tell you Greg came to visit? and our Grandson and his family? can't even remember!!
Time to get this rodeo going and round up the dust bunnies and use that Kitchen Aid and think of my Sissy.
so much more to say about Grace and what I'm learning but for now?....get busy working around here!
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