Thursday #6 / 2-11-10

This week I just relaxed with grandma and only took two photos...of her kitty socks!


We ate breakfast, did a bunch of driving tests, and watched Little House on the Prairie.
She actually has been doing super well on the tests and she studies her notes all week. When she gets an answer right, she says, "well, I just don't know how I got that right, just lucky." And i say "no, you've been staring at the answers all week and subconsciously remembered it, that's great!" She also HATES "DOUBLE YELLOW LINE SOLID OR BROKEN STUFF!" Don't we all?! Does anyone actually know the facts on those or follow them correctly? Well, I suppose I will have them ingrained in my head soon enough and if I ever have to take the written DMV test I will by default be prepared!
So while we were almost finished taking the tests, Little House on the Prairie came on. She looked up from the computer and just started staring at it.
She said, "oh, my shows on. Whenever it comes on I stop whatever I'm doing and watch it."
I said, "ok, well, do you want to just finish this test, there's only 2 more questions and then we can watch it."
"Ya, that'll be fine," she said.
Then we watched two episodes and she got really into it and commented throughout the show like she was a character and it was all intense..."Oh, he's a crummy Doctor, a real dirty liar. That other Doctor better come back."
I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thursday #5 / 2-4-10

When I arrived this Thursday grandma was watching Golden Girls..too perfect.

She loves it!

I told her we were hitting the town to get breakfast..and where else would that be but..FARMER BOYS! Here is her getting her cute little bootie socks on and Queenie is telling Tinkerbell a secret, probably something like, "ok, now when she's gone, I get the bed!"

Me waiting for her while she gets a jacket from her room:

"Where do you guys think you're going, huh?":

Ope, this was on the table..looks like she's been studying!:

It was super bright while we were driving, so I offered her an extra pair of sunglasses I had. They were even missing a side arm..but they stayed in place. Here she is putting them on:

And they look good too! I might fix them for her!

Here's my sunglasses: flip-shades over my prescription glasses. I gotta see straight and don't want to squint:

Alright, straw time...


Got it this time!

While we were eating I do have to admit I felt a bit sad by a few of her comments. One was, "I bet you wish I wasn't here with you, so you could be here with your boyfriend or friends." I told her, "no, i don't. He is at work anyway, so i would actually be here by myself, and in that case I wouldn't be here at all and eating cereal at home. So, I am very happy to be here and here with you." And another being how what a "dumby" she thought she was now and that she use to be smart. Of course, I talked to her about it and tried to lift her self-esteem and spirit, but it still made me think about how fast life is and sunk my heart for a moment.

She ate it all...except for one slice of bacon...FOR QUEENIE! now I don't think I burned my bacon last time!
One for her, one for Queenie.

Just got home and happy! When she was first getting in the car she had her latte and said "does this car have any comb holders?" She meant cup-holders I'm sure; she was more forgettful this day I could tell. Also in the car, a piece of our conversation: she said, "what do you call Clarke (my boyfriend)?" I said, "I don't know, Clarkey, Clarko?" And a few minutes later, while referring to him she said "What time does Cook get off work?" New nicknames...i love it.


"Queenie...stop taking the bacon on the carpet or i'm gonna take it away from you baby!":

"No kitty, not for you.":

"Fine.":

Signing a card we were sending to cousin Emily...She wrote on the top part of the card first. To end her portion, she introduced my part saying something like "Alayna Albert will now be writing below." She asked me my last name because she said she forgot it. Once I told her, she said, "Oh, ya, you're still an Albert.":

And lastly, before I left she said, "Well, tell Cookie I said Hi!" Note to self: nickname #2 for Clarke! And they're only getting better!
Oh, and for fun, here's an old picture of my mom..ain't she pretty!

Coming Soon I promise!!!

There are 3 blog entries in the work right now!! Check back by tomorrow and I should have them done! YEAH!
love,
alayna

Thursday #4 / 1-28-10

Starting with breakfast as usual. I asked her what she felt like, she said "I don't know, eggs, I always like eggs!"

Coffee for two please!

Yep, feeding Queeny! She asked me if I like bacon and if I know how to cook it. This led to what was probably really going on in her mind and nicely confiding in me to tell me that usually everyone burns it and she doesn't like it, so instead she lets Queeny eat it. So I took the tip and didn't cook it for longer than I thought! But she still gave a piece to Queeny.

Next, we practiced the written driving sample tests online. It was all multiple choice. For those of you who don't know, she had her license taken away by a doctor after she had her stroke. This is an extremely sensitive issue to her, understandably. Driving is almost like her last straw of any kind of feeling of being independent. Her car in the garage even had to be un-wired so she would not take it out. I'm not clear on all the details, but I think the doctor had told her depending on how much she improved over the next year from the stroke, her license may or may not be given back--And she wants it back! All this to say, now her license is expired and if she is ever going to get it back, she has to start from the beginning now and take all the tests. While in reality it may be visible to some of us that she may not be capable of ever driving again, there is no harm in her studying, feeling like she is taking something on that she wants, and/or realizing for herself that she cannot remember or make sense of driving rules anymore and,perhaps, blaming others less for this . Thus, we are beginning to study together...

Check out those blingn' bedazzled reading glasses:

I started making studying notes for her on all the questions she has trouble with:

The animals napping while we study:

Oh and here is Tinkerbell with her Christmas gift from cousin Emily:

Grandma showed me Tinkerbell's favorite toy in the stocking:



"um, not interested Martha.."

"Here, here, Tinkerbell.."


"She loves it.."

There we go, we got a paw up..a little magician's wand paw:


"ok, Martha, let me have it.."



Then grandma said, "ok, i'll just rest the toy on her now and let her play with it."

"oh brother"

Thursday # 3 / 1-21-10

Alright! I'm two entries behind! And it's been on my mind to do it, so, I'm cozying up with my tea and getting started! I've got to try and blog immediately after I am with grandma so, not only will I not have built up Thursdays to write about, but I don't want to forget all the noteworthy little things she says that are fresh in my mind right after! I started school last week, my Aunt Sharon visited, and I've got a cold now! Oh, and as you know, it was my birthday, so the old age is slowing me down! hah! ya, right! Thanks everyone for all the dear birthday wishes too!
Anyway, we'll start with the third Thursday that was two weeks ago. It was this Thursday that I got behind on the blog because I actually traded to take care of her for night, not the morning like I usually do, when I still have the rest of the day to blog . I was in Long Beach the day before and as some of you may know, the weather that week in Southern California, Los Angeles County especially, was WET! And I am not complaining! It was super exciting! It seems like all our rain for the year usually always comes all at once, crammed into a few days! And you know we need it! Cars were under water in some parts of Long Beach and a few friends of mine had to be moved into different apartments in their complex's due to flooding! I did not feel super safe about driving Wednesday to Murrieta, especially in the dark. So, I switched with Katy to be sure grandma had someone with her.
Next to Wilson High School in Long Beach:

Some buildings on my school campus (CSULB) were closed:

OK..so, here's the goods:
It was my first time making her dinner and I wasn't sure exactly what she had in her fridge, plus, I was hungry myself so, I picked up a few things to make a pretty yummy, healthy dinner I would normally make for me.
She was very excited and intrigued by everything I brought. If I know anything about the things she normally eats, I would dare to say her diet does not consist of very many fresh vegetables or meals made from scratch. I may be wrong, but that's the feeling I get from looking in her freezer (and if she eats the way others do in my family-(mom)-then she eats microwave, pre-made everything and "I can't believe it's not butter" spray).
It was her idea to take the photos of us prepping the meal:





Our starter salads while we wait for everything else to finish cooking!:


Getting ready to chow down! But have to do the traditional photo shots of the table lay out first!:


Where's that smile grandma? haha! She is always straight face in the first picture til' I tell her "cheese! or "picture!"


Yep, Queeny the dog is creepn' on our dinner! She knows that little plate is hers that's why! Grandma always grabs a little plate every meal, sets it next to her plate, and finely chops some of whatever the meat is from her meal for Queeny! Grandma does not even cut her own food! She was eating the asparagus like finger food! Now, I loved that she did that, but this woman bought me hardback books on manners and etiquette for Christmas when I was little! haha! I guess she has gotten wiser with the years! Life's too short to spend cutting your food or caring what people think; eat how you need to! :)

"mmm..eat your chicken Queeny!"


Grandma's favorite drink: This Mango Juice! She encourages me to drink some too whenever I pour her a glass..and it is tasty:

And out of my label looking curiosity, I found out this isn't actually juice! It's 15% juice?! And they get away with calling it juice? More like Orange Cool-aid is actually Martha's favorite drink:

Ope, and a surprise visit from my mom after she got off work! Here she is nibbling on our leftovers:

Look at these pretty women:

And watching t.v. for a minute of course on her way to the bedroom:


And before I left she put on the Christmas tree lights for me. I told her it was pretty and she said "you think so? you like it?" and she smiled and left it on: