<p>It’s been quiet here - I assume everyone is busy! I know I am, I have one week left at my job and am cleaning/working/documenting like crazy, plus at home we are attempting to prepare for our upcoming move.</p>
<p>The latest news on boysx3 sounds encouraging.</p>
<p>I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! </p>
<p>I’m in scenic Miami airport on my way back home from Bogota. I’m missing family and friends Hillel Shabbat dinner. I will be able to make it to her pinning (?) for the nursing honors society in a few weeks. ShawSon still very anxious about the course he is not qualified for. ShawWife rehanging a piece that she did for the lobby of a major public building in Boston. She hung it once. They renovated the lobby and the architect actually consulted her on what the piece needed. I guess it is going up again now. I didn’t know they were moving so soon. She’s been working a new series that is quite different and she wasn’t sure it was going sell. Her gallery owner said he thought it would sell like crazy, especially to architects designing lobbies, and pushed her to have a show in December. She’s got another one the gallery of a iconic NE private HS. So no traveling until December. </p>
<p>Maybe in December I’ll take her someplace for her Bday. One time I took her on a long weekend in Paris. Another time Barcelona, though I think the weather was too nice for her Bday. She really liked those trips and also that airfare and hotels were all done on points. Any thoughts on where to go?</p>
<p>visited MIL in hospice today so sad, just curled up and sleeping.
Can someone pm boysx3 last name? I have a card to send her.
Yes the first code you are in really sobers you up.</p>
<p>Good going, c_q.</p>
<p>I don’t like those orange ladybugs either, oregon101 – they bite. </p>
<p>DTE, sorry about you mil.</p>
<p>Shaw, what is shawwife’s fav city? Barcelona would be my pick…but you are on the brink of rainier season. In Dec., I personally might be looking for a nice warm weather weekender…beach, good food, spa…but that’s the epicure in me speaking, exacerbated by first first and a 30-degree morning out chopping up a tree that fell and blocked my hiking trail on the hill today.</p>
<p>Then again if the hurricanes have finished, margaritas in key west with a bit of sailing would be a nice getaway too…if you like the carnival style jumble of key west 
I’m partial to it for short spells, so its a nice 4 day weekend for me.</p>
<p>Come to think of it, why am I not in the hottub right now? and what exactly would stop me from having a marguerite slushy in said hot tub? (answer = accumulated laundry, groceries, book re-editing, an hour ride on my new recumbent bike and hazy plans to go kayaking with friend up the road…;)</p>
<p>@kmcmom13, I’m not sure. Paris or Barcelona rank high. London because of the Anselm Kiefer show and her crazy malevolent aunt who is now suffering from a stroke as well and various assorted cousins from other aunts and uncles. We’ve never been to Key West – I took her to South Beach last March., which was OK but not amazing. I was also thinking about Tulum or Cozumel for pure relaxation. Easy to get to.</p>
<p>Before I forget, try to read the article in today’s NY Times, To Siri With Love. Siri is the BFF of the author’s autistic son. </p>
<p>That was a great essay, MP. He sounds like such a lovely kid, and what a smart mom. My sister would have adored having Siri available to answer Aspy nephew’s infinity of questions. </p>
<p>DTE – I’m sorry about your MIL. Does her hospice have a chaplain with whom you could speak? I found the one at dad’s hospice to be very, very comforting.</p>
<p>Shaw, the words “crazy, malevolent aunt” don’t go together with “romantic birthday getaway” ;)</p>
<p>-- Just sayin :)</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your MIL, dte.</p>
<p>MP- I enjoyed that essay… For all of the negative things about technology, sometimes we are reminded that it can be a be a life enhancer, too.</p>
<p>Good Monday morning everyone! It was 35 degrees when I went out for a run at 6:30, so I guess summer is really, truly, finally over here. BUT, we had a spectacular run of several days of warm weather last week. We had friends visiting on Fri & Sat and went sailing one day and played golf the other.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your MIL, dte. Not an easy time, for sure.</p>
<p>NMinn – LOVE that your D is playing on the company soccer team and is running circles around the guys! My first job after undergrad was with a company that had few women in managerial positions. I was hired as a “Management Trainee” at the HQ office on Long Island – so in an area with a high cost of living. About 3 years after I started, I discovered my starting salary had been below that of a guy hired at the same time as a Mgmt Trainee at a field office in Buffalo, NY – so a lower cost of living. And right before I left that company to go back to school for my MBA, the #2 guy at the company told me they didn’t like to hire women for senior positions because they “all just left to have babies or move when their husbands were transferred.” Of course this was back in the late 70s/early80s, but I still get pretty ticked thinking about it.</p>
<p>RM – sorry to hear about the crappy boss. Feel free to vent away here – that’s what friends are for!</p>
<p>Good luck with the packing/sorting/purging/gathering loose ends, c_q. Been there, done that. Somehow it all gets done, but it’s not necessarily fun when you’re in the middle of it. Exciting times, though.</p>
<p>I don’t know how people get hired in positions to be the crappy boss. It doesn’t seem to make good business sense to have unhappy employees. They leave, don’t produce, wont go the extra mile. Not that they should either. But if a positive team with mutual respect and appreciation is fostered, it is more productive (as well as ethical) I don’t see it where I work either.
My MIL is actively dying but honestly it is taking so long, it has been a year of stress. Her whole life she has been physically strong, high pain threshold. and now it is going on and on. If she had a quality of life, and could enjoy simple things it would be one thing, but she is restless, cant get comfortable. Not in obvious pain. But I feel she must ache all over, or feel like crap, (alzheimers) and cant relate this. she wants in bed, out of bed. etc…every ten minutes. It must be excrutiating, and it is so difficult to watch. I have no experience with this as In an ICU we withdraw support, and without that support they die. We facilitate a peaceful transition etc…In this case my SIL does not want her medicated as it makes her too sleepy, I think it would be better. I would rather be asleep than like that. Am I wrong?
It has always been up to me to be the voice of reason. I have to pull the strings from behind, (through my husband) to point out the obvious. They are well meaning but just don’t understand. I am feeling so sad and burdened. Honestly too this is hard for me with my health history. and all the people in my life dying recently. Everyone in my life (dad FIL ) died suddenly. thanks for listening. </p>
<p>So sorry to hear about your MIL. My mom was in hospice for only about 10 days but my MIL’s end was a long one as is your MIL’s and it is stressful . She was in hospice for about 13 months which is way beyond the more usual 6 months or less. She was just always very strong constitutionally despite the ravages of alzheimers. I wouldn’t see any reason to not give your MIL minimal meds if that would make her more comfortable. But you are in a tough position since you are the daughter in law and not the son or daughter. Good luck with this and take care of yourself.</p>
<p>My mom went back and forth between wanting more meds vs wanting to be alert. She tried in the AM to do with less and then the afternoon was more of a transition into night.</p>
<p>S’s interview is this Friday… Stressful week at work trying to get ahead from behind from having gone home for the other and into long weekend. In any event, we’re now considering going to NYC for Thanksgiving. Could be an interesting option. My sister is also hosting in SF, but I don’t think I am in a space mentally that lends itself to her perfectionism. :)</p>
<p>Yesterday was a surprise with sun because it was slated to actually rain with a slight possibility of snow! The weather changes so quickly here, but at the same time it does have a gray haze that I am not used to this time of year.</p>
<p>Modadunn, we can celebrate Thanksgiving together!</p>
<p>I vote for going to the nook with you Moda! Done with H’s family.
SIL is like that at TG, everyone eats, then everyone cleans up RIGHT AWAY, no relaxing. everything has to be so perfect, it is so stressful very controlling. Now she is doing that with her mother. She was very harsh with her mother t times, and her mom found more comfort with me. liked coming to our house for a break. I was there today and cmae home with a headache. </p>
<p>Back from my week at the lake. Had a wonderful time but have to admit I am tired. I love to entertain but I am finding I need more down time to relax after everyone leaves. It is the clean up that gets to me. (wiping up floors, re-cleaning bathrooms, washing sheets and towels and remaking beds, etc.) </p>
<p>Sending prayers for dte’s MIL. So sorry you are facing these sad problems.</p>
<p>Yikes! I haven’t started to think about Thanksgiving! I need to check with D2 and see what her schedule will be for the day. </p>
<p>H is feeling stronger everyday. He has his post op appointment this morning so I am hoping he hears good news! It is hard for him to take it easy. D1 and her H surprised us and raked and mowed the grass here at home while we were at the lake. Took 3 hours! H was relieved and happy that he didn’t have to worry about it. </p>
<p>Sending more interview mojo to Modason this week!</p>
<p>I am assuming it was d2 and husband who did the lawn, NMN - but appreciated for sure!! I am using shutterfly to finally put together an album of 2013 - the year of two graduations and a wedding. Seemed to be missing pics of D2 from her lacrosse stint however. Totally annoying as I thought they were also on an external hard drive and they aren’t there at all. BUMMER!! </p>
<p>Correct Moda!It was D2 and her H!!! </p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your MIL, DTE. Hard to think about, but I too would prefer to go quickly when it is time and especially not to have to be conscious while a) not lucid; and b) in continual pain. </p>
<p>ShawD spoke and welcomed all of the folks at the Friday night HIllel dinner very graciously. ShawWife said she was warm and clear and comfortable. This from the little girl who would hide behind our legs at parties because she was too shy to talk with them. ShawWife says ShawD may exceed her in social skills (a scary thought). </p>
<p>ShawSon is stressing and working very hard (up for 48 hours straight to finish his problem sets last week). He’s got midterms this week in two of his courses, including the one for which he didn’t have the prerequisite. He’s disappointed in his performance thus far and get this, he has a B+ going into the mid-term. OK. Well he didn’t have anything lower than an A- in college, but to take a hard grad course for which you are missing the prerequisite get a B+ should not be a problem in my books. I can tell that he’d be fine doing all this with a GF. But, he doesn’t have time to meet one and put in the energy to start a relationship. Not sure what to suggest here.</p>
<p>ShawWife proposed postponing her Bday trip until a little later and going someplace warm.</p>