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Picture This!!

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Comments

  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Adorable!!! I am glad the zoo I visit is small. Otherwise I would be camping out!!

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184

    with my neuropathy I can only walk so many steps, so I have to limit myself.

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  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    Hi ladies,

    I hope everyone had a good holiday. I am at my mom's for a three week stent. We are having a nurse come in on Tuesday for a home health care assessment and will be getting some cleaning services and laundry for sure. My mom initially was NOT happy with me but I think has had time to wrap her brain around the idea. I ended up getting sick before Christmas but bounced back pretty quickly for me.

    Loving the zoo pics. Love the lama (I think) and the pandas. So cute. No time for pics yet. I did get some sunset pics but that is about it.

  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Nancy, I am glad you are feeling better and that things are getting organized for your mom. My stepfather in Wales is nearly 86 and has a bad heart. The social services over there are pretty good although he likes to avoid them as much as possible. They did however take a look around his house which is fortunately all on one level and installed rails in the bathroom and got him a chair that is easy to get in and out of with his arthritis, and all at no cost to him which was nice.I am sure they would do more if he would let them!

    I think he is a llama, I thought alpaca at first but they have a rounder face (I think). Not sure what this other fellow is but they sure looked like the odd couple together, such gentle creatures.

    I keep trying to think of a caption for this like "Blonds have all the fun" or something LOL

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  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    Lizzysmom, What an adorable pic. The dark one looks somewhat like a goat but I have never seen a goat that color. The llama has such big cute eyes. I want to reach out and pet them they are so cute. I am glad your stepfather is getting some assistance. That must be hard being so many miles away. Do you ever get to see him now that you are in the States?

  • gardengumby
    gardengumby Member Posts: 4,860

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  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184

    Love them GG where were they taken?

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184
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    all from my neighbors yard

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184

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  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    GG, beautiful pictures. I would love to be on the beach near the palm trees about now! Thanks for sharing.

    Lisa, Love the roses. Gives me hope that before you know it they will be blooming here again. Love your Christmas collage. Hope you had a good Christmas.


     

  • gardengumby
    gardengumby Member Posts: 4,860

    kona (big island) in November. Things got a little dicey for awhile when we got back.. Found I'm fairly badly anemic. (Low iron). And had pulmonary embolisms so we got pretty stressed and Ihadnt even put the pics on the PC until yesterday.... Good news today though... Scans show no evidence of cancer.

  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    GG Hope you can get your iron levels back up. Congrats on NO cancer. Music to your ears I'm sure.

  • gardengumby
    gardengumby Member Posts: 4,860

    yeah - I was stressing big time until I got the call today.  Still something wrong because of the iron issue - but anything other than cancer just feels like small potatoes.  :)

    Lisa - GORGEOUS roses.  Are those blooming now?  I wish I lived somewhere like that....  San Diego has always been one of our favorite places, though.  I envy you.  :)

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184

    In about a week the roses will be cut back...only to bloom again in March..

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  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Love those roses Lisa, especially the peachy pink ones.

    I had sad news yesterday. My stepfather in Wales died. I have known him since I was 16 and could not have wished for a better stepfather He has no close family just a young lady who he is like an honorary grandpa to her and her kids and she is helping. Its kind of overwhelming as there is going to be so much to sort out and I will have to make a trip but there is not much I can do until things open up over there after New Years. DH tried ringing his lawyer today but there was no answer and the hospital needs to decide if they want a postmortem so will find out more next week as they will not give me info directly, only through the young lady who is down as his next of kin as she is local. Everything pretty much shuts down in the UK between Christmas and New Year but I don't know whether I am coming or going. I just want to sleep.

  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    Lizzysmom

    I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how hard that would be for you all these miles away trying to figure things out. Praying that you can get a flight over there to take care of the necessary things that need to be done. I will be praying for you, friend.

    Love,

    Nancy

  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 4,027

    I am so sorry for your loss too, Lizzysmom. It is very hard when everything is closed during the Holidays. I lost my Dad on New Years Day '94, so we are remembering my Dad right now, as it is early New Years Day. here in Australia.

    I wish you all the best and hope you get a flight and can be on your way soon, to arrange things. Thinking of you at this sad time.


  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Thank you so much ladies. I think it will be next week before anything happens. DH tried the lawyers but their phone was just ringing so just trying to take it easy before things get crazy next week.

  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    Lizzysmom, that has to be so frustrating to not be able to get through to the lawyer. It is hard enough to balance work and family and all when there is a death in the family but when it is overseas that has to be so difficult. I sure hope you can get travel arrangements like you want and that the weather will be cooperative. Thinking of you during this difficult time.

  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    I visited this nature center in my mom's town. My sister is always talking about walking the trails so I took my bird camera along thinking I might get some good pics. Well no birds but some interesting things along the trail. It was sort of a bleak looking day as the sun was going down but it was good to get outside and get some exercise and take some pics.

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    I hope 2015 is a great year for everyone.

  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Nancy, that is such a cute little squirrel!

    In Europe things pretty much shut down for a couple of weeks during the holidays at least that was the case when I lived there nearly 20 years ago so I expect things will get moving next week. DH was checking flights but we cant really do anything until we get more info on when the hospital may release him.

  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912


    Lizzysmom, praying that all the details work out for your flight. I know you have  lots to do and a lot on your mind. I just hope there will be no hitches in getting a flight that you need and working out all of the things you need to do once you get there. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this most difficult time.

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184

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  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Ladies, thank you for your concern after my stepfather died. It has been tough and I feel like I am being mean but I have decided not to go over to the UK. It would be 16 hours plus to get to where he lived in Wales including me have to get a rental car (driving on the other side of the road) and I have just do not feel well enough and everything is a real mess. I just started feeling totally overwhelmed and needed an Ativan just to get out of bed. I only work part time now as I needed to reduce stress a while back. I feel safe lying in bed with my computer. NOT GOOD!!

    He left a lot of debt so his attorney has been tearing his hair out too. It took him a while just to get a death certificate and then the insurance company that he supposedly had the policy for his funeral with does not answer the lawyers phone calls. Still no idea therefore when a funeral may be. We don't even know if he had a reverse mortgage so I am paying the attorney for what he has done so far, and will pay for his funeral and get his side of the headstone engraved. I am wiring attorney some money, hopefully tomorrow to start, and then more later in the week once DH and I can move some about as I think attorney is pretty annoyed as he is the executor and there will be a whole lot more before we are done. I may have to walk away from it at some point as long as his funeral is OK as I know my stepfather would not care about anything so long as his dog is OK (which she is) and I could not care less about any money from the estate but there may not be anything to pay attorney fees.. Its just that at some point I will have to stop paying the attorney if it drags on so its all a worry at present.

    I would love to go to the house just to get some sentimental things, photos of my mom and him, Mom as a young girl, drawings and a little painting I did, a poem that Mom had published and framed also a manuscript Mom wrote for a novel that never got published years ago but its not going to happen at least any time soon.I have a few photos but it makes me sad as I am not sure if I will ever see any others. Maybe somebody can send me some things that are in plain view before the house gets emptied.

    At least I have to smile as stepdad did something that I would totally support him for. He lived modestly but he had his house, his car, was usually well enough to drive it until he passed and he died broke from what I can tell.

    A strange thing was he sent me a homemade calendar at Christmas. He was a retired printer and the picture on it was an engraving of the church where he will be buried.

  • bandwoman1234
    bandwoman1234 Member Posts: 5,912

    Hi Lizzysmom,

    I am so sorry for your loss and then add all the financial ramifications and you not feeling well you have a ton on your plate. I have been praying for you. It is a tougher situation than I thought. I am so sorry that you may not be able to get to the keepsakes that would mean so much to you. Is there anyone else that you know of that could possibly send them to you? You mentioned this family that sort of adopted your stepfather as their grandpa. Do you have anyway to contact them. I sure hope that something works out for you so you can have some things both of your mother and your stepfather. I sure hope that the life insurance people respond to phone calls so you can get a break financially. I am so sorry that you have to go through this. Sending you positive thoughts and prayers.

    Nancy

  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 4,027

    Hey Lizzysmom, don't give yourself a hard time, you have a lot on your plate and now the financial uncertainty of the winding up of the estate. No one would blame you, for making the decision not to go all that way. I,like bandwoman would hope you can have some of the sentimental keepsakes sent to you, too.

    I hope this doesn't drag on too long for you, take care, thinking of you.


  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Nancy and Ariom. Thank you both so much. Moral support means a lot! I am thinking once the attorney has gotten some funds from me he may be better about getting things organized and moving along. Hope so! He is in his 70s himself so he is getting stressed out too.

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184

    lyz..sounds like you have things under control and that is a good thing.

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  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 285

    Thank you Lisa, Love the gull! This morning was kind of frustrating. It took me 2 hours to transfer the first payment, not as much as he would like, to the attorney. but I got logged off in the middle of the transfer and the line to the attorney is not so good, and I had to keep asking him to give the correct info that I was specifically asking for and only that info (no rambling). I asked him his details again after it had logged me off and then tried again after hanging up. It appeared to work but I am paranoid that the numbers he gave me the last time were correct and it has not gone to the wrong place. Time will tell!!

  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 4,027

    Technology! don't you just hate that, when it drops out, or it logs you out! I hope it went through for you Lizzysmom.

    Lovely shot of the Gull Lisa! Very different to the ones we have here.

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