Mona Lisa

800 million years ago, when leathery wings smote the sky, I bought this completed Mona Lisa embroidery somewhere (flea market? estate sale?). I never did anything with it.

And then on my Buy Nothing Facebook group someone recently mentioned that they were looking for someone to finish an embroidery piece. Someone else piped up that if nobody on the group could do it that there were people on Etsy who could.

The stars aligned, I found a vendor who could take this on as a project, and the completed pillow arrived a few weeks ago. I could not be happier.

My home office keeps getting better.

Holidaze 2020

Every year mrguy and I hold down the fort for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and the mama's birthday, making sure that it all happens for Mom.

This year will be different because of the pandemic. 

Thanksgiving itself was a trial, and we got through it. That's the short version.

My oldest sis started worrying about the holidays a few months ago. Then I did, and started seeing a counselor who deals with families of elders, so I could figure out how to talk about Mom caregiving and holiday stuff with my middle sister.

I could offer more detail, here, but that would be frustrating for all. Suffice to say that the pandemic will continue, I feel like our caregivers could use days off, and I do not want to risk my own life to give it to them. In May I reached out to my sister said that caring for Mom more than we care for our own lives and happiness seems unfair and (among other things) I suggested adding a caregiver to give days off to the others. The email was brushed off, and when it came time for the holidays I was asked if I could pitch in. When I reminded her of the unanswered email of 6 months ago, and suggested that we talk to a mediator to help us through the conversation before I agreed -- well there was anger and accusations and this is one of the reasons why I don't have much of a relationship with the person who used to be the center of my belief system.

My sister asked the caregivers to work the holidays. Eventually she agreed to an additional caregiver. I will now find one. And the counseling will happen (at least once) on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving came and went. Mrguy and I made an entire turkey dinner (plus one for our caregiver to take home to her husband). Brought it to the mama, and the next day when I went to see her she said "Will we be together for Thanksgiving?" I reminded her that it was yesterday and we'd made her dinner. Oh well! Caregiver and her husband really appreciated the dinner, and that made me happy.

The good news about her forgetfulness is that she doesn't know the difference between my car and hers. Her car is gone -- I gave it to charity (and did not tell her), so I'm glad that my car fills that need for her. However as we sat on a bench outside her building the other day talking about Thanksgiving, she looked at my license plate and got an angry look on her face. Then she said "When were you going to tell me?" I thought my goose was cooked, and that she figured out I've been pretending my car was hers. Nope, she noticed the scrapes in my front bumper and was mad that I put them there. I ended up apologizing for not taking better care of her car. You gotta laugh.

OMG.

2020 Coronavirus Charlie Brown Tree(tm)

I decided to get artificial trees for Mom and I this year. 

As I was writing this I started describing all of the reasons why an artificial tree was necessary. I'm not allowed to come into Mom's apartment and set up the tree. The caregivers would have to do the setup and lights themselves...that kind of thing. As I was making excuses I realized that I actually feel deeply guilty about the tree. I feel most guilty about not wanting to take the risk of going into Home Depot to buy a real one. And because it will not be easy but easier to do it this way.

I got an artificial tree that looks "normal" for the mama, and a super Charlie Brown-ish artificial tree for us. We'll try it out this year and if she likes it, I will get her a better looking one next Christmas when she's almost 95. 

The Charlie Brown tree came a few days ago and I put it together. It's hilarious -- basically wire, brown electrical tape, green sprizzles, red "berries" and lights. I had planned to decorate it with only my most precious ornaments and the box of BABBO. But then something wonderful happened: an online estate sale that had vintage ornaments that look just like the COVID-19 virus.

Here, in all of its glory, is The 2020 Coronavirus Charlie Brown Tree(tm). I'm actually in love with it.

We'll see how Mom's goes next week.

My New Slide Viewer

This week one of the local estate sale guys had an online sale. I bought two things: some Christmas ornaments and a slide viewer that also works as a projector. This purchase is primarily for work, because viewing slides is a challenge. I have one of those slide viewers where you need to press down on the slide in order to engage the light, so one hand is always occupied. This new acquisition is a *little* bit better. It came with many slides of airplanes and airplane shows, some wedding photos, some sailing photos and the photographer was really into dahlias, so photos of dahlias. I took photos of the slides I liked, while the slide viewer was in my lap, so you get a little dining room, pajama and chair action.

Mary's wedding.

And for contrast, a wedding that took place a few years later:

The man of the home:

The lady of the home:

Dahlias:

Dahlias and arm:

And some cars:

At some point I will wipe the inside and outside of this contraption with alcohol and take it to work. 

When work ever happens at work again.