What day is it? I mean...my dawg. I have so not earned my $10 writing stipend this week. If I sit at the computer, it's attempting work while fielding phone calls and answering questions and running errands and and and. I just finished a twenty-minute call with Kevin, trying to get on the same page of Who Is Doing What over the weekend. It takes charts and graphs, and a laser pointer right now.
We are one month and two weeks into the hospice adventure. The estimate, if you will, was between one and two months duration. We had a little episode that made us think that we were closer to the one month timeline. Then surprise! Just kidding.
The parents house is mostly closed. As mentioned before: the kitchen and bathroom are torn apart. We're waiting on the repair estimate from the insurance so we're in limbo. I will become my internet namesake next week if there's no progress.
The lion's share of closing the house went to me and it's completely fair. Here's why: the sister-in-law is not only caring for the mother-in-law but now also the father-in-law. She has her hands full. That being said, she did help me pack up some of the kitchen because I didn't know what to do with most of it. Also, this was BEFORE the f-i-l decided he wasn't staying. As a result, some stuff was packed twice.
I boxed up the bedroom because I felt like that would be easier on me than anyone else. Also, can you imagine her sons packing up her clothes? She would be mortified. I was a little wrong but it went smoothly mostly. There was an initial moment where you get the whiff of perfume or spot a specific piece of clothing that took some breathing. Mostly, it was interesting to see what she had. Had vs. wore because she didn't wear most of the clothing she had. There were lots of prints and some animal patterns. Some grandma sweaters. Lots of pants and socks. LOTS.
Upon opening an upper cupboard, I burst out laughing. HOLIDAY sweaters. Sparkly thread, patterns, etc. Few of which she wore but if asked would deny it. And more socks. Scarves that she never wore.
The only Oh, Oh No thing that I found was a journal. It was in a bottom drawer, off to the side. I opened it, realized what it was, slammed it shut, then tucked in a box to come home with me. I "hid" it away until I got a moment to ask her. First, she thought there were two and now I'm searching my brain for where a second one could possibly be. Then she wasn't sure she wanted to see it. I offered to just burn it, unread. She considered it then asked if she could see it. WELL OF COURSE. I saw it today, sitting on her bedside table.
There was A LOT of WTF when I went through the bathroom stuff. SO MANY COMBS. Makeup...I have to mention: she bought makeup from second hand stores. Ooof. Lots of nail polish. SO MANY NAIL CLIPPERS. I recycled TEN bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and treatments. TEN. All I have to say is Clean Your Bathroom Cupboards!
A very long time ago I mentioned that nothing makes me clean closets and drawers like watching the hoarders show on television. I have been having to TAMP DOWN the OCD so much during this adventure. There have been moments where I felt like I was never going to be clean again.
As it stands, there is a big trailer full of junk and garbage in the driveway. I have made four trips to the second hand store with donations. I've spent HOURS sorting stuff and making sure that daughters, grandchildren, nieces, etc. get everything they want or that she wanted them to have. (those are two separate things)
Tomorrow will be the last, but like for real, packing. We didn't do the upper cabinets of the kitchen and both of us forgot about it. I'll do that tomorrow, with the plan that a cousin will take most of it. The food stuff (spices, coffee supplies) will go downstairs. The remainder will go to the second hand store.
The "problem" with this being finished is that the Task Mode will transition into Wait Mode. I kind of need that not to happen. So the universe reminded me that the house still needs to be CLEANED. Ugh. Be careful what you ask for.
On a happier note, she had a lot of outdoor plants, pretty things, and windchimes. None of which my sister-in-law wants. My plan is to play with those tomorrow on the one sunny day that we're going to have in the seven-day forecast.
Then my office is a mess with paperwork and boxes and effluvia that has accumulated during this process. I still have to put the photos in the albums and process all the sentimental letters, etc.
So, thankfully? there's still stuff to do. I mentioned to Kevin that it's the worst kind of whack-a-mole. We get one task completed and another, worse task arises.
I still have to finish the obit and print photos. The cemetery needs information, which is going to require a trip there. It's 45 minutes away. See? The fun is on a sliding scale.
No comments:
Post a Comment