Thank goodness it's hump day!

That's what we always called Wednesday when the kids where in school--halfway to the weekend. I think a weekend might be nice, this week has been a mess. On Sunday, we had water dripping in the basement so a call to the plumber on Monday gave me the news that I needed a new toilet as this one was broken (as in cracked apart and not repairable.) Today when I attempted to turn on the lamps in the living room-----nothing. With further research I don't have power on two walls in the living room/kitchen and the same two walls in the basement. Tomorrow will bring a call to the electrician. I just didn't need any thing more to do, I can't get everything done as it is! I do have the paint on the walls of my room and most of the clean up done to move back in, I can't wait. I also got the truck licensed for another two years. I've gotten through a lot of the paper work, well at least what has arrived and have only a couple of phone calls to make. The finances are nearly in order so I guess I've been making progress. I am feeling much better, this cold has really taken it's sweet time leaving. Of course, the coughing will go on for a while as it always takes the asthma longer to say goodbye. Think I'll go down and bring up some hand work to do while I watch tv, might even bring up the chair that goes in my room!

Cat Saturday

Every time I take the boy's car seats out of the car and set them in the house a cat immediately finds them the most comfortable seat in the house! In this case both cats! How can that be comfortable? That's Mika on the bottom and Simba (the giant dog wanna be) on top. They stayed this way quite a while too. Who can figure cats?

I am feeling some better, it's been a see-saw this week of one day up and one day down. The last two nights I've not been forced to take meds in the night and that helps. This morning I painted the ceiling in my room. Tomorrow I'm hoping for walls as I bought the paint yesterday. I am really tired of living in a disaster area! Hoping to be moved back in by the middle of next week. It won't be finished but I can do the rest while I inhabit that room. Unfortunately, that isn't the only room I need to paint! The stitching area gets finished before I begin any more painting. I need to have something organized and right now nothing is. I'm feeling scattered and braindead and it must stop! On that note, I'm going to have lunch and then work at my desk--mountains of paper work to do there, as well as a good many other things. I really would like to sew with out guilt!

September Sunday

I'm back home from camping with the kids the past weekend. We celebrated the September birthdays (mine on the 14th and Scott's on the 20th--that's today!) I had a very nice haul of gifts, a UMKC sweater from Rob and Tanya along with a garden stone sporting my favorite black and gold M for my MU Tigers, some new CD's from Beth and clan-she teased me as these have been on my wish list for seven years! Scott and Bri had found some lovely glass balls to add to my collection in the kitchen window. Earlier the California kids had given me hand-held lemon and lime juicers as I'd been looking for them quite a while. So I consider myself quite lucky. I was a slug all weekend! The grandboys shared their cold with me so I wasn't feeling tip-top but the weather was perfect for being outside so I mostly sat outside and did nothing! Rob and Tanya brought their telescope down on Saturday and it cleared up enough for us to see something (not sure what but there were plenty of stars above Arrowrock!) I took the trailer out alone for the first and last time as it needed to have the tanks emptied. I had thought I might keep it but the reality is that I can't manage it alone and it really isn't that much fun for the expense. I have three goals for this week: finish painting my room, finish notifications (and paperwork as available), and clean the trailer inside and out. Perhaps I'll even do some stitching, that would be nice!

Paint and paper work.

I don't know which is harder when painting, getting up and down off the ladder and stretching my 5'3" bones to reach the high spots or crawling around practically standing on my head to get the trim along the floor! It's a puzzler. I began painting the trim in my room today, one coat of primer down. Tomorrow it will be one coat of paint down. Someday I'll have all the trim painted, then I can paint the ceiling and walls, add a closet organizer and new closet doors and move back into my room. Sadly, I don't think that will be soon. So this morning I painted and this afternoon I began the rounds of people who need notified for many and varied reasons. I went to the bank, Edward Jones and State Farm Insurance. The bank accounts etc are no longer joint, the Edward Jones is being closed, the insurance changed and the name on the car payment etc. One surprising thing, we had purchased credit life on the van. This is a thing we never do and that we both had forgotten about but now the van is paid off. I was going to sell it and keep the truck because it had lower payments but I may change my mind now. The appeal of a car without payments is pretty strong. I do have to keep the truck until I sell the trailer though so I'll have time to make up my mind. It was hard to do all this, made it all seem new and somehow more real. Tonight, I think I'll just watch TV.

Friday

I spent today, or most of it, digging through the finances. This has never been something I've done happily so Larry (the accountant) took care of it. He showed me how he did it once but there were still alot of questions that went unanswered. I needed to develop my own system and sort everything. I also had to dig through the piles of stuff on my desk, and throughout my house to find everything. Tomorrow, I can balance the checkbook and pay bills. I also sorted out all the paper involving the many institutions I need to notify, urg, so when the death certificates come I can finish with the business of death. The house is a wreck, a total and complete wreck. I've decided that one function a day is all I can manage right now but I think that I will get better. Things are back to the "New Normal" in the house (except for the mess, that's not any normal) all the children have gone home, Rob's back to school and Tanya to work and we are all sleeping better. Every day has moments of sorrow but laughs too. The dogs and cats keep me company and staying busy helps. We've had support from so many people and we can't thank them enough. After I pay bills tomorrow, I plan to work outside (if it isn't raining), get the recycling to the school, and sort more of the fabric I took out before I had hand surgery. Getting that taken care of will allow us to walk through the basement! When I get it all ordered I'll post before and after photos.

This morning my brother, Bobby, brought this home. It's the bench Larry made for me and never saw finished. Bobby did a wonderful job on the finish. I admit I shed a few tears. This bench will always be special and is very comfy.

New Additions at my house!

On Tuesday came this beautiful Waterford crystal bowl in the "Irish Lace" pattern! It is so beautiful, the photo doesn't really do it justice. Scott and Bri sent it to me from Ireland (on their honeymoon) and I love it! I must say the folks at Waterford really know how to wrap a bowl, nine lengths of bubble wrap! Now to find the perfect place for it, Hummm.

And now we begin anew.

The last of the services for Larry were held this morning and we have finished with the ritual of death. I am pleased with the services we chose, I think everyone else was as well. I will miss him everyday for the rest of my life. I will also see him in our children and grandchildren and know that he still sees us for no one who loved as much as he did would ever cease to keep watch.

We now must re-invent ourselves and our family around our missing piece. It is hard but we will make it, we have no choice, but most importantly because he would want us to carry on, to laugh, to love. So now we must begin this hard task, to begin anew.

Larry Fines--1949-2009

Master Sgt. Larry L. Fines, 60, passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2009, after a protracted battle with cancer.

A life celebration will be held in his honor on Monday, September 7 at American Legion Post 189, 820 Vista Drive in Lee's Summit from 7 to 9 pm.

Full military honors will be granted Tuesday at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, 20109 Business Highway 13 in Higginsville at 10 am.

Larry served his country in the Vietnam conflict, the first Gulf War, and then again as a civilian auditor for the Department of Defense.

After his retirement from civil and military service, he continued working as a tax accountant for Sprint and Embarq.

He was a member of American Legion Post 189 and served as American Legion Departmental finance officer for many years and also served in numerous other positions with the American Legion at both the state and local leve.

Those who knew him knew that he was a gentleman prankster who felt that fun was a key component of everyday life. His sense of humor and experience guided him through fatherhoo, military service and civilian life.

Larry graduated from Columbia College with a bachelor degree in business, with graduate work in accounting at Avila University.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Gail; four Children: Steve and Candice, Elizabeth and Lucas, Robert and Tanya, Scott and Brianna; two grandchildren; Braydena dn Kolby; Two sisteres, Kris Snodgrass and Marie Reynolds; his mother, Margaret; many nieces and nephews and a multitude of friends.

The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative, 17 Bethea Dr., Ossining, NY 10562

-----This a ia copy of the obituary to be published in the Columbia Tribune.

Services for Larry

I think this is the schedule of events for Larry.
Monday, 7 August 2009 from 7 to 9 pm. We are holding a Celebration of Life at the American Legion Post 189 in Lees Summit, Missouri.
Tuesday, 8 August 2009 a Full Military Honors service will be held at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri

Larry lost his battle with cancer this afternoon. Services pending.

No stitches, no bandage Wednesday!

Well, the title says it all really. I had my bandage cut off--thank you, thank you I hated that thing! The stitches picked out, only a little owie there, and can do as tolerated stuff. It will be 6 weeks before it's really healed up but I can wash my hands again! I'm not as excited about the dishes.

Larry continues to go downhill, hospice is visiting us every day, sometimes several times a day and occasionally I think I've been invaded. Steve will be in tomorrow for a week-it's been a hard choice for him, wanting to be here, wanting to be in San Diego with his oh so pregnant wife and his mom saying stay home, his sister saying come. Scott and Bri will be here from Columbia from Friday evening until Monday. They are closer so it's easier if they need to come for a weekend--not easy for anyone as the circumstances are horrid and they all have jobs and lives. I will be glad to have them and figuring out where to sleep them all was fun but done. Scott and Bri get the trailer (no cats) and Steve the extra room, I'll sleep on a sofa somewhere which is what I've been doing anyway so it's all good. If Beth and Lucas wanted to move in I'd have to put up nails to hang them from! I'll be glad to have them all here. We are planning a Mizzou football party on Saturday which should be fun even with the saddness attached.

My posts are likely to be erratic for a while, commenting even more so. I'll be back when I can.