I think about this everyday and I am thankful for this forum and knowing I'm not alone and everyone here feels or felt the same things as me. I know if I have a question or I don't know something, or I'm just frustrated, someone will be here. There is no one and no place like this to get the support that we get from here.

I made reservations for white water raft trip on Ocoee River in June. I have always loved the water, and canoed all my life, but the white-water, Oh I can't wait 46 days woo hoo!!!

I planted red geraniums in my kitchen window boxes.

I had to smile about the red geraniums. I like them too, but I can't plant them because of my husband. It seems that's all he had growing around his house when he was a kid, and he developed a hate for them and would take a machete to them. Go figure, he's usually such a docile person, but I'm taking no chances.

Buying some cupcakes today Ruthie ! Thinking of you.

tsk tsk Chey!!!

My OGT is I picked some bright red tulips from my own garden and arranged them in a vase where I can see them from my office door. So cheery!
*hides 'em from JRB's hubby*

He's okay with red tulips, it's the geraniums that sent him into a rage. Just mentioning red geraniums makes him cringe

Mom is taking her monthly bus trip with the seniors centre "stepping out" program. I always feel lighter than air when she's with them, as she's being occupied by caring folks, and I can relax. Of course I have to work, and I have a lousy cold...but still...!!!

Mom is on the porch reading her hometown newspaper and I can catch up with Ya'll. Quiet time.....Woo-Hoo!!

Yesterday's OGT: I picked a bunch of lilacs from my garden!

Today's OGT: There's a frozen cupcake thawing on the counter...and I'm the only one home!

Hey JRB,
tell your hubby that red flowers attract
hummingbirds!! (true) Unless he dislikes
hummingbirds too!
My OGT is I need to plant flowers and my
hubby just cleaned all the weeds out of
the flower bed.

Yep, I'm thinking of chasing him around the house with red geraniums. I'm feeling feisty today.

JRB,

Yesterday's OGT: I went to my best friend's art show.

Today's OGT: My DH is barbecuing today. Yum!

I took mom to the garden center today and she (I) picked out some flowers to plant on the pation outside her new bedroom. She has always been an avid gardener, and I think she really enjoyed the outing. Hopefully she will remember ocassionally that the flowers were from me. She has random things she OBSESSES about- hopefully that will become one of them

Today I got a TON of stuff done!!! That's my overall OGT! Here's the breakdown:
Took mom to church.
Snooped in her apartment while she was in the service -- counted her meds and wine.
Picked her up, took her for coffee and a breakfast sandwich at our favorite cafe.
Continued to the beach, where we sat in the warm car, watching the cold wind and waves, and the seagulls, crows and eagles playing in the wind.
Took her to the grocery store, bought some supplies for her.
Came home and cleaned the utility room, removing three bags of trash and one big box for tomorrow's charity pickup.
Repotted five houseplants.
Called mom to check in, and listened for at least 15 minutes while she went on and on about how Japan is "only two inches from the west coast! You could spit on it! Someone should do something about it!!"
Glued two bowls that I bought in Mexico a few years ago, but that broke into pieces on the way home.
Did some laundry.
Am about to make dinner.
Then I'll stop.
lol

Okay, it's 2:25pm my time and I don't have a OGT yet, so it's not looking too good for me. Anybody else out there got one? So that I can live vicariously through your OGT???

Ummm ... I got my grocery shopping done. (I'm struggling here, JRB). Parking place near the door, and nobody at the checkout counter when I got there. And they didn't break my eggs!

It's 75 degrees out, the sun is shining, and the jacarandas are in full bloom. (Am I getting better?)

Yep, that will do. It's the little things in life...I must remember that. Thank you

We're getting some much needed rain! I mowed the yard yesterday. And both mowers worked! Critters are happy.

OGT for yesterday: Had another pie gathering with the usual suspects -- my best friend Victor, our dear 87-year-old-sharp-as-a-tack friend Bob, and his friend Sandra. I made a cape gooseberry (ground cherries to some of you) pie, and got rave reviews. It was a wonderful bright spot to have mid-morning laughter, fellowship and pie.

OGT for today: a volunteer who occasionally visits my mom is going with her for lunch at the seniors' center. Perhaps this will distract mom long enough to delay her usual 2:00 sobbing and pleading to go home?

Waves to Ruthie-Ray. You are one of my OGT today!

The other is I have saved 1/5 of the downpayment for my new vehicle ! lol whoa its taking forever!

Okay, been having the blues lately and even went so far as to solicit someone's OGT yesterday because I couldn't think of my own. Well for the second day is a row I saw a young man at the train station in the morning. He is blind and terribly disfigured by what seems to have been caused by being burned very badly. Yet there he is, maneuvering around on his own, zipping up the stairs with agility that I don't have with two good eyes. This young man is not feeling sorry for himself, he's going about his life and going where he needs to go. I felt humbled yesterday by seeing him and I feel very humbled today. He was my one thing today. Bless his heart.

My OGT today is the same as it is every second Thursday: Paul is here, cleaning and bustling about. You know he actually gets down on his hands and knees to wash the floor? It's true!!
*giggles*

My OGT today was yoga class at the YMCA.
Free with free childcare even,
Ya gotta love the Y !
Also fantasizing about Ruthie - Ray's hot housekeeper Paul.
Peace,
Dani

The OGT today, God brought the sunshine. But then, I melted in it's heat ! lol

wheres the win?

Cheyena,

We are also melting in the heat of God's sunshine- well over 100. The OGT about that? Going home after work & letting the cool water from the garden hose pour over my feet!

Oh I'm behind again!
Friday's OGT: first sunny morning in a while, so I took mom to the off-leash park, where about a million dogs came by our bench for some lovin'!

Bonus Good Thing: neighbor's cat decided to spend the night on Friday. He curled up on my pillow, up against my head, and purred loudly all night long. So sweet!! At one point I woke up and he had both front paws wrapped around my wrist, holding me sweetly. At another point, he was breathing little puffs of cool cat breath on my face.

Saturday's OGT: Playing a trivia game with my DH and step-daughter on the balcony. Hot day, gentle breeze, lots of laughs.

Sunday's OGT: I just phoned mom to remind her it's Sunday and I'll pick her up for church. She had not only remembered it's Sunday, but she's dressed and ready, sounding (for the moment) like her old self on the phone.

Got the results of my DH's biopsy back today ... benign. Hallelujah! Seven Mohs surgeries for skin cancer is enough!

JAB that's wonderful!!

Tuesday's OGT: We launched our new song book at the Vancouver Ukulele Circle. I was part of the editing committee, and was very happy to see the booklet in its final state -- 120 songs!

Ruthie-Ray:

Do you play the ukulele? When I take my dad to bingo at the Senior Center on Saturdays, there's a ukulele club meeting in the next room. When I pick up my dad, I sit outside listening to them play, it's so nice.

Dear JAB: I am very, very happy for you. Mohs, thank goodness.

Sometimes good things do happen.

I know I said it on another thread, but I just had to list it here too.

My OMG - my daughter finally has a diagnosis for her vertigo - Lyme disase. After seeing 15 doctors, we finally got a positive test. Now we start on IV antibiotics, but we will take One Good Thing at a time. Progress will come....

JRB yes indeed I do! I started playing two years ago, and really enjoy it. Our group meets once a month, in a tiny coffee shop. You can imagine the looks on the faces of casual coffee drinkers as they come in and find 30 or so ukulele players strumming and singing! Our leader is "King of the Ukulele" Ralph Shaw, who is a real pro, and has several CDs out as well as an excellent uke course on DVD. For a real treat, check out ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimobukuro playing While my Guitar Gently Weeps on youtube. Just google Jake ukulele and you'll find it.

Today's OGT: I just finished writing a feature that's due tomorrow. Yay!

Oh dear Ruthie-Ray, I would give a bundle to be able to be there and experience it all. What a marvelous thing!

SueGall I just noticed that you said "My OMG" instead of "My OGT" -- I think in your case this really IS your "OMG" isn't it! I love it when typos actually improve our writing!!

It's incredible that you were so persistent with this, never accepting anything less than a solid diagnosis. Great, great news. And while I have your ear, your TP joke in the WACCO thread just about made me keel over laughing.

*waves ukulele at Johanna*

This web site and all ya'll wonderfun waccky caregivers are my OGT today.
To have a place to rant is priceless to me.
The advise and help I've received here a gift.
The support and caring a treasure.
Thank you all.

Also yoga instructor at the YMCA came into class wearing fishnets and lime green stiletto heels. She is 60 ish and a former ballet instuctor from East Germany. Talk about a sense of humor. Love it !!!

Peace,
Dani

This is my OGT and What Made Me Smile Today all rolled up into one wonderful thing. My daughter passed her final in the Nursing Program. One hurdle down, one to go...The Boards. I'm so relieved and happy for her, she's worked so hard. She will be a very compassionate, caring health provider, we need more of those. Happy dance, happy dance !

JRB, I think nurses are among the most remarkable people on earth. Such a very difficult job, so much responsibility ... and so essential. Nurses have made a HUGE difference in my life, and the lives of those I've loved. Thank your daughter for me...

After my usual morning mom visit/coffee/adventure, I've been home alone all day. The sun is shining, I've caught up on some paperwork, made a big ol' pot of chili, ate low-fat brownies and ice cream for lunch, and now I'm going to go sit on the balcony and play my ukulele. Yeah!

Yesterday, I took my DH to The Old Globe for a production of Beethoven As I Knew Him (this is a one-man show, Hershey Felder, who is an actor/pianist, and is he ever incredible!) and then to dinner at a restaurant on the bay. The sun came out, my DH appeared to have a wonderful time (he used to be a pretty good pianist himself, as a child) ... and so did I.

I got most of my flower beds weeded and planted some flowers in pots. It felt good to get my hands dirty.

Yesterday's OGT was dinner at my neighbour's place, where I nattered on and on about mom and they listened and asked questions and made me feel like I wasn't being totally self-involved. lol They also have two dogs, so I enjoyed having one for each hand to pet while I talked.

Today's OGT was Spanish class. We met at the house of one of our members, and sat on her beautiful back yard patio, with the scent of wisteria heavy in the air. It was lovely.

100 foot high Magnolia Tree is blooming.
Only big tree in the backyard to survive Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina.
It's a Steel Magnolia...just like me ! LOL
Peace,
Dani

Dad's had aphasia for years now, and he has been bedridden for close to a year now. He'll sleep as much as we let him... but when something catches his attention he's as wide awake as can be! The other day I brought over some pictures of people he hasn't seen in many many years... a period of time when my mom was alive and he had not met my stepmom. He and I sat there for a good hour and a half poring over the pics. I could tell that he recognized most of the people, but there were a few he was trying to remember... When I first held up a picture of my mom I asked, "Do you remember this woman?". With a huge smile and nod... he reached out for the photo and tried to hold it. It was a great time for us both. He kept reaching for my face and patting me and smiling.

Sometimes I forget that just because he has aphasia and dementia that he can remember so much.

NDuke,
thank you for sharing that. How beautiful!!
I too forget that my Dad still has many memories
in his head. Some days Dad speaks clear as a bell,
and others not so clear. I think the old
pictures are great for our LO's. My parents have
been divorced for many years, yet if my father
sees a picture of my Mom, he gets happy and asks
how she is. She does visit him very sporadically,
but not as much as I wish she did. Its hard for
her to see Dad that way, even though they haven't
been together for years. MY OGT for today is I'm
thankful that our LO's have their long-term memory
intact (in many cases) and we're able to bring them
joy through old photos or other mementos.

Today's OGT was hauling my butt out of bed at 5:30 and going to my 6:00 workout. I love that superior feeling at 7:00 when you know that you've already done your workout while so many ppl are still asleep,

You're right, Ruthie-Ray, typos are great. My daughter says OMG all the time, and when typing about her I typed that instead of OGT. It fit so well though.

My OGT for yesterday- my daughter graduated from high school. It was a really big deal because she has been sick for so long, and she made It! Woo Hoo! and my dad went off to ADC without a fuss so my mom could come to the ceremony. A great day for all. We missed my dad so much but at least knew he was safe and taken care of so my mother could relax and enjoy the day.

Well, today's OGT can only be one thing..
it's Thursday, and Paul is here, dusting, twirling, scouring, washing. Oh yeah!!!
*giggles*

He twirls, too? Come on, you're killing me here, sigh.