Living in a houseful of males – I didn’t get the reaction that I had hoped for but, I am still pleased as punch! We all checked the pumpkin Sunday night and it is almost the size of a basketball now! And the guys decided that it needed to be moved just a touch so it doesn’t roll down into the neighbors yard. I guess they do care. I will keep you posted on our pumpkin’s progress.

The past few summers these beautiful pink gladiolas have popped up to remind me of my mother. She loved to garden and plant flowers all over her yard. The first spring she was with us we planted gladiola bulbs together in my back yard. They all came up blooming that summer. My mother loved to look at them out our kitchen window.
Unfortunately, I did not remove the bulbs before winter came and we lost all of them but one bunch. Thankfully, the beautiful pink gladiolas still come each year to remind me of that pleasant day that my mother and I worked together to plant them. I love bulbs they bring the promise of something wonderful!

I was so pleased to learn about Cherish Bound and their mission to help us to learn how to tell wonderful stories and share them with family and friends. I am planning on writing a story about my mother – the one we have forgotten – because of Alzheimer’s disease.

We were entertained by two storytellers. The first person told a great story about wanting to play high school football and the struggles he had being the smallest player on the team. I think anyone can relate to feeling challenged and wondering if you will make the team.

The second storyteller was Wendy Gourley. She told a delightful story with some fun Peter Pan additions. She sang a few songs during her story and her daughter accompanied Wendy on a guitar. They time flew by and I enjoyed the fun points she made describing what it was like when she was a young girl. It was the same time period that I grew up in and I could remember and picture the details she told in her story. It was so fun to sit, enjoy and remember! I look forward to hearing Wendy at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in September. When I came home I was so excited to tell my husband about it and we plan to attend the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. I have always wondered about it. . .

20th Anniversary Festival
Sept 3-5, 2009

lifting an elderly patient in a better way…

I was watching a hospice aid help my mother up from the couch.

She stood straight in front of her and took her by the hands and

pulled evenly to bring my mother up into a standing position.

she also leaned back using her body weight to help pull

my mother up. I said, “Wow that looks so much easier!”  I had

been trying to pull my mother up by bending down and lifting

under one of her arms and pulling up and to the side to get

her up off the couch.  It was getting more difficult because my

mother is getting progressively weaker and then there are times

when she does not want to get up.  You do need to make sure

you are keeping evenly balanced because the weaker person

can tip to one side.  Learning something new when caring for

a parent can really help, even if it as simple as learning to lift

correctly.