Food Cleared Out? Check. Clothes Donated? Check.

My beloved DIL1 offered to conscript DS and clear out Mom's fridge and all her food. I met them there and while they slaved in the kitchen, I emptied all the toiletries, etc. from the bathrooms, changed the sheets, and bagged up her clothes for the Goodwill. Last night (after the game) I met brother TW, his wife, and stepdaughter there to pick out pictures to have at the funeral tomorrow. They volunteered to clean the bathrooms, dust and vacuum because Mom's sister, Aunt B, and her husband, P, will be staying there. I know it might seem like we're emotionless cads for diving right in, but my thought is if we remove all the incidental things we'll have a better chance of finding things that Mom said she wanted each of us to have and seeing what's ahead of us in the next month so we only have to move things once. DD finally arrived shortly after 10 last night bedraggled and exhausted from rattling around Kentucky and Ohio in broken (but not flying) airplanes, cabs, and more airplanes all day. Isn't travel fun? Today I have a list of people to call (attorney, apartment management, etc.) and a few things to organize for tomorrow's funeral. Durwood invited all out-of-towners (there's only 3) over for supper tonight so he's cooking a crockpot pork roast with carrots, onions, and parsnips, baby reds will be roasted later. (Didn't I tell you he's the best? He's been slaving away here while I've been racing around town or staring stunned at the computer screen. He's cooked, laundered, and cleaned--and always been willing to stop to give his lunatic wife a big hug. I love him so much it gives me a cramp.) Oh, I just had a happy thought--maybe I can go over and let Porter out for a potty break when they're at work. She loves to run around the yard. That'd be an excellent thing to do today. I bet I could do it even if they don't really need me to.

October 23--Mesopotamia, Figure of a Tribute Bearer with an Oryx, a Monkey, and a Leopard Skin. I think this monkey has fleas. Ever since I left home with the wretched creature I've been so itchy I can barely stand it. It persists in riding on my shoulder with its fingers clutched in my hair. I think it peed on me a few times too. I'll be glad to hand it over but I can see that the king doesn't really want it. The oryx isn't bad. It kind of got tamed on the trip. At least it stopped trying to spear me with its horns after the first couple of days.

I meant to write more, I really did, but I got too tired and just conked out. Hug someone today for me, even if it's yourself.
--Barbara