Snow Day

I knew there was a chance of a snow day, so I brought a TON of stuff home to work on.  Last night, I broke down and had to work at the hospital.  Before my sister turned off the machines, she didn't seem to mind that I graded papers and did school work while visiting with her.  Last week, I really felt that it was inappropriate to do anything but visit.  This put me way behind with work stuff though.  I was getting home at 9:00, trying to eat a late dinner, and work on school stuff for 2-2 1/2 hours.  ROUGH.  I have a bunch of deadlines approaching, and I knew I couldn't do that again this week.  I busted tail at the hospital last night.  I was marking papers, so it was easy for me to social and mark at the same time.

Last night on the way home I had a new experience that I'd rather not repeat.  We were going to a place about five minutes away where I had placed a baked ziti order.  Yeah, sadly, she knows my voice.  I've called her several times this past month.  The road by our condo is very curvy.  It's almost like we don't live in the city.  I was grading papers on the way home, because I was DETERMINED that my bag was NOT coming into our house last night.  HH was talking on the phone to his best friend.  We went around the first curve pretty slow, and all of a sudden I was DIZZY as all get out.  I think I experienced my first bout of motion sickness while reading.  I had to lay my seat back, close my eyes, and rest for about fifteen minutes.  I've always been a big car reader, and hopefully that is my last experience with motion sickness!

My BIL has not passed yet.  He was having bladder spasms for some time on Saturday night, and they have upped his morphine and adavan accordingly.  This seems to have helped quite a bit.  Yesterday wasn't without some good old DRAMA though.....my BIL's ex wanted to bring the kids up (6 and 9) to see their dad.  She wanted them to be able to grieve, and to see their daddy take his last breath.  (I can't make that up.  She is so messed up.)  Both facilities he has been in have strict under 14 visiting policies.  (He has always been in the ICU area.)  His ex told the nurse manager that they had been coming up each week to see their dad, so she approved the visit.  My sister found out, and went off.  There was a storm of loud pone conversations and text messages back and forth.  She didn't end up bringing them.  Chase (the boy who was in the car accident) is VERY observant.  He would want to see every tube, and ask a million questions.  Matt is also at the point where he looks gray, and is very much at death's door.  If this were going to be done, it should have happened before now.

My sister has requested that Matt's parents stop saying "see you tomorrow Matt."  While no one thinks there is ability to recognize voice, etc left (he is not responding to any noises), she just thinks it is time for them to stop saying that "just in case" he is hanging on somewhere deep inside.

In lieu of flowers, my brother, his wife, HH and I are getting a military flag display box that is personalized for my sister.

Here are some pictures that I've recently taken...

I discovered Cake Flour on Market this summer at the Farmer's Market.  They made amazing scones and Rosemary Foccacia bread.  I noticed they were not far from the hospital, and HH and I stopped in last week for some treats.

Here is my "mini" me:  She wanted to start teaching her own Guided Reading Group, and has been asking me for some time.  So, twenty minutes two times a week, I am letting her go to a third grade classroom and teach.  Here she is with her Vera Bradley bag I lent her, inside which contains her real plan book, and materials.  Love. This. Girl!

Some other faces that make me light up each day...

Going to go back to bed.  Later on we'll be heading over to the hospital.