I've been having terrible problems sleeping over the past few weeks. Ok, truth be told, I've been having sleeping issues most of my life, but over the past few weeks, with so much on my mind between Dad and the baby, I've been lucky to get two straight hours at a time of sleep. Newborns sleep more than I do.
Last night, I tried valiantly to go to bed early but just couldn't get my mind to shut off. So what was I up doing?
Joining a few band wagons! Yeah, cause what else would I do at 1 AM?
I like to think that I'm a fairly technologically hip person. I really do. But turns out that I've missed a few crazes, namely Twitter and EntreCard. So look out, readers. I've joined both.
So far, I've added my Twitter feed to two of my blogs: Breakfast at Tiffany's and How to Have a Baby. I've also added widgets to my Facebook and MySpace accounts. And I've "Twittered" once. This may take awhile to get up to speed...
For EntreCard, I've joined, accepted advertisers that will last throughout the rest of the week, went around to people's blogs that I knew had EntreCard and "dropped" and was "dropped" on a few times. My big hurdle with this is that (A) I need to create myself one of those cute little badges and (B) I need to get this on my How to Have a Baby blog as well because new readers over there would be fabulous. Again, this could take awhile to get up to speed.
Anyone out in the blogosphere want to comment on their experiences with Twitter or EntreCard? I'd love to hear what you have to say!!
I'll be trying to work through how best to utilize these programs shortly. I'm working from home today and potentially tomorrow, trying to catch up with my work projects since I'm acutely aware that I now have only about 6 to 8 weeks left before I'm out on leave. Other plans include knocking out a few writing assignments (yeah, I now need to do a TON of that...funerals aren't cheap and between needing to help my mom pay for as many of those expenses as I can plus having the expenses that Chris and I incurred over the week we were gone, I'm going to have to either write my butt off or liquidate my savings account which was meant to replace my income when I'm out on maternity leave), starting to catch up on my book blog, working on my new blog launch, and Twittering/EntreCarding! Wish me luck - I have a ton of things to do!
Thursday Thirteen #20
Milestone: this is my 200th post!
Hi, everyone! We're back in Texas and busily trying to catch up with life - and sleep! I've received dozens of blog comments, emails and snail mail cards during the past week and will be working to respond to them all over the next few days. Until I am able to respond, please know that I appreciate each and every prayer, positive thought, and remembrance.
And now...this week's Thursday Thirteen.
Hi, everyone! We're back in Texas and busily trying to catch up with life - and sleep! I've received dozens of blog comments, emails and snail mail cards during the past week and will be working to respond to them all over the next few days. Until I am able to respond, please know that I appreciate each and every prayer, positive thought, and remembrance.
And now...this week's Thursday Thirteen.
Thirteen Favorite Memories of my Father
- Breakfasts in Ocean City
I've written several times about my special memories from Ocean City, New Jersey, but this memory specifically focuses on all of the times my Dad and I shared a breakfast together. Whether it was a short walk to our favorite neighborhood cafe, a drive to the other end of the island and the sit-down restaurant, or a bike ride up the boardwalk to an ocean-side eatery, we often enjoyed starting our days together. - Jeopardy
Because of the hours my Dad's grocery store kept, he was often home in time to watch Jeopardy, which came on every night at 7:30. Many times, he'd walk in the door just in time for the show to start and I'd dog his heels all the way to the TV so we could challenge each other over who would get the most answers. - 5th Grade Basketball
No, I didn't play. Have you met me? I'm short. But in the 5th grade, my elementary school had two basketball tournaments...one a father/son, the other a mother/daughter. At the father/son tournament, my Dad staged a "fight" with one of the refs over a supposedly bad call, to give himself an excuse to make donation to the school when the ref levied a fine. I've never laughed so hard in my life. Literally. It's a fabulous memory. - Statue of Liberty
During the summer between third and fourth grade, I had the awesome opportunity to play my violin at Carnegie Hall. Instead of going in and out of the city just for the concert, my family made a vacation of it. One of our sightseeing stops was the Statue of Liberty...and although my Mom had less than zero interest in trekking to the top, my Dad gamely trudged up about a million steps with me, alternating between encouraging me to keep walking as I got tired and actually pushing me up the stairs when I became absurdly paranoid of the spiral steps near the top. - Breakfasts in Mountainhome
Yeah, that'd be my hometown. Dad went to the Diner nearly daily for breakfast...and it was always special when he took me along. As a somewhat big fish in a small pond, everyone knew Dad, and it was always neat to visit with all the other tables and early morning diners. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. :-) - Generosity
My Dad was one of the most generous people I've ever met. In his grocery store, if someone at the checkout came up a buck or two short on paying for their order and Dad knew that they were in a tight spot or needed a bit of help, he always reached into his own wallet to finish paying for their food. No matter what organization in the area came around looking for financial or in-kind help, Dad was first in line, signing up with a monetary donation or arranging to provide whatever food was needed for a planned event. If our volunteer fire department was called out on a middle of the night fire, Dad invariably went down to the store and gathered up supplies to take to the fire hall so the guys would have something waiting for them to snack on when they pulled back in. Every single time in my life that I talked to Dad after I moved away from home, his last question was if I needed any money...even after Alzheimer's moved him past the point of managing his own money. I rarely took him up on the offer, always having preferred to pay my own way, but I also always knew that I'd have my Dad's support if I needed it. - Peppi, the Yorkshire Terrier
I begged and pleaded for years to get a dog when I was a kid. Finally...we got a Yorkie. But as much as the little two pound mutt loved me, he was always my Dad's dog. From the moment Dad got home from work at night until he left again the next morning, that dog followed his every step. And Dad loved him just as much...taking him on walks, letting him sleep in the bed, and even holding the puppy on his lap for car trips. - Burnt Eggs
You'd think that because my dad owned/operated a grocery store for 40+ years, he'd be great with food. And he absolutely was. Unless he had to cook it. I'll never forget one Saturday night when my Mom went out to a Philharmonic concert with one of her girlfriends and my Dad asked me what I wanted for dinner. For some reason, I asked for scrambled eggs. He tried. He really did. But they were blackened. And hard. Guess who ate cereal for dinner? Still a fun memory, though! - Las Vegas
Back in 1995, the 'fam headed out to California for Andrea's wedding. Mom had to leave soon after the big day to take care of a sick sister in Florida, but Dad and I stayed out West for another couple weeks. As a side trip, we flew to Las Vegas for about 4 days, to meet up with my Uncle Louie and Aunt Peg, who were also there on vacation. We had a blast! Mind you, I'd spent a good part of my childhood in casinos in Atlantic City, but for many reasons, those few days in Vegas were just that much more special. Plus, I won a bunch of cash. Cash is good. When you're 14. And in a casino. Where they don't care that you're 14. Haha! - Driving
I can't begin to imagine how many miles I spent driving with my Dad...but despite my frustration with his tendency to drive slower than the limit, it was always a good time spent together and we had many long and in-depth conversations, whether on the way to school and back, or headed down to the Jersey shore. - Meeting Chris
Living 1600 miles from my parents, they didn't get to meet Chris until we'd already been dating for over a year. In fact, we were already engaged and living together before we finally got up to PA. I think every girl in the world is a bit apprehensive when they take someone home to meet Dad...but it couldn't have gone any smoother the first time Dad met Chris. They started talking immediately (Chris was primed to understand Dad's Alzheimer's and to understand that a story might be 30 years old instead of recent...) and really hit it off. Color me way happy! - Dancing at my wedding
I was really worried that Dad wouldn't be in very good condition for my wedding. And although he certainly wasn't in great shape, he was still able to walk me down the aisle, and then dance with me at the reception. It made me cry then...and now it's making me cry again now...but we really had a great dance.
- Poppa and the Bunny
When Dad really went downhill so quickly in early March, we'd only found out a few weeks before that we were expecting a baby. We hadn't told anyone about baby yet...but decided, when we went to PA in such a hurry, that Dad would be the first to know. When we got to the nursing home to see Dad, Mom and I went down the hall to have a little discussion. While gone, Chris asked Dad if he could tell him a secret...and Chris claims up one side and down the other that my Dad responded my saying "tell me." (My skepticism comes from the fact that Dad was already almost entirely non-responsive and uncommunicative by the time we got to PA.) Chris told Dad that we had a baby on the way and says that in response, Dad squeezed his hand and a tear slid down his cheek. After that, Chris says that he asked Dad what he would like the baby to call him, and offered a few possible options, before Dad apparently agreed to be called Poppa. If you have followed my How to Have a Baby blog, you may have read the story about the stuffed bunny Chris bought for the baby when he found out we were expecting. So before we left PA on that trip to head back to Texas, Chris took a picture of Dad and I and the bunny. So although you can't see her, this picture is the only one Catherine will have with her Poppa. But you can bet we'll share lots of stories to make sure she knows what a special man her grandfather was!
Info on Dad's Services
in:
Life
Hi, all!
Just wanted to post links to the obits that ran in the Scranton Times and Pocono Record this morning - they have info on when Mass is and when the visitation is and so forth.
Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers.
Tiffany
Scranton Times
Pocono Record
Just wanted to post links to the obits that ran in the Scranton Times and Pocono Record this morning - they have info on when Mass is and when the visitation is and so forth.
Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers.
Tiffany
Scranton Times
Pocono Record
Blog Hiatus
in:
Life
Hi, everyone.
Breakfast at Tiffany's will be on hiatus until next week; my father passed away this evening (8/5) and we'll be leaving tomorrow morning (8/6) to be with my family in Pennsylvania. Depending on when final arrangements are made, we'll be back in Texas any time between Sunday and Tuesday of next week.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
Tiffany
Breakfast at Tiffany's will be on hiatus until next week; my father passed away this evening (8/5) and we'll be leaving tomorrow morning (8/6) to be with my family in Pennsylvania. Depending on when final arrangements are made, we'll be back in Texas any time between Sunday and Tuesday of next week.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
Tiffany
MASSIVE UPDATE
in:
Freelancing
,
Life
,
Weekend Wrap-Up
Hi, everyone!
After a week hiatus, let's start this week off with a MASSIVE UPDATE!
First, for updates on baby and house "stuff", head over to How to Have a Baby and check out my 29w2d Update post.
Second, check out that I've actually update my 101 in 1001 post with some of our recent accomplishments. Yahoo!
Third, I have several new projects to announce very, very soon. I've been hired by a major blog network for a really nifty blog topic, and am also nearly ready to launch (or, in a couple cases re-launch) a few blogs on topics near and dear to my heart. One is another personal blog with a narrow topic and the others are on informative topics that I know a lot about...but will be writing on objectively instead of personally. Towards the end of several 101 in 1001 goals, I'm still working to expand my freelancing and its related income...and this is a part of that. Through ongoing clients, I've met many of my financial goals already in 2008, but am always looking for ways to expand.
And finally, and on a very somber note, I'd like to ask you to pray for my father. (I know - some of you are probably still praying since I initially asked you for your prayers last November and again this past March.) Dad took another huge downturn late last week and is now no longer able to get out of bed at all and is being fed 100% mechanically. At the advice of the nursing staff at his care center as well as the hospice that is overseeing his case, he was given Last Rites last evening around 5 PM. We decided not to go up to PA over the weekend because (a) I had a big doctor's appointment and testing this morning and (b) we're already scheduled to fly up Wednesday evening because of a pre-planned trip. If something happens sooner, then we'll travel sooner.
Mom puts her phone up to his ear whenever she calls so I can talk to him. Beyond that, unfortunately, there's nothing anyone can do beyond what is already being done. The nursing staff assures us he's resting comfortably, and of course the priest is full of assurances of better things to come. (Which, somewhere in my heart, I know. But I've really struggled with being incredibly angry at God for keeping my Dad in this awful state for so long over the past few months and as a result, haven't even regularly attended the church that I normally adore in about six months.) We've lined up all funeral arrangements, from pre-writing the obituary to having pallbearers to actual details with the funeral home, church and cemetery. When the time comes, we'll just need to finalize the memorial cards and service handouts, the readings and music (which I've already mostly picked...just need to convey the info, really...this, unfortunately, ain't my first funeral by far), his suit, and a coffin. We will not be doing any kind of lengthy viewing or any eulogies...first, it'll be a closed casket because we don't want anyone to remember Dad as he now is, so withered away and unlike his former self, and second because neither Mother nor I care to be on display. I wish I could play my violin for him at the funeral, but I just don't think I can handle that...it's something I've done for other friends and family at their funerals and I don't know how I ever kept it together then. In this case, I think it'd be almost impossible.
So right now, we're again in a holding pattern...needless to say, I'm not exactly sleeping well and my heart stops every time the phone rings. Not exactly a great state to be in while pregnant, but who can control the pace of life? Again, the prayer is that Dad goes quickly and painlessly...he's been living on borrowed time for almost six months. Thank you!
Hope you all have good weeks! I'll be back with a Tuesday Travels post tomorrow!
Tiffany
After a week hiatus, let's start this week off with a MASSIVE UPDATE!
First, for updates on baby and house "stuff", head over to How to Have a Baby and check out my 29w2d Update post.
Second, check out that I've actually update my 101 in 1001 post with some of our recent accomplishments. Yahoo!
Third, I have several new projects to announce very, very soon. I've been hired by a major blog network for a really nifty blog topic, and am also nearly ready to launch (or, in a couple cases re-launch) a few blogs on topics near and dear to my heart. One is another personal blog with a narrow topic and the others are on informative topics that I know a lot about...but will be writing on objectively instead of personally. Towards the end of several 101 in 1001 goals, I'm still working to expand my freelancing and its related income...and this is a part of that. Through ongoing clients, I've met many of my financial goals already in 2008, but am always looking for ways to expand.
And finally, and on a very somber note, I'd like to ask you to pray for my father. (I know - some of you are probably still praying since I initially asked you for your prayers last November and again this past March.) Dad took another huge downturn late last week and is now no longer able to get out of bed at all and is being fed 100% mechanically. At the advice of the nursing staff at his care center as well as the hospice that is overseeing his case, he was given Last Rites last evening around 5 PM. We decided not to go up to PA over the weekend because (a) I had a big doctor's appointment and testing this morning and (b) we're already scheduled to fly up Wednesday evening because of a pre-planned trip. If something happens sooner, then we'll travel sooner.
Mom puts her phone up to his ear whenever she calls so I can talk to him. Beyond that, unfortunately, there's nothing anyone can do beyond what is already being done. The nursing staff assures us he's resting comfortably, and of course the priest is full of assurances of better things to come. (Which, somewhere in my heart, I know. But I've really struggled with being incredibly angry at God for keeping my Dad in this awful state for so long over the past few months and as a result, haven't even regularly attended the church that I normally adore in about six months.) We've lined up all funeral arrangements, from pre-writing the obituary to having pallbearers to actual details with the funeral home, church and cemetery. When the time comes, we'll just need to finalize the memorial cards and service handouts, the readings and music (which I've already mostly picked...just need to convey the info, really...this, unfortunately, ain't my first funeral by far), his suit, and a coffin. We will not be doing any kind of lengthy viewing or any eulogies...first, it'll be a closed casket because we don't want anyone to remember Dad as he now is, so withered away and unlike his former self, and second because neither Mother nor I care to be on display. I wish I could play my violin for him at the funeral, but I just don't think I can handle that...it's something I've done for other friends and family at their funerals and I don't know how I ever kept it together then. In this case, I think it'd be almost impossible.
So right now, we're again in a holding pattern...needless to say, I'm not exactly sleeping well and my heart stops every time the phone rings. Not exactly a great state to be in while pregnant, but who can control the pace of life? Again, the prayer is that Dad goes quickly and painlessly...he's been living on borrowed time for almost six months. Thank you!
Hope you all have good weeks! I'll be back with a Tuesday Travels post tomorrow!
Tiffany
