Fashion Police

Gordo is very concerned about "JCP" (had to explain that it was JC Penneys). He is absolutely convinced that they sell clothing specifically for color blind people.

The last two inserts in his newspaper suggest that this is "indeed" the case.

Last week it was the outfit on a woman. This week it was the one on a man.

I explained that nowadays ... anything goes. However ... I got the ole ... "Pooker Annie ... I don't think so, but if nexts week's circulur has any more outfits like this ... we'll know for sure.

Oh boy!

Gordo has joined the fashion police.

"in flagrante"

This morning ... Gordo's cinematic pleasure is "Humoresque". It is a 1946 film starring Joan Crawford and John Garfield.
Dad tells me that John Garfield was a famous actor of the 40's, but was caught "in flagrante". I asked ... What is that? He answers ... "It's a Latin term for someone who dies while having sex." I just giggled and said ... Not a bad way to go". He just nods and agrees ... then tells me to turn up the volume.
Well ... you know ... I had to check this out for myself.
While I was Googling away ... I found out a few interesting things.... John Garfield co- stared with Lana Turner in "The Postman Always Rings Twice". Her character's name was ... CORA. LOL
It also seems as though Mr. Garfield was in serious trouble with congress. He was facing charges of perjury for "UnAmerican Activities" and refusing to name communist party members or followers of certain organizations that he was suspected of being involved with.

He was married, but separated ... due to all the stress of this scandal. So one night he slept with a famous actress named Iris Whitney. They found him dead the next morning in her bed.
"in flagrante" is indeed a Latin phrase ... It really means being discovered doing something that one should not be doing. However ... it is typically said in reference to be caught in the act of having sex.
So now ... you know the rest of the story!

Jump Start

HBO had a special on last week called " Ethel". It was a 2 hour special documentary about Ethel Kennedy ... wife of Robert Kennedy. I recorded it for Dad, as it conflicted with the baseball playoffs.
He and Liz watched it last night. However ... this morning he seemed a bit confused about the years things took place. Regarding our presidents and when they were in office, etc. In fact he was quite frustrated. His memory comes in and out. Which is even more upsetting to a "history major".
So I Googled and printed out info on every president in his lifetime through the assassination of JFK's brother ... Robert Kennedy.
That's all it took and that fabulous mind of Gordo's "kicked in". The relief on his face was "priceless".
He simply said " Thanks ... Pooker Annie".
I just responded ... "All you needed was a "Jump Start" and gave him a wink.
God love him.

Curbing My Enthusiasm

Yesterday I posted how my dog ... Carly trots in behind me for "Teeth Cleaning Time". 
Well ... this morning I did my usual announcement. Carly got very excited and ran right in front of me ... knocking me into the wall!
Guess I should consider curbing my enthusiasm, so that I don't break any bones.

Crazy Little Thing Called ... Love!

This morning as Gordo and I repeated the same ritual ... that we do EVERYDAY ... I had to giggle ... thinking about how my poor sister Liz has to follow our silly routine when she comes over to help take care of Dad. She's been an awfully good sport. Most would probably like to place Gordo and me in a mental institution, but she follows suit in order to keep the comfortable normalcy that dad has grown accustom.
We repeat many things each day, but the one that made me laugh this morning was when it is time to put Dad's false teeth in.
EVERYDAY at approximately 8:30am I announce (in an operatic voice tone) it's " teeth cleaning time" . He looks up at me with his toothless smile, Carly (my dog) trots in behind me .... followed by Beau (my cat). I always tell Carly how smart she is and always knows when it's teeth cleaning time, then Dad says to the cat " Beau! How the hell are ya?" ... like the cat is going to respond.
I proceed and go into his b

athroom, put on my gloves and clean both teeth plates (yes ... I know ... gross, but I'm used to it now), squeeze the "Poligrip" paste on them and take the bottom plate to him first. I ALWAYS say " Bottom's Up, Buttercup" and then I grab the top plates and tell him ... in an English accent " Top of the Morning To Ya". Then I leave his room ... followed by my pet parade and make him breakfast.
Well we have done this same thing for over a year and a half ... and Liz learned very quickly that in order to keep things in order ... she had to do the same thing.
Well ... she's never once complained and is a stellar understudy for me.
Love you Liz and all the wild things you do to help me keep our Daddy as happy as possible. 
Crazy Little Thing Called ... Love!

"An OLD mind is a terrible thing to waste!"

I'm always trying to find ways to entertain Gordo and keep that great mind of his active.
Sometimes I "Score" and sometimes I get the ole "Pooker Annie ... you had good intentions".
Well  ... it's Wednesday and so far this week I've been "Scoring".
1. Found a refurbished 1948 version of "Joan of Arc" ... starring Ingrid Bergman. 
2. Got a large print book of "The Host" written by Stephenie Meyer (author of the Twilight series). The book itself is gigantic ... at least 3 or so inches thick. I was a little concerned about the weight, but after propping up a few pillows ... he was good to go and LOVES it. In fact he stayed up til 3am reading the darn thing.
It also doesn't hurt that there's a baseball playoff game everyday ... plus the recent political debates.
So ... I believe he's set for at least a week, but will continue to search for future "Gordo" entertainment. 
"An OLD mind is a terrible thing to waste!"

Go Texans!

Let's see ... today.
My sister Liz came over to give me a day off.
Got my nails done, then went to Walmart.
I absolutely have started appreciating the simplest of things.
However ... when I returned home ... dad was passing NO urine through his catheter. So I called his home healthcare folks. The nurse on call was in Pearland and horribly allergic to animals (I have many) ... so she walked me through ... the flushing of of a catheter. 

I had all the proper equipment ... gloves, alcohol, saline solution and a syringe
I did it .... however ... he was so clogged ... that a nurse had to come out and change the entire catheter.
OMG ... she was amazing and kept Gordo from having to go to the ER.
But ... at least ... I now know ... how to flush his catheter ... just like a nurse. So that we can prevent these types of problems in the future.
Gordo is thrilled and watching the Yankee's game. I ... am drinking chardonnay.
Happy Sunday night! Go Texans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God Love Our Old Folks!

Interesting afternoon. Hosted a small luncheon for Gordo and three of his friends. All lived in the same senior community where he used to be before he moved in with me.
They got lost a few times trying to find our home, but eventually made it.
Jenny ... The Australian seniors ' events coordinator, Tim the recovering alcoholic ... now an amateur photographer and Norm ... who still travels all over the word. All three are around dad's age of 80ish, so it was a blast listening to them talk .... very loudly ... I might add.
So ... as any gracious hostess would do ... I offered them ... coffee, soda, water or ice tea. Then Jenny pipes up and asks if I have any beer? ... I responded ... "Well sure". Then Norm speaks up and says ... "Me too". Tim quickly announces that he quit drinking a year ago, but will have something that's not diet.
WOW ... and I just assumed that only Gordo was so picky and demanding.

Thank goodness that I only had a six pack of Becks ... or it may have turned into a sleep over.
They all had a great time ... and I think Jenny wants to move in.
God love our old folks!

Guard Kitty

 

Gordo's best bud ... Beau. Watching baseball playoffs with his lazy guard kitty yesterday.

Chocolate Lover

Gordo was in great spirits yesterday. He woke up singing at the top of his lungs and I actually heard him talking to both my cat ... Beau ... and dog ...Carly. He greeted both by asking "Hey Beau ... Hey Carly ... How the hell are ya?". I'll assume they answered in some kind of secret language.
Later in the day ... Dad's wonderful nurse ... Kim ... who is a very attractive black woman, came to the house for her weekly visit... she was flirting with him ... saying things like "Baby ... I know you like chocolate, etc. Then all of a sudden he burst into a song ... I'd never heard before, but the lyrics included ... "Hey sexy momma... such a fine brown frame. Honey won't you please tell me your name."
He's something special!
Have a great day my friends.

Baked!

Gordo had a craving for a baked potato yesterday. So rather than just popping it into the microwave, I rubbed it with olive oil with sprinkled sea salt and baked it in the regular oven. 45 minutes later  I had this beautifully perfect baked potato and was thrilled with my masterpiece.
Served it to dad and returned later to remove his (completely devoured) plate. I asked him ... "So... what did you think? "Well Pooker Annie ... it was OK ... but next time ... can you cook it in the microwave? That's really the way I  like it."  " WHAT? Are you kidding me? Sure ... next time ... I do one better ... put the microwave in your lap and see how your pacemaker does while it's cooking!" Now ... Pooker Annie ... no need to get hostile. Your potato was fine ... just not great."
Rather than continuing with this conversation ... I "sucked it up" and asked ... "Do you want some ice cream? Surely I can't screw that up." He seriously replies ... "Well that's true ... sure."
All I have to say is ... SERENITY NOW!

Stay Safe! Shop Kroger!

For those who don't know ... Gordo is a huge fan of Kroger, as that's where he shopped when he lived on his own. In fact he saves all the inserts from the paper and will only eat eat certain things ... if purchased from there. So I make special trips to the grocery store just for him.
However ... my husband does our weekly shopping at the "Fancy" HEB on 290 in Cypress. 
The other day Mikey made his weekly jaunt to HEB. He and I were carrying the bags into the house. I looked at him and he had bleach stains all over his shirt. Evidently the bottle had a hole in it. 
Before changing out of his "ruined" shirt ... he went into Dad's room. Gordo looks at him and asked ... "What happened to your shirt ... Mikey?". Mike replies ... "I just went grocery shopping at HEB and the bottle of bleach that I bought had a whole in it."
All Gordo had to say was " That wouldn't happen if you shopped at Kroger!"
I'm laughing ... "Ya Mikey ... what were you thinking?"