May 2011

May 2

My very patient sister Liz resumed “iPod touch” lessons with Gordo. He had purchased one a couple of years ago. She downloaded hundreds of songs for him. He appears to get how to navigate around pretty good. Plus … it keeps him occupied for hours ;). 
I was in my home office and heard loud music coming from Dad’s room. He has to turn the volume up loud because of his hearing issues. The closer I get to his door … the clearer the music becomes. Is it Mozart? … No. Judy Garland? … No. Bessie Smith? … No. It’s … NIRVANA. Wow! Gordo’s rocking to Kurt Cobain. Best not to disturb him. Got to love that shiitake!

May 7

 Let's make Gordo happy! GO CELTICS!

May 10

Gordo judges our shopping experiences based on handicap parking, wide aisles, nice help, and (most importantly) … the speed of the electric cart. So far the reviews are as follows … Target places 3rd … as the aisles are wide, the help is good … but the carts are ridiculously slow. Kroger comes in 2nd place. Carts are fast enough, help is good, but the aisles are too narrow. And our 1st place winner is … WALMART! Nice help, wide aisles and the fastest carts in town. In fact it’s like the Indianapolis 500 hundred (for electric buggies) at Wally World during the weekdays. All these old folks zooming around, crashing into things and the dreaded sound of the beeping when they put their carts in reverse. Pedestrians … BEWARE!
P.S. All stores get good check marks on their handicap parking. Just Saying.

May 11

Gordo and I were engaged in a conversation regarding prejudice in this country and how it really does still exist on many levels. That sparked up a whole other topic. Bessie Smith …“The Empress of the Blues” (one of dad’s favorites of all time) was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s.
When she was 42 she was in a horrific car accident and died. Dad recalls that she may have lived … hadn’t she been turned away from a “Whites Only” hospital.
So I checked this story out for myself. Not exactly true. This is a quote that I found from a doctor who practiced during that time period. "The Bessie Smith ambulance would not have gone to a white hospital, you can forget that. “Down in the Deep South … cotton country, no ambulance driver, or white driver, would even have thought of putting a colored person off in a hospital for white folks.”
Awful … either way … Thank God we have progressed. Although we still need to work harder on loving thy neighbor. Just one chick’s take.

May 17

Todays trip. First ... lunch at Otilia's. Then a nice gathering with Gordo's friends. Today was Sam's (on the scooter) 86th birthday!

 May 18

Another random thought.
If your life was a sitcom, which show would it be and why?
Mine is definitely “The King of Queens”. A crazy daughter, her hubby and her wacky dad. All living together in Queens, NY. Only our geography is slightly different. My husband is most certainly “The King of Katy”. Katy, TX.

May 20

Poor Gordo has a bladder infection and he is pretty miserable. I explained that women get them all the time. To which he replies ... "I should have been nicer to your mother." Enough said. :)

May 21

Spent most of yesterday at St. Luke's emergency room with Gordo. I'll spare you the details, but can tell you we arrived with a very miserable dad and left with a whistling father wanting a Subway sandwich. Thanks to the incredible folks at St. Luke's. They were amazing! and ... yes I got Gordo his sandwich. Happy weekend all! :)

May 25

 It's been a rough few days for Gordo. Hospital, tests, doctor appointments and to finally be told that he will have to wear a Foley bag for the rest of his life. Until a week ago the only Foley bag I had ever heard of was at the mall. Please Google if you ... too ... don't know. Now I most certainly know better :) However ... Dad … being the wonderful optimist that his is has just accepted this as (yet) another lemon in which to make lemonade with. Every time health problems present themselves … he always states that it “beats the alternative”. I can only hope that I will have half of his positive attitude as I grow older. 
P.S. Dad and I have agreed on calling his bag a “Macy” bag … since Foley’s is gone. Just keeping our sense of humor.

May 27

Well yesterday was my last day with Marketing Depot. Bittersweet departure, as I enjoyed my job with friends for the past 3 years. However Gordo care is my #1 priority and I'm big on delivering 100% to my employers. Can't do that and take proper care of Dad. But ... I am up for consulting work on the side with regard to advising small businesses on how to best spend their money to make money. Am I an ad agency? No. But have 25 years’ of marketing experience. Plus my fee would be nominal, as I am more interested in making dad happy, while getting my nails done occasionally. LOL