This is a different kind of quiz. All but one of the questions came from an INS Citizenship test. Greg helped me compile the test, so he can’t take it. Good Luck and no cheating!!!

  http://www.quizyourfriends.com/quizpage.php?quizname=070727084448-547348&  

This is my Aunt Margie. She’s 86 years old and was my dad’s older sister. There were 7 of them, 4 boys and 3 girls. Aunt Margie has outlived all of them.

When she was 45, she started taking vitamins and putting wheat germ in everything. She would bring jars of wheat germ over to my dad, hoping it would help his failing health. He would laugh and the jar would remain unopened in the fridge and every now and then she would replace it. But she’s had such good health for so many years and I have no doubt it was all that good stuff she took for so long.

A few years ago she had a stroke. She was left with damage to her eyes and equalibrium. She went back home after some time in a rehab hospital and even though she lived alone, her daughter wasn’t far away and she did really well for a while. Then one day she fell and did some major damage to one of her legs. After that it was determined that she couldn’t live alone anymore and she moved into a nursing home.

She’s not real happy there, but it’s been about 6 years now and she’s made some friends and is fairly resigned to being there. She only has the one child, who doesn’t visit nearly enough to satisfy Aunt Margie. My sister and I had been faithfully visiting every weekend or so, but then she had some surgery a few weeks ago and really needed someone with her on a daily basis. Since I’m the only one with that kind of free time, it sort of became a part of my routine to go see her at least once a day, but usually it’s more like 2 or 3 times a day. I take her food when she wants it, or other items she needs, but mostly I just listen to her stories. And you know, she really has some good ones. She tells me old gossip about family members that are no longer alive and remembers things about growing up or trips she took or maybe pets that she’s had.

Some days I think I’m just too tired to go back up there one more time, but then I get there and her whole face lights up and I know it’s made a difference in her life. She gets so lonely.

Nursing homes are full of lonely people. I make it a point to talk to the ones sitting in the hallways in their wheelchairs. If any of you find yourselves with free time, visit a nursing home. It doesn’t matter whether you know anyone there…just ask a nurse who needs a visit. They’ll point you in the right direction. You’ll be amazed at how good it makes you feel!

I joined a gym about a month ago. It’s just amazing to me the things I’m finding out about exercise. It really drastically reduces the hot flashes I’ve been dealing with for a couple of years now. And it gives me so much energy!

When I was young I was so thin, kids in school made fun of me. To make matters even worse, I was also taller than almost everyone in my classes, especially boys, until about high school.  Add to that the fact that I was so bad at sports that I was always the last one picked for teams in PE class, after awhile I didn’t even bother. In the 10th grade I even failed PE because I refused to dress out. There were several reasons, but I think probably a big one was all the teasing I had gotten in previous years. Most of the exercise I got was from walking. My best friend in high school lived about 3 miles from me, and I often walked over to her house. My family was way too poor to be able to buy us cars, and the only one that got a bike was my twin sister.  But that was ok, because I enjoyed the walk and never even considered it to be healthy for me.

Forward about 35 years and here I am, fat, no muscle tone, completely out of shape. It finally became clear to me that I had to do something.

For the first few weeks I was there every other day. Then my 86 year old aunt (Margie) had surgery.  The operation went ok (blood clots in her leg along with a blocked artery), but recovery is hard on someone her age. She had a 24 hour sitter and most of them were good about taking care of her basic needs, but she was very confused and scared. I ended up spending a lot of time with her at the hospital and again at the nursing home when she was released. I was there 2 or 3 times a day, just making sure she’s getting her pain meds and helping her through her confusion. She’s finally feeling better and is back to being completely oriented to where she is, but during all this time, I haven’t been going to the gym. And I’ve been so tired. I haven’t gotten anything done around the house except some much needed laundry. So I finally started back a couple of days ago. And then I went again today. Finally the energy has kicked back in! I’m cleaning the house and mopping the floors….it’s great! Who knew?

On another subject…..my 14 year old dachshund is afraid of houseflies. He has been for as long as I can remember. He will hide in the bathroom or bedroom when there is one in the house. All I can figure is maybe a dog fly bit him in the past. It’s just so funny watching him run from these things!

There’s a fly in here now. While I was sweeping the kitchen floor, he went outside and wouldn’t come back in until I made him. As soon as he came in, he ran to the back of the house and that’s where he has stayed ever since. I guess as soon as the floor dries I’ll hunt down the fly and kill it. Anyone know where the flyswatter is????

The profile picture is my Aunt Margie and my dad in 1973.

 My little sister’s oldest daughter and her high school sweetie finally got married tonight. It was such a pretty wedding. My sister, Trish, was a very lovely mother of the bride.

Trish’s husband Bill looked very handsome as he gave the bride away.

Isabella, Trish’s oldest granddaughter, was a very pretty, but reluctant, flower girl.

Trish’s youngest daughter, Dia, was a bridesmaid. Here she is holding Trish’s youngest granddaughter, Gianna. The only problem with the reception was the a/c didn’t work and everyone got hot. Only the baby was lucky enough to get really cooled off!

Paul, Trish’s son and his wife Melanie, parents of Isabella and Gianna, get a moment alone to dance.

And finally, Jenny and Fred. Don’t they look like they are tired of posing for pictures? They are such a happy couple. I hope it lasts forever!