Coulda done without that

We had decided after the events of the last week that all of us girls needed to get together and get a few things worked out to help Mother get along better. We planned on monday afternoon when I was done babysitting and Leslie was done with work.
That was my last day babysitting too. It was kind of sweet when Chalese came to pick her up and she took her from me, Kamaryn started to cry and reached her little arms out for me to take her back. It was nice to know that she loved me too. I have really gotten attached to that little girl. Chalese was really grateful and just glad that we had had a good experience together. She gave me the compliment that Kamaryn only did that with her grandma and her.
After they left, I got on my way up to moms. Sunday, when I was going to church, the car had done this wierd thing where the gas level gauge dropped down to 0 and the low fuel light came on. I knew I had about 3/4 tank full and after I drove for a few seconds, the light went off and the gauge went back up to 3/4 full. So I thought it was just a wierd fluky thing. I told Kelley about it and he said he hoped it wasn't the fuel pump.
I got about up to Centerville before it did it again. The car didn't drive any different or anything so I just kept going. I picked up Teina and we got to talking about this youth conference and how I was in charge of getting the tshirts for it. I told her how we were having a hard time finding any that were inexpensive enough to fit into out budget, and she said why don't you check at Smith and Edwards...they have everything...really cheap! so since it was right on the way, we went into Smith and Edwards and looked around. They really DO have everything...just not any t shirts like I needed...So we go out and get in the car and it won't start. I tried it a few times, then realized it must be the fuel pump like Kelley was telling me. Oh man...stranded in Willard and Kelley was working on the other side of the valley. I called him and told him what had happened. He said he would finish up there and find some way to tow it home. I am so grateful for him! I called Brenda ( I was going to pick her up on the way too mom's too) and told her what was going on and she said she would come down and pick us up. So about a half hour later, here she comes. We drove to a park there in Willard so we could get out of the sun and sat and talked.
Brenda had written down all of the things we need to work on. She has really been carrying most of this responsibility and there are a lot of issues to deal with! I wish so much that I was closer so I could help more. Not only is there Mother's care,(Nancy, the home health care lady told Brenda that she thought mom had had a mini stroke that had caused her weakness and confusion) but there is the yard to deal with, all the planting, watering and irrigation, spraying for misquitos,etc. And her house is pretty much falling apart. The carpet needs to be removed from the bathroom(we thought we would take the tub out too so she would have more room in that bathroom) and we need to make a bedroom for her on the main floor so she doesn't have to try to go up and down those stairs. When we were talking, Brenda had the idea of taking the wall out of the east room and opening it up to the bathroom...making kind of a "suite" for her. We kind of just laughed off the idea, but when I was talking to Kelley about what we needed to do that was what he suggested too. It would take some doing, but it would sure make it nice for her.
We talked about all of our options for having more care for Mother. I think she is worried that we are going to put her into a nursing home. She asked Brenda about it the other day when they were having such a hard time getting her to instacare and when Teina told her we were getting together to talk, she said "what are you going to talk about?" After hearing the stories that Stacey has told me about her mother being in a nursing home, I hope that we won't have to do that. I can sure understand though how hard it would be to care for someone if they couldn't walk or get to the bathroom. Aunt Dorella has been in a nice nursing home in Logan for many years and she is very happy there. So I know it can be ok. But since mother wants to stay in her house so much, we decided that would be a last resort. The home health people are really great with her and could come in several more times during the week. Brenda and Leslie can go around noon to check on her, then we would take turns staying the weekend, so it could work out where there is somone with her morning, noon and night, every day.
While we were talking, I called mom to tell her we weren't going to make it up there. She sounded like she had just woke up and was pretty confused. I asked her if she had eaten any lunch and she said she hadn't been able to get up off the couch all day. I called Leslie to let her know what was going on cause she was supposed to meet us over there after her work. She called us back later and told us that mom was ok, but hadn't been able to get to the bathroom all day cause she didn't have the strength to get up off the couch. I am going to check on one of those chairs that raises you up so you can stand up.
Anyway while all this was going on, Kelley was trying to find a a tow dolly to bring the car home on. He found out that you can't use one of those with the Tahoe because it's too big. You have to get a tow truck! Oh man I felt so bad! So he called Nick, and he said he would go pick it up with his tow truck. Kelley and K.C. came up to Smith and Edwards to pick us up. Nick had told him about this trick that you can do to get your car started if this happens. You are supposed to bang on the gas tank with a hammer or something and it sometimes makes it start. Teina said it had worked for Lynn when this had happened to them. He tried it but it still wouldn't turn over. So we piled into Kelley's truck, took Teina home and then finally got home about 7:30. So with the towing cost, I'm afraid it will cost over a thousand dollars to fix it. There goes our trip to California. Coulda done without that.