Selling the Apartments and the ripple effect
It has been a busy last few days. The date today is Wednesday, August 10, 2005. I will fill in the actual dates later, but last week Mom and Dad sold their apartment house to Ed Ring's daughter and her husband. She is in a wheelchair. They will not be taking possession until next year. They will be letting mom and dad rent from then until then. In the meantime, Dad called up Donnie and me and asked if he could by my house in Galesburg and slowly renovate it. We didn't think twice and told him that he could buy it. My daughter, Sherry, has been living there since I moved up here to Bettendorf over 4 years ago. So that Dad can renovate the house easier, we needed to find Sherry a place to live.
Just a quick history about the house that I own in Galesburg. My first husband and I signed on August 13, 1980 to have the house built for us under a HUD government subsidy program. It was suppose to be the model home for the Galesburg Area. I was pregnant with my daughter, Sherry, and we were suppose to be in the house before she was born. She was born on January 6, 1981. The house still wasn't done when we sold our trailer on the morning of March 8, 1981. I remember the day well because it was a Sunday Morning and we had Sherry Baptized on that day. The folks that bought the trailer had called at 8 a.m. from Monmouth and they were at our trailer to sign by 9 a.m. The baptism was at 10:30 a.m. It was an exciting morning to be able to tell my parents that we sold the trailer. By the way, the trailer was located at lot 28 in Kimberly Terrace on Galesburg Road in Galesburg. The folks that bought it moved it to Monmouth, Illinois. We were then homeless and had to live with my husband Jim's parents for 3 months. We found out that the contractor was leaving the area so we got a lawyer and we were told to move into the house. To make a long story short, we were able to get the house financed through a different bank and they honored the FHA HUD arrangement. So we owned the house. I was still able to keep the house after our divorce in 1989. By then the FHA HUD arrangement was being dissolved. I was told to get the home refinanced with a regular loan. So my second husband and I refinanced the loan in 1992, I think it was. Apparently, I had only paid $1000 off the principle in 12 years so the refinance was for $38,000. By the time of my second divorce, we had only paid off $6,000. In November of 2004 I paid the house loan off with a Home Equity loan. We were able to borrow up to $50,000 on the house. When I paid off the house, I accidently wrote the check for $37,000 instead of $32,000. The house payment people would not return the extra $5,000 for nearly 2 months. This house has been a white elephant for me. So, when Dad offered to buy it from me, I had to say yes.
To find somewhere else for Sherry to live, Mom and Dad looked at a trailer in Country Elms Estates which is just across the road from where Sherry works at Dick Blick. It sounded like a very nice deal. It has a bedroom at each end and each bedroom has its own bathroom.
There is a fireplace that has never been used. Dad was going to buy it outright but there was still lot rent of about $185 a month. So Dad looked into an apartment at the Lincoln Hotel Downtown Knoxville. It is the brick building on the corner of Main and Hebard. On Tuesday, August 9, 2005, I drove down to Galesburg and picked Sherry up. We went over to Mom and Dad's and even though we didn't have an appointment, Sherry and I should go look at the Lincoln Hotel Apartment House. We did and then we drove out by Country Elms Estates and then out by Kimberly Terrace.
As I stated before, I had lived in Kimberly Terrace from September 1977 until March of 1981. I lived at lot 28. Dad had bought my trailer from a lady Presbytarian Minister.
I loved my trailer. It gave me independence. It was where my first husband and I lived until we sold the trailer on March 8, 1981.
When Sherry and I drove through Kimberly Terrace, I showed her where my Trailer used to be. We tried to go to the office to get information about trailers but no one was there. We decided to go to the trailer park on Wisconsin Ave. We stopped at the office and asked about any trailers for sale or rent. (rooms to let, 50 cents, oh that's from king of the road song by roger miller). She told us about one trailer and promptly took us on a tour of it. Like the one that mom and dad had seen, this one had a bedroom at each end and it had a front and back entrance. Sherry and I fell in love with it. The rent was $290 a month.
We went back to mom and dad's. We had an appointment to look at an apartment in a house across the street from the Grace Lutheran Church and down one more. It is a yellow house now that has been there for years. When we looked inside, it was not what we wanted and even Dad said he didn't like it. We went back to Mom and Dad's and picked mom up and we went to look at the Trailer on Wisconsin Ave. The lady wasn't there so we went to Kimberly Terrace. The temperature at 3 p.m. was about 96 degrees and it was humid as well. We pulled in to the parking lot at Kimberly Terrace and went inside. A young man greeted me and told me he was the manager. I went back out to the van to get Dad. He came in with me and we talked about trailers out there that were for sale. The kid took us to show us a couple trailers. They only wanted $1000 for one of them. We went back to the office and talked about other trailers. He took us around and showed us another one. Dad asked if there were other trailers being sold by the owners. The young man told us of 2. One of them wanted $7000. We drove by the other one at lot 61. We had a hard time finding it. Then we couldn't see the phone number on it. We found the number on a sign on the bedroom window. It was kind of hard to see. We were hot and tired and decided to go home. We went past the blue trailer on Wisconsin one more time. The lady was there and I got the key from her and I walked across to the trailer. Dad drove around, we looked inside. He liked it also but we knew we had other options now. When I took the key back I got a paper with the phone number to call about the trailer.
When we got home the first person Dad called was from Lot 61. He reached the owner and he said that he would be home in 15 minutes. We were exhausted but dad said we would be there. Dad also called Swing's Mobile home park. They didn't seem very helpful. Mom kept reminding dad that we had to go. She was still going with us even after that exhausting afternoon. As we were getting ready to leave, Cousin Gail Cahill called and said that Aunt Kate had developed complications from her Breast Cancer surgery. (Oh, I had left that out also. My Aunt Kate, mom's sister had a breast removed today.) Apparently she had a blood clot in her shoulder now. Since there was nothing we could do, Mom thanked Gail for calling and we went to see this trailer at Lot 61 in Kimberly Terrace.
When Dad knocked on the door, the guy opened it and I recognized him as someone who used to go to Mom and Dad's Church, (Grace Lutheran Church). He let all 4 of us in and told us we could look anywhere. Mom and I stayed in the living room. Sherry and Dad checked it out. Dad asked how much he wanted for it and the guy said $3000. Sounded good to dad and sherry really liked it. We told him we would let him know. As we were getting ready to go, Dad asked sherry what she thought and she said she liked it, because dad liked it, too, he said we should make a deposit so he and sherry went back inside and I stayed in the van with Mom. They came back out about 10 minutes later and it was a done deal. As Sherry and I got back in my van, Sherry started crying and saying, "this is my home" It was quite a moment. What made it more special was having Mom and Dad with it. Mom held up very well during the day.
Mom and Dad have left us such a legacy already. Giving Jake a car, paying for Sherry's Teeth, buying my house and getting sherry a home. I appreciate more than they will ever know.
Roger Perry Performs at Perkins July 26th
Donnie and I kinda invited ourselves to meet Mom and Dad and several of Mom's bunco buddies at Perkin's on Tuesday, July 26th. My cousin, Roger Perry, performs magic there every Tuesday. He goes from table to table doing different tricks. Hopefully, the patrons like him and ask to book him for a birthday party or other function. Tuesday night is kid's night at Perkins.
It was a busy day on Tuesday. Donnie had helped his daughter, Tammy, move in to her new apartment at what used to be Diamond Blue just off of Eastern. I thought it would be nice to bring Tammy's Daughter, Shannon along with us to Perkins. Mom and Dad said it would be alright. We picked Shannon up about 3:30 and drove to Perkins. It was pouring down rain once we got on the interstate. The rain was a welcomed sight since we have not had very many rain storms this summer. It wasn't much fun to drive in though.
We arrived at Perkins a little before 5. I proudly said we had a reservation for the Bunco Club and I was met with blank stares. I was told there were no reservations under that name and only one reservation had been made for the entire evening. I waited for Mom and Dad to show up. Right in front of them coming through the door was Linda Wolfe and her daughter, Julie, who was Sherry's childhood friend. It was a confusing moment seeing them, seeing Mom and Dad and figuring out why there was no reservation. I pointed Julie out to Dad and he said, "Is that the girl that was always late?" I said yes. Dad went over and said something to her, I didn't here what was said. Anyway, we did get seats that were together and Sherry joined us soon afterwards. I told her that Julie was there and so she went looking around the corner for her. Sherry came back and said Julie wasn't there. So apparently, Dad must have scared them off.
Anyway, we all placed our orders and Cousin Roger came over to our table and showed some magic to Shannon. He also showed some card tricks to sherry and me. I had eggs benedict. It was different. Our waitress was Jennie Stoneking. She was a classmate of Sherry's. She is also the daughter of Ed Stoneking whom I dated in high school.
After them meal, everyone mulled around and talked to others. We ordered desert. It worked out fine though because we ate while they chatted. There was Aunt Barb and Uncle Buster Perry, Carol Klapp and her husband, Eileen, Verda Conley from Arizona, Lorraine Browless, Aunt Kate, Irene and Alan Allen, Mom, Dad, Donnie, Shannon Sherry and me.
We went to Mom and Dad's afterward. Mom gave shannon some markers and some paper. Shannon made Mom a nice card that said, "I love you granma" even though she had just met them that night. It made Mom happy. She gave her some other things to take home also. That made Shannon happy. Verda was still at Mom and Dad's She is staying with her Daughter Ida until labor day. Donnie and I offered to take her home. That way Dad didn't have to get the van out again. We took her and then went home. Shannon and Donnie watch 101 dalmations. Shannon fell asleep on the couch at 10:30 and didn't wake up until 10:30 the next morning. That was nice. We all had a good time Tuesday night.
Audrey's trip to SuperTarget with Jake
On Wednesday, July 20th, Mom decided she wanted to come up to the Quad Cities and see where Jake works at and also view the new skybridge that goes over River Drive in Downtown Davenport. Dad drove her and Aunt Kate to our house and then they took Jake with them and I drove my own van and we met at SuperTarget.
Mom looked very nice with a scarf around her neck and her nice wig. She also didn't have her oxygen on.
When arriving at SuperTaget, Mom promptly found an electric cart and made herself familiar with it. Dad went and sat at the snack bar while Jake, Kate, Mom and I went through the store. Mom was looking for something to serve for her card club. Jake led her to the food aisle and told her where things were located. I was able to take some neat pictures. Mom got what she wanted and Jake led her to the check out lane. We all met up with Dad in the snack bar. After purchasing some small drinks, they left to go look at the sky bridge and I went to Lowe's to look for a toilet handle. Of all things, ours broke off this morning. While at Lowe's, they were having problems with the register and the lady 2 people in front of me had to have all of her purchases rescanned. She had at least 10 items already sacked. It seemed to take forever.
I was going to go grocery shopping also but decided to go home first to be able to say goodbye to mom and dad when they dropped Jake off. As I came to the corner of Holmes and 10th, I saw their van headed to the interstate. I thought they would stop for gas before getting on the interstate so I followed them. But Dad did not stop for gas so I didn't get to see them. Then to top it off, I got the wrong handle. It was an interesting day.
Sherry gets her false teeth
Back in April we started the process of getting my daughter Sherry some false teeth. She has been working hard and finally she found time to complete the process. I had made arrangements for her to see the oral surgeon in Galesburg on July 11. We were just going to go to Affordable Dentures up here in East Moline on the Friday before, July 8th. Even though it is just a walk in clinic, I thought I would call and make sure they were open so I called on Thursday. Much to my dismay, I got a recording saying that they were on vacation all that week and would not open again until Monday the 11th. There went the appointment for the oral surgeon that I had made nearly 3 weeks before. I called the oral surgeon and they could not get her in until August 1. I called around the Quad Cities and was able to get an appointment for July 13th. That would work out great! We could go to Affordable Dentures in East Moline early Monday morning on the 11th and she could get her teeth and then come back up here on the 13th and her teeth pulled and the dentures installed.
So, Sherry came up to my house early on Monday, July 11th. We drove over to the East Moline office and we were greeted at the door by the receptionist. She was placing a sign on the door saying the doctor had an emergency and would not be in that day or Tuesday. It was so disappointing. (Especially since I had had no sleep and sherry had had only 2 hours sleep.) Since we had made an appointment with the oral surgeon for Wednesday, Sherry decided to go down to Peoria on Tuesday. Her friend, Kristin, did not go with her so Sherry drove alone. She got there at 7:30 but did not get out of there until 10:30. She called me and told me that her teeth would not be ready until 3:30. She had thoughts about driving home and then going back. I told her that would not be very wise since the price of gas is now over $2.25 in Illinois. So she hung around Peoria all afternoon and got her teeth and came home.
Since her friend wasn't able to go with her that day, we had to make sure that someone was with her when she got her teeth pulled on Wednesday, so Donnie and I went down and spent the night at mom and dad's on Tuesday night and we brought Sherry up here to Davenport on Wednesday to get her front teeth pulled. The oral surgeon installed her dentures. She looks so much better and happier. Since she had to be back in Peoria to have he dentures fitted better the next day, I took her home that afternoon and I spent the night with mom and dad. Wednesday also happened to be my 4th wedding anniversary. Then to top it all off, Mom and Dad's airconditioner quit after 38 years of faithful service. Dad and Aunt Barb Perry put a window unit into the living room and it kept the living room and kitchen cool until a new central unit was installed on Friday. I slept in mom's hospital bed in the living room that night. Mom and Dad have a small air conditioner in their bedroom. We all woke up at 3:30. The living room was a cool 75 degrees. Mom came out to sleep in the chair because the bedroom was chilly also. Dad came out to turn down the air conditioner in the living room. I told Mom I would sleep in the chair. Dad said he wanted to sleep in the chair to make sure Mom got to sleep o.k. Finally he decided he would stay up and play bridge on the computer and said he would make coffee at 4:30 a.m. Mom laid in her hospital bed for about 20 minutes then carried her blanket and pillow and went back to the bedroom. Dad turned off the computer and he went back to bed. I still slept in the chair. Dad woke up at 6:30 and Mom and I woke up about 6:45. I had to pick Sherry up at 8:30 to be down in Peoria at 10. We got to the office at 9:45 and sat there for 2 hours. Sherry got her dentures adjusted and then we went to Denny's to have a breakfast lunch. We also stopped by Salvation Army where I bought some yarn to use with my new knitting machine. We came home old 150. It broke up the monotony of always driving on the interstate. We stopped at Mom and Dad's on our way home and I took a picture of the 3 of them together. I then took Sherry home and I rested at her place for 20 minutes and then drove back home to Bettendorf. On Friday, I rested. That was quite a week.
Life goes on. Time flies. Things change
Here it is, August 6, 2005. It is a Saturday. Time has been going by so quickly. I can't believe I had the patience to keep a diary when I was a teenager. (April 1971 until 1980). I appreciate having blog here. I just have to learn to use it right.
It has been a hot, dry summer. Even worse than the summer of 1988. The cornfields are drying up and we haven't had to mow our lawn since June. What I find interesting is the white clovers that cover the lawn are brown yet the shell of the flowers are still standing. The grass crunches when you walk on it. The weatherman says we are over 12 inches behind what our precipitation should have been for this year.
But this blog is suppose to be about my mom, Audrey. These are just my observations, of course. Her story would be much different. It is easy for me to say that she hasn't ate very much in the last month and has lost nearly 20 lbs. But only she knows how it feels. She says that a lot of food just doesn't sound good and what does sound good ends up not tasting good.
I had thought this would be a side affect of chemo therapy and by not having chemo she would be able to enjoy food more and not be as sick. But apparently, the disease itself affects the taste of food and her appetite. I have read that food has a metallic copper like taste. Mom seems to agree.
It is amazing how much love and caring is associated with food. I never realized how much our phone conversations were about what food we ate, what we were having for supper, and what we would like to cook in the future. Now even the simplest foods are not appealing to Mom so I try not to mention food at all.
On July 6th, Donnie and I went to see Mom and Dad. We sat around talking with them and Aunt Kate. Later Mom remembered that Aunt Barb Perry's Daughter, Karen, was visiting from Minnesota. Karen's oldest daughter, Alexis, has been battling Lukemia. Mom thought it would be fun to show Alexis her bald head so Dad got Mom's bottled oxygen ready to go and Mom and I got in their van, and I drove her to Aunt Barb's which is actually just catty-corner from their yard but we drove to their driveway. Mom went in and showed Alexis her balded head. It meant a lot to Mom but Alexis was more worried about the pool they were filling in the back yard. So Alexis and her sister Rachel went out back and Mom and I followed with Barb and Karen. Donnie had already walked over and was sitting talking to Uncle Buster and Karen's Husband Jeff. Aunt Kate had also walked over. We just stood around for about 5 minutes and Mom was ready to be driven home. Donnie walked back to Mom's and we left soon after that.
