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      Friday, January 12, 2007


tales from the parkside
11:06 AM - 01/12/2007

The topic: Mom update

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She’s doing much better.

She’s on day seventeen of the patch, first step.  She was planning on going to CostCo today and pick up the next step.  Earlier this week I got a booklet of CostCo coupons, one for the patch.  A fifteen dollar savings and you can get up to three boxes with this savings.  She stopped by here to pick up the coupon.

She was thrilled that she’s had absolutely no craving for a ciggie.  I told her “That’s the patch working; you quit wearing the patch, the craving will come back. The patch is to wean your body away from that craving.”  She’s just so proud of herself, and rightly so. 

Her 75th birthday was Wednesday.  I got her a candy bra (gag gift) that had her laughing so hard she almost peed her pants.  She didn’t realize it was candy, though.  She told me later she took it down to the clubhouse to show her friends and the assistant manager asked if he could have a piece of it.  She didn’t believe him when he told her it was candy and thought he and the manager were trying to pull something on her when they told her to try it.   When she got home, she said, she licked it and it was really candy! 

I also bought her ten pounds of fruitcake.  Yeah, an odd thing, but she loves it and I figure it might help get her back interested in eating.  The ten pounds is really ten one pound boxes.  I got five of dark fruitcake and five of light fruitcake.  She told me Thursday she’d already almost finished one box. 

She’s sounding much better and looking much better.  More clear and bright eyed than she had looked. 

When my father died back in 1987, he left her in a major bad financial mess.  She sold their house the year after he died, since the upkeep was too much for her.  She made a little bit of money on it, enough to buy a mobile home in a senior citizen’s mobile home park. She pays a space rent and utilities, about $700 a month, give or take.  She gets a social security check and a benefits check from the government, that dad had paid into when he was alive. Her medical coverage is from the place he was employed when he died; I’m not real clear if she gets a stipend from them, other than the medical care.  I think, all told, she gets somewhere around $1500 a month. 

Since he died, she paid off all of the creditors and now boasts a savings of over a hundred thousand dollars.  She thinks about how much more there’d be if she’d handled the finances when dad was alive (he was real bad with money).  She had set a goal of a hundred thousand a long time ago, saying “when I reach that, I can die in peace”.  I tell her “no, a hundred thousand isn’t enough; I want at least twice that, so you have to stick around a bit longer”. 

She’s a great old lady.  I’m real proud of her.  She’s come a long way.  After dad died, she didn’t think she could do it, but I knew how strong she was and I had confidence in her.  It was well placed confidence.

I love that old broad.



I’m convinced Fruit Cake has medicinal value. My Grandmother is 92, sound mind and kinda sound body. She had a stroke last year and now uses a walker. She loves Fruit Cake! I dropped some off for her today. Good for your mom on the smoking! That’s a tough thing to quit. I smoked for 15 years and quit when I got pregnant 7 years ago, haven’t had one since.

Posted by Melanee @ Friday, January 12, 2007 - 11:51:07 AM

lisaviolet's avatar

My mom has smoked since she was fourteen.  She did stop for about three years before my father died. When he died, she started back up because it calmed her nerves. 

Congrats on quitting. I smoked tobacco for one year. Just didn’t like it all that much.  Pot, though…...

Posted by lisaviolet @ Friday, January 12, 2007 - 12:03:26 PM


I hate cigarettes.  I tried two years ago and couldn’t stand them.  Kudos to your mom for quitting and extra kudos for doing great with the finances.  It’s no wonder you love the old “broad”.  LOL

I’m liking the thought of a candy bra.  Something to snack on mid-day right on me, but gosh, the melting would be messy…..

Posted by Lisa @ Saturday, January 13, 2007 - 4:19:53 PM


It is sooo good to read this. I’m thrilled that you and your Mom are doing so well.
Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.

After reading what Melanee and you wrote, maybe I need to buy me a fruitcake!

Posted by Bobbie @ Saturday, January 13, 2007 - 4:20:43 PM


A big Woohoo! for Lisaviolets mom!

Yep, she rocks.

Posted by Naf @ Saturday, January 13, 2007 - 5:32:41 PM

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lisaviolet is seventy something, married with no kids, takes care of lots of cats, likes taking photographs, loves Southern California weather and spends altogether too much time avoiding her responsibilities.

In her spare time, she makes pretty things to sell in her store.

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