Seeds of Change, Seeds of Wealth

We are reading Seeds of Wealth by Henry Hobhouse and it is GREAT!  He wrote Seeds of Change (4 Plants That Changed The World) before this one and have enjoyed its ideas for years and rereading that too.  Unbelievable!  He proposes that the British won the Spanish Armada and battles against France, becoming a major sea power, because they had had the American colonies with seemingly unlimited supplies of TIMBER (the first plant listed as a “Seed of Wealth.”)  European timber had long been decimated mainly for fuel so the other countered could not make ships.   (The first “Seed of Change” listed was QUININE,able to control malaria, thus savings lives and allowing workers to finish certain projects previously not completed.  The second was TEA, “and the Ruination of China.”  Can you guess why?)

And the Rest of May Wasn’t So Good Either

We had two more weeks in Seattle and continued to have too much to do:  signing Joan’s mother up for Hospice; continuing with the Faith wake-up each morning and varying other grandchild activities; finishing up another big Project for Andy; cleaning condos and getting them ready for rentals; ordering two dishwashers .

Warning!  Do not order two DW’s on the same day to be delivered to two different addresses.

Yep! Laminate flooring and  granite CT

    We only had a week left before flying to St Augustine, and we were getting the 3 BD condo ready for a long-term renter. The DW didn’t work quite right, although we were making it work, but our son said, No, not for a renter, we need a new one.  Also, in his house, the DW had been broken for some time, but since they had put in a new floor and granite countertops, Ron could not pull it out to fix it.  It had been that way about six months as they couldn’t decide what to do: Tear up the floor?  Cut a ridge in the granite?  Winnie said, “Oh, it’s okay.”  But that was at first……

     When we were there, though, to help, the dishes became unmanageable.   Faith, a short 9-year old,  had been talking for weeks: “I’ll be the only girl here [when Mom is gone]; how will I do the dishes?”  since she couldn’t reach the sink without a stool, and the sinks were too deep for her to reach even then.  Joan talked to Clayton about doing the dishes.  He had the answers:

    “Oh, Grandma, you can come out every day and do them."

“No, that is not happening.”

“Oh, then Faith can do them.”

“She’s not tall enough.”

 "Oh, then we’ll wait until she grows tall enough.”

"No, that is not happening.”

"Oh, then we’ll just wait until Mom comes home.”

"No, that is not happening.  How about paper plates?”

He brightened.  “Paper plates are good!”

“Meanwhile,” Joan said, “you need to do the dishes now.”

“Okay!”

   Andy decided to buy a new dishwasher for his house, too, and tore up the floor.   We went Sunday to Sears to purchase the two dishwashers since we would have to arrange the deliveries.  The two different machines were clearly assigned to the different addresses, Tuesday and Wednesday deliveries.  Tuesday came, and the installer measured the opening in the condo kitchen.  It was too small, since we had put down a laminate flooring there too.  All Joan could say was “No! No! No!”, since we were leaving Sunday and had a renter coming in and it was already Tuesday.  He said we had to go and get a smaller DW.

     We went back to Sears and got a different saleslady who said that her first question always was:  “Have you put in a new floor lately?”  We got a smaller machine, to be delivered Thursday. 
    Wednesday morning, Ron was out at the house to get the house DW.  But, they brought in the newer machine which was for the condo [and was to be delivered Thursday.]  Again, we are saying, “No! No!”, because time is passing:  we were leaving Sunday!  They came back later that day though with the correct machine and another installer came Thursday to the condo with the correct DW also, which fit this time. 
     All this while Joan was signing up her mother for Hospice, still helping Faith, etc. etc.

Are we too old for this?

Planning the Funeral Went Well

     Since Joan’s father had left her mother forty-two years ago and remarried (and he and his new wife Betty had had wanted everyone to be “one big happy family”, to “blend” with her grown children too, and we had all struggled somewhat with that over the years) it was very wonderful to work together so well for the funeral plans.  Everyone agreed with almost everything and we supported one another and especially Joan’s dad during his last days.  There were Joan and her brother David, and Dennis and Darlene, Betty’s children, and all our spouses.   
     We had met with the funeral director and pastor on Thursday, planning for the funeral and burial on Monday; then, Joan’s brother, David, flew immediately back to his contract work in Mississippi, as he had been gone two weeks, (even though he was up everyday at 3 a.m. to work by computer while in Washington). He returned Sunday night in time for the funeral and left again Monday night.

Keenan, Andy, Clayton and Faith (rehearsal photo)

     Keenan was able to extend his airline ticket to stay for the funeral; Andy had had a band trip to Idaho that weekend, but returned Sunday afternoon, so was available Monday to participate: therefore, our children and grandchildren played a brass quartet: Keenan on bass trombone, Andy on trumpet, Clayton on tuba and Faith on French horn.  The other family trumpet member, Natalie, was in Japan, of course.   

     Faith and Clayton had participated in Andy’s high school band concert in Idaho that weekend.   At 9, although Faith is quite good on the French horn, she had had very little time to prepare “Amazing Grace” for the funeral.  Keenan helped her Thursday night and she was so delighted, being able to play her part that she literally jumped up and down.  Friday, she was out of school to go on the Idaho band trip, and then, out of school again Monday, being in Oak Harbor for the service.  (Interesting note:  When Joan called the two schools to report Clayton’s and Faith’s absences, the elementary school secretary, when told Faith was on a band trip, the only words were:  “Was that pre-approved?”  Joan’s answer had to be,  “I have no idea.”  And that was the end of that.   But when she called the high school for Clayton, they said, “Fine,” and nicely.  We think they thought Clayton’s school had a band trip…instead of going on another school’s trip!  Oh well.)

     It was a wonderful week and day-- as well as it could be!   Getting along together meant everything.   

The Merry Month of May

Except that it was not merry.

     Although the doctor’s diagnosis on Joan’s dad changed from his rather negative diagnosis to let's wait and see, and he had responded at first to the medicine, Sunday, the 29^th,  he had a small heart attack.  The hospital worked all day to fix those items which came closer to normal, but he had a lot of pain from muscles cramping.

            We returned to Seattle Monday evening so Joan could teach the ladies Bible study Tuesday and take Winnie and Natalie to the airport Wednesday. Then the "Merry Month” began:  with Winnie gone,Andy’s household needed extra help.  We were there so we could pitch in, but it was so obvious that a home and family need
two parents.  He works two jobs so usually leaves at 6:30 a.m. and Clayton catches the high school bus at 6:40 a.m. so Faith needed help getting up and taken to her bus stop at 8:25 a.m.

    Joan started her daily routine: go to Issaquah to get Faith to the bus….she found out that all the parents walk their kids to the school bus stop- for safety of course.  Then she would either drive back to Renton to pick up Ron and go to Coupeville Hospital (2 hours away), or drive to Kirkland to go with her brother if Ron would be staying back at the condo, doing another Project.  Back and forth every day. 

You've seen current photos; here's a younger one

     Her dad was in good spirits, but in more pain and not responding to the medication. He stopped wanting to eat and Linda (SIL) talked to him seriously….then he ate, still teasing her.  He wanted to be released from the hospital to return to the Regency Care Center, where friends there could still visit but we felt he needed to have the better hospital care.  Until, suddenly Sunday the hospital said, they could do nothing more, and he would be in “comfort care.”  Already having talked with Hospice, he was immediately signed up with them and moved Monday back to Regency in Oak Harbor, where the staff and care were wonderful. 

           Andy drove up with Faith and Clayton Sunday afternoon and Joan’s dad rallied just as they came in and had a wonderful visit.  Then he returned to the labored breathing.  Keenan called Sunday and said he could come; he flew in Monday night; Ron picked him up and drove immediately up to Oak Harbor; meanwhile the rest of us just spent the night in the facility.  Grandad was unable to talk to Keenan, but he was still aware.

Richard Osterholt 1917-2012

     The labored breathing continued; Hospice was a great help relieving muscle  cramping pain, and the caregiving staff at Regency was wonderful. We all took turns by his bedside; everyone got along well.  He passed away quietly Tuesday evening.

     We met with the funeral director and pastor on Thursday morning, planning for the Memorial and burial on Monday. 
   

We were very thankful to have already been scheduled to be in the Seattle area for all this time.  Amazing what two weeks can do.