Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Monday and Tuesday at Beachcombers


Monday morning was spent shopping to replenish our diminishing food supplies. We had just enough milk for Mom to make her oatmeal and the girls to have cereal. Saul took the breakfast detail so I could catch a few more winks after blogging until 2 in the morning. You Tube was not cooperating. From now on, if I post a blog before it is finished, I will place an "under construction" sign at the top until it is completely finished. I was afraid of losing my postings from Ari's because his network shuts down every so often, so I kept on publishing all through the process. Some of you may have seen an unfinished blog from Friday because it took a few hours to completely get it together.

We spent the entire afternoon at Beachcombers Swim Club. They had just sent out an e-mail saying that the club was having a financial struggle and there was buzz among the regulars about it because a piece of the land had been sold off and is in the process of becoming a strip mall. Yesterday, we heard that things are okay for this summer, but its survival into the future is in question. We have only been members for three years, but for some, this is a summer institution that has been a major part of their lives.

Beth joined us for dinner Monday evening. I had bought a beautiful piece of halibut at Costco that I thought we would grill, but Saul was too tired so I pan steamed it with shallots, lemon and fresh herbs from the garden. I used up my potatoes that had been around for a while by making potato, leek and corn soup and warm potato salad. Beth was freaked out because over the weekend, her german shepherd, Darcy, had learned to hunt successfully and had killed a large groundhog that she described as not even fitting in her trash bag. When Saul went out to water our potted plants before dinner, he heard Beth shriek and went running over. Darcy had pounced on a rabbit and killed it almost immediately as soon as Beth let her out of the house. Beth loves all animals. Her two dogs were the neediest in the pound when she adopted them. This is very upsetting to her, but Saul and I are celebrating the fact that Darcy has learned to hunt and we might actually have a garden again with real tomatoes on plants that have not been nibbled to the nub. We finished our meal with ice cream and let the girls make their own sundaes. Everyone went to bed early.

Yesterday morning was spent unpacking and cleaning up. I had taken the whole brisket from Simon's Kosher Meat out of the freezer to defrost. I separated the two cuts and pot roasted the first cut. The second cut went into a pot to boil and will become two dishes--beef and barley soup, and barbecue beef. Once sliced and finished today, I will freeze everything to take with us for our two-week vacation in Ocean City, NJ.

I promised the girls we would take them to the pool if they napped. They have not been waking us up before 7:30 a.m., but I have no idea, now, what time they awaken and begin watching t.v. in their room. They seem pretty ready for a nap by 12 or 1 p.m. They both slept for about 2 hours and we took them to the pool for an hour. Sami decided not to swim and enjoyed herself with the Play-Doh activity that was ongoing through the afternoon.

My brother, Ken, arrived at 5:30 p.m. bearing three large pizzas to await our 6:30 p.m. appointment with Leslie Fine of Fine Care to discuss live-in help for Mom while we are on vacation. Adele joined us a few minutes later with her granddaughter, Brenna, so that the cousins could play together. Then Beth joined us, and then Randi, Ken's wife. As usual when we get together, we had a great time. When Leslie arrived and began her pitch at the kitchen table, we were all impressed except for Mom, who was feeling much better and therefore was annoyed at the slightest hint that she might not be able to take care of herself while we are away. The expense is very great--$225.00 per day for a live-in person and because Abington Hospital had not thought Mom needed any specialized nursing care when she was released from the hospital, none of it will be subsidized. Eventually, we all had to stop pushing Mom to accept this situation and Ken offered to have her over to his house for the two weeks where she will be on one floor and have a bathroom to herself, but that is unacceptable to her also. We still have a week to discuss this, and when Leslie talked to Mom privately, she felt that she might come around. If her strength returns, maybe all this will be okay and she will be able to fend for herself. Here's hoping!

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