The verdict came in on the Hubs mysterious illness. It only took 3 blood tests to get an accurate positive result for Lyme disease. It seems his symptoms would indicate that he's had it for quite some time. He's at least at stage two, if not stage three. He's also seasonally sick, so living here is just.... awesome.
Youngest is/was sick. I was sick for 2 days, got better, and now I'm sick again. Youngest has been in and out of the house more than a bit, going to a Halloween party on the 31st, and by the 9th he was sick. And then I was sick on day 10, the Hubs on day 11. Do you see where this is going?
Hubs went for his COVID test yesterday. Oldest had his on Friday and it's already come back negative, so that's encouraging. If Hubs comes back negative then we'll know it's just a cold, par for the course this time of year. If it doesn't then we're all sticking together for another ten days which will be so much fun, considering we have next to nothing in the fridge.
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I put the tree up this weekend. And before all the naysayers pipe up here let me tell you, I spent a lot of money on a Balsam Hill two years ago, on a deep discount, after holiday sale, and with only a 4 week season this year I feel like I'll never be able to enjoy it. I also know that in order to get it just the way I want it I need to do it in stages so I don't hate the whole experience, and end up in a pile on the floor, ugly crying into tinsel. Youngest helped me actually get it together, and I picked away at getting the ribbons and crystal sprays on for the base decorations. Hubs and I finally picked out a semi tacky star for the top this year since everyone (except me) thinks my porcelain angel is creepy. Something about eyes that stare though your soul, blah, blah, blah. The rest of the ornaments won't go on until after Thanksgiving dinner. And since it's just us this year, everyone will be around to help.
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I'm experimenting with alcohol inks on glass. I've got some ornaments and candle votives drying right now. We'll see. I do like the randomness of it, the staining of my hands, not so much. I have a knitting project still on hand if a quarantine is in order and a sufficient list of Christmas gifts that can be researched, clicked, and shipped if need be. I still can't believe that we are down to the last six weeks of 2020. It feels like a lifetime has passed us by, months we have missed out on, seasons left unappreciated. Crazy.
I've also decided to refinance the house. I can go to a 15 year mortgage, pay the same amount I am now and actually pay the house off in 13 years, at 59. I'm not sure why I'm so nervous about this. Its' not like I'll lose the house if it doesn't work out, I'll just keep going the way I am, and have for the last 15 years. It's weird, as open as I am about things, it's feels like an invasion of privacy. I mean, these people could find out how much money I spend on ice cream if they wanted to. It's not stressful, just...weird.
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The shining spot in our tiny lives has been contact from a lawyers office out of Rhode Island. To keep a long, sorted story incredibly short, hubs was a cosigner on his mother's house. In the 5 years before she passed, he paid the mortgage so she wouldn't have to go back to work. When she passed in 2015, his brother refused to allow him to sell the house and we let it go. The entire family went separate ways. Now, five years later the house was sold and there was a surplus of funds. Hubs, being a cosigner on the note, was due the full amount of the surplus, which presented a HUGE moral dilemma. Take the money, or split it with a brother who essentially doesn't acknowledge his existence.
In the end, I did what I felt was the right thing, presented the will, and they are sending him a check shortly for his half. Thankfully, Hubs got everything sent off Thursday before he got sick. This could be the first year I don't have to work 100 hours of overtime to make the Holidays happen. Course, I will still work them, because I have no choice, but it would be nice to just tuck that money away for a change.
It's a bittersweet thing. The money is a huge help to us right now and offers the security that she would have wanted us to have, but it is the end of his life before, the last band aid to rip off. Thankfully it's all being done independently, through the mail. No contact with his brother or that horrid woman he chooses to spend his life with. Most of the money will go in the bank of course, because both of us feel like huge changes are coming for the post office in January. He'd like new couches, and I'd like my journey ring fixed so I can wear it again. His mom was a big fan of scratch tickets. Not that she played much, but every Christmas we all got one to scratch on Christmas Eve. We decided to take a bit of that money and get everyone one last Vovo present, to celebrate her one more time, on Christmas Eve, her 83rd birthday.
I keep thinking it's time to write my annual year in review letter for close family. But with the year everyone's had, where would we even start?
46 days and counting....
When my grandma passed and her house was sold, the money was split between the 4 kids,my mom and siblings. To my shock, they all agreed I needed some of it too as I took care of her at the end. At first, I was deeply insulted. I didn't need to be paid to love my Grandma. But, they all convinced me she'd want me to have it. It was indeed very bittersweet. I'd give it back for one more day, though. For sure.
ReplyDeleteHoping no COVID for you guys!! Lyme disease ain't no picnic either. Hang in there!!
Lyme disease can be awful--so that explains him feeling so badly.
ReplyDeleteScary to even get colds during covid! I hope you all test negative and stay negative.
I say--putting up the Christmas tree early is a good thing. We need a little extra cheer this year. ;)
I don't judge - put your Christmas tree up whenever it suits you. Especially this year! But seriously, I need to see that angel before I would agree to a star for the top of the tree. And this from a girl who grew up with a star...go figure. But an angel for the top of the tree is how I met The Husband...
ReplyDeleteCrossing my fingers that you all test negative.
Sickness here, sickness there, sickness everywhere just saying
ReplyDeleteLyyme disease sucks from what I know which is bugga all
I know from my sister's late f-i-l that Lyme can change a vital man into a shuffling one in no time. I'll add him to my prayers. So sad, too about a bitter family breakup. I'd like to think I'd handle the money as you did. You enjoy decorating. And put the angel next to his alarm clock one morning, just because...
ReplyDelete46 days to the end of the year? This has been a year and a half, hasn't it? I heard Lyme's disease can be a pain to treat; it seems to recur a lot over and over during treatment. I hope that is not the case with your hubby. Hoping everyone who is tested comes back negative!!
ReplyDeletebetty
Put our expensive Tree up early too, got it 50% Off so I totally understand why you want to get the most mileage out of your expensive Tree too and decorate it in stages, enjoying it thoroughly. Especially now, we need all the uplifting Visuals and Positive Vibes we can surround ourselves with. Glad the Diagnosis identified what was wrong... and that so far nobody is Testing Positive for The COVID... it's terrifying how exponential it's now spreading, only Six Days to infect another Million... used to take 3 Months to reach those figures... the Math if that keeps up is staggering! Some States that have been real Covidiot Run have 35%-51% Positivity Rate now and it should be below 2% to be controllable... Pandora's Box may not be able to be closed... we as a Nation got too Arrogant, Soft and Careless about this Plague. When people couldn't go get a Haircut or have Lunch at the Cheesecake Factory they thought they were enduring True Hardship... shit, they ain't seen nothing yet! The Financial ramifications from allowing uncontrolled spread will be devastating, the whole scenario is deeply concerning. The Nation needs to really have Unity of Purpose. I'm glad your Husband's dilemma with his Mom's Estate worked out well for you all, it can be tough to Deal with such potentially controversial things as Estate distribution when Families aren't close and in Unity about what should be done. Doing the Right thing always pays dividends though. A re-fi to a 15 Year Mortgage is Wise if you got great Terms... rates now being all time low.
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