I haven't blogged in a long time because I was pretty well still emotionally paralyzed. No, it was that I had no time. Or maybe that it was too tiring to sit down and write in the morning and there was no time in the evening -or possibly the other way around. Perhaps it was the necessity of having rational thoughts to share - on the other hand that hasn't stopped me ...  On the other hand my recent discovery of the margarita sampler at Outback may have inspired me.
 On the (95 year old, mine) mom front my excuses seem to be the same as they were 40 years ago {she knows what buttons to push -mine have always been clearly labeled) or 40 weeks ago (pneumonia and a stint in rehab*). The facility is up near my sister since that's where she was when she got sick. All things considered (and it is a long list) she is doing amazingly well, at least when they keep the oxygen going and the pain meds current - then she even has a sense of humor. It's dark but it's there. My poor sister, one more week and grandma would have been back with me!
 On the being a terrible mom  (as opposed to daughter) front I finally got the eldest son to his orthopedist (only the one at the nearest Children's hospital deals with the CP but one must cross major bureaucratic hurdles to get a 28 year old in).  Seems his knee caps have been pulled right up above the actual joint -it looks creepy in the x-ray. Now we get to pursue newer and better orthotics.
 The youngest missed 4 days of school to find out he does NOT have pertussis. Since I figured a diagnosis couldn't make his cough any worse I was mildly dis- appointed since this would have made a great anecdote for the undergraduate epi class. Oh well, you can't win them all. I will keep my eye out for another I make work it in still.
* "rehab" really has a whole different meaning at her age! On the other hand when we said she had to go she did say "no. no. no."