A Better Day....

Thank you all so very much for your lovely comments, hearts and stars on yesterdays Iris post...and your good thoughts about my dad. Gosh it means the world to me!

My siblings and I (four all told) got together at my parent's house for lunch today with Mom. Tomorrow is her 93rd birthday, but since I'm there on Wednesdays, we decided we'd celebrate it today with all of us, and of course another tomorrow with the siblings that can make it. I brought the lunch - homemade chicken salad (my famous...) and a lemon cake - my mom's favorite. We talked at length about what to do when Dad comes home from the hospital. We don't know when that will be but he'll need a lot more care. So we have a plan for more caregiver hours. 

Dad seems to be stabilized, although he's got a plethora of medical issues, not the least of which is congestive heart failure. I pray that he won't leave this earth on my mom's birthday. But I suspect he'll make it home. The emotional turmoil is exhausting for all of us, but most of all I want my dad to not be in pain. I wish he'd consider hospice, but both he and mom are adamant in not bringing them in. From their point of view, it's admitting that they're dying. Are they? Where's the line....who's to say?

Anyway, a beautiful afternoon in Portland today and here's a shot of my Clematis 'Pink Champagne' in full bloom on a trellis. Unfortunately it's so high that I can only shoot it from underneath without a tall ladder (not)!