The Rest Of The Story: Thank You For Asking, My Gentle Readers

/ Ally Bean

Quick, is anybody looking?

About the water leak in the ceiling of our recently remodeled bathroom…

[Story here.]

The ceiling is fixed thanks to roofers, remodelers, and painters.  The problem was that last year when The Remodelers were in the attic installing the new bathroom fan they accidentally knocked against the existing vent which jostled it enough so that the connection on the roof became loose.

Then water from melting snow and rain dribbled in around the existing vent, dripped through the attic down onto the ceiling– and eventually made itself known in the bathroom.  Hence the problem.

But you know what kids, all’s well that ends well.

About MIL after FIL’s passing…

[Story here.]

MIL, who is in her early 80s & has her own serious health issues, never wanted to live in their house after he was gone, so she has moved into an Assisted Living facility wherein she is safe and cared for by a staff who know how to keep her healthy and we hope, happy.

This is a woman, who before this, has lived in only 3 different houses in her life, so change does not come easily to her.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers [or tots and pears 😉] regarding her.

About the confusing Latin + Native American message…

[Story here.]

I figured it out, oh yes I did.  After a bit of online research plus a conversation in real life, I realized that [ready for this?] a Shakespeare play was going to happen in a rural county park.

The message was a sly reference to Shakespeare, using Latin, combined with the name of the county park, that happened to be the name of a Native American tribe. I don’t know how effective this message was at getting people to attend the play, but it was a good brain teaser for me.

And we’ll just leave that story right here.

About the eyelid cleaning that I had last Friday…

[Story here.]

The BlephEx™️ procedure was without drama, the way I like medical things to be.  The Doc put some anti-bacterial foam on this little gadget that looked like a Dremel drill wannabe and vibrated like an electric toothbrush on cocaine.

He slowly moved it around my lash line and eyelid area, cleaning my eyelids and eyelashes as he went.  No big deal, it tickled a little bit and took about 15 minutes.  Immediately afterward my eyes were tired, but I could see clearly to drive & read.

Overall my eyes feel less gritty & more relaxed than before, so there you go.

Nope. Then let’s smooch!

~ ~ 🤔 ~ ~

Any more questions you’d like to ask me? This is your chance. If lines are busy, please keep trying. 

~ ~ • ~ ~

80 thoughts on “The Rest Of The Story: Thank You For Asking, My Gentle Readers”

  1. Good karma = good results. We are fortunate, to be sure. And what a shot of smooching cardinals (by the way, a rejected group name before they went with “the Black Crowes.” Or was it the “Smashing Pumpkins”)?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Zen-Den, you make me smile. I agree. I’m all about creating good karma, especially when it comes to people and houses and health and blogs. You know, LIFE ❣️

      Like

    • Dan, thank you for the good wishes. Yes, I’ve moved a lot in my life and it’s never easy. MIL will adapt to her new home, but I’m thinking there’ll be an adjustment period. 🤔

      Liked by 1 person

    • L. Marie, thanks for your concern. I’d do the procedure again, but now I’m curious to know how long this good feeling will last. The cardinals smooching made me happy. Who doesn’t love smoochy birds?

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Glad your leak was resolved…. we’re dealing with one around our chimney and every time we think we’ve fixed it, a new leak springs up. It’s beyond aggravating.
    Good news about your MIL, assisted living can be wonderful. After a bit of adjustment my late mother loved it. (I’m sorry, was I supposed to bring a pear?)
    As for your eye procedure…. the very thought of a Dremel and a vibrating cocaine laden toothbrush approaching my face would make me run for the hills….. but I’m very glad it helped.

    Liked by 1 person

    • rivergirl1211, we’ve had chimney leaks in houses before and they’re the worst. You just never know, I understand. Good luck with it.

      MIL’s Assisted Living is near my SIL’s home so I think that fact alone will make it easier for MIL to feel comfortable with her new digs. 🤞

      The eye thing wasn’t bad. No one is paying me to say that so just my opinion. It was, however, an unusual new medical procedure for me.

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  6. Thanks for the updates! You have better workmen than we do around here. I can’t find anyone to fix anything for me. Ugh. Glad MIL is adjusting OK to a new environment. And that your eyes are feeling better of course!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Margaret, you may be right in that we do have some excellent responsible workmen around here. We got the roof/ceiling mess taken care of in good time– like a few months. That seems reasonable to me.

      Yes, so far I’m grooving on my eyes feeling relaxed. How long this lasts, I dunno.

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    • Oh, nance, things are stalled in that area of my life. I’ve put the whole situation out of my mind for the summer, but we still have too. much. family. stuff. And furniture. I’ve never dealt with an auction house before and I suspect that may be what I have to do with some of this stuff. Old, historically significant stuff.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks, Jill. I love watching the cardinals out back of our house. They’re not the brightest birds forever flying into our patio doors, but they do manage to charm me with their birdy kindness. Now, of course, I can see them even more clearly. 🤓

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Love the pictures of the cardinal couple!
    Can’t imagine my mother moving to an assisted living! She’s lived in her current house for 60 years! Hope your MIL adjusts and is happy. That’s all we want.
    Leaks of any kind are not fun. Glad you got yours taken care of with little drama.
    The eyelid/eyelash cleaning sounds so futuristic! Cool that it worked for you. And hope it lasts a good long time. Our eyes are so important.
    On to the next adventure.

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    • Beth, the smooching birds made me smile. I just snapped some pics, hoping I’d catch them in the act. Yes, your mother is going to have quite an adjustment if she ever goes into Assisted Living. 60 years in one place doesn’t seem possible to me– how does that happen?

      The eye procedure was futuristic, good way to describe it. I’d do it again if the results last long enough. It was not cheap and, of course, insurance didn’t pay for it. 😏

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  11. Your ample references to Shakespeare have goaded me to add this “As You Like It” line: “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.” These stories and followups proved this true.

    I’m so glad you were “blephed” with a good result last week: “You can see clearly to drive & read.” What more can you ask, my friend. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Marian, I like the Shakespeare quote. It’s perfect and I’m glad that you brought it to me attention. Well said, my dear.

      Yes, I’m pleased that I had the procedure and that it was as no-big-deal-ish as it turned out to be. I didn’t know what to expect. And now that I’m on the other side of it, I’m happy to be seeing as clearly as I am… for as long as this lasts.

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  12. Whew – no wonder you had gritty eyes – so much wind dusting up in your world
    Leaks are the worst – glad that’s fixed.
    Husband here has eye issues ( as well as very thick glasses). He eventually was introduced to some pads and foaming liquid he order to clean his eyelashes, eye lids, and around eyes really well. Seems to really help and give relief. He hasn’t had that procedure – but will remember it (sounds a little like the thorough ear vacuuming done by a doc – sounds weird but whew what a difference after suffering).
    You’re brave – I’m very sensitive about anything around/in my eyes. (Shiver)

    Liked by 1 person

    • philmouse, the eye Doc suggested this procedure to me a few years ago, but I didn’t want it then. Sounded too weird. However, with all that my eyes have been through because of the remodel and age, I decided to give it a try. I had some eyelid washing stuff from the Doc at one point, but it didn’t do much for me. You just never know what’ll help and what’ll be a big old *meh* although I had more hope regarding this procedure than the eye cleaning stuff.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, I’m telling you that’s exactly what I thought of as the Doc showed me this device. It was jazzed up in a way that makes my electric toothbrush look like a lazy bones.

      I agree, everything happens one way or another. Knowing this I try to not get stressed about stuff, but sometimes fear & doubt creep into my psyche. 🙁

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  14. Thanks for the update on the eye procedure. My doc told me at the last visit that they are getting something that is cheaper than Lipiflow. I am hoping they have it at my next visit in the fall. My dry eye has been good this summer but with all the rain and humidity, nothing has been dry! Kudos to your MIL for making a good decision. Too often they don’t want to leave a home that is full of good memories. A dear friend has been going through that with her 88 year old mother who expects all the kids to do the work and run her all over but refuses to move. As for leaks, I have no words!

    Liked by 1 person

    • kate, I’m not familiar with Lipiflow. If that’s part of this Doc’s repertoire I’ve not heard about it yet. My eyes are sensitive to the mold that all this rain has created this summer, so I’ve been unusually itchy. However, I’m feeling better now.

      Yes, MIL had no interest in being by herself, so Assisted Living seems like the perfect solution for her. I don’t sense that leaving the objects in their house is a problem for her, she’s more tuned into people than stuff.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. You lived through the eye scrubbing Ally Bean! Glad to know you made it and that it was sort of anti-climactic as far as the danger issue.
    Given my words on aging a few days ago I always keep that idea of assisted living tucked away but handy in my brain. Not sure, but I don’t think that I would mind it so much, just as long as I had my own room/space and a door I could close and lock when I wanted 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, the procedure was anti-climatic from a stressful point of view, but extremely effective from a afterwards point of view. [That made sense?]

      When it comes to Assisted Living I agree with you that if I had my own room with some of my own things and a sturdy lock on my door, plus a window that opened for fresh air, I’d be okay. IF I had to go that route. Which easily could happen.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Always a busy Bean.

    Your MIL — only 4 total moves in life? Wow. I would aspire to that, but it’s too late. I moved 4 times in 6 years several years ago… … … … I’m still tired.

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    • Tara, I can imagine how tired you are. Moving that often in a short period of time is disruptive even for the most balanced people. MIL lived with her parents, her husband’s parents, in the home she shared with FIL– and now Assisted Living. I find it amazing, but that’s how it often is for people who don’t venture far from where they grew up. Even among our peers.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. I never expected your description of your eye procedure to feel like a tickle. Thank goodness it didn’t feel the way I had imagined. I’m glad you solved the fire station riddle… I think they may have been a bit too clever with that one if their intention was to actually advertise an event. I don’t suppose many people would have gone as far as you did to figure it out.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janis, the procedure was goofy. I mean, I giggled at first until I got used to the feeling– that was not unpleasant. Not exactly normal, but not awful.

      Yes, the fire station sign still baffles me– but in a different way. I understand it now, but this is a county with more high school grads than college grads. I dunno, the message seemed a little highbrow to me… but… whatever, I guess. 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Thanks for the updates. I love happy endings and your stories seem to have them. Hopefully the original remodelers who knocked the vent out of place took care of fixing things without charge 🙂 Happy Monday to you.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Thanks for all the updates and glad to see the outcomes are positive. I’ll bet MIL will adjust just fine. I know that assisted living arrangements aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if staying at her house wasn’t something she desires then this was probably the right decision.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, I believe that MIL could thrive in Assisted Living. She’s been taking care of FIL for years, but now she gets to be the center of attention. There’ll be adjustments, of course– but living in a healthy environment with food and meds handed to her on a timely basis can only help her feel whole again, if she lets it.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Jan, I just love it when someone says tots and pears. It’s silliness that makes me smile. Yes, my eyes are feeling much less dry and I’m hoping this lasts for a good long time.

      Like

  24. Did The Remodelers know they caused the leak? Did they help pay for the fix?

    Glad MIL is doing well!

    The eye thing sounds weird, but I’m glad it helped.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Akilah, when the remodelers got up into the attic they knew it was their fault because they were the only people who’d been up there in the last year. They paid for it all, but it took a couple of months to get it completed because the roof work could only be done after the snow/ice melted. So we lived with the ceiling mess getting bigger [ick] until the roof could be repaired properly, then the ceiling.

      The eye thing, very weird. But whatever works, works… as they say.

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    • Donna, thank you! I sometimes hesitate about writing positive things because people seem to prefer calamities + woes, but I like happy endings so why not write about them?

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  26. That’s an eye procedure I’ve never heard of – and I thought I’d had most of them over the years (bad eyes 😕)

    After I heard about a common bacterial infection that affects the rim of the eye making it red and itchy, I started a regime of cleaning my eye rims and lashes about once a week.

    The thought of a leaky roof is one of those things that makes me anxious. Right up there with a leaking basement. Glad to hear your problem was identified and resolved!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Joanne, the Doc first told me about this procedure a few years ago but it wasn’t until this summer that my eyes got irritated enough for me to try BlephEx™️. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much better my eyes feel. Now for how long, I don’t know– but I’m grooving on it right now. AND THEY DIDN’T PAY ME TO SAY THAT!

      I’m with you, the roof/ceiling problem made me nervous. I tried to not think about it, but when it’s in your bathroom above your head every day denial is difficult. Glad to have it all fixed now.

      Liked by 1 person

  27. My house count is only two, unless the apartment my parents lived in the first 2 and a half years of my life counts. I have no intention of ever going anywhere else, but you never know. I do know that I’m the farthest thing from a rolling stone, and am amazed at people who can pack up and move with regularity…

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