oh the \'rents...

Let's see,     +light bulbs replaced and the covering globes washed, insect corpses removed    +tomato plants repotted (didn't know she had them, they were fainting from thirst - never saw one with chapped lips before)    +dead branches gathered from the yard and incinerated with three bags of paper (rural area, they are allowed to do that here)    +discussion about whether the new metal burn barrel needs ventilating holes drilled in the side like the old one.  They bought some wood chisels thinking those might do the trick (( )).  Umm... I don't think so.    +reassembled plastic shelving that got crunched when Dad pulled the car too far forward into the garage not too long ago.  Only one shelf level lost - HOWEVER - there were a whole bunch of canning jars stored on that unit so I spent a good deal of time sorting through broken glass    +started laundry, but there's going to be mega-loads.    +set up new little stereo to replace the old all-in-one unit that swallowed a CD and won't spit it out    +read manual for new cordless phone to find out why it wouldn't answer calls (because the answer function was turned "off")    +mail letters     trash set out for pick up      What remains,    spider webs EVERYWHERE    dishes (in piles all over)     she wants kitchen windows washed, but that will be impossible until the dishes are done (they're in the way)    trash removal (not in bags)    salt for the well-water treatment tank thingy    replace filter for above    remove the burgeoning rain forest from their gutters and downspouts    aluminum to the recycling center     drive Dad to medical center to have stitches removed from neck (at least it's not neck bolts ((Franken-Dad)) ) and visit with sister Janie because she's in the same town    new mailbox and a bag of concrete mix in the garage because the old one was knocked down twice this winter by the snow plow.  It currently stands at an angle and appears to be held together with duct tape.   "I don't know how hard it will be to dig up the old one, it seems to be pretty solid right now," says Mum.  Well if it was broke but is still functional enough to ignore, don't fix it... Or get someone else who know how not to be daunted by said task.  IOW daunt ask me. Their washer/dryer is being so slow that even though we put in some clothes they want to wear tomorrow I've brought them back with me so I can do them where I am staying (with friends).  I promise them I'll come early so they have time to put on the appropriate garments... otherwise one of them is pantless and the other one shirtless.  Shudder!  Funny woman, she was wearing a t-shirt I gave her several years ago that reads "if it's not one thing, it's your Mother", with an elderly woman's face in the middle.  Mom complained when I gave it to her that the face was TOO old! Dad looks okay, but wow, he has very little energy.  He needs three back and forth wobbles before enough momentum has been achieved to propel him out of his chair.  He carries a cane but he uses it oddly... kind of taps the floor with it, I can't tell if he's actually bearing any weight with it.  got quite a bit of forward lean going, more than I've ever seen before. There will be more to say tomorrow, and the day after that, but who knows if I'll be too tired or overwhelmed to report on it.  This day went well, the first few usually do.