There is a reason I try to keep politics and religion out of this website, and my gross mistake in mentioning the inauguration in the Monday/Tuesday blog is illustration of my policy’s soundness.
In an attempt to keep everything neutral, I tried to delete every comment or entire posts any of you wrote relating to the new president, his opponent in the campaign, and the now former president. In doing so, it seems I have accomplished exactly what I have tried to avoid – offending people and giving the mistaken impression that if you are not in favor of the new president, your comments are not wanted. Your comments and opinions on ANY political figure, pro and con, are not appropriate here. Everyone is entitled to feel strongly on political policy, philosophy, and programs, but airing our beliefs here will interfere with our true purpose – to help each other through the nightmare of dealing with a spouse with Alzheimer’s Disease.
I do not want to know who is a Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Conservative, or Independent. I do not want to know who voted for whom. I am not here to rally for Obama; I am not here to speak against Obama. I am here to help spouses cope with Alzheimer’s Disease. With that in mind, I am not saying another word that is evenly remotely related to politics, except when it is time to lobby for Alzheimer funding, and I will delete any further reference to anything that even hints of being political.
Staying away from political and/or religous topics--I think we can do that. We've got enough on our plates with the dementias we're dealing with.
Observing, or wanting to observe a major historical moment in our lifetime--we can do that too. Wanting the respite that our LO is cared for so we can do that is a valid desire.
Beinng criticized from an unexpected source (support{?} group)for being selfish in wanting to do something totally unrelated to ALZ/spouse, was I think out of line on their part.
As long as I can say my faith supports me. And I can say the Inauguration speech was impressive. There shouldn't be any kind of problem with your meaning. Take those discussions to the appropriate forums.
Joan - I intrepreted from your blog that the real issue was that watching the inauguration was something that you wanted to do and was very important to you. You took care of your husband's needs by making sure that he got to go to the support group. Go for it.
Early on, one of my closest friends gave me some very good advice - do something for yourself each week. You will handle the other stuff a lot better with that to think about and look forward to. She was right.
This issue hits one of my pet peeves. I don't think that anyone should give up everything that they are and enjoy for any other person, whether it is a parent, spouse or child. That is not healthy for either party. Part of caring for the caregiver is to help ensure that they don't loose themselves in this horrible disease.
I want to second the do something for yourself each week advice. I don't manage to actually get out of the house to do that stuff these days, but when it comes up I do enjoy it.
I decided to tape the actual Inauguration so I could see it later, but it turned out that he was perfectly happy watching it with me, and in fact did not want lunch until it was over, so the thing I did for myself this week was enjoy watching all of those people on the Mall and sharing in their joy and happiness.
I don't think you need to be a Democrat to wish this new president well. A major Republican figure said this week, that we all want him to succeed. There are times when we are not Republicans or Democrats, we are Americans. I think that is true during the inauguration of EVERY president.
I don't want to discuss politics or religion here, but current events should not be totally off the plate. Talking about how a current event affected us, ought to be ON THE PLATE.
For example, my husband was totally willing to watch with me all day long. I don't know how much he understood about what was going on, and I know that there were things that happened in the morning that he didn't remember in the evening (the number of people on the Mall, because I asked him), but it is on topic to point out that he was happy being part of a current event and to ask if YOUR LOs handled it as well.
<<For example, my husband was totally willing to watch with me all day long. I don't know how much he understood about what was going on, and I know that there were things that happened in the morning that he didn't remember in the evening (the number of people on the Mall, because I asked him), but it is on topic to point out that he was happy being part of a current event and to ask if YOUR LOs handled it as well. >>
Frances dozed in her recliner during most of the day's proceedings, but did rouse several times during our new President's inaugural speech to ask me who that was, did I know him, and where he lived. Once when I answered her and told her he now lives in Washington in the White House, she replied, "Well, he must be somebody important -- maybe we should sing him a song!" And then she roused again while the Prez and his wife were walking down Pennsylvania Ave. and waving at people -- she waved back and wondered aloud if Michelle was walking in high heels.....
Y'all are my support group. I just wish I had found y'all sooner. Early on, I tried going to a support group. Personally, it didn't help me at all and I felt uncomfortable and upset each time I went.
Saturday afternoon is my respite time. Our son stays with Claude and our daughter takes me to lunch, to get my nails done, shopping or whatever I want to do. At first I felt guilty about leaving him, but now I am comfortable with it.
Starling, you expressed my feelings exactly. I do think it's a watershed moment when something like this happens, and it is going to affect all of us, one way or another. I have been very impressed with how Bush and most of the Republicans have gone out of their way to be civil and helpful and non-partisan with the Obama people, and that the Obama people have responded in kind. It IS time for post-partisan effort!
My husband watched all day too, seemed very interested. Of course, at the moment he's watching something about Lucrecia Borgia, so maybe anything goes! But yesterday evening our California son called that he had gone to DC. And today I got a facebook notice to look at his video.. taken from what appeared to be dead center of a sea of people (I would have run screaming away!!). SO I called my husband to come see it. I had to explain who had taken this, what it was, where it was taken, on and on. It was as if yesterday had slipped his mind completely!
Same here. He wasn't interested but he sat in his chair while I watched and he slept most of the day. I doubt ifhe really remembers any of it today. Right now he's looking at pictures in the National Geographic. Loves the pictures and asks me if I know anythihg about them. I'm glad he can enjoy them.
My husband watched all day long. He remembered a lot of names and faces (for example, the "master of ceremonies" was the senior senator from California, and much to my surprise, he knew who she was), and seemed to comprehend much of what was going on.
(He did not, however, understand why I said "Oh, no ... she's wearing GOLD" when Michelle first appeared.)
Today, after watching for a while, he announced there was no reason to watch the news anymore today, because all they have is a rehash of everything he'd already seen a gazillion times yesterday.
Ivory for the ball gown? Nora, I thought it looked great with his tux and white tie....
As for the inauguration day dress, I thought that the lace changed color depending on whether in the sun, shade or indoor lighting...it looked beige, gold. lime green at different times to me. None of which is the color that the designer said it was....maybe it was my reception!!! <grin>
jules, if you look on the thread about Joan wanting to watch the inauguration, you will find bets about what color the soon-to-be First Lady would wear. Somebody said gold, and I said absolutely not, it isn't a good color for her. (I am SUCH a fashion expert!) (I thought she looked great while she was walking through the building toward the platform ... but I didn't think the color did a lot for her in the sunlight outdoors.)
Yes, I agree. We need a diversion like fashion. I LOVED the outfits Malia and Sasha were wearing. I didn't like Michelle's dress when I first saw it on TV, but all of the detail showed up in the pictures on the Internet, and it was beautiful.
In a couple of months, I'm sure we'll have a discussion about the First Dog.
Last I heard, they had narrowed the dog possibilities to a couple of low or no shedding dogs ( labradoodle or Portuguese Water Dog), believing this would not be as much a problem for the allergies. And, since these were specific breeds that would most likely not be available at a shelter, they would not be able to go the shelter route. Quite a few sites were promoting the "save a dog" idea as a good example for the Pres. to set for others.
Well, here's my two cent's worth---I loved her ball gown. She looked just lovely. She generally wears a sheath style and that ruffled skirt looked great.
I'm not sure about her day-dress--I thought it was sort of a yellow. I cannot wear yellow, gold or anything inbetween. So, I can't say. I loved her shoes and her gloves. I thought she would have frozen to death. He was wearing that nice top coat and I didn't think that dress/coat looked all that warm.
All in all, I wish I looked as good as she does. And I'm not so much up on fashion as to be able to pick out anythng better for her.
I did not like either dress but I do think if the one she wore for inauguration had been a different color, it would have looked better. I heard she choose the color cause it reminded her of sunshine. As for the evening gown, it looked nice but the designer definitely missed the ball on this one. She could not dance in it due to the 'trail'. I felt so sorry for her cause she kept stepping on (he did a couple times too), but she was a real trooper and kept going. I would have thought someone would have cut off the trail or tied it up between balls. I would have like to see them dance freely - without the problem. The Washington fashion critics did not like either dress. I agree when doing a close-up, the detail of the material was pretty.
Did anyone notice the President's crooked bow tie? With the mess up on the oath and rest they both really showed how they are able to adapt and 'go with the flow'. I use to be a perfectionist but am 'chilling out' and not requiring so much perfection. I have had times when I have had to go on acting like nothing is 'off'. Having children you have to and I am finding when hb forgets what someone just said, or repeats the same thing numerous times, I am having to go on like nothing happened. I don't want to embarrass him or show my embarrassment.
The mess up on the speech was due to the Chief Justice 'winging' it. He didn't have any notes. Obama stopped and gave the CJ a chance to correct himself--which he did.
You CAN adopt a a purebred dog. Every breed has rescue leagues. When Brandy died, we applied to the Golden Retriever Rescue league - had to fill a multi-page application and were subjected to a home visit. Would not have been allowed to adopt unless we had a fenced in yard (which we did). We were approved, but brokered a "private" adoption of a Golden before the approval came. My sister just adopted a puppy from the Labrador Retriever Rescue League.
I checked online and both Labradoodles and Portuguese Water Dogs have rescue leagues. Guess I should send my first e-mail to the new Administration with this important information.
Ahhh, I get it, a bet on the color. I'm not so with it when it comes to fashion. It was 26 degrees here yesterday and I thought how it would feel to be wearing hose and high heels to march around outside, brrrrrr. I was wearing packs. By the way has anyone heard of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? I think you could take any subject here and within 2 or 3 steps the subject would be cats. (hee hee).
Yes, I noticed the bow tie was crooked when he first came out and I would loved to have seen them dance without struggling with the train/trail/tail or whatever it's called on her dress.
I am glad I am not having to make the decision about the dog or anything else they do. When you are in the public eye like they are everything you do is picked to death.
I'm happy to see a couple as obviously comfortable with one another as they are. And with their kids. That little one is just a dear! Clothes: someone said the ballgown reminded them of a chenille bedspread. But I think most people don't REMEMBER chenille bedspreads!! I liked the sunshine inauguration dress but the other one - the fabric not so much. The design, okay.
Oh, I forgot: did anyone hear the Nina Totenberg interview with the man who curated the Smithsonian exhibit on Lincoln's inauguration? It was fun to listen to, even if the interviewee wasn't my oldest boyfriend whom I've known (and been in touch with) for something like sixty years!
No Briegull - how thrilling for you. Just too much going on to see everything. I didn't see Divva's daughter in law either, but I think I saw her son. (grin) (I think it was divva)
now if I can just my son to put his video on youtube instead of myspace!! (I have another friend whose husband took great closeups of B.O., M.O., and Byden at the Day of Service.)
They already know about the rescue leagues, and that's where they plan to look. (Not that they'll have to go looking ... I imagine every rescue league in the country has already contacted them.) Can't remember where I saw a piece on TV, possibly the Early Show, but they brought out examples of both dogs and discussed their personalities. Sounds as if it will be a real learning experience for the girls ... they're both fairly big dogs, and require a lot of training, and of course, the girls have no experience with dogs.
I agree about the ball gown, couldn't believe anyone was dumb enough to design one with a train when the lady wearing it would dancing in front of millions of viewers!
But whether or not you liked the clothes, ya gotta admit the lady is lovely! Both of them have such wonderful smiles.