Merry Christmas

​For whatever reason, I can’t write blogger comments on my cell phone, so Tommy, Bohemian, Bathwater, Bella and everyone else..Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year’s.

We have eaten an obscene amount of chocolate and sweets over the past two days and have been spending much time catching up with relatives.

The husband is a trouper, socializing with so many of my relatives. Thank you sweetie!

The weather has been pleasant— just under freezing. The snow sticks, but it’s not too cold. We’ve taken a few lovely walks.

My brother, dad and I have also had a few good conversations about mom’s care. While it breaks dad’s heart, mom will go to assisted living when the next opportunity comes up. As dad said, this is the end of an era. This is also a healthy decision for both my parents. I respect dad for all the care he has provided. 

In the Valley

​Now in the Ottawa Valley, visiting my parents for a few days. The trip up was frustrating – our Seattle flight got canceled last minute due to weather. Wednesday evening we rebooked to fly out of Vancouver early Thursday morning, then woke up at 2:30 am to drive there.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. We spent a few hours in the evening with my parents and planned some outings with my cousins.

Dad and I found a moment to discuss Mom and the care she needs. He admitted there are days he's ready to move her to assisted living; she's on the waiting list for three such homes. I strongly support this. Mom isn't safe alone; she's unstable, making it too easy for her to fall.

Holiday season…

​We hosted a holiday gathering today, with approximately 30 to 40 guests, including people we only see once or twice a year at similar events.

During this  holiday season, we have gone to a party or dinner every night since Wednesday. With my boss visiting for a few days in the upcoming week, I expect there will be a few ore. Then, on Thursday, we are scheduled to fly out to visit my parents near Ottawa. Busy, busy, busy.

At work I’ve been in more of a contemplative mood. My boss is around this week. He has a way of thinking and speaking that is positive, forward looking, outcome oriented and empowering. He doesn’t put up with complaints or shortsightedness, especially from well paid employees. It has me think, what do I want from my career and my organization. I have enough influence that I don’t get to complain about the powers that be. But what do I want…

The rain in Seattle has been relentless, but thankfully we're not in a flood zone.

I have a coworker who bought a house a few years ago. At that time, he was surprised that the previous owner left a portable pump, sand bags, hoses and pipes in the garage. Now he understands what they are for. When the rain is heavy enough, a stream flows down the street and into his driveway. The sandbags, pump and pipes divert the water and protect his house.

Work has been especially intense lately, with some substantial last-minute deliverables that require the team to push through. Everyone is working admirably-- hard and smart. I'm proud of them.

I received two pieces of tough feedback at work that I've been reflecting on.

The first concerns an employee who has been slacking off. He's no longer keeping my boss informed and by year's end will have taken 7 weeks of vacation, not all of which is recorded in our system. I'm disappointed that I didn't catch this sooner.

The second feedback stems from a presentation I gave to our CEO several weeks ago. A colleague who now regularly briefs our CEO rewatched our presentation and shared his observations. He noting I had a tendency towards lengthy responses, which sometimes muddied the message rather than clarifying it. In retrospect, I understand my motivation. I wanted to adhere to our message and showcase our team's in-depth knowledge. However, a simple "yes" or "no" is sometimes the right answer.

We have a new room mate. He is a traveling nurse with a dog that gets along well with our dog.

I have a family matter to consider. My mother's health has been declining for months, and Dad is firm about keeping her home for as long as possible. He is against placing her in a nursing home. My brother and I had a discussion about this yesterday. He states Dad is struggling in caring for Mom and that neither he nor Dad would push back if I decided to move Mom to a nursing home.

My brother and I are considering this carefully.

Years ago, my uncles made the difficult decision to move my grandparents into nursing homes. I wish I had more information about that experience.

I will visit my parents over Christmas, and Dad and I will have a detailed discussion then.