Life (and death) Preparations

Well I can't believe this - I sat down and wrote a long post in this new editor and it is simply gone. How annoying. On the other hand it may well spare you ready a bit of sappy writing. Not totally mind you as here I am again but we all know how those rough drafts go - or not.

With everyone talking about New Year's Resolutions a while back and some conversation I can't remember coming up between my son and myself, my thoughts turned to preparing for the worst. Resolving perhaps to make sure the ones left behind have an easier time of it than they'd have if you simply fail to plan. Let's face it, no one wants to talk about it. To the extent all to often that a loved one dies and the bereaved find out nothing was done that should have been done, so now they have not just the grief to cope with but a huge mess to boot. Funeral plans no one thought to consider prior to the need. Financial issues of paperwork or money itself because no one wanted to think about morbid topics like dying. Once the person is dead it is too late but how many times do we hear, if only...

If only the house had been in both our names.

If only we had had mortgage insurance.

If only we had bought enough life insurance.

If only I knew where all the papers were or what bills we have the wife might say...

If only..

Let your new year resolution be to put the ax to as many of those "if only" types of statements as you can ahead of time. Have that impossible conversation. Think those impossible thoughts. If they died - what needs to be done, what needs to be in place?

My husband died in 1998. We had some time to prepare but many things we let slide, or it was too late once the diagnosis was made to change some things. Lapsed life insurance. A large mortgage. Debt. We thought he'd live forever and have a good retirement? Well yes we all do that don't we however life sometimes throws us a curveball.

I won't write about what to do as there are wonderful sites with more information you need than I could put here in a short time. My only hope is if you read this you will consider preparing for the worst. Take care of your loved ones. Don't let it slide. Start the new year out with taking care of those unpleasant things because you know what? Whether you want to talk about it or not, death comes to all of us.

Here's three blogs you can look at to start -
What You Need to Do Before you Go
5 Financial Lessons to Learn from Celebrity Deaths
Things I've Learned Losing A Parent

Morning Rambles

Snuggling down under the comforter with the cat, sleeping in seemed a good idea on this cold morning  (currently 25 out). Normally Su sleeps in nicely but this morning she got up and turned my light on. Dang it. While a touch lamp seemed a great idea Su quickly learned to turn it on when she wanted something. Like me out of bed. Nothing quite like a light coming on in the wee hours of the morning when it is totally dark to get up you fast. Now that it is obviously just Su not a midnight prowler I just groan and drag myself up.
Su out and Lucky-cat with her, it was time to tend to the rest before letting the two back inside. Precious (20yo ex-feral) was yowling for ( 1) attention (2) water (3) food, pick one or all.. she wanted water. There was water in her bowl mind you but it had been there all night. Eww yucky, old water. She wanted Fresh water. At least she no longer demands RO water like she did when we lived in the country and well water came from the tap.  Mellow cried to be let out. Fela sat patiently waiting for her treats. And Su wanted back in. Lucky was ‘knocking’ on the door (body slamming it) and I was trying to figure out why the coffee was not perking (ah.. it needs water in the reservoir not in the pot) ….
so begins the morning. Can I go back to bed  now?  Well no, the trash truck is coming.. sigh. I run out in bathrobe and the men kindly take the trash and even bring one of the trash cans back to the garage for me. Not their job but it is cold out and I am obviously not prepared for this. Greeting them, smiling and saying Thank you probably helps.
Everyone is back in, if not happy (make it Warm momma!) and the coffee is done, John’s up telling me his crazy dreams and I’m ready for for a morning nap.

A new year

It seems the last few posts were done on Woolgathering, with the dog as my subject. Life would have been simpler if I had not forgotten about starting a blog and later on started a blog only to find out it was the second one. At least they are with the same outfit! Oh yeah.. there's that third one too... Yes you can laugh at me, roll your eyes, whatever is your style. I'm unorganized and we all know it.

2010. It would be nice to have something memorable or philosophical to say about that number but mostly what I think is, remember the movie 2001? And how far into the future that seemed back then? And here we are pushing into that other year that is getting so much attention right now, 2012. More than likely when that year gets here, we will laugh about that one too.

Meanwhile, this blog needs a focus. Which is asking a lot of me these days but we shall see if over the next few weeks it can find one.

Meanwhile since the other blog has so many dog pics in it, let's go for a cat pic here. For better cat photos, check John's out. He has some beauties of Fela.