So, this week has been a doozy.
I basically found out yesterday (Wednesday) that Wayne's Gramma is coming to live with us for an undisclosed amount of time on Sunday. Like...this Sunday...in 3 days. Which in hindsight doesn't sound so bad (and it's not) other than she has 4 dogs. But um, we also have 4 dogs.
Now let me give you a little back history before you get all judgy.
(Is that a word? I don't care, I'm going with it.)
In October of 2008, we ended up moving into the basement of her house in Buffalo. We needed a place to live and she needed help financially. It was a win win for everyone. She had 5 dogs and we only had Bella and Puckett at that time. A month later we rescued Tony and Moo Moo. So at that point we had 9 dogs in one house. But it was the country and they had a big yard to run around and it wasn't close to a street or highway. We justified it and it worked for us. There was a house next door, but not RIGHT next door and they were all pretty good about sticking around the house (most of the time). And basically, if the dogs barked, no one was around close enough to hear them.
We found out we were pregnant October of 2010, and started looking for places in the cities, closer to our parents and our jobs. We just didn't want the hour+ commute each way to work anymore with a child. We lived with Gramma until May of 2011. So for 2 1/2 years we lived in a house with 9 dogs.
We also moved because Gramma was in the process of losing her house (a whole other blog post) and we knew eventually we would have to move anyways. In October of 2011, she ended up moving down to AZ with her sister (and her dog, Gucci - yes her sister also has a dog - we are big dog people), because that was the only place she could have all 5 of her dogs and still live a normal life.
Did we like her living down there? So far away? No. But it is what it is and sometimes people have to do what they have to do. Plus, she has made it clear to everyone that she is NOT giving up her puppies, so she has VERY limited options.
This past summer she had some medical issues and was in and out of the hospital several times down in AZ. After that she started researching and talking to friends up here about moving back to be closer to her family. One of her friends had several rental properties and it just so happened they had a house for rent. The only problem was that it is 2 /12 hours up north from the cities.
In hind sight, we thought it would be better for her to be up here in Minnesota and only be a drive away if something were to happen to her, versus a plane ride away.
So, if you remember in
THIS post, I mentioned a road trip to go get Gramma. She moved back here as of December 1st.
In her 4 months of living up there, she has endured quite a lot I must say.
Just some things to note:
1. She's all alone. We all thought it wouldn't be so bad, because her friend lives up there, but it's been miserable for her.
2. She thought she would be ok to live on her own (with only just her social security money), but she just can't. So, she got a part-time job at a little cafe down the street to help make ends meet.
3. She's going to be 74 next Wednesday with various medical issues. She shouldn't be working in a cafe on her feet.
4. She has ended up going to a food shelf a couple times.
5. From the day we walked into the house to move her in, the house isn't what it was all cracked up to be.
6. The owners/landlords (also friends of hers) are SO not helpful or accommodating.
7. The garage door isn't automatic, so in order to get her car in and out she has to lift it herself. Again, she's 74 years old.
8. We had the worst winter EVER, which is 10 times worse up north.
9. The landlords said they had a plowing service, but they hardly never came. She ended up shoveling or the neighbor boy came and did it for her. And then she paid him.
10. She now has been dealing with a mouse/rat issue for the last month and the stories she has told me are absolutely disgusting. Like no one should have to live like that.
Did I mention she's all by herself and her friend/landlord is so NOT helpful?
The whole situation just makes me so mad. Not at Gramma by any means, but just at the situation itself.
This time around there will only be 8 pups. (RIP Snickers) But I am just so stressed out about it, and to make matters worse, my Husband doesn't seem to get why, or much less care. He just keeps saying "it will all work out" and "we'll figure it out." I know. I get it. Can you just say something else?
I am excited on one hand for her to come stay with us. On the other hand though we live in the city, with close neighbors that are also CRAZY.
Sandy is planning on coming to get Gramma at some point and move her back down to AZ. She just doesn't know when and I'm fearful it's going to be a lot longer than what I was planning.
For right now we are going up there on Sunday to basically move her out of there and she will be staying with us for the time being.
Please say a little prayer for me. Anyone got any good advice for me to stay sane?
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