6/14/08 Visit to Mom & Dad's

We got out to their house about 5pm and took Bates City BBQ to share for dinner. Dad was sitting in his chair when we arrived, and never got up the whole time we were there. He was so tired he could hardly eat his 1/2 sandwich. I had to prompt him several times during the meal. His eyes seemed artificially wide open, as if he were really having to concentrate to keep them open and stay awake.

When we were finished with dinner, Duane went outside to cut up the offending limb in the front yard. Mom was insisting that Dad get up and go outside to watch Duane, even getting his scooter out of the barn. Dad tried to tell her he was too tired, but she kept badgering him, and he finally gave in. At that point, I got Mom's attention and and asked if I could talk with them about the finances as she had asked.

I gave them printouts of their bank accounts (checking and savings). The savings account has approx $1250 in it, which is enough to meet the upcoming $700 payment for the Offer & Compromise to the IRS and the $500 for the deposit and pet deposit required by at least one of the senior subsidized apartments we had looked at.

It was at that point that mom told me they weren't planning to move anymore, and that she had taken their names off of all of the apartment lists because they were too small, and she was NOT going anywhere that she couldn't take her books and her sewing.

I also asked them whether they were car-shopping with the intention of buying a car and taking a road trip to Texas and Pensacola, to which they both readily admitted. I pointed out that there was no way in their budget that they could afford a car payment, and that Dr. A would NOT be happy about the news that Dad was planning a road trip.

At this point, I shared with them J&P's offer to buy plane tickets for them to visit Mattie IF they agreed to let me continue doing the budget. After some discussion, they seemed to agree to it...but I won't be surprised if they try to change the terms of the agreement down the road.