A full week of nearly full time caregivers and Mom remembers that they were with her during the day, but she doesn't remember names. She said that she asks them how much she owes them and they say 'nothing'. She can't understand that, why won't they take money?

Yesterday we had the 'where is my husband-what did he die from?' conversation over and over. She's at the stage where I can't tell her he's not here right now, she knows he's dead. That's a hard one. Instead of using waterboarding for interrogation I think the CIA should use Alzheimer's patients. It's enough to drive you crazy. But I know she can't help it and that hurts even more.

In Duluth, the ship formerly known as the Belle River, a 1000 footer, ran over something in the harbor while heading into winter layup and grounded in 20 feet of water. They are scrambling to pump the water out of the engine room before it can freeze. Duluth is expecting a -60 F windchill this weekend. Ah, I remember those days. But there is no one to reminisce with. I've included a picture of the lovely Belle River so you can see what a 1000 foot laker looks like. She's black because she carries coal. If she were red then she would carry iron ore or taconite pellets.