This is not the person I grew up with.

Actually, Both parents have a variation of the dreaded Alzheimer's: My brother moved into my parents' home to care for him, with assistance, during the duration. It astounds me how, even though they now live apart, the two are so in synch with each other: one knows when the other is having a hard time by some sort of eerie telepathy - and they each take their downturns simultaneously.

The tough part for me (even with the Ativan)...

The fixed income sector had a pretty flat trading day yesterday with below average volume. Both treasuries and mortgage backed securities traded sideways most of the day posting very modest price gains as no economic data hit the news wires. The higher price for MBS did not warrant lenders reissuing rate sheets leaving mortgage rates unchanged on the day.

The economic calendar is light today with the only significant data being the International Trade report which shows the difference...

In 2010 :
Lo : 5 °
Hi : 29 °
Rainfall : 0.00 "

In 2009 :
Lo : 34 °
Hi : 63 °
Rainfall : 0.00 ”

In 2008 :
Lo : 45 °
Hi : 65 °
Rainfall : 0.70 "

In 2007 :
Lo : 23 °
Hi : 49 °
Rainfall : 0.00 "

In 2006 :
Lo : 40 °
Hi : 71 °
Rainfall : 1.20 ”

In 2005 :
Lo : 47 °
Hi : 63 °
Rainfall : 0.00 "

In 2004...

Last week ended on somewhat of a disappointing note for mortgage rate watchers. Despite a worse than expected non farm payroll number, mortgage backed securities were unable to sustain a rally which would lower consumer borrowing costs. Immediately following the release of the data early Friday morning, MBS did move considerably higher only to give back most of the gains as the day progressed. All in all, MBS did close in the green but the gains did not justify lenders issuing new rate sheets....

Well...I've come to this fear-laden moment of my life where I will meet losing my mother head-on - and in my own home. It's a time I've dreaded since I was four, almost half a century ago. It is fraught with complications, a variety of anxieties and an immeasurable amount of rage. This tie that binds us was never what one would call healthy, although I'm relieved to say that underneath it all is love: huge and palpable.

This is my first blog. What better way to begin...