Friday, January 20, 2023

Friday, January 20, 2023

Tonight's picture was taken in January of 2005. Mattie was two and half years old and that day he was invited to a birthday party. Next to Mattie was his cousin, dressed in yellow. Do notice that all the plates in front of each child were empty! Not Mattie's. Mattie for the most part did not like sugary things, so at parties, he typically would hand over his cake to me. But what always came with us was the trusty sippy cup of milk. I literally brought that purple and green cup with me from home that day. I NEVER left home without a sippy cup of milk. Certainly I could have gotten a cup at the party, but Mattie wanted HIS cup! Something I learned early on in our time together! 

Quote of the day: Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away. ~ Abraham Lincoln

On January 20th, I always post a tribute to my maternal grandmother. She died on January 20, 1994, at the age of 86. My grandmother lost her husband to colon cancer (when she was in her 50's) before I was born. By the time I came along, my grandmother was already living with my parents. So to me a multi-generational household was normal. 

Facts about my grandma:

1. She was born in 1907, in New York. 
2. Both of her parents were born in Italy. 
3. She was the oldest of five siblings.
4. She married at the age of 16. Her husband was born in Italy and was a contractor for commercial and residential properties. 
5. She had three children. Her middle child died (Sudden Infant Death). 
6. Though she did not work outside the home, she had numerous skills. Cooking being at the top of the list. 
7. She was a born caregiver and cared for everyone in her family. 
8. She sponsored many family members to come to America and is in essence responsible for their successes and improved quality of life. 
9. She was a kind, gentle, caring, and loving person. With a very easy-going personality. 
10. She had two grand-daughters, but she and I shared a very close bond. As I was known to call her "mom."
11. Her favorite color was green. 
12. She introduced me to Days of Our Lives at an early age. To this day, I still watch it. 
13. She played the piano by ear. 
14. She wasn't a fan of chocolate (not unlike Mattie).
15. She wasn't squeamish. She could handle everything from mice to seeing blood. 
16. She did not know how to drive. 
17. She loved to read and was well informed about all current events. 
18. She was a Bob Hope and Bing Crosby fan. As a result, I have seen all the Road to.... movies. 
19. She loved lily of the valley flowers. 
20. She suffered a massive stroke in 1990, which left her physically disabled. She died 4 years later.  

Kindness is truly a remarkable gift to receive. I took my mom to physical therapy today and my mom can be a tough customer. But Cassidy never disappoints. She is a true professional, who remains positive, has great energy, and is hopeful. I could see my mom really respond to her today. I am very happy I was able to convince my mom to move away from the therapist she had been working with since August, and start with my dad's therapist. 

After therapy, I could have taken my mom directly home. But I decided not to! My favorite pianist was playing in the lobby of Virginia Hospital Center. So I suggested to my mom that we get tea, sit, and listen for a while before driving home. She agreed. I do think seeing people, hearing music, and being able to do something more life affirming is positive for both of us. 

Here is a video I found on YouTube, taken around Christmas time at the hospital. It features Aija, the pianist, I am talking about! When she plays, you can't help but listen and absorb the beauty of her style. 

This evening, I took my parents out to eat in Maryland. We visited with our favorite server, Dawn, who is going on vacation this Sunday. Monday happens to be her birthday, so we brought her gifts to celebrate. I do not think she was expecting any of this, which is what made the whole thing even more fun. The beauty of Dawn is she is witty and inspires my dad to talk, be engaged, and is very alert when she is around. Which I assure you is NO easy feat while he is eating!