Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 -- Mattie died 797 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2003. Mattie was a year old. That day we took him to Great Falls Park. Mattie was fully ON and engaged with all the beauty around us. Everything from the water to the birds. I tried to pose for a photo with Mattie, but as you can see, he wanted me to put him down, because he was on the move. Something caught his attention and what I love about this photo was it visually captured Mattie's hand and fingers moving.... to me Mattie's fingers were like radar scopes, taking in information and making sense out of it!

Quote of the day: One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go. Whether it’s guilt, anger, love, loss or betrayal. Change is never easy. We fight to hold on and we fight to let go. If you’ve been hurt until it breaks your soul into pieces, your perspective in life will definitely change, and no one and nothing in this world could ever hurt you again. ~ Mareez Reyes

For the past two days, I have been working with a wonderful contractor, to clean up the decaying wood over my portico. I have put this issue off for years, and now that the wood was falling off of the portico, it needed to be addressed. I truly do not like making all these decisions on my own! That was the beauty of being married, to have one's partner to navigate through life. There is something very special knowing that you share life's triumphs and heartache with your spouse. It makes all things more manageable. It is funny, I have a neighbor who has told me that her husband refuses to let her interface with any workmen or contractors on her own. Mainly because he doesn't like leaving her to manage these stressors! Not only do I manage this stressor alone, but my list of daily tasks is not for the meek. 

This wooden post and spindle structure was uneven and rotting. You can see it! This was the before photo!

This is what the final product looks like. I have streamlined the look and now NOTHING blocks the beautiful Palladian window. The roof of the portico has had its wood and flashing replaced and now it is level again! There is something to be said about LESS is MORE! 

I always disliked seeing these spindles through the window. It had a jail like feeling! 

Now there is nothing obstructing the view and the contractor commending me for making this decision! He says.... this was how it should have always been! I agree!

I spent a portion of today starting to create a video for Mattie Miracle. I do one for the Foundation every spring. Last year I had to learn a whole new video software system and I freaked out! This year, it is the same software, however, features in this app have changed, so I am learning as I go! Though the video will be only 3-4 minutes, it takes me hours and days to generate a video. It requires time to make sure the video flows well to the music and that the clips convey an accurate story about Mattie Miracle. As I always say..... getting started is the hardest part. Remember I am NOT technologically savvy, yet since 2023, I have had to rise to the occasion, because failing Mattie Miracle is NOT an option!

This afternoon, I took my parents out for frozen yogurt. Whatever store or restaurant I frequent with my parents..... I know everyone who works there! I know about their lives and their families. What it comes down to is the human connection is and has always been tantamount to me! While having yogurt, the Angela Lansbury song, Tale as Old as Time, was playing! I posted the clip below for you to enjoy! This song transported me back to 1991...... seeing this movie with my college sweetheart, who became my husband. There was something magical about this movie and my husband used to say I was just like Belle, the beauty in the movie! Naturally years later, we introduced this charming film to Mattie! It is amazing how a song can trigger a whole flood of memories! Memories which I now carry alone.