Sunday, April 12, 2026

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2009. Mattie was home between hospital treatments and that day we took the wheelchair and strolled down to the National Mall. When we lived in the city, the Mall was in our backyard and Mattie loved all the water features and the ducks! I remember this moment in time. When I look at these photos, my life looked completely different.... we were a family of three!

Quote of the day: Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, now that is true strength. ~ Chris Bradford

I woke up this morning and just like every morning this week, I went outside... pajamas and all, to look at the pool. I have been tracking water loss daily! On Friday, Avery (the pool company owner's son) came to look at my issue. He wrote to me and told me that he addressed some of the leaks he could see in the filter system. Certainly I noted this, but with my luck, I figured it wouldn't work. When I tell you I live in constant fear and anxiety DAILY, I am not kidding. 

Low and behold, guess what? When I went to look at the water level this morning..... it stayed constant!!! There was no change from the day before! Seriously I wanted to have a party! Later today Avery came back and I ran outside to talk to him. I told him that he is my pool miracle worker, because I seriously thought there was something even bigger wrong with the pool (beyond the resurfacing we did on Monday)! Avery was so touched that I came out to personally thank him! What Avery and so many others don't understand is that I am balancing all of this alone and therefore I am grateful for whatever help I get!

I then went about my usual morning chores, which means going to the basement, vacuuming up kitty litter and cleaning out Indie's boxes. YES boxes! Since she got a second box, she has had NO MORE accidents on the floor. I thought the vet was crazy, but she was correct. I guess as Indie ages, she wants variety in litter boxes. Any case, while in the basement, something in my head said.... check the utility room! So I opened the door and what did I find..... water all over the floor! I did not panic, but I mobilized to figure out where the water was coming from! I figured it out... when I opened the hose bibs for the pool company this week, one of the bleeder valves wasn't tightened enough from winterization. So instead the valve was dripping out water. I ran upstairs, got a plyer and fixed that issue, cleaned up the water, sprayed Lysol, and ran a fan for a while until everything was completely dry. Another crisis averted. 

Today was my dad's 91st birthday! I gave him a manicure, a haircut, and a shave with a razor (not an electric razor). My dad can understand that it is his birthday and he appreciated cards and gifts. Our close family friend, Phyllis, in Los Angeles sent my dad a card. This card really made his day. Within the card, was a photo of my dad and his best friend, John (Phyllis' husband), that was taken in 2006.... when my dad was 71 years old! 

This was the photo of my dad with John. My dad was so touched by this photo that he wanted me to immediately frame it. I ran around the house and found a frame. This photo now sits on the table by my dad's recliner. It is ironic, because my dad can't remember most people in his life (and I mean significant people too!), but my dad has never forgotten John and Phyllis. My dad was friends with John for 41 years! 

We took my dad out again today, and Cheryl (a server we have befriended since 2021) helped to celebrate my dad's day. She had confetti on the table, chocolate chip cookies (my dad's favorites), and lots of other goodies! 

The birthday boy! As I told my dad today, it was always clear that my mom and I were his priority. There was never any doubt that he loved us and was committed to our family. I told him he is a rare breed!