Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Tuesday, September 15, 2020 -- Mattie died 572 weeks ago today. 

Tonight's picture was taken in September of 2007. Mattie was 5 years old and with his cousins in Boston. I honestly have NO idea why Peter was in Boston at that time of year. I can't even recall where I was. I know Peter took Mattie to Boston in September of 2005, when I was home studying for my licensure exam. But this photo escapes me, so much so, that I have no context around it. Which is unusual for me, because I normally can describe every photo I have of Mattie. What I know for certain (and can see in the photo) was that Mattie wanted ONLY vanilla ice cream! Some things are a given!

Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins. 

• number of people diagnosed with the virus: 6,601,337
• number of people who died from the virus: 195,501

This photo was featured in the Washington Post. It shows a very unique SUN over the Washington Monument. In fact, the sun is muted! Why? Because of the brush fires on the West Coast. A neighbor told us this today, and I thought that couldn't be possible. But apparently the smoke from California and Oregon is in our upper atmosphere (20,000 feet up) thereby impacting the brilliance of our sunshine. 

As of late Monday, California’s fires have burned at least 3.2 million acres, an area equivalent to the size of Connecticut. This has sent unfathomable amounts of burned material into the atmosphere. My mom has lung sensitivities and today she had to see her doctor because she was coughing up blood. Thankfully she was given an x-ray and examined and is fine. But what isn't fine in the quality of the air she is breathing. 

Mid-morning, we took Sunny out for a 3 mile walk on Roosevelt Island. It was a beautiful fall day and Sunny's energy and stamina have returned. His knee surgery was a success, and with that, losing some weight, and cooler weather, he is a happy camper. Eager for his walks. 

Sunny was very excited by all the deer on the Island. He was following tracks and scents! Of course we never go anywhere without someone stopping to talk about the beauty of Sunny. He is a beauty and a my gentle giant. 

The deer were everywhere this morning! They ironically aren't intimidated by us, but Sunny is a different story. 

Cattails against the fall sky. 

Wild flowers were everywhere. Our walk was the perfect escape for today. 

Wild jasmine on the Island, which is intoxicating. 

The white heron were also enjoying the Island. 

Not to mention a great blue heron which flew in for a landing on the Island. The Island means a lot to us, and was there for us at different time points in our life. It was there when we were raising Mattie. It was our weekend escape, and a place Mattie loved to float and race his motorized toy boats. After Mattie died, the Island became a refuge to reconnect with nature as we desperately tried to work through the havoc in our minds and hearts. Now it remains our refuge during COVID, it continues to serve as a place of peace to re-connect with Mattie, and let's not forget a place for Sunny to explore and have an adventure in the woods.