Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2007. We spent that Christmas in Florida with my parents. We decided to go on a fan boat ride that day! It is something I will never forget, including the alligators that were swimming around the boat. Mattie thought the whole thing was fascinating and he wasn't scared one bit! This wasn't the fan boat we went on, instead the company had several older models on display for the kids to explore. Sure enough Captain Mattie climbed aboard! Mattie LOVED boats, all kinds, and was happy to tell anyone who listened that he was saving money in his piggie bank to buy a REAL boat someday! Unfortunately that someday never came.

Quote of the day: There’s no such thing as “moving on.” We go forward, trying to find our footing, figuring out how to live—how to love—after such loss. ~ Amy Trowbridge-Yates

Every morning, I go into the basement and clean out Indie's two litter boxes. On an aside, I think I finally have solved the problem of her pooping on the floor. It only took me like 6 months. But having two litter boxes and changing the litter weekly seems to be the key! She was never this finicky before, but I guess as we all age, we have preferences! But the vet was correct... she needed two boxes, not one!

Any case, while in the basement, I went to check on the salt supply in that white bin, that supplies our water softening system for the house. I dump 40 pounds of salt into this bin about every three months. YES I can lift 40 pounds alone! When I opened the door, what I was greeted with was a flood on the floor. Water was coming out of the house's steam humidifier system. Truly I was ready to have a hissy fit, but I took a deep breath, cleaned up the flood, dried out the area and then text messaged my HVAC specialist! I literally have the cell phone numbers for practically everyone who helps me with my house. Thankfully, because once I was separated in 2023, I was totally on my own. I had to figure out everything from the ground up, and had little to no prior knowledge on how anything in the house worked! 

I had planned to take my parents out for a nice New Year's Eve lunch today. Something they love doing...... is going out to eat, and they love this French restaurant in Great Falls, VA. This restaurant holds many special memories, as I used to celebrate my wedding anniversary and birthday here.

I was hoping we would have a peaceful lunch, as my dad had two irritable bowel syndrome bouts at home. I figured VERY wrong! 

When our entrees came, my dad had a large bout at the table. I had to get him to the bathroom, clean him up and change his clothes. Truly after that, I am not sure how I came back to the table and ate, but I did! When I think about the quality of my life, I truly do not know how I manage from one day to the next. A new year brings me no joy either, as it is another year I face alone, not being married, not having Mattie by my side, and none of this brings me happiness. 

My dad having his onion soup.... a favorite of his, not to mention consuming bread! For a man with multiple health issues.... he looks pretty good. The fact that I can still take my parents out, I celebrate that notion. 

When I was packing up to leave the restaurant, the wait staff wanted to help me. Why? Because I had a cushion for my dad, two seat cushions for my mom, a tote bag full of supplies, and a bag of food items that my dad did not eat. They didn't think I could manage it on my own! I laughed, and told them.... don't worry I am a sherpa! When they saw me juggling all these items, my mom attached to one of my arms, and me helping my dad with his walker, they couldn't get over it! Yep... this is my existence, an existence that I never thought I would be managing alone.