Sunday, July 19, 2026

Sunday, July 19, 2026

Tonight's picture was taken in July of 2005. Mattie was three years old and that week we were celebrating July 4th in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This was a place that I absolutely loved and I wanted to share this natural beauty with Mattie. I remember these happy times and what life used to look like when we were an intact family. 

Quote of the day: Divorce shreds the muscles of our hearts so that they will hardly beat without a struggle. ~  E. Lockhart 

It has been a hard weekend. Yesterday, I took my parents out to lunch, like I do every Saturday to our local diner. However, nothing about the experience went well, starting with the food. My mom and I always split a big omelet with all sorts of things chopped up in it. One of the items we asked for was ham. Typically the ham is diced into the omelet, but yesterday's omelet was a disaster. Whole pieces of ham were placed in the center of the omelet, not unlike how you would make a sandwich. So I sent that back! The second omelet that came out was worse than the first. It was under cooked and dripping in oil. I balance more than enough at home, that when I go out I don't want to worry about the restaurant's kitchen. Needless to say, all the managers knew I was upset and to top that off, I was hungry. While I was complaining and trying to get something for my mom and I to eat, my dad already finished his lunch. So literally my mom and I never ate, and thankfully the restaurant comped all our meals. 

Moving forward to today, when I took my parents out to brunch, my mom complained that her stomach hurt and she felt nauseous. That would have been nice to know before we left the house. I would never have guessed she had a problem, as she ate breakfast without an issue. That said, my mom was unable to eat anything at brunch, other than bread and hot tea. While balancing her needs, my dad and I had two large trips to the bathroom, in which I had to change him completely. I swear this weekend alone has left me strung out. I should also mention that while taking my dad in the women's room with me, there was another woman who wanted to enter but didn't! Instead she gave me a nasty look and she refused to enter the bathroom with my dad there. I blew right passed her and frankly given the big changing routine that was in store for me, I just couldn't deal with her attitude. Note that this woman was older than me, and was sitting with her husband dining, so I truly would have hoped for a bit more compassion from her. 

When I got home later this afternoon, I got my parents settled, and then I went upstairs to my dad's bathroom to address his shower door. Once a year, I have to tighten the screws on the glass door hinge. I remember the first time I did this in 2024, I thought I was going to pass out from exhaustion. Keep in mind, I had no idea how to tighten the screw or the mechanics of taking the door apart! Actually back then it was such an ordeal that it triggered a massive migraine and nausea. Each subsequent year, the process had gotten slightly easier. Mainly because I know what to expect and how to do it. 

What I do notice, is that my weekly exercise routine is making a difference. I literally have been lifting five pound weights while on the treadmill, since I am quite aware of my lack of upper body strength. All I can say is the weights are making a difference. I was able to effectively use the screw driver today and the Allen wrenches. But I assure you, this may look simple, but it is arduous and tedious. 

See the loose screws? If I did not address this soon enough, the door would literally disengage from the hinge, which would be dangerous! I have been putting this nightmare task off, but today, I took a deep breath and did it!

The finished product! I felt so vindicated that I did this without passing out, that I moved onto my mom's closet to figure out how to change a light bulb in her track lighting system. So how many Vicki's does it take to change a light bulb?! (you know the funny joke!) In this case, the answer is just ONE!