And that made all those days extra specially nice.
This was mostly written on Tuesday.
Italics are Wednesday. Now we're getting HOT weather and it's unpleasant to sit outside, so I guess I'll be inside reading or typing.
I was talking with Nancy while she walked Ivan. It's HOT in Chicago this afternoon, and she said it's a vicious cycle with Ivan because. . . .
He drinks copious amounts of water, and then he has to go out.
Ivan really suffers - he has a double coat in the winter, which he sheds in the summer. He gets so hot and thirsty - and then he has to pee. He's old. If he doesn't get outside, he'll pee on the floor. Which he did last night, just outside the bathroom when Walter was having a bath. Nancy cleaned up Ivan's puddle and Walter made one in his bedroom. Guess toilet training is out for a while. Nance - I hope that was okay, to put in this post. It WAS funny.
In the afternoon, Gracie and I will go out front and sit on the porch read and watch all the action . Our front is deeply shaded. They say it's not good for your eye muscles to be focused on reading all the time, so I lift my head up and look at the wind in the leaves, the birds, Gracie, cars going by. We live on a dead end street. So, I'm always surprised to see all that goes on.
We have, probably 10 houses on our street. Four of which have kids. Mostly across from us. Which I like. Yesterday afternoon, the new people across the street, one house down, with the new swimming pool must have invited the neighborhood children to come for a swim. The kids range from age 2.5 to 10, I'd say. One family I watched come from two houses down. Ages 2.5 and almost 5, plus mom bringing up the rear carrying baby. Stop and go. Bringing beach balls, (dropping them) noodles, towels, themselves. It must have felt like going a mile to that mom.
I can see, behind the "pool" house, about 1/3 of the pool . . . the deep end. I can see from the bench when I'm sitting on the porch through their see-through metal fence . Once in a while I'd see a kid on the diving board. As noted, they're on the younger side so that side is empty a lot. Surprisingly there's not much noise. There were the top of a noodle flipping here and there. It was one of those perfect days. Sitting there reading.
Gracie very seldom travels beyond my eyesight. She watches but does not seek out adventure It's enough for her to just watch. She'll sit and sniff the breeze. She'll lie on the driveway (it's warm). . . She'll lie by me on the bench. Except when she sees a chipmunk. These papillons are great breeds. They don't run away, they don't bark much, except when people come to the door. (Gracie will also if she's startled.) I guess it's her size that worries her.
She's worried about Chloey, the next door dog who's about twice the size of her and is the next smallest to Gracie in the neighborhood dog pecking order. Chloey is rambunctious. Or she was in her younger years. She, like Gracie, is aging. Gracie is 5 Chloey is older - 6? If Chloey is outside, on her leash, Gracie will run up to her and give her muzzle a lick, but then run a safe distance away. Bark bark bark.
Bob is coming the second week in August for a visit so he can be here with Nancy, Dan and the kids.
He'll be here for a couple of weeks, which will be nice. His grandkids and daughter-in-law start school the week he leaves Georgia. Doesn't it seem awfully early to you? It does to me, as mentioned in my last post. Carol O wrote me after she read my blog about her son's family who live in PA. and their schedule. They get off early for summer vacation because they don't have all the holidays we do in NYS.
It's time for Nancy and Dan's summer trip to NYS. It seems like ages since I've seen the grandkids. And it is! It'll be wonderful. With all these neighborhood kids, they should have a ball. Karen, the mom across the street says her kids speak a lot of Evie and Vincent. Walter and their son, Graydon are about the same age. Last year they were too young to play. Should be cute.
I've been getting messages from my cousin, Carol, signed "from my ipad " It's quite something. Yea! I called Carol and we had a long chat yesterday. Maybe you don't know but she was having a difficult time with her iPad. She got it when Paul and I were down there several months ago now. After trying all sorts of ways, she found someone at Circlewoods who was very "iPad- knowledgeable" (my word) and could transfer that knowledge . . . she spent two and a half hours with her and learned a lot.
There's a lot of people out there with the knowledge, but (sorry Carol to put you in my category - but those of us who know so very little, it may be a word, or a phrase that knocks us out of understanding )- To be able to get us there FROM here to there is quite satisfying and I know I'm grateful when someone can do that. .
I will not get to Bible Study next week, which aggravates me, because I have Physical Therapy scheduled. And I couldn't reschedule. I have a doctor's appointment. This time for my knee of which I am so pleased..
I must say PT is doing marvelous things for me. My left leg is now about as strong as my right leg. The good leg. I love my physical therapist. It's a young gal, just graduated one year ago from school with her doctorate. I asked her if I should call her Dr. She said, for heaven's sake - no. That's what her friends call her when they want to tease her. So I call her Sarah. She's been working both my legs.
My right leg is doing so well, I feel I don't need that one operated now. I'm feeling better than I have for a long time. So that's really good news. I'm walking up and down both sets of stairs. Alternating legs.
*****
Several years ago, Paul took me on a trip out west to visit national parks: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Yosemite. I just finished a book that included those places, and it was fun to be able to picture them in my mind. I was so glad to have gone to see them. And we always visit with Brenda, Eric and Emma when we're there. Usually Thanksgiving. Good memories. I'll always be thankful.
Paul is still working downstairs. It's amazing all he does. I'm going to have to get some pictures up on Facebook, I know. He's so happy doing all that. He said he hates to stop because he wants to see what the next step looks like "next." I've been able to go downstairs and see his progress. Gracie always loves to find ping pong balls. They're the only size that fits in her mouth. She'll chase them all over - following their bounces, trying to catch them.
All I hear is good news from Bill which pleases me no end. I don't think I ever stop worrying about my children. Do we ever? It doesn't matter what age they are. It's wonderful to hear that he's having such a happy, contented life in the Philippines with Flor and Samantha. We Skype every Sunday night. Sometimes we "take a walk" around the neighborhood. Remember - it's 12 hours ahead there. He has a whole day ahead of him.
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