Books, Movies, and Sunshine

 I had run out of books to read this week and went to my available audio list on our library website.  I picked two to read.  The first one was Too Much And Never Enough:  How My Family created the World' Most Dangerous Man by Mary Trump, a cousin of Donald.  It was, as expected, disturbing and disgusting but explains a lot.  I don't even want to talk about it.

What is interesting is that the former book was about a person who tried his best to destroy our country's democracy, and the second was about what real life was like for many people after a dictator actually gained his power and did his best to destroy the world.

I have read much about the Holocaust and know what to expect when I read about it and usually avoid the subject, especially when I'm in a vulnerable spot emotionally - like the past year!

Something drew me to this book, though, and I figured I could always stop listening if it got too much for me.  From the very first page, it drew me in.  The story, the reader's voice, the almost poetic cadence of it.  It is a beautiful story in spite of the horrible subject matter.  The fact that it was based on a real person's memories made it more real to me than just facts.  I finished the book in two days.

This is a review that goes into more detail and explains the confusion between what's real and what's not real in the story - or what's unknown.  The basic story is there, however, with all its horror, and it makes me wonder how people can turn into such monsters.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/books/tattooist-of-auschwitz-heather-morris-facts.html

I can't remember if I've mentioned the movies I've watched, but my favorite has to be the British series Last Tango in Halifax.  I did some binge watching on that because I started to miss the families of Alan and Celia and all the chaos they created.  Such a sweet love story.  I did have to leave the English subtitles on or risk missing some of the conversation.  

I had not heard of Derek Jacobi, but after seeing him in this series, I want to watch other things he's been in.  I do that.  I find an actor or actress I enjoy and get obsessed with watching everything I can with them in it.  Along with Jacobi, I'm looking up some more Maggie Smith and Ian McKellan things.  I'm not sure they can beat Colin Firth though for watchability.  

I don't have time to go back and remember the other movies I've watched - or tried to watch and rejected.  

It has been a nice week with lots of sunshine and warm-ish weather.  I got my two PT sessions over with early this week, on Monday and Wednesday, and I believe I'm improving.  The cardiologist visit was yesterday, and he wasn't too upset about my lack of being in rhythm and said we would keep on watching the way I felt and discuss a few more options in a couple of months.  I don't feel great when I first wake up, not a lot of energy, but I think I'm doing okay.  I want to get my arm completely healed and then attack these heart issues.

I walked across the street to the hospital from the PT building and found this lovely place for waiting.  I wouldn't have minded waiting a little bit longer.

I got my dentist visit out of the way today and just heard, "We'll watch this place and that place but don't think anything needs to be done now."  This is a new dentist for me, and I think I like him, as well as the hygienist.  I like a wait-and-see dentist at my age. If nothing hurts, then I'm okay.  

Another pretty drive to North Bend.

I can't wait for the day when I wake up on Monday morning and realize I don't have any medical appointments.  

I got to see the girls a little bit yesterday.  Graysen was about to have her piano lesson.  They're still a little excited about Harry Potter.

We sat on a bench in the front yard and soaked up that sunshine.  Katherine hung a bunch of Barbies on a little tree, and we caught up on our week.  Once that sun went behind the cloud, we were all scurrying back inside to stay warm.

They were off for a playdate when Emily got home with two more sisters, Noelle and Cora.  I'm glad they remembered their coats and hope there's some Ugg cleaner at home.  

While we're waiting for blooms, my neglected amaryllis bloomed for the second time.  Elise keeps us in tulips lately, and this pink arrangement in my bedroom is pretty springy and cheery today.

Memories:  

7 years ago today, I was having to wait for pictures from Emily to see this baby.

And I've just been threatened that if I don't go out for a walk right now, the family will be by to walk me.  So I'm outa here.

I Can't Come Back

 I will come back when I have more of a life than doctor visits.  I may even come back tomorrow, but it's so hard to think about writing anything here day to day.

This has been a good week though.  I've taken very few pictures and can't remember half of what's happened, but I do know it was pretty exciting to have a warm-ish week.  Sunshine on several days and temps almost to the 60s.  It got everybody out and in good moods.

Yesterday it was a little gloomy, but I decided I would get outside.  Emily called and said that she and the girls were walking to the UPS store to mail a package and did I want to go.  Since the UPS store is visible from my living room window, I figured I couldn't go wrong.

I went down to wait for them and ended up sweeping the garage entrance and throwing away a few boxes.  While I was there, Noreen called and said she had been picking up a food box from somewhere - food bank? She is more up on where things are happening - and had an extra one for me.  It was good to see her for those few minutes and get some nice apples and cheese and lots more goodies.  She also gave me a big butternut squash which I sent home with Emily since they're more likely to cook it than me.  Graysen tucked it into her bicycle basket and said, "Mama, you're not going to EVER cook this.  It's my baby."  

Looks like the baby has found a good home.  Katherine was a little upset that she didn't have a baby too, so I wonder how Emily compensated for that!

This child has a long history of squash babies.

Both girls are at a Harry Potter birthday party today.  Two weeks ago, they had no interest in Harry.  Now that this birthday is happening, their bedtime reading has been the first Harry Potter book.  Graysen is loving it.  Katherine is a little overwhelmed with all the fantasy (like her Mimi!).  She told Emily she needed to walk around while she listened to it!  I've requested pictures from the party.

What a fun time.  Looks like they were making their own cups/mugs?  

The birthday girl is on the left in front, Ellis, and she's 6 now.

I don't even know what they're doing here.

My own little Hogwart!

Two sister sets.  They're in school together every day, so they've probably become more like 4 sisters.

I said good-bye this week to my first real-car-of-my own.  All other cars have been family cars, but this one was mine from the beginning and a good car too. 

I bought it one day, and within a day or so, I was driving it from Georgia to South Dakota to visit with Emily and the Binderts.  It was also my first trip that far alone, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I was going to. 

Their cute little house.  Such good memories.  They even had a little garden in the back. 

Mike and I had some good adventures on the Rendezvous.  He called it the "tall car" because of the square appearance. I liked the fact that it was easy to find in parking lots. 

I drove it to New York next to visit my friend Karen and stayed in another cute little  guest house.  

That was a good adventure, but I've always regretted allowing a bottle of newly-purchased apple cider to roll around under the front seat all the way from NY to TN where the explosion occurred.  The tall car was never the same after that.  I was probably the only car with fruit flies going in and out of the windows in October.  Or any time, really.

It served us well, hauling gardening things and dogs and cats and making a good many trips to Texas when Mike was working there.  The best times we had were when we decided we could drive to Washington from Alabama and have fun doing it.  I lost count of the times we crossed the country, but we took several different routes and tried to see as much of the country as we could.  I'm especially thankful for those memories of good times.  

The only time I let Mama drive it to see some friends in Andalusia (she was in her late 80s), she leveled a mailbox across the street from my in-laws, and I think that was the same day I backed into a truck at the fabric shop in Cantonement.  Even with back-up beeps.  

Once we got here to stay, the old car took the cold winters in stride and looked good in her coverings of snow.  Being my car, it was never called upon to travel much when there was snow on the ground.  

I was T-boned a few years ago, and the car was officially totalled but without much visible damage.  Even with that, somehow it kept on running.  No one could tell me exactly what was wrong with it, but it kept me guessing with the different lights and warnings on the dash.  Finally, I began to worry about being stranded with the girls and started thinking about trading it for something more stable.

After a couple of years of "thinking about it," Ryan helped me make the decision to get a smaller SUV.

This is the only picture I have of it, but it's lovely to drive now that I have permission from PT.

I happened to be at Emily and Ryan's house at just the right time last Friday to get my last glimpse of my old friend.  There may have been tears.  

We donated it to Kars for Kids, and hopefully it will continue to make someone happy.  Those passenger doors above are the ones a young guy ran into after running a stop sign - so a really good car!

When I went to North Bend to the licensing office Friday, I saw ALL the elk out near the road.  I was distracted and didn't have my camera ready, but I saw that a member of the Snoqualmie Valley FB group had taken this picture.  Hope it's okay to use.

When I passed, they were nearer the road and just so exciting to see.  Mike loved to find them out so much, and we had to stop every time to take pictures and just watch them.  

This coming week?  Looks like sunshine all week until next Saturday.  I'll be keeping busy with 2 PT appointments, a dentist appointment, and a cardiologist appointment.  Fun.  I do get to keep the girls now anytime we can manage it, so we'll be doing some nice things, I'm sure.  

Phoneless

 It's too bad that word is the reason for so many problems, because I hate being tied to my phone.  Since I'm tied to people and places who don't read email or so many that depend on reaching me by phone, I feel a little out of sorts.

I stayed with Katherine most of the day yesterday, and we had another great day.  I used my phone only for a couple of phone calls, checking on my appointment times for the rest of the week, and then letting Kate "color" on my Happy Color app while we waited for Mom to get home.

When Emily brought me home, she drove me down the parkway to get a better view of the new snow on the mountains.  I got out my phone to take a picture and saw that it was turning off.  I guess that one app had just drained the 100% battery power I had had all day.

Or something.  I will never be on top of this phone knowledge.  I need one, and other people need me to have one, but I want only to do phone calls, texts, emails, a few apps, and store my pictures.

So now the only way I have to communicate is by email or by asking Elise to call someone for me or receive calls.  It will probably get tricky when I get through with PT today and need my ride to pick me up at the door.  Luckily, Emily is right around the corner and can probably do it for me.  Otherwise, I'll just go downstairs and sit in the waiting room and hope Elise will appear at the pickup place.

That and leftover snow are enough to make it not a good Thursday so far.

I know Ryan will have me another phone on the way soon, but I also know there will be a learning curve.  I've been perfectly happy with my Android, but they're talking about my "needing" an iPhone.  Do I really?  I don't know, but we'll see.

Just a few pictures from yesterday, and then I have my Thursday to tackle.

The only alone time she had all day - when I received a phone call.  That pile of Legos intimidates me, but both girls get so excited when they sit down to create their little scenes.

After cracking up over my using the unicorn's tail as a motor to rescue the mermaid from the lake, she said, "I'm speechless."

It was the first time all day she was speechless though.  To tell her tales better, she likes room to walk in circles and use her body language.

Playing school was a good idea.  She likes to be the teacher, and I like to see how much havoc I can create in the classroom by giving outrageous answers and testing her patience.

Look at that sunshine!  She seems to have only two attentive students left.

It was "Pajama Day" today.  All day.  

And it's time for me to get on with my day.  I'm going to be sure to take ibuprofen today and try to impress Laura with my wall walks.  Tomorrow is another followup with the surgeon, so I'm sure she will be pushing me for good measurements.

My Afternoon with Katherine

 It has been almost exactly a year since our lives were changed over his pandemic, and it's now become a part of our history.  Our family has been lucky not to have anyone affected by Covid, although we have lost some acquaintances and know families who are having a really hard time.  

The one good thing to come out of it is how well the girls - and lots of children, I think - have adjusted to wearing masks, caring for other people, making their own entertainment when friends aren't available, and embracing better family dynamics.  When you're all you've got, you make adjustments to make life better.  I'm so proud of Emily and Ryan for their decisions and their sacrifices and for their little "school" family that has seemed to carry them through this year.

While I've loved that they're coping so well, I have struggled with not seeing them, not being a part of their everyday lives, and feeling a little redundant.  Since my accident, I've had a lot of feeling sorry for myself and just wondering how long this phase is going to last.

But yesterday was hopefully the first of many fun times and getting back to normal.  

I'm one week today out from my second vaccine with no reactions or side-effects (so far), and we feel like we can lighten up a little bit.  

Graysen has a 2-day class this week for parkour since this is a school holiday.  A good many students are going back in person this week, and the others are continuing with virtual learning.  We're part of the latter group.  I'm not sure what will happen in the fall.  

I'm still not sure exactly what that parkour is, but it's something she's been excited about for years.  It wasn't offered to under-6's, so that left Katherine to hang out with Dad all day, who is in the middle of remodeling what seems like a big portion of their house.  It was possible, but it seemed like a perfect opportunity to get us back in the groove of togetherness.  She's been talking about it for a week, and Graysen may have been a little sad not to be a part of it.  She'll get her time soon, and we'll make it so special.

It was a hard morning for me, getting to PT with the piles of snow and the ice left in the parking lots and on the streets, but we pulled it off and got that over with.  Even though I forgot to take my ibuprofen, the exercises were bearable, and I actually made a little progress.  As much as I enjoy Laura and Proliance, I will not be sorry to finish those twice-a-week visits and hearing, "Okay, let's start with lying on your left side and lifting your arm straight up."  It sounds a lot easier than it is, and there's not one of them I do without some sort of grimace.  Thank goodness for masking here!

That was over by 11:45, and I picked up my barley shoulder warmer and headed to Steller Way.

It was so touching that Katherine had taken all their teeth-brushing and hand-washing timers and lined them up on the window waiting for my arrival.  

And then to hear the feet pounding on the stairs and "Mimi, Mimi!"  AND the hugs.  So precious and long overdue.

Emily said she had worked on decorating her bed for me, and there was so much to take in.  All the old familiar stuffies and some new ones and new posters and stories.  It's unusual for her to be away from her sister and not be interrupted, so there was a LOT of talking.  I enjoyed every bit of it.

The first thing we did when we went back downstairs was to choose a game.  Katherine knows which games she understands well and is good at, so she chose Chutes and Ladders.  She's doing better with her ability to not win every game - or every spin - and it was a lot of fun, especially since she did win.  

She had already had lunch, but I had skipped breakfast and lunch, so I went poking around for something to eat.  Vegan people need to label their refrigerator containers.  I'm sure there was lots of good food in there, but I didn't recognize very much.  I ended up sharing an apple with Kate and having some crackers and 100% vegan cheese.  It might have been because I was extra hungry, but that was a nice lunch.  We later had a gingersnap for a snack.  Tomorrow I'm packing me a lunch and taking some coffee.  I've never taken the time to learn how to operate their fancy coffee makers!

Then it was puzzle time - a double-sided one.  Cats on one side and dogs on the other.  

A bonus was a photo display portrait of Griffin and Jack from several years ago.  We do miss the big brothers to these girls.

And we worked hard and got that puzzle done.  I wasn't rushing it, because I like puzzles better than crafts and was quite content spending my time on that.

There was a brief break for cooling off in the snow barefoot.  She said it didn't bother her. "You know, Mimi, I runned out in the snow nek-kid one night."  That might be TMI.  I was glad she didn't want to linger.

With an hour left, we ventured back upstairs to play with the Lottie dolls.  That mainly consisted of me sitting in the glider with my shoulder wrap and offering to dress the dolls for her.

I love these little dolls and accessories.  I gave them a few dolls, the boat and camping set, and the treehouse a couple of years ago.  I wasn't sure they were going to like them at first, but lately they seem to be more interested.  It's a nice company with dolls designed by children, and they focus on talents and careers and lots of stuff besides just dressing up.

I just re-discovered their activity pages and plan to copy some coloring pages or other fun things for today.

The pink lake and the multicolored rocks.

They are tiny little dolls, almost too small to enjoy dressing yet, but I think they're enjoying them.  I'll have to see about adding another adventure the next gift-giving occasion.  This might have been a better choice for Graysen than a stuffed dog with unicorn hooded shirt.  But maybe not.  She seemed to love it.  

That was a fun way to spend my afternoon.  I may or may not have fallen asleep - more than once - in my chair in the middle of pulling on doll leggings, but Katherine thought it was hilarious.  

Looking forward to many more playtimes with these precious girls!  

Sledding 2021

 I was going to try to see if I could post some of the sledding videos from today and accidentally chose this awkward but precious little video of Graysen when she was just learning to sit up.  She's come a long way, but this still makes me laugh.   Such a little bird.

If this works, I'll add some more.  They had an excellent day. I'm not quite sure how they took that cold and wind in their faces, but they obviously had a ball, parents and children alike.  What a fun day!

I'm glad most of them are in slow motion, even with the dinosaur voices!

Hungry Hummingbirds

 I haven't noticed a lot of hummingbirds lately, but this morning they were out flying around and getting frustrated over their frozen breakfasts.

Elise thawed it for them and made some new and took these pictures that her dad would have been proud of.

And some Valentine flowers from the Win-Bins.  We really love these little bouquets.  So sweet.