24 September 2014: Wednesday ... 4 x 20 Blackbirds ... yardwork (driveway and sidewalk clearing) ... walk around neighborhood ...

Did some yardwork (actually driveway work) as I used the Toro to lift and grind leaves and  limbs and then cut away the plant blockage of the sidewalk by our neighbor to the Limestone Road side of our property. It was extensive and filled the two cans with yard waste. Spoke with Chris. Parents (step-mother Lana and father Bob) are loving it in Ocala. Bob plays a lot of golf but is a handyman down there and doing a lot of home fix-ups for the close-knit community. Lana is much happier in Florida.

Skeesha came early and left before 11 a.m. Mom a little groggy today but did OK with her and she's eaten well today. Banana and Honey Nut Cheerios, tea, and prune juice for breakfast followed by a new favorite, cottage cheese with pineapple/mango cup, a cheese stick and tea for lunch. Afterward, as I left she began to sing the childhood nursery rhyme ... "Four & Twenty Blackbirds" from Sing a Song of Sixpence:

Nice walk with Peg tonight and Dancer around the neighborhood tonight. Glad she came over. We all got some exercise on a crisp evening in early Fall. 

After the walk, we had Dancer up with mom for her treats. 

The beginning of the universe was an infinitesimal Black hole where time did not exist. God didn't have the TIME to create our world. 

17 December 2013: Tuesday ...

The bridge from Sherwood Park to St.John the Beloved School grounds on a chilly and icy
night where one had to watch where one walked and not hit black ice.

I'm killing myself over not writing in this blog because I don't have the discipline or the will or the courage to write down what I've done or more importantly, what I am feeling during the day.

Shortly after the walk across over this bridge to a surprisingly busy school building where teachers and students were busy in classrooms and the parking lot was fairly full at around 7 p.m. in the evening, I pulled out dad's handkerchief for the first time from the pocket of my new denim jeans (ordered from L. L. Bean by my well-dressed brother, who loves the site and where you can return an item at any time) and wiped my nose. It was nostalgic and oddly, felt good as I turned down Milltown and then onto Owen for a walk through Maplecrest and then back into Limestone Gardens for a total walk of 2.74 miles at its conclusion ... "YOU DID IT!!!" over the digifit app. Yes, I did do it. Made this experience appear in words and perhaps indelible. I want to keep that handkerchief as long as it holds out as it was in the pocket of the pajama top he wore at his death, now 10 days ago. Soon it will be 10 years and I will be, who knows where. 

1 December 2013: Sunday ... Lindsay's last day ... just got back from dropping her at Philly Airport and just finished texting her mother about her trip ... maybe last visit to grandfather ...

His granddaughter had gotten him a glass of milk earlier and granddad wanted
a refill just prior to Lindsay's departure for the airport and her Southwest nonstop
flight to Nashville this evening, leaving at 8:30 p.m. Got her there with plenty
of time to spare at Terminal E. This will probably be the last time she sees her
grandfather alive. Love to have her back again.

It cannot hurt to post this photo, so precious, on two days. This might have been the last interaction between granddaughter and grandfather on this Sunday late afternoon. I just don't recall, but repetition in this case creates greater love and connection between this special bond. 

5 Reasons to be thankful:

1. Jane Frelick was back at church today.
2. I had lunch with Lindsay at Juliana's Kitchen.
3. Lindsay got to be and talk with her grandparents.
4. The choir sang 4 songs today.
5. The power, which shut off, came back on within 30 minutes.

1.