Sunday April 30th - Baking, Friends & Family

Sunday began with me trying to catch up on this blog (not successful, so behind the last two weeks), and determining to bake blueberry muffins, which I did. 

Ford wanted to make Rice Krispie (RK) Treats, so we made two batches on Saturday (photos delivering to Joe, Bill and the Bailey's) and one on Monday morning.

AA is signed up for the FIHS AICE trip 2024 spring - The Ancient Mediterranean. Exciting that she will travel through Italy and Greece!

We delivered the RK treats to neighbor Joe and Bill (he told us Judy loves chocolate and still has M&Ms on his counter she left), then we visited with the Bailey's, and dropped blueberry muffins and RK treats for their family. While there, Shannon showed us and told us about Ian's ashes, in an urn that says "It's dark in here" - they thought about a Star Wars urn then David found this to match Ian's sense of humor (he would never be "dark" so thought it was fun to talk about it). It was good to see them, talking about Ian, plans to take his ashes to Canada over Ian's birthday (November), David just got back from grocery shopping, and hearing about their daily lives.

AA doing her knee exercises:

Leaa then made a last minute decision to host a family dinner for Liv's birthday (they have had an extremely busy week) so we drove to St. Augustine with our dinner ingredients for bruschetta and Ford's homemade Rice Krispie Treats. All was delicious (Vodka Penne Pasta, salad and our bruschetta plus cupcakes and cheesecake). Pearl helped Liv blow out her candles. Nice visit with Marsha, Carl, Cara, Travis and kids, and Leaa, Jesse, Dylan and Liv, so just 13 of us. Kilee is home from college and Justin already had plans (not sure where Nicole/Jordan were).

Arrived home at 8:30 and got AA in the shower, then relaxing on the couch with an ice pack on her knee. Off to bed as we are all tired!

April 30th Part 2 - Larry Bradley Gift

Larry Bradley called and said he had something for AA! Since Charlotte broke her ankle he knew about the pain that she went through, so bought AA a sitting scooter to use instead of crutches! And one of Charlotte's gripper stands (to help stand up/balance).

Right now her leg hurts too much to have it resting on the front peg, so will try in a week when out shopping.

April 25th - 29th Blueberry Picking & Terri Leaving!

Tuesday, 25th: I worked for two hours, Ford went to grocery store.

Terri and I picked blueberries (7 lbs) at Towers Farm in about 35 minutes - so plentiful! 

After school, follow up Dr. Sacksteder appointment, new brace. She has taken all her Ketorolac - only prescription she took through it all!

Happy Hour at Cultured Collective, Taco Truck - Vitamina_T. We enjoyed burritos and taco (with a HOT sauce no one could eat!).

Mailed AA's pain pump and Terri's box to Maine from the GCS post office. A small Publix Pie (Publix) for final birthday candles.

Wednesday: I took AA to school, David R. was there to help and Noah Witt. AA has sore armpits, sore hands and a sore leg! She's getting a bit down, including the school year end testing going on, lots of work for our girl. I took Terri to the airport, she's back in Maine. 

There were a few activities that I wanted to do with Terri, but just ran out of time like Painting with a Twist, walk the Ravines, go to the RAM market, the Jacksonville Zoo, JAX Cooking School, swim in Carolyn's pool, several tours in St. Augustine (winery, distillery, chocolate factories), Jumbo Shrimp baseball game, Icemen Hockey game, and Talens.

Ford made a new crock-pot roast beef for dinner.

I finally wrote something about Ian Bailey on our Facebook page (with photos):

We have had an incredible past three weeks, with ups and downs, pain and sorrow, celebrations, fun and many firsts (while my sister was visiting from Maine - more on that later). First, we acknowledge our pain and sorrow at the loss of Ian Bailey, on April 4th, Alyzabeth's sweet closest friend, classmate/OPE squad member. Getting to know the Bailey's (while they held their family together with abounding love through all......) and enjoying Ian's sense of humor, understanding his brilliance, dedication to his friends, kindness along with his apologies. Many adventures were shared with AA and Ian, thru the Bailey's generosity, day trips, social gatherings (many birthday parties) and they frequently remembered to celebrate Chinese New Year with AA. Its not fair when children suffer from diseases that seem random as to who they take, we don't understand; we do know the Lord has taken away his pain. Our sympathy and everlasting tears for the Bailey Family.

Thursday: AA went to school, even though we preferred her to stay home due to "over doing" it the past few days. She attended the after school Clay County First Team Athlete meeting (award show on May 10th). She did homework until 9:00 p.m. on the couch with her leg elevated. We ate Taco Food Truck leftovers and the creamy chicken dish leftovers.

It was Liv's 17th birthday, she was in a play, Children of Eden so very busy this weekend. 

We watched some of the first round NFL Draft picks. 

Friday: AA went to her first after surgery PT evaluation, the new brace with the hinge is still giving her trouble, mainly one side presses on her incision. AND AA picked up her new eye glasses.

New Eyeglasses:

Sweet Frog frozen yogurt after school!

My APTIM work weekly meeting has changed to 10 am on Fridays.

Liv was in the play "Children of Eden", we did not attend (Justin and Kilee did), she played a pregnant woman.

Saturday: Ford did some light grocery shopping, we made sausage balls. Went to the River House with Kathy, an expected storm blew through while enjoying our wine inside (we took sausage balls for appetizer).

Monday, April 24, 2023 Kayaking!

Today was a day of firsts! Alyzabeth made it to class since her surgery with the help of David R. at 6:45 a.m. AA was able to get out of bed, use the bathroom, dress herself, eat a small breakfast and get into the car all at her regular time. 

She stayed at school all day and rode the elevator (with a few quirks, one wasn't working right) with Kathryn, Sophia, Nick and Siyan helping carry her backpack. At home she ate her snack, we took off the brace and iced her knee (a slight amount of new blood on the bandages, but was dry by the time I saw it). She's doing homework and seems in good spirits.
While she was in school Terri and I went kayaking, to Walmart for photos, Maple Street Biscuit (1st time) for lunch, back to Walmart and then to Publix for Lotto tickets (time for one of us to win!).
The kayaking was all good, we paddled with the wind at first, turning to return to the Lakeshore dock was a bit mor strenuous as there were some whitecaps working against us, so we only lasted about 45 minutes. On the paddle back, I heard a noise, "boiling water" and Terri scream about something hitting the back of her kayak. I saw it was the typical motion of a manatee but Terri was shaken. I had told her about alligators in the lake/river so that's what she thought of first! I am glad we did kayak, had been looking forward to it.

Maple Street Biscuit - There were only two sauces (salad dressing without onion in it for her Chicken Club Biscuit).

Dinner was a favorite creamy chicken, mushroom, sun dried tomatoes pasta "one pot" dish (making it since 2017).