Monday, April 8th - Eclipse!

Monday: Another routine morning, AA off to school with her Gator shirt and hoodie on (Siyan wore FSU top today), Ford takes Ginger out for her morning bathroom break. I don't really have a set routine yet, work on the blog, read some emails and today, get dressed to drive to Larry's home. Carolyn helped me last Friday and it gave me a boost to try an finish this week so I can schedule the movers. Later this week, will work on our garage, preparing for all the boxes and refrigerator (later decided to let Carolyn borrow it for Kayla). Terri consolidated some of our stuff, so now I need to actually rearrange, make space by restacking what I already have.

I drove to LB's home, Ford drove to his Parkinson exercises. I put boxes of odds and ends on the curb; packed several boxes, cleaned off the garage workbench, cleaned off LB's bar area, washed a ton of glassware for the curb. Only about a third of the free stuff was picked up by evening when I left at 5:15 p.m. 

I fond a movie sales catalog - newspaper; Charlotte wrote an article for it, Movietime Newsreel!

I drove home to have lunch with Ford (Fresh Market chicken salad), then on way back stopped by Donna/Catherine's home to drop off the Bocce game set (at their front door) they wanted (from Larry's). I saw Penny's yard was full of branches, so called her; she came outside and chatted about cutting back all her bushes.

The surveyor was at Larry's all afternoon, so the house closing is getting closer.

After school, AA watched the eclipse with the proper glasses.

Once home, had leftover chili, corn on the cob and corn muffins (frozen from February). We watched a Rick Steves show on Paris; so we chatted about her upcoming spring trip, then told her about The Doors lead singer's grave we visited when we were in Paris. AA said she had never heard of Jim Morrison, so we played several songs. Back to doing homework, while Ford watched The Voice (AA and I also caught part of the Wizard of Oz and made terrible fun at their costumes!).

Tuesday: Tuesday morning started out the normal way with Ford making Alyzabeth breakfast and we made her lunch. I took off today from working at Larry‘s home (the air is so bad at his home, need a day off to clear my lungs and throat!) so took Ford to his physical therapy. Once there I walked for about 20 minutes then called Mom and we chatted while I sat in the truck. We went to the APTIM office and dropped off my keys with Cory Donoher and from there went to Larry‘s house to check on all the free cycle stuff on the front yard. The recycle bins are empty but most of the free cycle stuff was still there. 

We went to Publix to pick up a few items I needed for my River House appetizer and then went home. We had lunch at home of fresh market, chicken salad, and some pasta salad on the side. We chatted with Leaa on the phone for quite a bit trying to get all the dates straight between Dylan's theater, Liv's graduation, prom; goings on over the next month or so. I walked Ginger. 

I prepared a new appetizer for the River House. It was a recipe Ford found on The Fresh Market website. I roasted some grapes with olive oil and thyme, combined ricotta and lemon zest, spread it on a crostini and topped with a drizzle of honey, lemon zest and thyme. Actually, nobody really liked this new appetizer. Alyzabeth said no and Ford thought it needed more sweetness as the grapes were not very good tasting. We went to the River House; Hugh, Maureen, Kathy and Michelle all did not like the appetizer as a first impression. Later we kind of liked it to the point where we might even give it a four or five score out of ten. I certainly will not make it again.

Once home, dinner was leftover spaghetti sauce, meatballs, and spaghetti with a chopped bag salad on the side. 

Alyzabeth was so relieved to score 100 on her and Noah's psychology presentation!

After dinner, we watched Jeopardy while Alyzabeth worked on a math worksheet and biology worksheet. Ford and I watched "Finding Your Roots" episode that had three regular people on it, not celebrities, but we both fell asleep through the whole thing!

Wednesday: Usual morning. I drove to Larry's for the day, and found a low tire light on, I aired it up at a gas station but for some reason (maybe my error), it didn't change the air pressure. I continue to pack/repack items to bring to our home - to keep or sell. Sharon Patterson came again and we loaded up her car! She took many knick-knacks, Matador figurines, variety of glass ashtrays, old frames, four mechanical wind-up animal toys, more magazines, a trunk (that held photo albums, sat by the pool table) and all the vintage clothes and fur coats (owned by Charlotte's Mom). Sharon and I were starved so went to Panera for salads, Sharon insisted on paying. I can see that I am almost done with cleaning out the house, Sharon and I emptied the last two large boxes that were in the trailer (all her Mother's belongings). 

I need to pack Charlotte's personal items for her family in manageable boxes and box up the last of Larry's items I am sending to Laurel. I will have a few boxes of free-cycle/curb pick-up stuff for Monday, and the last of the trash for Wednesday. The blue metal "ice cream" table and two chairs are going to Leaa's home. I have contacted the "movers" for a date next week, will be 99% done and just leave whatever I don't want to deal with.

Once home, I aired up the back tire to a normal 38 psi. We had sauteed veggies with a Fresh Market chicken pot pie for dinner. AA studied for her biology and psychology tests. Ford accomplished many tasks - changed AAA (added green Subaru, added Alyzabeth to membership), made HVAC check-up, scheduled annual pest control inspection. I made dinner reservations for this Sunday (my and Carolyn's birthdays). Now to schedule Ginger's annual physical and AA's annual doctor's appointment. Plus the black Subaru needs to go in the shop as the air conditioning is so weak. We have a list a mile long to do - from yard work to cleaning out our garage to many inside tasks - organizing our linen closets, cabinets, sorting through clothes, etc. I still have not planned a single summer vacation.

Thursday: Thursday morning and I wanted to sleep in so bad it’s great that Ford gets up makes Alyzabeth lunch and breakfast and takes Ginger out for her morning constitution. I get up and he has my coffee ready and I get moving. We spent an hour or so doing email and just picking up around the house and Ford took a shower getting ready for the appointment at cancer specialist of Northeast Florida. He saw d Dr. Cassidy today who was great at communicating and very friendly and answered all our questions. Ford will have a CAT scan a PET scan and an MRI. These will determine or at least confirm that the surgery got all the skin cancer on his forehead. Then we will have a decision to make if he wants to take the optional radiation which does not extend your life or prevent the cancer from recurring, but it reduces the risk of it recurring.  After we made our appointments for those scans for next week on Wednesday and Friday, we went to the bank then to the dry cleaners and then to lunch at Time Out deli. It was our first rainy day in a few weeks and it poured at times. We stopped at Publix to pick up salmon and veggies before going home and we got soaked.  Next is going to Suburban at 2 PM to check the trucks rear tire that is losing air pressure. I aired it up to 37 psi yesterday and it’s back down to 24 psi. 

We prepared for dinner, and got the tire repaired. While Alyzabeth was working on a math workbook, we went to the RH for a drink, it was breezy and lovely - there was a Real Estate group party. We sat at the bar, chatted with a lady from up-state NY, and Christina Darling. Back home, Ford cooked the blackened salmon, I had made the "do-ahead" mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. AA and I watched a celebration of Elton John's songs on PBS, with Ginger snuggled next to her.

Friday: No school - Clay County Fair Day!

Another typical Friday morning except that Elisabeth did not go to school. It was the Clay County fair school day so off from school. I drove Ford to his PT and walked while he was there and spoke to my mom on the phone. I actually got in about 3000 steps. It was a very nice sunny day to be out walking. After that, we went to Larry‘s house and picked up the blue table and two chairs, I call it the ice cream set. We drove home and had a light lunch, grilled cheese sandwich for AA. AA is going to the Clay County fair with Siyan later in the afternoon about 3:30 PM. 

Ford and I left for the fair about 1 o’clock and was surprised there wasn’t a line of traffic. We are now parking in handicap spots; we have the handicap placard to use on any vehicle. We gave away our extra pre-purchased tickets to two "Seniors" and one adult (a young student who was in line to buy a ticket). Our kindness for the day! Ford and I walked around, went to the old Florida section, enjoyed our free taste of collard greens and cornbread, and Ford ate their homemade pickled okra. We sat and listened to a bluegrass band for five or six songs, and the last one was Amazing Grace. We ran into Erin Collins and spoke briefly. By the time we were leaving Alyzabeth was picking up Siyan, they arrived about 4:00 p.m. We had bought armbands for rides in advance, so they were all set to ride the rides.  Ford and I stopped at the Spring Park coffee shop and had a lemonade and just relaxed. We went home; I drove the truck to George’s Car Wash and Orange Park to get it cleaned. It really needed it. Once home we decided on MoJo's for lunch. 

We brought our leftovers home and Alyzabeth came home after dropping off Siyan and her younger brother at their house. It was a quiet evening; enjoyed chatting about her experience at the fair which included getting Siyan to ride several rides as she said she wasn’t going to (and she screamed through most of them! Next year for the fair we need to plan as a family to go, so that we can be with Alyzabeth and go to the places we like to go, also remember there is a free seniors day which we should get our friends to all go. It was a beautiful day and the fair had great weather except for yesterday‘s, huge thunderstorm and torrential rain, but it did clear off by late afternoon. Also received an Edible Fruit Platter from Mom and a bouquet of flowers (see separate post).

Alyzabeth only sent me one photo from being at the fair - of Siyan.

Saturday: Saturday morning I warmed up some leftover breakfast casserole and we had the chocolate covered fruit that my Mom sent me for my birthday, edible fruit tray which was delicious. I got ready to meet Elisabeth Gadd at her Hilton Garden Hotel at Orange Park 17/I-295. We had talked about walking, but when I got there she had not had breakfast so we sat and chatted until about 10:15 about everything about the FUMCH Children’s home and her husband, Jim and Parkinson’s disease. Her husband Jim passed away Christmas Eve, and she went through his history of having three back surgeries, slowly becoming sleepier/lethargic at the end of last year to the point where he just never got out of bed, and after about two or three weeks passed away slowly, he wasn’t eating and he was under hospice care. Very sad, she had to administer his pills and then morphine (hospice assistants aren't allowed she said). He had Parkinson and then five years ago was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.  Amazing how she worked full-time, and during COVID worked from home, so that helped but she still had to hire help to take care of him. She talked about the changes at the children’s home, two of the cottages are now actually foster kids with foster parents that the home, hired directly, so not much different, but just to conform to the FL State rules.  They are looking at refurbishing four cottages that are left on their list but need $1 million each as all the plumbing and electrical has to be replaced (not just upgrading the bathrooms and kitchen). She talked about how Kitwana was very supportive and helped her since she hired in 2015 with her job and making accommodations due to her husband‘s illness. She also told me how depressing or frustrating it was that she been married to her husband for 15 years yet his children never accepted her or really wanted her around. He had set up trust funds for them when he married Elisabeth, but when he died, they were ugly and mean to her and wanted everything that he owned before he married her. They did not have a good relationship even while he was alive, they talked on the phone and with visit occasionally.  She sees a therapist because of all the turmoil with the kids and relationships. The oldest grandchild is a senior, graduates high school this year and she’s not sure if she will even hear about it as the kids are not in touch with her since their dad died. She also is going through a few health issues, she lost about 30 pounds due to her thyroid being overactive, which she thinks she aggravated it during all the stress of the past year. She seen a doctor next week about adjusting her thyroid medicine and seeing if she gained weight. She said she hasn’t been exercising at all, because she’s not sure if she wants to spend a lot of calories when she can’t seem to gain weight right now. She’s speaking at the Orange Park Methodist Church Sunday tomorrow to give them their annual certificate on being the top 10 church for donations to the children’s home which is now named, Residing Hope. 

After arriving home from talking to Elisabeth Gadd, Alyzabeth and I got lunch from Tijuana Flats. We actually ate in there on the patio. We ran into Katie Forte. 

We had some downtime and then Mia arrived at 4 PM so we could head over to St Augustine, drove to Leaa‘s house and dropped off the blue metal ice cream patio set (from Larry's home) and then drove to Dylan's middle school. Justin came along, Leaa volunteers and was taking tickets, Jesse and Mia and us three. The play was remarkable, fairly stark, excellent actors. Students were 6th thru eighth graders. The story of Helen Keller, her mother, father, brother, and teacher Ann Sullivan, and her younger brother named Jimmy, who died in the Asylum, so it was very sad as she reflected on the guilt of that.

Program:

Mia staying in Middleburg in June. Going to Missouri over Memorial Day weekend; maybe go to Disney in early August.

Mia had spot on shirt, gave her some Goo Gone, got it off. We ate some chocolate fruit at home, got soda on way home. Sunday Mia is going to friends home one exit from Bucees. 

Sunday the 14th: See separate post.