Talked to dad for 3-1/2 hours last night. Amazes me that he still has stories I haven’t heard. He’s said so many times that he had a fun life, and that makes me happy, even while I think that if I’d had a life that fun he’d have locked me in my room and thrown away the key. 😂 He’s a neat person. At once basic and complex, which I think just means deep but authentic if I’m going to define the impression. I’ve always been told I’m a mini version, but if I am, I’m a pale watered down one. He’s all this rich color. We’ve butted heads a few times because he’s stubborn as a mule and his independence makes him slow to accept he can be wrong, but considering those are two drops in an ocean of everything I call a good man…a good person…I’m always struck by my good fortune in getting to know him and be influenced by him.
He’s doing remarkably well now. Still gets down, which I think at this point is less grief and more loneliness. He has made the basement his rec room of sorts. He goes down and walks laps, has a little gym down there, plays darts as he feels the math helps keep his head sharp, tables with models and 3D puzzles, and for Christmas we got him an easel and some paint by numbers. Took him about a week to do with it what I knew he would - use the numbers as a guide and then say screw it and do it the way he wanted. 😂 One is already framed and on the wall. He’s on his last one now so it’s time for me to order more. Last night he was wondering if his blood pressure goes too high if he does 80 squats all at once so he’s thinking he’ll split them up and do 50 in the morning and 50 later in the afternoon until he can check with his doctor. I laughed. Highly doubt his doctor can do 80 squats at all so someone’s about to feel bad. 😂 I hope we get quite a few more good years like this. Ali’s wedding is in October, and he’s tickled she blocked off rooms at the nearest casino because he was already thinking that’s where he’d land afterward. 😄
Speaking of, she found her dress. Fairly simple strapless satin with flowers and pearls on the bodice. I fully expected J to balk at the price tag because that’s just a baked in part of his personality, but he didn’t so much as bat an eye. Hasn’t batted an eye about anything! I find myself in perpetual shock. 😂 They found a venue out in the country, and my sister is getting ordained to perform the ceremony, and pieces fall into place bit by bit. Ali’s a monster organizer (girl actually loves spreadsheets 😆), so there’s not much for me to do beyond sharing my thoughts when asked and talking her down when she gets frustrated. I’m good with that. I’ve been a little concerned about this freaky autoimmune business I got socked with - the hives I can handle, but the angioedema means I get surprises like a random fat lip or swollen eyelid or my throat swells so I lose my voice or can only eat soft foods or it drops to my stomach and gets too painful to function…just not knowing what to expect with this and not wanting it to intrude on the day. The lack of control irritates. But I got some good news on that front this week that I not only got approved for a biologic injection but my insurance dropped it from 5000 per shot to 0, so there is hope on the horizon that this will work and I won’t have that cringe to be nervous about. I’ll finish hammering that out next week, but for now I’m just floating on hope and good possibilities, which is lovely too. 😌
I’m also pleased with my watercolor adventure. Still suck rotten eggs at it, but when I get discouraged I just drop beautiful colors onto wet paper and watch them bloom and then get my mad scientist on and drip in alcohol or sprinkle on salt or practice clouds and all that thrilling joy makes up for lack of talent or skill. 😂 Also been practicing the sketching. Good for me to let go of the reins of detail and just scribble. Sometimes I get a surprise and it actually looks almost like what it’s supposed to be! Other than the unfortunate lesson that Teddy the pooch is waiting for the opportunity to steal an eraser to eat, it’s been very very good and has helped lift some weight of the world off. ❤
If you’ve actually made it this far, here’s the dress if you’re interested, and here’s a cookie 🍪. And my apologies. 😂🤗
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