My daughter Laura, and fiancé, Robert, were here for 5 days, leaving at 4 a.m. on the 28th. I got up to see them off. They were super helpful while here. Laura and I had a thing going – periodically I’d point to her and whisper, “daughter” and she’d point back and whisper, “mother”. Robert bought a trellis at Home depot and installed it just outside one of the pool doors because that entrance had a problem with a bush that was growing into it. He also totally cleaned the refrigerator in the garage, inside and out. He helped me buy a new dishwasher. I got a stainless steel Bosch. He cleaned our entry patio of the greenery that was growing in the grout lines of the tile and raised some tiles that were below level in one corner.

We didn’t eat out together because it was too difficult for Ed to join us. Instead we got take-out and that was good enough. Ed was able to get himself onto the pool deck in his wheelchair, so we ate outside. It worked out. The weather cooperated – no rain.
Sol came by and joined in Laura’s birthday celebration – July 27th. She brought an elaborate birthday cake. Laura and she have formed a close relationship and Laura’s input into her decision to move back here was substantial. What Sol’s boyfriend didn’t realize was that, in showing his abusive side, he was recreating Sol’s childhood when her stepfather would come home from work and beat both her and her mother. Wrong move boy-o. I am super delighted she’s back.

Friday was chaos day – the dishwasher was delivered, Fran-the-handyman’s truck was also parked in the driveway, Sol arrived with her cats and her stuff and was in the lower end of the driveway, and she was slowly bringing stuff in as the pathway cleared. I was hopping back and forth trying to make sure that Tyler and Max weren’t swindling their way outside, as the door was propped open. Finally all was done and I was as limp as possible. Let’s not do any of this again, I am thinking.

xx, Teal