Celebrating Anniversary #1 in Columbus

After I left Paula's last night, I picked up Doug at the Indy airport.  I was happy that his flight got in early and thought that maybe I would be able to get to bed close to midnight.  Once we pulled into the parking lot, however, I heard a loud beeping coming from an apartment or a garage near Brett's apartment. I hoped that it would go away, but unfortunately it didn't and I accepted the fact that I would be staying up much later than I had planned.  I couldn't hear it inside of Brett's apartment, but as soon as I opened his door the loud four beeps were going strong.  I asked Google Gemini and looked it up online for verification and they both agreed.  It was a carbon monoxide detector and needed immediate attention from the fire department.  

I debated for a little while about what I should do next but finally realized that I wouldn't sleep if I didn't call 911 and report it.  Once I said four beeps, they instantly sent a truck.  It was after 2 a.m. when they arrived and I worried that I was wasting their time, but within ten minutes they had confirmed that it was carbon monoxide and even found the garage that it was coming from with their handheld detectors.  After walking through Brett's apartment with their gauges and assuring me that we were carbon monoxide free, the firemen showed me the problem in the garage.  A golf cart had been charging overnight.  With the heat and the corroded batteries, it had filled the garage with the poisonous gas.  Thankfully, they were able to clear it out fairly quickly and soon I was waking Brett and Doug up to let them know what they missed.

Although I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, I still had a lot of fun today with Brett and Karen celebrating their first anniversary as a married couple.  They spent the day giving Doug and I a tour of Columbus stopping at some of their favorite spots and trying out some new ones. While we were out, we went to three different bookstores, ate lunch at a local pub, checked out the hot sauce store, visited Brett's place of work, went to Bear Wallow Distillery and waited out a thunderstorm at Range 46 Winery.  We ended our tour at the pizza place that Karen and Brett went on their first date which was perfect for their one-year anniversary dinner from Doug and I.  It was so much fun hanging out with the two of them and seeing the place that they now call home.  We may not have been visiting on their actual anniversary date, but it was awesome to see how much they had grown in the past year together and to celebrate with them both.  

A Much Needed Visit

I enjoyed a very laid-back morning and afternoon today.  I hung out at Brett and Karen's reading and working on my computer in the morning.  In the afternoon I went to Kohl's and found four shirts that I absolutely loved.  Afterward I chatted with Karen for a while when she wasn't on a work call and was extremely thankful for a day of rest.

Tonight, I met Paula in McCordsville for dinner and a fun evening at her home.  She took me to a restaurant near her that was right on the lake.  The food was great and I loved the atmosphere.  The best part was talking to Paula.  It was so nice to share things with a friend that understood me so well. She not only listened but helped me to feel better about all that was going on in my life right now.  She knew exactly what to say and I left dinner feeling so much better than I had a couple of days ago.

After dinner, Paula and I went back to her house for the rest of the evening.  I was happy to see Gabrielle was home from work when we got there.  She told us all about her day in the research lab and her thoughts about being an anthropology major.  I loved her stories as I had taken anthropology classes at IU and found them to be extremely fascinating as well.  It was also nice to see how happy she was.  Before I left, Paula showed me her new backyard project complete with a pool, new landscaping and the perfect patio.  I cannot wait to see the finished project when I return in September.  

Mike Campbell - From The Heartbreakers to The Dirty Knobs

Last week I finished Mike Campbell's aptly titled autobiography, The Heartbreakers.  He was not only the band's lead guitarist, but also Tom Petty's best friend.  Doug had read it last year and was sure that I would like it. I am happy to say that he was 100% correct.  I enjoyed learning about Mike Campbell as well as the history of The Heartbreakers.  I loved that the book spent quite a few chapters on his life in Gainesville, a city that Doug and I now knew well.  Mike Campbell's detailed memories of his days at the University of Florida to the last concert he played with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in 2017 were all amazing to read about.  He had hundreds of stories about other musicians that he had played with or met throughout his career including Boby Dylan, George Harrison and Don Henley.  He also wrote extensively about the songs, the music and the recording sessions with the Heartbreakers.  The best part for me was his stories about his life with Tom Petty.  They were absolutely fantastic and I learned more about my favorite singer in this book than I ever could have imagined.  I don't remember ever reading a biography faster than I did The Heartbreakers as I just couldn't put it down.

The last few chapters of Mike Campbell's book focused on his life after Tom Petty's death and the break- up of the Heartbreakers.  He played with Fleetwood Mac for several years and eventually formed his own band called "The Dirty Knobs" with a few of his long-time musical friends including Steve Ferrone, drummer of The Heartbreakers.  Last week, I was looking at concerts on Seat Geek when I decided to check to see if The Dirty Knobs were touring.  I couldn't believe what I found.  Not only were they touring, but they were playing in Nashville, Indiana tonight. I decided that I had to go and was thrilled that as soon as I asked Brett if he wanted to go with me he instantly said, "Yes!" 

Tonight's concert was so much fun.  I had been listening to The Dirty Kobs playlist on Spotify all week to get ready for it and knew almost all of the songs that they played.  I loved the five Tom Petty songs that Mike Campbell covered including one of my favorites, "You Wreck Me" which was also featured in the book.  The music wasn't Brett's taste, but he did really enjoy the opening act, Sarah Lee Guthrie.  She sang folk songs that she had wrote and covered several of her grandfather, Woody Guthrie's songs as well.  She also told stories about growing up with her father Arlo and playing music with him as well.  She was very entertaining which made for a wonderful night for both Brett and I.

Getting the Gang All Back Together

Last month, Cherie emailed the group of teachers from Milford Middle School that had all hung out together when I was teaching to see if we wanted to have a weekend get-together at her home sometime this summer.  She threw out this past weekend as a date that she had open.  After several people answered that they couldn't do a weekend, but a dinner out would work, I decided to respond.  I gave everyone the dates that I would be in Northern Indiana this summer and said that if any of those worked, I would be able to make dinner. Right away everyone answered that last night was the perfect evening to meet and I put it on my calendar.

I hadn't gone out to dinner with this group in well over a year and hadn't seen some of the women for several more.  None of that seemed to matter because as soon as we met, it was like the past eight years since I quit teaching melted away.  We caught up on each other's families, work situation, and life since Milford Middle School was disbanded three years ago.  There had been a lot of changes, but the most important part stayed the same - our friendship.  Overall, it was a wonderful night filled with shared memories, a lot of laughs and the familiar support that I always felt with this group.  I couldn't ask anything more.  

Another Trip to the Hospital

Last week, my dad called in the early evening. I was worried as it was rare that I heard from him at dinner time but thought that maybe he had something he wanted to share with Doug and I. He definitely had something to share, but unfortunately, it wasn’t good news. My mom had fallen out of the back door of the garage again and broke her left hip. He was on the way to the hospital when he called and was very worried to say the least.

My mom ended up with the exact same break and the exact same surgery that she had in December, but this time it was on her left hip. She spent two days in the hospital before they sent her to the Waters nursing home near my dad‘s house. I was really bummed to hear it as I was coming up to see them this week, and my mom and I had plans to get haircuts and go to The Depot.  More importantly, I was worried about how my mom would recover this time.

I arrived in Syracuse last night early enough to go over to the nursing home and visit with my mom. She looked very sad and in a lot of pain. I tried to be positive but wasn’t sure what today would bring. Thankfully, she was doing a lot better today. The nurses were able to get her dressed and sitting in a chair to eat breakfast. While I was there, I also got to go to physical therapy with her.  Although her hip hurt, she was able to move her left leg and do some of the exercises. I know that it will take several months for my mom to recover, but I was glad to see that she was already making a little bit of progress.

A Great Weekend in Ohio

Doug and I were up early this morning so that he could catch his flight in Cleveland. The drive was extremely easy as the airport was right off of the tollway.  Since it was smaller than Indianapolis, Doug had no problem getting through security and to his gate in plenty of time for take off.  While he read several chapters of The Count of Monte Cristo, I headed back to Toledo.  

Cameron was ready for lunch when I arrived. He picked a place in Perrysburg that we saw on our last trip to Toledo. It was a cute little diner and both of us chose a delicious albeit greasy meal to try.  Although downtown Perrysburg was still under construction, we could see the charm in the Toledo suburb complete with restaurants, coffee houses and antique stores. We both felt that it would be a lot nicer place to live than in the heart of the Glass City.

After lunch, we looked for a miniature golf place and were pleased to see one within 10 minutes of the restaurant. On our way, Cameron had me drive-through several parks near the Maumee river. They were absolutely beautiful.

We played mini-golf in a rural area of Perrysburg with corn fields surrounding us. It reminded me a lot of Northern Indiana. The course was perfect for the two of us and had Ohio trivia question on each hole. Cameron ended up beating me by two in mini-golf, but I took him in trivia. It was so much fun.

Once we finished, Cameron and I drove to several other local spots so he could show me what he had been doing these last few months. We talked a lot about Toledo, Owens Corning, and starting his senior year. It was so nice to spend a laid-back afternoon hanging out with him. I was sad to drop him back off at his apartment tonight, but incredibly thankful for the wonderful weekend in Ohio.

Toledo Again

Doug and I made very good time yesterday on our roadtrip to the Midwest and were scheduled to arrive in Ohio an hour earlier than we had expected.  Cameron was still on his way back from Cora's, so we took advantage of the extra time to stop by a distillery on the bourbon trail.  It was small, but very nice.  They taught Doug how to drink a high alcohol bourbon properly and gave him a few tastings as well.  Doug really enjoyed it and we bought a bottle of cream ale to take with us.

The two of us met Cameron at the dorm shortly after he arrived home.  He was happy to see us and suggested that we try the pizza bar in his back parking lot.  Stubborn Brothers didn't look like much from the outside, but it was fantastic.  I loved the atmosphere and its proximity to campus.  Cameron and his roommates could literally walk there in less than five minutes.  Doug thought it was fantastic and enjoyed his beer and snack with Cameron.

On our way back to the car, Cameron realized that he had locked himself out of his dorm room.  Since all of his roommates were out of town, he had to call the help desk to let him into his apartment.  They had just changed the locks, and he hadn't gotten used to the automatic locking system.  We took advantage of the extra time at the dorm to play pool and watch the World Cup in the lounge adjacent to his room.  It was a lot of fun and none of us minded waiting.

Once Cameron got his keys, we headed to our hotel in downtown Toledo.  We were pleased to see that we had a view of the Mudhens stadium just like last month.  The only bad part was that they were playing in Indy this weekend.  We still walked by the stadium several times this evening as Cameron wanted to show us a few of the bars that he had discovered since he first arrived in Ohio.  We loved all of them and even got to see a "service" horse at one.  The best part about the evening was listening to Cameron talk.  I was impressed by how much he had grown as a person since we had saw him in May.  He was excited about the future whether he got an offer from Owens Corning or not.  He was also proud of how hard he had worked this summer, not only at his job, but in making friends and networking.  He had also stayed out of the drama which made his life a lot easier.  It was a great night celebrating the midway point of Cameron's internship and I was very glad that we go to share it with him. 

Saying Goodbye to Molly

It was a sad day for Phil today, because he had to put his beloved Molly down. She had been his constant companion for the last 14 years, and I know that it had to be very difficult for him. Molly had started having health problems a little over a year ago, but just recently had stopped eating. Phil spent as much time as possible with her the last two weeks and had even taken her on a walk this morning before she collapsed.

I called and checked on Phil a couple of times throughout this past week and had even offered to go with him to the vet when it was her time. He chose to do that alone but let us know as soon as it was over. It will be strange to talk to Phil and not ask about Molly.  I am so glad that he decided to walk dogs at the rescue center this spring. That will make this time a little bit easier.

Snail Away

Last spring I noticed that there were snails in our backyard.  I thought that was strange because we lived miles from the nearest natural water source.  I picked a few of them up in a jar and pitched them across the street in the "retention" pond that never held water.  That worked for a few days, but soon, there became so many snails that I would never be able to pick them all up. I figured that they would go away on their own and decided to just leave them alone.

That ended up being a bad idea as the snail population continued to grow and I could no longer ignore the little pests as they were doing a lot of damage to our lemon tree, tomato plant and other vegetation in our backyard.  They had also migrated to our front yard as well.  That's when I decided to research the best way to get rid of the pesky mollusk.  Thankfully, I wasn't the only one with a snail problem.  I founded out that they tended to show up in sandy soiled yards with a lot of moisture.  That made sense to me as our entire yard was sandy and the neighbor behind us had started watering nightly.  Since two of his sprinklers were positioned behind our fence, we ended each evening with a soaked property line right where the snails were the worst.

After doing a lot of research, I decided to use an organic snail bait that would end my snail problem without harming any other living beings.  Unfortunately, it didn't help.  The snails were just as abundant as ever and I was growing tired of them. There was a reprieve in May as it was one of the driest months in Florida history leading to a severe drought which in turn led to a restriction on how much water could be used for watering lawns.  Soon, our snail problem was eliminated naturally, and I was glad to be rid of the pest.  

Even though I was happy for the reprieve, I knew it wouldn't last.  June and July brought the rainy season and the return of my least favorite shelled animal.  Last weekend, I read that the best way to get rid of them was to bury a plastic container filled with beer in the high traffic area.  Supposedly, snails were attracted to yeast and would crawl into the ground level container and drown.  I had high hopes which were soon dashed when three days later there were no snails to be found in the beer, but dozens of them on the fence and on the east side of the house.

At that point, I decided to stop playing nicely and finally bought real "snail bait" from Lowe's.  I knew that it wasn't the most humane way to stop the snails, but it guaranteed that it would work.  It's been a week and I have already noticed a difference.  There are very few snails on the side of the house or fence and almost none on our plants.  Next time, I won't even try any home remedies or organic products. Sometimes you just have to play hardcore, and I guess getting rid of snails is definitely one of those times.  

CCW Board Meeting

Today was the first board meeting that I was able to attend with the new CCW officers. I was asked to be parliamentarian, which meant that I would be in charge of keeping the meeting moving along and to make sure that we were following all the Roberts Rules of Order. Even though that was my official title on the board, I believe that the most important thing that I did today was help the new treasurer understand all of the reports that she will have to have ready for the monthly meetings along with the other duties that she will have to fulfill. I didn’t mind helping as I knew that I would have really appreciated the help when I first started as treasure. After the board meeting, I stayed to be a part of the budget meeting, which went also well.

The best part about going today was catching up with some of the women that I hadn’t seen since the beginning of summer. It also got me out of the house and made me feel as if I was giving back to our church. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t found CCW when we first moved to Ocala three years ago. It has definitely had a very positive influence on my life, especially the woman that I have met through the group.

At Home Nursing

When Doug was first diagnosed with low vitamin B12, it was serious enough for the doctor to prescribe a weekly treatment of Vitamin B12 injections. Because Doug worked in Ocala, he could swing by the doctor's office, get his shot and then head into work. The injections worked and Doug’s Vitamin B12 rose to a normal level.

With his levels increasing, the doctor lessened the dose.  Unfortunately, changing to once-a-month injections did not help Doug maintain the Vitamin B12 levels that he needed to stay in a normal range. The side effects of low Vitamin B12 were serious enough that our doctor told us that he would have to have injections every other week, probably for life. The good part was that it would help him with the fatigue and brain fog that he was feeling when his levels were low. The bad part was Doug couldn’t go into the doctor's office as easily once he switched jobs. Thus, I had to learn how to give injections.

Thankfully, the biweekly dosage worked. Doug’s levels have stayed in the normal range for the past two years and he feels very good. I am very happy with that the injections are working, but I still hate giving Doug the shots.  I am sure that some women would love sticking their husband with a sharp needle every other week, but I really do not like it. I have gotten a lot better at it and appreciate the advice the pharmacist gave me as it has made the process a lot easier. Hopefully, it continues to go well and eventually I might even be able to give the shots to Doug pain free every time.

A Little Bit Sad

I definitely had the Monday blues today. Doug left last night to spend three nights in Orlando. It made a lot of sense because he had a lot to do at work this week and I was glad because Meg was ready for some company with Nick still at training.  Unfortunately for me, it did make the house really quiet last night and today and it also gave me a ton of time to think which sometimes is not the best thing.

My thoughts turned toward the holiday weekend and how much I have always loved the Fourth of July.  For our family, it was one of the best celebrations of the year. Everyone always had a three-day weekend, and we took multiple trips together because of it. We also had so much fun celebrating Doug‘s birthday in places like St. Louis, Washington DC, and even Bloomington. Today, I realized that this year's celebration, although very nice, wasn’t quite what it was years ago. It made me sad. I was very happy for the boys that they had someone to share the holiday with in the Midwest and had started some new traditions of their own, but I did miss them a lot.  I would never want to take that away from them, but it would have been nice to be together as a family.

Maybe next year, I’ll come up with a plan where we all can meet. If not, I’ll just look forward to our time together on non-holiday weekends.  This summer we are fortunate to visit the Midwest twice, once last month and then this next week. I have learned over the past few years that it’s OK to be sad and to mourn things from long ago, but it’s never OK to dwell in it. Thus, after today, I will put that feeling aside and focus on the positives.

A Wonderful 4th of July for All

Our Fourth of July/Doug’s birthday celebration ended the way all good for Fourth of July weekends should with a big screen showing of the movie Jaws. It has been a family tradition for longer than I can remember and I look forward to it more and more each year. Cameron let us know this weekend that he had never seen Jaws 2, so we added that to our list of things to do with him in August when he visits us in Florida.

Doug and I weren’t the only ones enjoying the Fourth of July weekend. Brett and Karen hosted her parents and the four of them had a wonderful time walking in the holiday parade. They also went to Brown County, played games and watched movies as well. Cal and Maggie spent the weekend in Michigan with her family. Unfortunately, a storm knocked out power for several days. That changed some of their plans, but they still had a great time anyway. Meg not only visited us on Doug‘s birthday but went to a CeeLo Green concert with a friend. I was glad to hear that she still had fun even though Nick was in the Midwest for training this holiday weekend. Cameron went to Fishers and hung out with Cora‘s family. They had neighborhood fireworks as well and made some really fun holiday drink drinks.

I missed the boys a lot this weekend but was so glad to hear that they all had a wonderful Fourth of July celebrating America's 250th. I was also very thankful to have Doug and Meg here in Ocala. It made the weekend a lot of fun.

Finding the Perfect Gift

Doug had a great 56th birthday celebration. Phil and Meg were able to join us for dinner which, of course, included brats a Heinisch family staple. Doug also made a carrot cake which was a big hit for dessert. The fireworks in our neighborhood this year were a nice addition to our party, but maybe just a little bit too close as someone was shooting them off in the retention pond right across the street. 

I had a really had time picking out a gift for Doug's birthday this year. He didn't really have any ideas for me and told me that he liked what I gave him for Father’s Day if I wanted to do something like that again. I didn’t want to just give him the same gifts that I had a month ago and hoped to come up with something a little bit more original. I knew that the gifts from my children were fantastic and I didn’t want to upstage them but still wanted to find something that I thought Doug would like. I spent a lot of time looking at different ideas online and then it finally dawned on me. Doug really needed a duffel bag. He traveled a lot and always had to take a carry-on suitcase even for an overnight stay. I found one that I liked online and then went to Publix to pick up the perfect bottle of alcohol to go with it. After looking through everything and even talking to their friendly store clerk, we both agreed that I couldn’t go wrong with a bottle of Jack Daniels. 

I am very happy to say that Doug did like the duffel bag filled with Jack Daniels and candy. It didn’t quite top Vitalogy on vinyl from Pearl Jam, but that was OK because no one was going to top Meg's gift this year.  She easily took that honor with what I believe to be the best gift Doug has ever gotten when she found the exact same Six-Million-Man lunchbox that Doug had in first grade that he talked so fondly about over the years. He was absolutely speechless when he pulled it out of the bag and it now holds a special spot in our living room instead of in his memory.  

The best part for Doug was that he still had two more gifts to open. Brett had sent him an Edi Amin book which I know he will absolutely love reading, especially from all of his years of saying, "I'm Edi Amin" when knocking on a door. Cameron had also picked up some great sauces for him to try and even a Mudhens souvenir. Meg definitely trumped us all this year with her gift, but the boys and I still came through with some really nice ones as well.

An Early Birthday Celebration

For Christmas, Maggie gave us a gift certificate to the World Equestrian Center. It was valid at any of their restaurants, and we decided that we would save it for a special occasion. I had suggested Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, but we ended up celebrating both of those holidays at Disney World, leaving tonight as the perfect time to use it for an early birthday celebration for Doug’s 56th.

I checked Open Table for restaurants at the WEC that were available this evening and I was surprised to see that they had a new restaurant cleverly named The Red Pony which looked like it had the perfect menu for both Doug and I. I quickly made a reservation, and we left the house this evening at 4:30 ready to try out this highly rated venue.

There was some confusion getting to the restaurant as Apple Maps sent us to The Yellow Pony instead. Thankfully, we had left early enough to arrive just in time for our 5 o’clock reservation. The restaurant was appropriately themed with paintings of horses everywhere. Some were characterizations of horse and others were of famous animals from the WEC‘S glory days of horse showmanship. We were pleased to see that our table was perfectly placed by the window, and our server was absolutely wonderful.

After looking through the drink menu, I picked one called The Pink Pony Club which honored the famous Chappell Roan song well by being one of the most delicious drinks that I have ever had. Dinner was equally wonderful with amazing dishes, and lots of fun conversation. The highlight of the evening was definitely dessert. When I made the reservation on OpenTable, it asked if we were celebrating a special occasion. I put down Doug’s birthday without even thinking about it. I was so glad as the wait staff went out of their way to celebrate Doug’s 56th birthday with us complete with a birthday card and a lighted firework on top of Doug's s’mores cheesecake. We may have been a day early for the celebration, but that didn’t matter to us. It was a wonderful night and one that we will not forget for quite some time.

VRBO Disaster

When we got Morgan's wedding announcement, I decided that I would go ahead and book our hotel rooms even though I wasn't quite sure if all of our family could make it. With the wedding happening on a Friday, Nick starting a new job, Brett and Karen talking about having children and Cameron unsure of his future after graduation, it was definitely hard to plan ten months out. Even so, I thought that it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and book rooms for all of us knowing that I would be able to cancel some of them if need be.  

Even though I looked for lodging as soon as I got the announcement, I wasn't able to find enough rooms for our family at the preferred hotel.  The three rooms that were available had a no cancellation policy which did not work for us.  Unfortunately, there weren't a lot of other hotel choices in the area with open rooms either. Plus, those hotels were all north of the venue meaning those in our family that were arriving on the wedding day would have to drive even further north to change before the ceremony.

Hearing that I had no luck with the hotels, Cal suggested that I try VRBO.  We had never stayed in one before but knew a lot of people who had.  Nick helped me with the website and soon I found a five-bedroom house fifteen minutes from the wedding venue that would be perfect for us or so I thought.  Shortly after booking, the nightmare began.  VRBO cancelled my booking due to a payment error on their end.  Even so the owner of the rental went ahead and charged me a $375 deposit anyway which meant that VRBO wouldn't guarantee the stay.  It was like renting from a random person which made all of us uncomfortable.  I emailed the owner right away and was assured that I would be refunded immediately which never happened.

Two weeks later, I am still trying to get my money back.  I have heard nothing back from the owner and VRBO said that there isn't anything that they can do about it.  Thankfully, I was able to file a claim with my credit card company and have all of the email messages to help back my case.  The other good news is that I found a Hampton Inn about twenty-five minutes south of the wedding where we can all stay.  Even better, I can cancel up until the night before meaning that no one has to decide today and I can get my money back if something happens.  Needless to say, I have decided that VRBO and Airbnb aren't for me and plan on staying with the Hilton chain from here on out.  

Cleaning Grout is Not For the Weak

Several months ago, I bought a steam cleaner to use on our glass shower doors.  I could clean the water spots off of them without it, but it took a lot of work.  I saw a reel that suggested using a steam cleaner, so after more research, I thought I'd try it.  It worked well and did cut down on the amount of time it took to clean the shower doors.

While I was getting the steamer ready to use, I realized that it had a brush for grout cleaning.  I have a ton of tile in my house and although I kept the floors clean, I knew that the grout had not been thoroughly scrubbed since we moved in three years ago.  My handyman suggested using Stanley Steamer to do it, but once I saw the quote for $360, I decided to find a way to do it myself with my new steam cleaner.

I first tried the cleaner on the front porch, and it made a big difference. Every week since then, I put on my to-do list, "clean bathroom grout," but something got in the way.  Finally last May, I was ready to work on the bathroom tile when I got an email that the attachments were being recalled because they would slip off easily causing burns.  I knew from experience that they were right and waited for the new parts to arrive.

Today was the day that I got the steam cleaner out and started on the bathroom tile.  It took a lot of work and way more time that I thought that it would, but they looked a hundred times better in the end.  After all of that work, I decided that I couldn't do the rest of the tile in the house with just the steam cleaner and started looking at grout brushes.  I hope it makes the job even easier.  No matter what, it was nice to know that I had come up with a solution for several hundred dollars less than Stanley Steemer.  I would much rather but the elbow grease in at home and use that money for our trip to the Midwest later this month.

We Don't Have to Overshare

When we found out definitively that Doug had Parkinson’s, I made a commitment to prioritize his health. I also made a commitment not to make this our entire life. It didn’t need to be everything we talked about or everything we did. It wasn’t because I was embarrassed by the diagnosis or that I didn’t believe it, but because I wanted to protect our mental health. I knew that we had to get back to our life. Doug‘s neurologist at Mayo Clinic told us that he could be in this stage for quite some time.  Thus, talking about it constantly, especially to other people, didn’t make a lot of sense. I knew that it would only make me worry more about the future.

Knowing that I didn't want Parkinson's to be the main topic of every one of my conversations, I didn't even mention Doug's diagnosis when I went out with Robbi and her friend Barbara today for lunch at Carrabba‘s. Instead, I talked about my frustration with finding a place for all our family to stay next summer for wedding. I asked them about their experience with VRBO.  We talked about CCW and even things as simple as what temperature to keep our air-conditioning on during the hot summer months in Florida. It was nice to just hang out and feel like a normal person not the wife of somebody with a neurological progressive disorder.

I am glad I figured out several years ago that I have control over the topics that I chose to share.  Our life will definitely be changed by Parkinson’s, but it doesn’t have to change today.  With so many positive things going on in our life there is no need to dwell on the hardships.  

A New Windshield and A New Problem

When Doug was at the Honda dealer getting his oil changed and his brake fluid replenished recently, they met with him about replacing his windshield.  There were a few chips in it, but since it didn't hinder Doug from seeing out the front window, he wasn't too worried about it.  The representative from Auto Glass explained that in Florida we pay through our insurance for windshield replacement free of cost.  The premium is higher, but we could technically replace the windshield every week if needed without our insurance rate going up.  When Doug heard that, he decided to go ahead and replace it.  Auto Glass helped him file the claim with State Farm and he set the date for replacement last week.

Auto Glass was on time and replaced the windshield quickly.  Doug didn't drive it much over the weekend, but when he did, he had no problems.  On Sunday, he left for Meg's and a strange message appeared on his dashboard. His cruise control also stopped working.  We found out later that it was because the camera attached to the top of the windshield was no longer calibrated correctly.  Since this was guaranteed with Auto Glass, we called them right away.  They made an appointment to come out and fix it correctly.  

Friday was the appointment and all seemed to go well until the cruise control stopped working again on Doug's trip to Orlando last night.  Thankfully, he has learned how to drive without the cruise control although it is a slower process since he has to take his foot on and off the gas pedal to keep his leg from tremoring on the drive.  Since it stopped working the second time, Auto Glass agree to replace the new windshield as well.  Fingers crossed that it will work the next time.  I don't know if we have a lot of faith in them, but hopefully, there will be no problems with the next windshield.  

Uptown Cheapskate

Meg, Doug, and I went to McAlister‘s after mass today. Before we headed into the restaurant, Meg stopped in at a new thrift store that we had been to a couple of times called Uptown Cheapskate. She had a bag of clothes that she wanted to sell, and I added couple of things of Cameron’s that he was interested in getting rid of as well. All of them were in nice shape, but we weren’t really sure how the process worked for reselling at the thrift store.

The three of us ate lunch while they were checking our clothes. Meg went back in afterward to do a little shopping, and I got a text shortly afterward saying that they were done sorting our clothes. We were both surprised to see that they had given us $21 for seven items, including one of Cameron shirts. We thought that was a great deal as it was a lot more than we could sell them for the garage sale. They gave us back what didn’t sell which we earmarked for eBay. As an added bonus, Meg found a matching overnight bag to her Vera Bradley backpack. It was a great price and we both walked out of the store extremely happy.

Meg's Visit

With Nick in Ohio for training this month, Meg decided to come out tonight to hang out with us.  She had gone over to a friend's last night and was ready for a relaxing evening in Ocala.  Doug made bruschetta for dinner, and I had a lemon bundt cake ready for dessert.  Phil stopped by later in the evening and we all moved out on the back patio to watch soccer.  Meg quizzed Phil on his thoughts about Olivia Rodrigo, and I questioned him on why he would ask which Grandpa threw out the SNES game system.  Overall, it was a wonderful evening at home, and I was very thankful that Meg made the time to come out.  I know that she has been very busy with work, so it was very appreciated.  

Friday at Home

Doug has four weeks of vacation this year and for the first time in forever, he will be able to use it all. Even though four weeks sounds like a lot of time, we still had to plan and write down dates to make sure that we didn’t take too much. A lot of people at his work have five weeks because they have been then five years or more.  Doug isn’t there yet, but we’re not complaining about the four he does have.

Since California took up five of the days and Doug had taken other days off during the year, there were six more days for him to use before September 30. When we got back from Indiana, I got out our calendar for the summer and fall, and we started making our plans. We knew that we wanted to keep a couple of days for September because of football games and two days in July to go up and visit the boys. After putting those on the schedule, we were left with two more days to plan. Doug left one for August and decided that he would use one today as well.

I wasn’t really sure what we would do since we had no plans for his day off, but in the end, it was such a blessing to have Doug here for a chill day at home. We watched movies, worked on Legos, saw all of the soccer games, listened to vinyls and hung out on the back porch when the sun went down. After traveling to so many places this spring, it was very nice just to be home and relax which we both appreciated very much.

Verbal Dyslexia

There have been many times over the past few years that Cameron, Cal or Doug have told me that I am Bill Simmons, their favorite podcaster.  I can see that as we are close to the same age and have a lot of the same interest in specific movies.  He also saw Jaws in the theater when it first came out along with several other films that were not age appropriate.  He survived as did I, so I figured it just made us tougher.

The one undeniable similarity that I cannot deny is the amount of times that we both misspeak in everyday conversation.  Wrong word, wrong name, wrong meaning, it doesn’t matter, he mispronounces them all. One day when a younger co-host corrected him on the pronunciation of a name, he told them that he had verbal dyslexia so he would probably never get it right.  They asked him if it was a real thing.  He laughed and said he didn’t know, but if it was, he definitely had it.

I also laughed when he said it as that would explain a lot about me as well.  I had been mispronouncing words for as long as I could remember speaking.  When I taught, my students got so used to it that I overheard one of them tell a new kid, “It’s Mrs. Heinisch, just go with it” when I called him the wrong name for several days.  I appreciated that sentiment.  My own children have adopted a version of that over the years as well.  Several of them have said that they “speak Mom” so I don’t have to explain every time I say the wrong thing.  Even my Google Home Mini has adapted to my mispronunciations over the years.  

For some reason I decided today to lookup if verbal dyslexia was a real diagnosis.  This was the definition that showed up on my phone.  I don’t know if it was real or not, but it did explain my issues with speech perfectly, especially the last statement.  I do think a lot faster than I speak and it does trip me up all of the time.  I don’t know if there is a cure for verbal dyslexia, but I wouldn’t care if there was.  Just like with Bill Simmons, those who know me best just “go with it” and for that I am very thankful.

Hinge Health

Over a year ago, I started doing physical therapy on an app that our insurance recommended.  At the time I was struggling with a lot of pain in my neck, shoulder and back.  I also had a hard time walking long distances without pain in my legs and feet.  I was skeptical if the app would help, but figured that it couldn’t hurt and I had nothing to lose since my insurance paid for it.  After asking me multiple questions, Hinge provided me with a list of exercises to do that would help.  Once I completed five weekly sessions four weeks in ago, they also sent me an Enso machine that provided direct relief to the nerve pain in my neck, back and shoulder.

Today, I received the message that I had completed the education portion of Hinge and could now exercise on my own.  I was very proud of that and even more so of all of the work that I had done this past year to decrease my pain and to move more.  Doug had noticed a huge difference in how long I could walk and how well I could keep up with him.  I still had pain in my neck and shoulders when I slept, and my feet and legs would still ache at times after waking or standing for a while, but overall I was doing a lot better.  I do not plan to stop working on my health, but it was nice to know that I had reaped the reward of my hard work.  

The Jury is Still Out

I went to the dentist at 2 p.m. yesterday for a small filling.  While I was there, I told the assistant that the tooth that needed a crown had really been hurting ever since my cleaning last week.  She thought that it might be aggravated from last week’s visit, but once I talked to the dentist, I decided that I couldn’t wait much longer to get the work done.  After the dentist numbed my mouth for the filling, the assistant and I started looking at future dates for the crown.  

Soon after my mouth became numb, the assistant came back and said that there was actually an opening today if I wanted to start the process for the crown.  I decided not to delay it any longer and made the appointment.  In the end, I spent three hours in the dentist’s chair yesterday.  I was sore when I walked out, but glad that I made the choice.  The area around the temporary crown was still hurting today, but that was to be expected.  I hope that the permanent crown solves the issues, but at least I know that I did my best to save the tooth.  That’s all I can do for now.  

Father Bill

A year ago Blessed Trinity added a new priest to the church.  His name was Father Bill and he had an interesting backstory.  He had not only become a priest later in life, but had also been married and had a child twenty years ago.  I had no judgement on that.  I was glad that he found his calling and pursued it even though he originally thought his life was leading him elsewhere.  I just never know what type of priest someone is until I have gotten to know them a little bit better, heard their homilies and watched how they interacted with parishioners.  Within a few weeks, I knew that he was going to be a priest that I would really relate to and was so happy that the diocese assigned him to our church.

Father Bill’s homily yesterday reminded me of why I have really come to enjoy him as our home priest as he not only talked about fatherhood and the role of a father in a child’s life, but also about fear.  He told us that fear was an important part of life, but not if it took over your life.  He quoted scripture and reminded us that there was no reason to let fear take over as we had Jesus and the Bible to comfort us in times of distress.  With so many unknowns in our life right now, it was exactly what I needed to hear and I appreciated his homily very much.  Thankfully, it won’t be the last homily that we hear from him and for that I am really grateful.  

Father’s Day

With the overwhelming news that we had received earlier in the week and Doug’s change in medication, I wasn’t really sure what Father’s Day would look like this year.  Meg had told me that Gabrielle took an early flight so that we could celebrate with Doug if we wanted to, which I was very glad to hear.  Doug told Meg and I to plan what we did, so Meg suggested going to Disney Springs.  Once we found out that we could go to Beak and Barrel in Magic Kingdom we changed our minds and made a reservation there. Meg said that they did not have much more than appetizers, so we planned dinner at the park as well and I picked The Plaza Restaurant.  We had never been and it looked like a great menu for us.

Before Doug and I went to mass this morning, he opened his gifts from Cal and I.  Cal had sent him a book on Larry Bird that had gotten great reviews and I gave him a vintage classical music vinyl with plenty of snacks to last him through the week.  Brett had given him a bottle of bourbon earlier in the summer which he opened last night and Cameron had given him his gift early as well, a Peach Bowl Championship football hat.  Mass was very touching this morning focusing on fathers and their roles in a child’s life.  We left for Orlando as soon as it was over.

Meg had a gift for Doug to open when we arrived.  She had given him a water bottle with an infuser to put cucumbers, lemons or other fruits in it to flavor his water.  I loved it as Doug had increased the amount of water that he had drank lately and enjoyed natural flavors in it.  We headed to Magic Kingdom next thinking that we would walk around before going to dinner.  

We were surprised to see that the monorail was filled with more people leaving the park than arriving.  I was glad as that would make our afternoon a lot more fun.  Our first stop was the popcorn stand outside of Cinderella’s Castle.  I was thrilled that they still had Sam the Eagle patriot popcorn buckets and bought one right away.   We then walked down Main Street looking at the merchandise before heading to The Plaza.  It was smaller than we realized, but very nice and we all enjoyed our meals.  It was also wonderful to be out of the heat for a while.  After dinner, we walked to the Jungle Cruise, but the line was too long for us.  We enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean instead.  We had just enough time to ride The Haunted Mansion before heading to the Beak and Barrel. We absolutely loved the pirate themed bar.  Our bartender was excellent and the decorations were perfect.  There was even a singing parrot behind the bar who led the waiters in a round of “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate’s Life for Me.”  Our waiter was the loudest and most entertaining.  We were there long enough to have a snack and try a couple of drinks. It was the perfect end to a wonderful Father’s Day!

World Cup

The 2026 World Cup started this past week and soccer has been on our television ever since Monday night.  I am not surprised as Doug, Cal, Cameron, and Nick have been talking about nothing else since June began. With the games being played in the US it will be a lot easier for everyone to watch them and there’s been a lot more hype about them in the media. 

To make it fun for everyone, we started a family pool, which really helped the enthusiasm for the group stage even with the casual fans in our family. The pool is more complicated than our traditional ones as we wanted to make it fair for everyone. Cal decided we should each get four teams from the beginning, and Nick suggested that we have a point system which wasn’t weighted as heavily as in our March Madness pool. The way we set this one up, someone’s team could win the World Cup, but they could still lose our pool if another person had two teams in the final four. I wasn’t sure how to make the selections fair at first, but after listening to the BigPicture podcast, I learned how to choose names with Scrabble tiles. My parents are not in the pool so I let my dad pick the tiles and even videotaped him so everyone knew it was fair. Lastly, I bought a two sided bracket to hang on our wall to keep track of it all.

The game so far have been extremely exciting. I chose Portugal and instantly regretted it when they tied a much lesser team. Even so, it has been a lot of fun and besides the US, I am heavily rooting for England, especially since Nick adamantly told Meg not to pick them in the first round and they have looked really good so far.  Hopefully Meg comes out on top as she has never won the Heinisch family pool. No matter who wins, it is going to be a lot of fun keeping track of it all and keeping in touch with everyone with the standings.