30 Tuesday Aug 2022
Posted in Ted Talk
Tags
brain, Communicaiton, Dyslexia, Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Mom, Reading, Spelling, Ted Talk, TedEd, Wife, Writing
I hope you enjoy this video. It’s an important topic to me, because both my wife and mother have it. It is tough for them to read, to write, and even communicate, because of the wiring of their brains. Enjoy!
It’s Tuesday, folks and I hope you have a great one.
Until next time…
Dave
21 Thursday Oct 2021
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
Tags
Each morning, my Mom comes down stairs with our puppy, we have a morning conversation over coffee. There will be a time when she will not be here, and I want to enjoy every moment we have together. So today, I’m grateful for Mom and our talks. It’s nice to chat about anything that comes up like we do. We talk about people, the news, and family. Mom also likes to talk out loud about what she has to do in the yard, the garden, or wherever. It’s a nice time and one that I enjoy every day.
As I grow older, I realize how important the “little” moments are. You never know when a loved one’s time will come, so enjoy the time you have with them. I don’t want to be one of those people who wish they had more time.
So today, I’m grateful for Mom and our morning talks. Have a great Thursday, folks!
Until next time.
Dave
11 Thursday Mar 2021
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
We have a new addition to the family. Her name is Bella. I’ll get photos up later. She’s only been here a few days and little skittish.
I don’t know what it is about pets, but they tend to change the whole family dynamic. To be honest, my Mother loves animals, and I knew that it would only be so long before her and Dad got a new family member. At times, I think Mom enjoys animals more than she does people. She just gets along with animals and the outdoors and is most happy when she’s outside in her garden or on her deck with a cup of coffee in the morning, watching the squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks do their thing.
So today, I’m grateful for our new dog, Bella. She’ll give Mom some comfort, and she’ll make our home a little more warm and cozy.
Have a great Thursday, folks. I’ll get pictures up later. Promise.
Until next time…
Dave
10 Thursday Sep 2020
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
Tags
Birthday, caretaker, cheerleader, consistent, dependable, family, listener, Mom, Mother
Today is my Mother’s birthday. She had me when she was 20. Throughout my life, Mom has been a supporter. She attended every concert, sporting event, and ceremony. She always got my birthday cards and presents to me, regardless of where I was in college or the Army. She is very much the busy-body today that she was when I was growing up. She gardens, cooks, takes care of my Dad, and is constantly on the move. It is amazing, considering she is 77 today.
She is also a caretaker. She took care of my Dad’s Dad when he had a stroke and was all by himself. She took care of her Mother when dementia struck. Now she takes care of my Dad, who is also a victim of dementia. She is a listening ear to friends, my brother and sister, and me, when life tosses us a curve ball.
So today, I am grateful for my Mom. Happy Birthday! Here’s to many more.
Until next time…
Dave
16 Thursday Jul 2020
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
I picked up my nephew and his girlfriend from the airport today. Boy, are they a cute couple. My nephew will graduate this year from ASU. He’ll be heading to medical school or a Master’s program next. He’s on track to do great things.
His girlfriend was a real sweetheart, too. She was amazed at all the green in Michigan. She is a native Arizonian, and they are used to the desert, where everything is brown, save for the cactus and scrub brush. There are trees there too, but not to the extent we have them in Michigan.
It always tickles my Mom and Dad pink when they have visitors, especially my Mom. When no one is here, she has to put up with two guys (My Dad and I) and we are not talkative. I’m buried in my work and reading, while my Dad, who has dementia, has lost his ability to have a two-way conversation. So Mom is stuck without another woman to chat with. Sure, she has her Facebook friends that she video chats with from time-to-time, but it’s not the same as sitting down with another woman over a cup of coffee and just talking. So, I’m glad my nephew’s girlfriend is here. She and Mom hit it off great.
Well, that’s it for today, folks! Have a great Thursday!
Until next time…
Dave
12 Thursday Mar 2020
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
Yesterday, we celebrated Dad’s 81st birthday. We gave him some birthday cards; I got him a book, because he loves to read, and Mom got him some new sneakers for the gym. We got him going a few weeks back because the Doc says he has to move more. We also went out to dinner last night so Dad could get a Ribeye, his favorite steak.
Dad at the gym…
I’m thankful for Dad. When I was young, like most boys, Dad was a superman. Now that I’m back home helping the family because of his diagnosis of Dementia, our relationship is different. Dad likes to reminisce about the times he could go to the local movie theater and watch a few short films, a feature film, get a popcorn, and a drink for 15 cents. Dad is more human. Dad and I are friends now. Yeah, I can’t have deep conversations with him, but we watch TV shows together, we read together in the living room, and we enjoy pizza from time-to-time.
Dad worked his tail off when I was growing up. He worked for the Detroit Edison as a power plant operator. He worked shift work, yet still had the energy to come home and work on the house, around the yard, and did stuff with us kids (mostly TV).
What did Dad teach me? He taught me how to treat a woman. He taught me how to work hard and enjoy it. One of his sayings that comes to mind was: “If you know you have to do a job, there are two ways to look at the job. You can like doing the job and the time tends to go quickly and enjoyably, or you can dislike the job and time crawls and your miserable the entire time.” This advice helped me well during my 20 years in the Army.
He taught me about music. Dad loved to play the guitar and I, who wanted to be like Dad, learned to play a few instruments because I wanted to play something with Dad.
He taught me to read. He didn’t teach the mechanics of reading, but taught me the habit of reading. Like music, I wanted to be like Dad. So, I developed a reading habit at a young age. It has stayed with me to this day and helped me in the Army and in College.
Me and Dad at his Physical Therapy.
There are so many things Dad has taught me. I am grateful for these things. Now that he is in his senior years, it feels good to be home and help him out—to repay a life of sacrifice and hard work so I could live a better life than he did. That’s the way it’s supposed to work, right? Anyway, it’s a treat and privilege to be home and help out the folks. Even today, we can get on each other’s nerves, but mostly, it’s great to hang out and pitch in when they need help with technical things or need me to read something they get in the mail they don’t understand.
So I’m grateful for Dad. He helped me become the man I am today and gave me, my brother, sister, and Mom a better life.
Until next time…
Dave
24 Monday Feb 2020
Posted in Workout Routine
Tags
Cardio, Dad, gym, Lower Body, Mom, Upper-Body, Weights, workout
Hey, folks!
I’m still working through the Labrada trainer. All-systems go!
This week, my Dad will join me in the gym. He’s 82, but he needs the extra exercise now that he has completed his physical therapy. He has improved dramatically and his balance is better than it was at the start.
He’ll join me on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Mom. The rest of the week, I’ll be hitting it on my own.
Same schedule as before:
Have a great week!!
See you at the finish line…
Dave
30 Thursday Jan 2020
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
I’ve gotten a bunch of new followers in the last few months, so I wanted to apprise each of you about my situation. I retired early in 2016 to come home and help my folks. My wife is still in Arizona, teaching special education. My Dad has dementia, and he continues to slip, regardless of the work the doctors do with medication. There just isn’t a cure for this stuff.
Since 2018, we decided he couldn’t travel anymore. We went to my niece’s wedding and Dad had an episode during the trip. These episodes are like a panic attack to the 10th power. His system shuts down, his blood pressure drops, and he passes out. After this last one, Dad took almost a month to recover.
Since that time, Dad can’t be left home alone anymore. So if Mom leaves, I have to stay with him. If I leave, Mom has to stay with him or take him with her when she runs errands. It’s tough all around. That being said, I consider it a privilege to be home and spend time with them in their senior years. I realize few people have this opportunity, and I do my best to enjoy every moment of it. Yeah, every family has it’s internal spats, but for the most part, we have a good time.
Dad loves television, YouTube (believe it or not), and reading. Mom is more active and gets antsy when she can’t do anything, especially now that she’s sick with a cold and runs out of energy and has to just chill out on the couch with her iPad. Mom is the kind of person that always has to be doing something. She just can’t sit still. If she’s not working on a home project, she’s working on the family books, reading, running errands, doing laundry, or cooking. When it’s nice outside, Mom is in her garden or greenhouse.
It’s nice to be here with Mom and Dad and just be with them. I’m glad circumstances arose to allow me this opportunity to do that. I’m lucky I know. I read about so many horror stories about dysfunctional families on social media, articles, and even in the news. I just can’t imagine living in a home like that and grateful that my childhood and time with Mom and Dad has been a real treat.
So today, I’m thankful for my Mom and Dad.
Until next time…
Dave
29 Thursday Aug 2019
Posted in Thankful Thursdays
Today, I wanted to express my gratitude for the decisions I made leading up to this moment. Had I not made the decisions I did, I would not have been in a position to retire early so I could return home and help out my parents.
It is nice to be home with Mom and Dad during their senior years. My Dad is 80. My Mom will be 76 on September 10th. All of us do our own thing at home. My Mom likes to sit on our deck and enjoy nature while she reads or plays Facebook games. My Dad has always been a reader and enjoys his books or a nap in his rocker. I enjoy my writing, reading, and learning while Dad sits in his chair. I typically spend most of my morning and early afternoon in the living room with Dad, while he reads or naps.
Mom likes to get out and about to run errands, while I sit with Dad. This arrangement works out pretty good. Daily, we have dinner as a family. Dad likes to watch his news while we eat and Mom likes to hear the weather report. When people come over to hang out with the family, we all gravitate to the deck. Many people comment how relaxing our home is. How calm it is. It truly is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle present in most people’s lives.
I am grateful for this. How many people are in a position to be with their parents in their senior years? How many people get to know their parents as peers? I am truly blessed.
Today, take some time to make a call or write a letter to your folks. If your folks have passed, write them a letter. They will get it. If you are connected with your parents on Facebook, see if you can connect on Facebook messenger and have a quick video call. You’ll be glad you did.
Thanks Mom and Dad for having me, raising me, and teaching me. Thanks for all of the sacrifices you made to make my life better than yours was. Thanks for always being there. Thanks for the birthday cards, birthday presents, and Christmas presents when I was serving abroad. Thanks for the calls on my birthday. I love you both.
Have a great Thursday, everyone.
Until next time…
Dave
12 Sunday May 2019
Posted in Mother's Day
Tags
Celebrate, Cherish, Chill out, Love, Mom, Mother, Mother's Day, Relax, Take a Break
“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln
Read more at: Brainy Quote
To all the Mothers in my audience—Happy Mother’s Day. You kissed our boo-boos; you cheered us on; you taught us how to be good men and women, and you gave us undying love. You worried about us on our first day of school and you continue to worry about us while we’re gone or living elsewhere.
I hope each of you has a terrific day, filled with love, your family doing the cooking or taking you out for a meal, and NO CHORES!! Take the day and have some tea, stay in your pajamas, and RELAX! Today is about you.
Moms, we love you.
Until next time…
Dave
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