Always & Forever

I am in Pompano Beach, Florida right now. At a resort on the beach and it is 48 degrees at 8:19 AM. This should be a bummer, but not yet. It is supposed to warm up and the sun will be there for me to enjoy. However, the past two days have been great! I am vacationing with my Mom. Her health is not the best, but coming down to this place is something she looks forward to. My Dad and her spent many years here and she has her memories. This year we are in the villa which was the one that she and Dad shared on their last vacation together. That was Moms first comment as we walked by the pool to where Patti (my sister) and her family waited with all of our "stuff". I am glad we are staying here, Mom has shared some feelings, thoughts and concerns, she has had about the end of my Dad's life. These memories are a part of her Always & Forever.

Unfortunately Mom has gotten a cough and cold, I am certain it came from the plane as there were so many people sharing their colds throughout the plane, in such close quarters.

Yesterday was spent having breakfast in the hotel restaurant and catching up on the hotel gossip. Since Mom left last year the owner has died and his children are now in charge and things are different. We have already noticed some changes. After breakfast the concierge called for a rental car for us and we were picked up to go get the car. A new hurdle for my Mom was getting up into the van, there was no running board and with the state of her legs, this was terrible!! She hates to ask for assistance, 1) I am sure it is demeaning and 2) She knows how to ascend or descend her way so there is not too much pain. But we now have a car and our next mission was to the grocery store for groceries. We got to the store and I saw they provided the electric carts, I asked Mom if she wanted to use it. Well there was a bit of anxiety in her eyes as she contemplated it and then decided not to use it, and the man who takes out the groceries told her it would be easy. So Mom sat down and drove into the store on her shopping cart. It was fun, she took a moment to understand just how it would work and then took off down the aisle that had all the bottles of wine, well I was right behind her hoping she had control of the machine and she did! It made the task of shopping quite interesting! A few times the cart did not follow her directions, she only came close to running into one person and did "bump" into a display of water, pretty good for a first timer, I wonder if I would do as well. She did have to back up and hated the loud beep that the machine gave out, but she managed to back up quite nicely.

As I said it is quite chilly here, [who brings warm clothing to southern Florida when they leave Chicago]! Last night we went out for dinner to Stingers it is a local bar that has great food. Well guess what, we wanted to eat quickly to get back to watch the Bachelor finale and the only place to sit was in the outdoor booths, we went as far back and away from the outdoors as possible, we were a bit chilly and had our dinner, went to the Walgreen's to get some cough medicine and Vicks and came back to our Villa. We watched the crazy ending and then I went to bed. Now I sit here writing this, waiting for Mom to get up and plan our day, I am sure it will just be staying here until tonight and we will go out for dinner.

This is the fifth year I have come down to vacation with my Mom. I am so glad I get to spend this time with her. We share memories and create some new ones. I can not imagine life without my Mom. I do live 5 hours away from her but I talk to her about every day. She is a very kind, generous person and I have come to realize she loves her 6 children a lot. Just as all of us do, she does have her particular ways, but that is what makes her Mom. It is hard to see her becoming dependant on her children, because we have always depended on her. Sure it seems she has her "favorite child", but that is our problem not hers. We all are different and in our own way we each are her favorite, I am quite sure. Just as with my Dad, I want my Mom in my life Always & Forever, these vacations will be a part of that and I am so glad that God has blessed me with this time with her. And I am thankful that Mike lets me get away from work, he is a gem!

Please if you read this, do take time to touch base with your parents often, while they are here, so you will have them ALWAYS & FOREVER!

Critter People

Cute, cuddly, comfy, crazy, curious, consoling, creepy, the Critters in our life are all of these. Cute...Rico a 4.8 lb., 2.5 year old Chihuahua who came into our lives to fill the void we would feel when our poodles went to the Rainbow Bridge. He has done exactly that and so much more.

Cuddly....Tommy my 7 year old marmalade cat, he is aloof but very cuddly, if Rico allows him to be. Comfy......Callie our adopted 12+ year old fluffy kitty, who came into our life from our dear friend Armie. We took her in to make it easier and comfy for Armie, but she has really made us comfy, when she looks at us we fondly remember our friend Armie because we "share" Callie, at night when she curls up at the foot of our bed we again are comfy. Crazy.....Tigger my orange 5.5 year old kitty, he was named after the Winnie the Pooh character because he jumps around as Tigger does and you never know what he will do from head butts, to sharing yogurt, to soft touches, to mad races throughout the house, to sneaking around to try to make friends (I think) with Callie. Curious.....Abby, no she is not a cat, she is Mike's 78 lb, 7 year old (today, Happy birthday!) yellow lab and she is most certainly curious, always checking out the neighborhood, our house and her pet siblings. She never stops! As a matter of fact she is now outside in this 8 inch snowfall checking things out, but please Abby stay out of the neighbors trash! Consoling.....Lucy our 58 lb., 4.5 year old yellow lab, (one of Abby's puppies) she was supposed to be my dog but her main squeeze is Mike, she is the dearest most consoling lab, quiet, gentle and loving quite different from her Mom. But she does adore her Mom!

Finally, Creepy....the mouse who continues to creep around not inside any longer but in the garage, we will catch you!

The lab's have kennels in the basement and prior to seeing Marley and Me spent much time down there, they are now spending more time upstairs with us. However the Alpha Critter in our home is Rico, the labs and cats never cross him, I guess he is the Male who rules, in this house! Hmmmmmm. (Please ignore this Mike:).

Except for the Creepy critter (although I am sure Mike LOVES laughing at me when the creepy critter comes around me and I react as I do) we love them all, through our years together Mike and I have been blessed with many loving critters: 10 are waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge and I am sure there will be more critters in our lives, after all we are "Critter people" and we consider them blessings from God!