smiles

A sunny smile (even on a cloudy day) can never be ignored.

CAREGIVER NOTE:

A little time sitting in the sunshine yesterday afternoon was a welcome change in the routine. It’s been a while since we’ve had him “want” to go outside and enjoy some fresh air — listen to the birds sing, watch the clouds and get away from the TV and the news of the day. He sported his new sunglasses and opted not to wear a hat for a change. It was fun to hear a change in conversation, note the changes in the scenery since our last time out and enjoy a beautiful spring day.

4.30.24

CAREGIVER NOTE:

COVID – not sure I need to say more, but it has been quite the thing for the last 2 weeks. Everyone is finally on the mend and no one had to be hospitalized, thankfully. We were able to get Paxlovid for two of the 3 family members that tested positive. It helped immensely and both were COVID free before the end of the course of treatment. Lingering coughs seem to be the only outlier at the moment. Hopefully, those will go away within the next couple of weeks.

The weather has been Springlike — still using the furnace at night, but having to turn on the AC during the afternoon warmth of the day. The trees are greening up and the grass is looking pretty lush at the moment. The garden is planted with all his favorites: corn, cabbage, tomatoes and potatoes. And we have flowers in several pots around the yard. We are hoping to get the last of the flowers planted and maybe have some dahlias by mid to late summer. He is looking forward to some time watching the gardens grow over the course of the next couple of months.

Share a few “smiles” today. 

CAREGIVER NOTE:
He’s waking up with a smile most mornings — and there’s a sparkle in his eyes. He’s generally the first to say “good morning,” as he shuffles from his bedroom to the living room. He was happy to spend a little time outside yesterday — he kept mentioning how blue the sky was and noticed that there weren’t too many clouds either – just a few very light wispy ones. He heard one of the national guard helicopters fly by, but couldn’t really see it.

Frequently, we hear he wants to do something useful, but doesn’t know what that is — most ideas are met with a “no, I can’t do that,” answer. We’ve been batting zero again in that realm on a daily basis. He’s content to sit in his chair and watch the news most days. He does ask questions for clarification on a few things, but for the most part, just listens. Hoping we can get him out tomorrow to let him pick out some plants for the garden and get a few in the ground by the end of the weekend and maybe pick up a few flowers to brighten up the landscape.