My dad is on solid food and may be starting physical therapy in the next day or two.  He is making remarkable progress!  Your prayers and good thoughts are such comfort. 

My brothers spent much of this week renovating both bathrooms in my parents’ house.  At one point, the toilet from the powder room off the kitchen had been pulled out so they could replace the floor, and my brother set it next to the wood heat/cooking stove to get it out of the way.  Another brother took a picture of it there and sent it to my phone with the message that they decided to fix things so Dad’s feet won’t get cold during his daily constitutional.

My mom is doing pretty well, all things considered.  She was getting frustrated while all the work was being done in the bathrooms, but she was very pleased when the doctors told her she could start fixing food at home and bringing it to Dad in the hospital to tempt him with his favorites.  She misses cooking for him, so this will be good for both of them.

PC helped his dad load the moving truck from his storage unit so my father in law could move into the house he’s renting in a small town about 25 miles away.  PC’s dad enjoyed his time with us, but has been looking forward to a place he can call his own.  He got himself a giant television, a new fridge and some new furniture, and later this week, I’m going to go over and help him get his kitchen organized.   Rabbit knew Grandpa was moving, but tonight at dinner when we finished saying the blessing, she said “Where’s Grandpa?”  She really loved having him live with us.

Today Rabbit and I went to a local restaurant/kitchen supply showroom and bought some badly needed kitchen supplies, including two brand new baking sheets since the ones I had were  dented up and just gross with baked on cooking spray.  I also got two new wire whisks, a stainless steel colander, a small baking sheet and two wire strainers with wooden handles.  It was like an early Christmas.

Afterward, we stopped at the grocery store, and there was an awning in front where a farmer had a Holstein cow and calf on display.  It was a promotion for their dairy, which ahd just started selling local milk in the store.  Rabbit and I stopped and I chatted with the man while Rabbit petted the calf’s nose and I let the calf suck on my fingers, the way they used to do on my brother-in-law’s ranch.  As I was washing my hands off with an antibacterial towelette, the heifer raised her tail and gushed pee all over behind her. Rabbit shrieked and ran behind me while I laughed and the farmer casually kicked sawdust over the mess.  My daughter is definitely a city mouse!

On the way home, Rabbit complained about the sun being in her eyes.  She said “Mommy, can you put this in the window?  The sun is in my eyes.”  I glanced back and she was holding up the windshield shade, folded into a circle and secured with an elastic band. 

“No, honey!  If I put that in the windshield, I can’t see to drive.” 

“Oh.”

Then I heard a rustling sound and Rabbit said “There.  Now the sun isn’t bothering me.”

The Christmas tree is up.  My pre-lit tree has only one string of lights working, so I have to get lights on it before we can decorate it.  Unfortunately, there is no tree decorating going on tonight, as PC is watching the Big12 Championship game on TV. 

I looked in the rearview mirror and saw that she had pulled the elastic band of the sunshade over the back of her head and strapped the folded sunshade over her face, like a fencing mask.  “All better!” she said.