08 July, 2020 - Business as Usual & I Love Seeing Your Face!

Dear, Mom -

I am so glad we have a way to keep in touch. I am really glad that I write you a letter every night because it helps me stay connected to you through words and images. We are fortunate to have each other for support in these hard times. You are very brave and strong and I admire you so much. You are definitely the best Mom a girl could ask for. I have Grandma and Grandpa to thank for that!

This is a picture that Joy took of us today (yesterday). This is you and I talking via the video chat.

Today was very ordinary. I was tired so I slept in a bit. I had to get up and shower and take Birgit to the arthritis doctor so she could get a cortisone shot in her wrist to help her pain. I had to sit in the car while she was being seen because they don’t allow multiple people in the doctor’s office right now. Birgit is able bodied and didn’t mind waiting on her own, so I sat in the car for an hour. I actually did some work I needed to do then played a game on my phone while I listened to a podcast. When we got home, I did a few things to help Birgit then went home to prepare for a visit to the DEQ. That is a place we have to take our cars to have them checked for emissions efficiency before we can have the tags renewed. When I got to the place, the line was so long, I just decided to go to the store back in my neighborhood since we had run pretty low on most everything. After I wiped all the groceries down with bleach water and put them away, I sent off my time sheet to the County. I fed Elsa and we took her for a walk. When we got home, I decided to water out houseplants and make some dinner. We watched some television and then here I am. That was my day. Pretty basic and boring.

I did take some pictures of Paula’s garden next door since she has some really great flowers and plants. Look at this banana tree! If we had consistently hot weather, it would actually bear fruit. 🍌 It will get the start of little baby bananas, but they never grow all the way and wouldn’t ripen. If you look to the left of the picture behind the big, yellow pod, you can see the bunches of bananas growing in a row.

The Start of Banana Fruit

Peruvian Lily

Blue Anise Sage 

Butter lettuce. YUM! We get to share this. Paula and Birgit have an abundance of it.

My backyard Broadleaf Hydrangea

This is the profession of the flower on my Tomatillo plant!

Unfortunately, my Basil doesn’t seem to want to grow. And the beetles are helping themselves, too.

Elsa the dog started the evening off in the bathroom because she heard something that scared her, but I am very thankful that she is now lying on the rug next to my bed. It will take baby steps to get her to stay in here. Especially when I get up to brush my teeth and put my PJs on. Fingers crossed she will either stay in here in the bedroom or follow me into the bathroom then follow me back. Poor kid. Trauma is not an easy thing to overcome without the trust of people who love you.

Okay. I’m off to bed for an early rise. I am with Bob again tomorrow and then Birgit after that. I hope you have a wonderful day with laughter and friends. All my love and happiness to you, Ma Dodd! —- Sally❤