19 July, 2020 - Banana Bread & Rallying Friends to Help Warm Springs

July 19, 2020

19 July, 2020 - Banana Bread & Rallying Friends to Help Warm Springs

Dear, Mom -

Hi there. How are you doing today? I cannot wait to talk to you today . I need a ‘Mom Boost’. My emotions are up and down and side to side. I’m trying to keep busy so as not to think about being away from you, but it is hard. There are so many things that remind me of you everyday. Whenever I walk Elsa, I am constantly telling her we need to stop for a second so I can “take a picture for Grandma”. She is happy to oblige and will usually just sniff around while I do it.

Here is Elsa in the lead on the walk. Always.

I had forgot to tell you that I made a loaf of banana bread yesterday so that I could use up some bananas that ripened a lot faster than I had wanted them to. It turned out really lovely. It was just slightly undercooked at the tippy top, so next time I will let it cook for the full 55 minutes instead of taking it out at 48. The toothpick test still showed that it was done, but that little section was still a bit gooey. Oh, well. It hasn’t kept anyone from eating it. I am going to bake that loaf again sometime soon. I have bananas in the freezer I have been saving for banana bread, too. Birgit liked it because she said it wasn’t too sweet.

Today was Birgit’s birthday. Paula said we will celebrate it next weekend when she isn’t so busy. She is going to do all that pickling tomorrow and was tired today after work. I am going to get a photo that I took of her and her daughters developed and framed. Her other daughter Lisa lives in Israel, so she doesn’t see her very often. Maybe once every couple of years, especially when her health isn’t good. Hopefully, she will start to feel better.

Your lovely activities director and friend Joy (who is probably reading this to you) let me know about a very important cause. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is experiencing a water shortage and is also in need of daily items of care (toiletries, hygienic supplies, etc.). I put out the call to close friends and have been able to raise over $200 that will all be spent on buying the fore mentioned supplies. When I get paid on Wednesday, I will also contribute, buy all the supplies, then deliver them out to the Bison Coffee shop where they need to be dropped off for pick-up. Then Joy’s friend Gilbert will drive them to Warm Springs for distribution. I am glad I can help. My wish would be to help so much more and for people all over the nation to donate, but for now the community that is coming together is at least making a dent in the hardship that our First Nations people are experiencing.

My friend Mo came by to drop off money and some donations from friends for the tribe today. He stayed for an hour or more and we had a nice chat. I see my friends so little anymore that I really crave being able to talk to them in person. Like I wish I could talk to you in person, but the risk of getting you and your friends is too great at this time. Mo and I sat outside, talking through our masks in the heat. It’s nice to have friends that you know will step up to a good cause. It just strengthens our relationships. Mo has asked me to go golfing with him (my first time ever besides playing video game golf), so we are going to try and ‘hit the links’ on the 31st of this month. We can be safe and socially distant. We won’t have to interact with anyone else and I will wear disposable gloves so that I can use Mo’s clubs. That will save us some money. So, that is an outing I am looking forward to in the future.

Well, besides a few pictures, that is all I have to report. I have to get up a bit earlier in the morning so that I can set the sprinkler out to water the garden. I’ve heard it’s better to water in the early morning than late evening, although both are better than not. I would have tonight, but Holly and I got the air conditioner put in the window instead.

I love you very much, Mom. Imagine me giving you a super big hug and a little smooch on your forehead and one loooooooooong cuddle! I will talk to you very soon....—— Your Youngest Kid, Sal*