End of a Long Strange Summer

A "cold front" moved into Florida yesterday, and I put quotes around "cold front" because you folks up north will laugh when I tell you that means our temperatures dipped to a frigid 69 degrees at night and cooled down to 85 degrees during the day. But what a pleasant relief from the constant 93+ degrees that has been droning on all through this summer.

It has been a longest, strangest summer. Bob and I have been pretty isolated here at the Pink House. Window shades drawn (for energy efficiency), air conditioner humming in the background. Every day a repeat of the day before: laundry, bed bath, tube feedings, therapy in the afternoon, diaper changes, bladder issues....

Yesterday, I flung the windows wide open and aired out the house. This made the cats quite happy. This morning, I got out in the yard to do some much needed yard work.

Yesterday, too, Chris moved out. The neighborhood seems strange and lonely without her.

"Not Simon"

Last week, I found a home for a stray/lost cat who had been hiding under our wheelchair ramp during the day and snoozing on our front porch at night for about 3 weeks. I had called an ad for a lost cat that sounded much like this one, and when they came to look at him, it was "not Simon" (their cat) but they actually fell a little in love with him and asked if they could take him home. I said yes, of course, because he would be so much better off in a good home then hanging out under the wheelchair ramp. And I really I don't have money to support and care for another cat. (Although I was already feeding him, I've always been a sucker for a stray....) And now, I rather miss that kitty.  I still find myself looking for him each time I go outside. Seems like my heart has broken more than once this past week.

Last I heard from the people who took "Not Simon", they had taken him a vet, checked for a microchip (found none), given him blood tests for Feline Leukemia and other things (all negative), got all of his shots, had him dewormed and now he is living in a climate controlled condo in Innsbruck with a female friend of their's who is an Occupational Therapist. Weird, huh? So, I do know he is better off.... but still, I miss him.

Also, this past week Bob hit another new record walking on the rail: 23 times. Although yesterday, he could only manage 18 times. When he indicated he couldn't do anymore, he looked up at me and asked: "Are you mad at me?" Of course, I wasn't "mad" just a bit disappointed and concerned as his right knee was buckling and it hasn't done that for a long time. But, hey, that was another complete sentence coming out of his mouth.