Monday, February 24 ,2025

Monday, February 24, 2025

Day 195

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to a new week as we turn the calendar to March. Soon, another time change, which I really dislike, will be upon us. We can talk later on that.

The taper (sounds like a Mafia figure) arrived yesterday at 7:15 a.m. with his 10-year-old son, Alexander, after driving an hour to get here. That’s early for a Sunday—similar to waking Alex up for his weekend swim meets. Those are tough hours for a young kid, and they stayed for seven hours of non-stop work. We felt bad for the boy; he stayed close to his father, and if he had a cell phone for entertainment, he never took it out once.

Based on their language, they seemed to be Eastern European—hard workers who understand what it takes to make it in America. Seeing the boy alongside his father reminded me of a story my dad, Eugene, used to tell about his own childhood. His father, Narcyz, immigrated from Poland as a young man and spent much of his life working in a steel mill, laboring tirelessly to provide for his two children and set them up for a better future.

Long before there was an official “Bring Your Child to Work Day,” young Eugene accompanied his father to the mill. He watched him tend the blast furnaces, shoveling coal, sweating, likely breathing in coal dust, and by the end of the day, he was utterly exhausted. When it was time to leave, Narcyz turned to young Eugene and asked, “Is this the kind of work you’d like to do when you’re older?” Eugene’s answer was an emphatic “no,” and I have no doubt that day left a lasting impression on him. He worked hard at school, graduated from Notre Dame on the G.I. Bill, and went on to earn a law degree from Northwestern University. It was not an easy journey. There is so much more to about this story, and perhaps we can explore it in more detail another time.

Maybe Francisco, the taper, was trying to teach his son a similar lesson—or perhaps he was showing him that working in a trade is an honest, respectable profession with good pay and job security.

Floor installation wraps up today. Bear is still hanging out at Donna and Joe’s until this afternoon. Once the flooring is finished, we’ll be in the home stretch, and everything should start coming together. Just two more weekends!

Yesterday, we visited a new upscale brewery, Tangled Roots, in South Barrington with Donna & Joe and Barb & Mark. This was one of the nicest breweries we’ve been to—more like a high-end restaurant than a typical brewery. The menu was extensive, and they had a full bar, which is rare. The ladies, who don’t drink beer, especially enjoyed that part of the experience. That was a win. Our group had a comfortable semi-circle booth for six, making conversation easy. The waiter was excellent, ensuring we had everything we needed. However, the food was just average, and the beer was okay. So, it may be a while before we return.

A special shout-out to Linda (Donna’s sister) and Jack, who read yesterday’s post and caught my mention of strawberry Twizzlers. They asked Donna to bring an oversized bag to the brewery, wrapped in a gift bag. I was genuinely surprised when I pulled out the tissue paper and found my second-favorite treat—right after Do-si-dos. Twizzlers only rank second because they’re available year-round, whereas Girl Scout cookies are a seasonal delicacy, nearly impossible to find when the craving strikes. Thank you, Jack and Linda! I’ll try to pace myself.

If everything goes smoothly today, I’ll make my first blog post. Geoff has everything set up and has preloaded all my entries going back to December. I’ll work on adding the remaining ones from August onward.

Finally, I just want to say how thankful I am to have all of you supporting us. My situation is tough, but I know I’m not alone—everyone faces challenges, big or small. I appreciate you spending time with Cindy and me as we navigate this disease. I hope to help you understand it, see how we face it, and, at the same time, show you that we’re still embracing life, surrounded by so many wonderful friends and family. And if I can make you laugh…that is the cherry on top!

Love you guys!❤️