Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – Day 287

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Good morning everybody, and welcome to a new week.

Yesterday was a laid-back day—for me, anyway. We went to the Memorial Day parade in the morning. The parade kicked off at 11:00, and we left the house at 10:00 to make sure we had easy, convenient parking. We brought the power wheelchair to make things easier on the mobility front.

As it turned out, parking was easy—we were the first ones there. We found a nice spot along the curb, dropped a blanket for Cindy, and I parked next to her. Then we waited 45 minutes for things to get rolling. At least it was pleasant out—sunny with temps in the low 60s. Not too bad for this time of year.

By 11:00, the area had filled in with lots of young families and kids. It wasn’t Fourth of July crowded, but a solid turnout for a small parade—and this one doesn’t even throw candy.

As the parade approached, people stood and removed their hats. I’m glad folks still show respect for the American flag. To me, it’s just the right thing to do.

The parade featured small groups of veterans from various branches, each one carrying a U.S. flag—so there were no sit-down breaks. I had a couple of shaky moments standing without my cane (which was, of course, back in the car).

Once the military had passed, we saw various troops of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and each troop had a U.S. flag so more standing. Then the marching band with flag twirlers were up next…and they were playing. Then came the fire trucks!! What? Wait? The parade is ending? Yep, it was. Elapsed time: less than 10 minutes. No matter…we had a chance to recognize the day and show thanks for those who gave their life to keep us free. God bless.

Later in the afternoon, we had a picnic celebration at the Balasi home with Joe and Donna. It was the perfect low-key way to celebrate the holiday—easy peasy, no big fanfare. We even snuck in a champagne toast for Barb and Mark’s 40th wedding anniversary. A nice addition to the day.

This morning we’re starting off with a 9:00 AM appointment to get my left foot fitted with an Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO). This should help stabilize the ankle and eliminate that annoying foot slap. I’ve had one on my right foot for about six months now, and it’s made a big difference in how steady I feel when I walk.

The downside? These AFOs don’t play well with most of the shoes I already own. So my collection of size 10s is about to go out the door… which should free up a little more space for all the ADA equipment that keeps rolling into the house. And people say I can’t get rid of stuff…

That leaves me with exactly two pairs of shoes in the closet. Time to shop for some summer shoes that are AFO-friendly, more fashionable, and cooler for those dog days ahead.

Normally, when summer hits, I ditch the shoes and go barefoot outside. I like the feel—and it’s just easier, especially once the soles of my feet toughen up. I’ve tried it a few times this year, but walking without the AFO is tricky. The worst part, aside from falling, is stubbing my toes thanks to the slap foot. So I’ll be dialing back the barefoot walks this summer. I’m not looking to earn fall #8, and Cindy won’t have to call me uncivilized.

My dad would definitely frown on the whole barefoot thing. When he was a kid growing up in North Chicago, the neighborhood was full of Polish, Lithuanian, Croatian, Slovakian, and other Eastern European immigrant families. It was a poor to lower-middle-class community—mostly uneducated folks working long hours in the factories with one big dream: to give their kids a better life. Isn’t that what we all strive for?

Back then, one early sign of “making it” was being able to buy shoes for your kids. It’s wild to think about, especially now when we buy things without much thought. We order online and expect it at the door before dinner.

My dad never let go of that appreciation. On weekends, he’d sit at the kitchen table and polish his shoes, then fire up his electric shoe buffer—the one with the red and black rotating brushes—and shine them until they glistened. I never figured out which buffer was for what, but he sure made it look like serious business.

That love for shoes stayed with him his whole life. When we were growing up, dinner was served at 6:30 PM sharp—and you weren’t allowed at the table without shoes on. It wasn’t a suggestion. It was the rule. And if you were late? No excuse was acceptable. Dinner was at 6:30. Period.

Now here we are in a “shoes-off” household, and I still struggle with it. Sure, it keeps the floors cleaner, but I hate taking my shoes off every time I come in. So barefoot became my workaround—until Cindy saw the bottoms of my feet at the end of the day. Let’s just say… she wasn’t impressed. And no, she did not consider it civilized.

Have a great day.

Love you guys! ❤️