Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Day 289

Thursday, May 29, 2025


Good morning everybody!!

I know sleep issues aren’t exactly headline news, but they are front and center again.

Around 2:00 a.m. last night, my cabbage brain decides it’s time to get to work. That’s when it starts sorting through every open tab in my head—worries, memories, to-do lists. It plays out like a pinball game, bouncing from one thought to the next until the machine finally hits tilt. At that point, sleep is done for the night, and all I can do is lie there in the dark and wait for the new day to begin…and it has. So quit fighting it.

I know I’m not alone in this. Many of you are dealing with much worse. Cindy, for one, turns to the TV to help her fall back asleep. It works for her—but for me, it’s just more noise. So we lie next to each other, trying to find peace in different ways. Sometimes I think there’s a quiet kind of love in that—two people, each fighting their own small battles, side by side. Although, she doesn’t know that I’m secretly looking for the tv remote so I can at least hit the mute button. Nope…it’s still grasped in her hands, tightly.

The other night, Cindy set out some CBD mints she hadn’t used. I figured I’d give one a try. But the tube was still hermetically sealed, and these hands of mine aren’t exactly built for breaking into childproof packaging anymore. I gave up, went to bed, and told Cindy what I was trying to do. Without hesitation, she got up, opened the tube, and handed me a mint.

I tossed it into my mouth without thinking—halfway lying down. It triggered one of those bad swallows and, just like that, I started choking. Cue the coughing fit. I sounded like something out of a horror movie. Cindy was understandably freaked out, and I felt like a fool as I tried to catch my breath and reassure her I was okay. Eventually, things calmed down—though the tickle cough lingered another 30 minutes. But I could breathe. And in moments like that, I tell myself again, remember not to take something so simple for granted or don’t take it at all. I’m a slow learner apparently.

The funny thing is—I actually slept pretty well afterward. Maybe it was the CBD, or maybe it was just the sheer exhaustion of the moment. Either way, I’ll try again tonight, a little more carefully this time. I’d prefer to sleep all night.

I think all the promised Andy’s Army bracelets have been sent out. I was looking at the collection of uncommitted bracelets the other night, thinking about all the people who have been involved in making them. I smiled and took a photo. Contact Cindy if you’d like one or two,,she’ll happily part with them

These quiet moments in the morning—whether it’s choking on a mint at bedtime or sharing bracelets remind me how deeply we’re all connected. How even the smallest gestures of care can carry a lot of weight. I don’t take any of it for granted. And I’m grateful, truly, for every one of you who keeps showing up. Whether it’s through this blog, a kind message, or a shared laugh—it means the world. These are my thoughts…every morning.

Have a great Thursday.

Love you guys!❤️