Monday, June 9, 2025 – Day 300

Monday, June 9, 2025

Good morning, friends, family, and curious onlookers.

Today marks 300 days since the ALS diagnosis. Three hundred days of trying to will my body to correct course—still waiting for that miracle rebound. I’ve said this before: I’ve always believed my body was strong enough to overcome any challenge. No matter what I threw at it, it found a way to push through.

But now? It just won’t wake up and fight back. So if I’m going to be mad, I’m mad at this body—shouting at it to move!Unfortunately, I don’t think it hears me.

On the flip side, back in the fall, I wasn’t sure I’d still be walking come June. I’m not walking well—but I’m still walking. Given the muscle loss, I’d say my legs are holding up better than expected. If I can hang on for just 98 more days, I’ll be standing tall and proud at Alex and Nicole’s wedding.

This morning, the house is still and quiet… except for the gentle, almost nostalgic scent of peonies wafting through the air. We brought some in from the garden yesterday. Their fragrance is incredible—just floating around like nature’s own essential oil diffuser. I love this time of year. All the peonies bloomed at once—fifteen plants or more, scattered across the garden like little pink and yellow fireworks. In the afternoon, they took some abuse from the heavy afternoon rains so they need to dry out some and rise up to the sun. Maybe we can get a good photo of them.

Yesterday was a project day—not for me, but I got to sit back and supervise while family and friends knocked a few things off the list. Mike H. came by early to hang a couple more security cameras. We’re up to seven now, which means I can watch every inch of our deer buffet/garden destruction zone without having to leave the chair. Although, watching deer snack on our plants might turn me into a grumpy and unpleasant old man yelling at his phone.

Barb and Mark tackled the bathroom mirror in the remodeled bath—another one of those “we’ll get to it” projects that just never bubbled up the list. Let’s be honest: my hair hasn’t needed a mirror in a while. I’m rocking the “whatever happens up there, happens” look. I love the low maintenance, once I blow dry it, add the pomade, and lock it into place with the hairspray.

Later in the day, Tim and Shawn stopped by to pick up the Yukon. It’s been sitting idle for too long, mostly because I couldn’t get it jumped (can’t squeeze the clamps anymore). They had it up and running in minutes, and Tim’s already got a guy lined up to fix the A/C. The fact that we’ve had to recharge it every year probably means there’s a slow leak—tracking that down may be a challenge, but at least it’s out of the driveway and on someone else’s radar now.

Big thanks to everyone who pitched in yesterday. It means the world to me that you all continue to offer your help—and you always show up. These gestures help keep the wheels turning, the house in order, and life feeling just a little more normal. And then I can get back to the Prey books without grease and grime on my hands.

Thank you so much for what you all have done and keep doing for us.

Have a great Monday.

Love you guys!❤️