Tuesday, November 11, 2025 – Day 455

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Good morning, everyone!

Happy Birthday to my sister-in-law, MJ! 🎊🎈🥳

Sorry about the confusion on yesterday’s blog post—where I accidentally titled it “Sunday.” Amazingly, only one person caught it!

My brother-in-law Mark came over and installed the new Nest thermostat. The hardware swap was simple enough, but the software side gave us some headaches… thanks mostly to me.

I’ve been using the old Nest app to adjust our thermostat for more than ten years. Naturally, I tried to add the new Nest to that app—it failed twice. That made me think the wiring might be off, so Mark took everything apart and double-checked his work.

Turns out, his installation was perfect. The problem was user error—mine. There was probably something in the directions that would’ve helped, but it didn’t exactly jump out at me (mainly because I didn’t read them). Mark went online, dug deeper, and discovered that the new generation Nest only works with the Google Home app. Who knew?

Once we switched apps, everything worked perfectly, and I’m back to controlling the thermostat from my phone. Now I just need to figure out how to give Cindy the same access. For someone trying to make this a “smart house,” I sure feel like the “idiot” in the room. But we’ll get there—eventually.

A few weeks back, Peggy—our angel from the ALS Clinic—asked if I’d be interested in meeting another ALS patient she works with. His name is Pete, and his partner is Jenna. They live in Rolling Meadows. Peggy said they were “good souls” and promised she wouldn’t connect us with any “weirdos.” I was sold right there. I do wonder, though, if she made Pete the same promise about me. Probably not!

We’ve exchanged messages since that first introduction, and we’re hoping to meet up soon. Jenna still works, so their schedule is tighter than ours. Pete was diagnosed with ALS in January 2024, and his symptoms seem to be progressing more slowly than mine. He can still walk with trekking poles, and his speech sounds strong—at least to me.

Pete has been making short videos to keep his family and friends updated, which I think is a great idea. Seeing and hearing someone directly gives such an honest picture of how they’re really doing. I can hold things back just by not writing about them—but a video doesn’t allow that kind of filter.

Over these past couple of weeks, I’ve really felt a connection with Pete. Our conversations are open, honest, and unguarded. They have to be—ALS strips you down to your core, and there’s no room or time for pretense.

I learned last night that Pete’s sister, Meg, also had ALS and wrote a blog about her experience. I haven’t read it yet, but plan to today. Sadly, Meg passed away in 2018. And as if that weren’t enough, Pete’s mom and a cousin also had ALS. It’s hard to fathom that kind of cruelty. One family member with ALS is already unthinkable—but multiple? It’s heartbreaking and completely unfair. 😥

Today will be a quiet day. I’ll spend some time reading Meg’s story, then lose myself in a good novel to park ALS on the sidelines for a few hours. Reading gives me that little escape I need.

Have a great Tuesday. Love you guys! ❤️

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