Good morning, everyone. 17 days until Christmas. 🎄
Yesterday was a tale of two halves…productive in the morning and puddles in the afternoon.
Late morning we had a full-blown Christmas-card brigade assembled: Cindy, Barb, Mark, Geoff, and Kristin all gathered around the table pens and envelops in hand For as long as I can remember, Christmas cards have been my job. Being left-handed, I always avoided smearing ink by running the envelopes through the printer…my clever workaround.
Good morning, everyone.
Today marks 84 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor, “a date which will live in infamy.” We owe the men and women of this era so very much. Thank you for your service.
The downstairs powder room has always been the one space I resisted modifying. Maybe that sounds silly, but holding on to something “normal” has mattered to me. One untouched room felt like a small victory…a way to slow the march of ALS inside our home.
Good morning, everyone.
Let’s talk red.
We had so many holiday traditions over the years../some new, some old, and some fleeting…but what mattered most was that we celebrated them together. For so many years, Christmas at 1922 was the anchor. The siblings who lived outside the Chicago area would pack up their families and stay nearly a week. Going from a household of 10 to an extended family of almost 30 wasn’t just “a little more” chaos…it was exponential chaos.
Good morning, everyone.
My neck has been giving me more and more trouble lately. I’ve tried PT, I’ve tried various neck braces, posture devices, pain-relief gels, Tylenol…basically, if Amazon sells it, I’ve probably ordered it. Nothing has brought real relief, and little by little I’ve found myself folding forward. At this point, when I walk, all I can see is the floor. If I want to know where I’m actually headed, I have to peek over the top of my glasses… and only for a second or two before gravity pulls my big fat head right back down.
Good morning, everyone.
Let’s not talk about ALS, let’s talk about stockings…not just any stockings, but Christmas stockings.
Growing up, my mom, whom I called Sally, hand-knitted every stocking that hung by our fireplace. They were all identical except for the name stitched across the top, and to us, they were perfect.
As kids, we had a Christmas Eve ritual. Each child would hang their stocking on the line using a clothespin…one at a time, from oldest to youngest.
Good morning, everyone!
Yesterday someone asked for more stories. I’m going to try my best to honor that request, but I’ll need to plan ahead a bit. It’s tough to wake up, shake off the cobwebs, and get the creative juices flowing at 5:00 a.m. Most of these blogs…aside from the house fire story…have been written right here in the quiet solitude of my mornings.
Before I dive back into storytelling, let me catch you up on my ALS journey.
Good morning, everyone. 23 days until Christmas. 🎄
I had my second massage yesterday, and I have to say—I really like having someone come to the house. It makes the whole process easier on me, especially now that winter has settled in.
Last year was such a fluke for snow. We only had about 19” for the whole 24–25 season. This year we’re already pushing 12”, and it’s barely December. I can’t even imagine trying to navigate a rollator over snowbanks and icy sidewalks.
Good morning, everyone. 24 days until Christmas. 🤶
We finally had our Thanksgiving feast yesterday. This holiday has always been one of my favorites. I’ve always loved the meal…it’s the only time each year we have turkey, and when you add my favorite sides—mashed potatoes, sausage-loaded dressing, rich gravy, and a vegetable (preferably corn)—it’s a win-win. Oh…and we did have a kale salad. I’m sure it was good.
I skipped my formula feeding so I could join everyone at the table in the feast.
Good morning, everyone.
Last day of November and we’re finally sneaking Thanksgiving in today. We skipped the actual day and had planned to celebrate yesterday, but Mother Nature decided to drop nearly a foot of snow. Rather than risking anyone’s safety, we postponed the gathering to today and everyone can still make it.
The turkey is done, which is one less thing for Cindy to juggle. She opted for the oven this year instead of smoking it.
Good morning, everyone.
Today is our Thanksgiving celebration. We pushed it to the weekend to make sure the kids could join us, and I’m glad we did, I think.The only hitch? We’re expecting a good amount of snow…which means if I can’t safely get out to the grill, then Cindy will be flying solo getting the turkey underway. And this isn’t just any turkey… it’s a nearly 24-pounder. That’s seriously over the top.
Good morning, everyone.
We had our non-Thanksgiving meal yesterday with Barb, Mark, Donna, and Joe. Honestly, it felt more like Easter…ham, potatoes, asparagus, the whole springtime lineup. The turkey is making its grand entrance tomorrow. All of this meal-shuffling was simply to make sure the kids could join us… or at least the ones still within driving distance.
I am so thankful for all people who think of us and our situation every single day.
Good morning, everyone. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍽
Safe travels to all of you hitting the road today.
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Yes, it’s a day of pure gluttony, but for me the joy has always been in the traditions…the familiar dishes, the smells that drift through the house, and the people gathered around the table. And for the record, when I say “variety of dishes,” I’m not talking dinnerware… although that was definitely Sally’s thing.
Good morning, everyone. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍽
Safe travels to all of you hitting the road today.
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Yes, it’s a day of pure gluttony, but for me the joy has always been in the traditions…the familiar dishes, the smells that drift through the house, and the people gathered around the table. And for the record, when I say “variety of dishes,” I’m not talking dinnerware… although that was definitely Sally’s thing.
Good morning, everyone.
Looking ahead at the weather, it shows snow barreling toward Crystal Lake with temps that will feel below zero. Suddenly, saying “no” to St. Maarten feels like a mistake. Brrrrrr. 🥶❄️
A follow-up to the house fire story from yesterday…
When I was 5 or 6, still living at 316 Keith, I took a book of matches up to my bedroom. I was fascinated by fire even then — the warmth, the glow, the way a flame dances.
Good morning, everyone.
Nikki and Alex were here last night. Nikki flew in for a quick visit before the big St. Maarten vacation, and Alex arrived hauling the 20-pound turkey we’ll be cooking on Saturday—for six people. Safe to say…there will be leftovers.
We got to talking about childhood stories, and as often happens, one memory led to another. Many stories are worth repeating and I’d like to share as many of them as I can over the upcoming winter months.
Good morning, everyone.
Nikki is flying in this morning for a quick visit before she and the family take off for St. Maarten with the Brickhouse clan. Cindy and I were invited to join them, and I’ll admit…it was tempting. An island adventure with sun, sand, swimming, and siestas sounds heavenly. But the real draw would have been time with Coco and Wyatt. We just don’t see them much anymore since this shitty disease entered our lives.
Good morning, everyone.
I stuck with my formula feedings yesterday and even squeezed in some enchiladas, so I know I got the calories in. I didn’t get on the scale—and honestly, even that small task takes effort because I wobble so much I end up with an error.. So no weight update today. I’ll shoot for tomorrow.
I spent most of Saturday with a book in my hands. It was quiet, calm, and simple—and right now, those kinds of days feel like a gift.
Good morning, everyone.
I’ve been on formula feedings for a little over two weeks now, which works out to about 2,100 calories a day. That sounds like a normal diet for the average person, but 8,000 short for an elite competitive swimmer. Right Alex? However, for someone who’s basically sedentary it seems way too high.
My “activity level” consists mostly of trips to the bathroom and going to my feeding station.
Good morning, everyone.
We had some of my high school friends over yesterday. We had to switch things up a bit—big restaurants and big groups are tough for me to navigate these days—so the crew made the long trek from Lake County out to edge-of-suburbia Crystal Lake. And they didn’t come empty-handed. Ric, Cathy, Bill, Monica, Carrie, and Chrissy arrived with the full dinner spread: appetizers, salad, homemade lasagna, and dessert.
Good morning, everyone.
Yesterday was a busy day.
I had a massage scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to help work out some serious problem spots in my body. I’ve been dealing with limited range of motion in my shoulders—picking things up, pushing myself out of a chair, even sleeping on my side has been painful.
Our ALS Clinic care coordinator, Peggy, found a mobile massage therapist out of Woodstock. It’s a one-person operation run by a woman named Ashley, and she normally works out of her massage van.