It's Been a Month

After I got home from San Diego at the end of May, I gathered the ingredients to make more (and better) masks. (I think altogether I've now sewn about 85 of them.) In June I sent the kids the masks I made for them and I got some fun photos back in return. It's hard to tell who's behind all these masks. This first one is Peter and Jessa.

I sewed a lot of masks using some sports team-themed fabric that I ordered. But I made most of them with some quilting fabric that my mom gave me, like this golfing fabric worn by John.

Not sure if we'll have a football season this year but if we do, Troy is ready.

Mary looks fashionable and Covid-safe on her way to the grocery store. The only one I don't have a photo of in a new mask is Andy, but I'm sure that any day now I'm going to get a picture of him with what I'm sure is his favorite of the masks I made him: his Milwaukee Brewers mask.

I went back to California in the middle of June. My plan was to be there for three nights. My first stop was at my mom's house for the night.

My mom's dog Simba looks so happy. He's a new dog since Mom moved to San Juan Capistrano last year. Before that he spent two years depressed, in my opinion, that my dad was no longer around. I'd never seen such sustained sadness in an animal. But as soon as he got to the new house he was back to being his cheerful self. It's been great to see him so much happier.

My stay in California got extended from three nights to two weeks. While I was there I slept at my mom's house on my first night and on my last night. Kelle set me up with this very comfortable setup on the patio so I don't have to be in the house. It was super comfy and practically like camping!

Shortly after I arrived, my uncle Kelly got sick with congestive heart failure. In less than a week he went from home to the hospital, from the hospital back to home with hospice, and then sadly passing away on June 23. Brad drove out to be with us on both of the weekends and for the funeral. This picture was taken two days before Uncle Kelly died. The caregiver was late in arriving that morning, so the four of us were all alone and we sat in the living room and had a really nice long chat over breakfast. Brad had gone to the store and bought coffee cake as requested by Uncle Kelly. Later that night Brad grilled steaks, also at Uncle Kelly's request. His illness progressed quickly and he didn't eat anything more after this particular day, so I'm glad he had some of his favorites.

After Uncle Kelly passed, we drove up to see my mom. He was her last remaining sibling and they were really close. For this picture, we tried to space ourselves away from Mom, so we took off our masks just long enough to snap the photo, and then we scattered apart from Mom and Kelle as soon it was over. Okay, now here are some lighter happenings .....

This summer Sirius got a snazzy new bed so he doesn't have to get so dirty from the ground. As you can see, he really loves it.

He's more of a "let me lie on the ground and get dirty" kind of a dog. Last weekend he hung out with his dog pal Watson at my sister and her husband's cabin in Colorado.

Even though his back is to you, Sirius is once again proving he's a dog who prefers to come into contact with as much dirt as possible.

I think John and Troy had fun exploring the area around my sister's cabin in this little vehicle.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, Mary and Andy discovered that you can kayak in the District!

Right after the long weekend Mary had her first day of school! She started a Master's of Education program at the University of Pennsylvania. Needless to say, she's attending from the comfort of her own living room. Her summer session, as well as the fall session, will be online.

Tikka has appointed herself the school mascot.

Tikka must be getting used to having Mary around a lot more. They get outside for walks every day and work on obedience training.

Speaking of obedience training, trying to educate a deaf dog on proper swimming pool safety has been tricky. This was Allie's second time to fall in the pool, and she's made it abundantly clear that she cannot swim. So for now we have a life jacket on order and she doesn't get to hang out with us by the pool until she's got her safety gear on and hopefully has a swimming lesson or two under her belt.

Peter and Jessa's new cat, who is now called Elaine, got dibs on the cat window bed. 

Finally, a correction. In my last non-Flashback post back in June, I posted this picture and said it was Peter and Jessa's new cat, Elaine. But I was wrong! Appearing from within that box is none other than the one and only Peaches, who I mistook for Elaine. (And I know Peaches loves boxes so how could I have made that mistake?!) Peaches: my deepest apologies to you. I'm sure it's been tough to have a new cat in the house. First she got your blog appearances, and now she got your identity. That is really adding insult to injury, and I'm so sorry for the slight. Don't tell Elaine but as my mom likes to say: you're my favorite cat.