He's Off!

 As soon as he landed in New Orleans Robby's excitement surpassed his anxiety. He checked in with the program organizers before heading to his favorite pizza place near the museum. In the evening he was already hanging out with his roommate and a few new friends, exploring Bourbon Street and having an amazing time. 

I don't think I need to worry about Robby feeling lonely on this trip. Although not naturally an extrovert, when he makes a decision to be sociable he is charming and gravitating. He sent me a text before his plane took-off, vowing to be 'sociable Robert' and he is living up to his promise.

While Robby was en route to Louisiana, Scott and I were heading to PA to pick up my Mom. She lost power on July 4th. Although she was a trooper in the dark, humid heat, having her wait for an anticipated repair date of July 8 at 11 PM felt nonsensical. We have air conditioning, lots of room and a kiddo delighted with a Nana sleepover. It took more coaxing than I care to admit to convince her to come down, but I'm delighted that she is here.

 

Departing!

 It is a momentous day in our home. This morning Robby is embarking on his incredible adventure with Normandy Academy through the National WWII Museum. Attending Normandy Academy became a goal when he learned about the program four years ago. Since that time he has applied annually for the opportunity. After a lot of hard work, this is his year and today he heads to New Orleans.

The past weekend was spent helping Robby get packed and organized for his adventure. (This is his first time traveling internationally without a parent and he is a tad nervous.) Finally, after multiple trips to the store for 'final' items, the suitcase was zipped up yesterday afternoon around 4.  I hugged Scott and Robby goodbye and the pair headed to DC for the night in anticipation of an early morning departure.

I was more excited than sad when I was hugging Robby goodbye. I am so incredibly excited for the experiences that he is going to have that my missing him is completely inconsequential. I cannot wait for him to come home and relay everything he did, but I am looking forward to text messages and photos throughout the trip. 

While Robby is away, I'm going to be able to focus exclusively on Timmy. After hugging Robby and his Dad goodbye, he and I headed to Red Robin for a fun dinner. When we returned home he rode his bike in the rain and through mud puddles, delighting that his 'dirt time' is finally living up to its name. 

 

 

Hot Hot Hot- But I'm not Weak

 Per tradition, it seems that our annual pilgrimage to Ohio always occurs during an intense heatwave. This year was no exception. With temperatures in the triple digits, we were all melting. It was a delightful visit, but I certainly wish we would visit when it was cooler. 

As an amputee, the heat is difficult for me to tolerate. Contrary to popular opinion, this is not because I am of a weaker disposition or because I am prone to complaining more. When a limb is amputated, the ability for the body to regulate temperature is disrupted. My body does not cool as efficiently.

Research has proven that below-knee amputees expend an average of 20% more effort to simply walk than our biped peers. So yes, my body is actually working harder to move around the house even if I make it look easy. In these temperatures, every movement is impactful.

My leg is swaddled in silicone and confined inside a black, carbon fiber socket. Airflow is nonexistent. If I were to lay out with my prosthesis on, my leg would experience burns without seeing the light of day. 

Heatwaves are miserable, but they are worse when you have a disability. If you are struggling, be kind to yourself and rest. Intolerance to this heat is not a sign of weakness, but is rather a result of battles forged. We are stronger than people realize, even if we do melt in the heat.

 Don't forget to drink water! 

Hot

 Greetings from a sweltering Ohio. 

It's hot.  I'm surviving.  We will be home in a few hours. 

Harry

 We had an exciting morning in our household yesterday. Scott was outside and spotted 'Harry,' the 5 foot blacksnake that lives under my concrete porch, slithering outside his hole. We have been desperately trying to catch and relocate Harry since we discovered him earlier this Spring. I didn't want to kill or harm him, but we have been trying to serve his eviction notice for weeks.

For the past few weeks, Harry retreated back into his hole whenever we noticed each other. Yesterday he was basking in the sun and we were finally able to catch him off guard. Despite the snake's size, Scott and Robby wrangled him into a bag without incident. They popped him into a pillow case and took off to relocate Harry to his new mountainous home, about 5 miles away from here.

With Harry evicted, we set about sealing up the holes. I'm a tad concerned that there may be more than one snake under the patio, but my concerns about sealing them into the house was quickly dismissed. Hopefully they are right! 

Schoolroom!

 Timmy's school room has undergone a three-day transformation. During the process I lugged out a total of three contractor sized bags of trash and debris. More importantly and just as surprising, I uncovered household items I have long attributed to being gone. Apparently, Timmy's classroom had become the abyss housing all of our lost items. 

I'm frustrated with him, with Scott and with myself for allowing his room to go into such a state of disrepair. I recognize all of the factors that led to the situation, but in the end they are all excuses. Timmy should have been more responsible with his space, and Scott and I should not have trusted him when he came down with a half a bag of trash and a few dishes before pronouncing it clean. 

This kid has no idea the levels of micromanaging that are in store for him next year!

Once I put my ire to the side, I set to work cleaning and organizing the classroom. The trash was easy to remove because I adopted a modified shovel technique. The task took longer because Robby and I became distracted setting up the display desk to hold his prized artifacts. Somehow, the classroom is now doubling as a museum, but both boys feel that is appropriate so I am going to go with it. During our little side quest, we managed to empty another 7 boxes that were stowed under his bed and in the garage. (It is nice to be almost completely unpacked.) 

I am too ashamed to share the before photo, but I am happy to unveil the newly modified Museum Schoolroom (with the curtains still to be changed).

 

Chickens

 I had planned to spend yesterday cleaning Timmy's school room, but when I discovered a deal on whole chickens at a store near my Mom, we made the decision to pivot. Unfortunately, Scott and I were not the only one lured by the prospect of cheap chicken because they store announced that they were sold out 5 minutes before we arrived. We drove two hours only to miss out by 5 minutes. Talk about frustrating!

We missed out on poultry, but we were able to stop by and have a quick lunch with my Mom so the day was not a complete wash. I wish we would have been able to stay to visit longer but the threat of storms was looming and we wanted to race them home. We pulled into our driveway as the first few raindrops began to fall so our timing was impeccable.

Alas, today it is raining again and there are no chicken sales to distract me from my task at hand. Ready or not, Timmy's school room will be transformed by the end of the day.  Wish me luck!