Yesterday, we went down to the shoreline on Redondo Beach,
and strolled to the pier. Sat down and just basked in the warm sun, enjoying
the laughter and life all around us on this busy summer day.
Then Don noticed he had some tar on his sandals, and his
ankle. My trainers were thick with tar, too.
The tar we picked up was under the surface of the sand. We
never saw any until we were tarred and sanded. Apparently, it is an organic
tar, like that at La Brea Tar Pits downtown LA where so many dinosaurs met their
end. Thankfully, we didn’t encounter it in such vast quantities!
Today we headed to a hardware store to get a solvent. We got
more than we asked for: a helpful shop assistant who worked hard to find what
we needed, gave some helpful advice and then loaned us the screwdrivers from
his car so we could work on cleaning them in the parking lot. Jonathan at Ace
Hardware, thank you!
Since arriving last Wednesday, we have had many angels
helping us prepare for the birthday party on Sunday. Lindy from Ivy Park was
exceptional, running (literally) to fulfil our every wish. Nothing was too
much, from ice to music to microphones, tables and food warmers, plates and
cutlery. A huge thank you to her, and to Ivy Park for being so flexible and
accommodating for this large gathering.
And a huge thank you to the care staff, who are also
exceptional. They are all so kind, gentle and helpful, compassionate and
patient. I am so grateful to know Mom is in such loving care.
Her 100th birthday party was full of life,
laughter, and love. Over fifty relatives and friends came to show their love
and gratitude for this wonderful lady. Unfortunately, Mom herself was not
feeling up to it all, but was able to receive guests in smaller groups in her
room, and she enjoyed that.
Today she was agreeing that it was lovely to have been the
reason for a huge family reunion. Relatives and friends came from Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin, Las Vegas, San Diego, Chino, the valley…all over the place.
I am so grateful to God for the wonderful Mom I am blessed
to still have with me. She has always had my back, always been positive and
encouraging, loving and forgiving. Her faith in God has been an inspiration and
I know her prayers have blessed me with the faith I have.
As she always says, ‘we’re all just doing our best’: Mom’s
best has given me a role model and faithful friend. Happy birthday, dearest
Mom. Such a privilege and joy to be your daughter.
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