A Facebook memory popped up today and it prompted me to write about it. The memory was from January 28, 2018. At the time, I was in warm, sunny Homestead Florida visiting Nikki.
Nikki, Cookie and I had just been to Petco. Pets are allowed in Petco so we took Cookie inside. He went into sniffer overload… sniffing out new and exciting scents around every corner of the store.
We’d gone to Petco to get a new bed for Cookie. They were out of small beds so Nikki decided to pamper Cookie with a way-to-big-for-him king sized bed!
Reminiscing About Two Years Ago…
As I looked at the Facebook post I made 2 years ago I reminisced about the fun times Nikki, Cookie and I were having.
Little did I know what life had in store for me and, in a matter of weeks, everything would change.
2 years ago today…
I was in warm, sunny, south Florida spending the winter with Nikki and Cookie. Life was a bit carefree for me and I was finally getting used to (and enjoying) life as an empty-nester. Cookie lived with Nikki and I was responsible for only myself.
2 years ago today…
I was getting over a month long illness. I didn’t know it at the time but this illness was (most likely) the cause of severe hearing loss in one ear.
2 years ago today…
I had no clue that, in two short weeks, Dad (in Warren IL) would be taken to the hospital by ambulance and his prior state of health would never be regained.
2 years ago today…
Little did I know I would soon be making the 1,500 mile trek from Homestead Florida to Warren Illinois with an unexpected passenger (Cookie) to stay with and care for Dad.
2 years ago today…
Simultaneously seems like it was just yesterday, yet, an eternity ago.
Living Life With No Regrets…
Many years ago I decided to live life with no regrets – no matter what. Even the so-called mistakes I’ve made in life are simply lessons learned – with no regrets.
As for the past 2 years...
I gave up my newly-grown-accustomed-to freedom to stay with and care for Dad. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but I don’t regret my choice.
I’m the one living on the front-lines 24/7 but, thankfully, I have family member’s who’ve been there to back me up (whether I need help fixing a door handle or someone to lend an ear).
There have been many good times – sometimes generously sprinkled with challenges – but there’s nothing I would change.
My reward comes in the form of many new memories and Dad-adventures to look back on (some of which I’ve shared in this blog).
Simply Connie 
Life can throw us some curves but we learn from them and deal with them, and have no regrets.
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