Dad Developed a Sweet Tooth June 16, 2008

June 16, 2008

Dear Family,

How are you doing this week? I hope you all had a nice Father's Day. Things are going quite well here in Snowflake. Dad has perked up, and has a lot more energy than he did last week. He is also eating more,.......sugar. Apparently he has been eating anything sweet he can get his hands on for the last couple of days.

“He's going to start getting fat if he doesn't watch out,” mom told me with a laugh last night, but dad has lost so much weight it will take a long time for that to happen.

It's kind of fun, seeing dad eat chocolate and cookies. It seems like forever that he has been trying to eat healthy, and telling mom to stop feeding the grandkids so much ice cream. I have to go way back in my memory to remember that dad used to love carrot cake and pineapple upside down cake, and soft ice cream cones. Of course, he has always enjoyed black licorice, but I had forgotten how he took us to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor once, and got a huge Sundae with tons of whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Dad is alert and following and joining in the conversations a lot more, too. At times, I can't help wonder if he has made a miraculous recovery, but then he will ask an off-the-wall question, and I realize that he is still struggling.

I spent this morning working outside at his house with Linda. Mom brought dad outside to sit for awhile, and he kept saying he should be up working, too. He apologized for not helping us, and worried that he wasn't keeping the house in good shape like he ought to. (The truth is, it looks nice, but I guess dad knows he isn't working like he used to, so he has it in his mind that everything has gone to pot.)

“Where are we?” dad asked mom after they'd been outside watching us for awhile.

“We're in Snowflake,” she told him.

“What are we doing there?” dad wanted to know.

I guess he isn't doing as well as I thought. Still, most of the time dad seems to be happy and content, and mom is taking excellent care of him. She is a wonder.

I love you all. Thanks for your prayers and your love,

Aunt Gale