Still coughing

Sorry I haven't been around. This cold I have? I haven't been tested for influenza but I'm pretty sure that's what we've had, (have).  I did do two separate covid tests, days apart and both were negative but didn't even think to get an influenza test. But it definitely isn't a regular cold. We're both still coughing but are getting better very, very slowly. Mom has it too. I'm afraid I gave it too her when we were moving her and I thought it was just a sinus thing. She does seem a bit better too. I'm exhausted all of the time. So much for getting a flu shot and RSV vaccine. 

The night before we both got sick, we went to Florentino's. It's a dinner our church youth group does every year just before Valentine's Day. It's been going on for almost 40 years. In fact, we were part of the group that started it, long before we moved to Spokane.  It's the big fund raiser for the youth every year to help pay for camp, rally's, etc. for kids that can't afford it. Dennis said that Olive Garden could take lessons in efficiency from these kids. They have it down to an art. They cook ALL of the food from scratch. They always have the Friday before the dinner off of school and spend the day at the Union Gospel Mission, using their commercial kitchen. They make meatballs and grill all of the chicken there. They even bake the bread! The kids do it all, with supervision of course. 

They decorate the church basement with fairy lights, candles and flowers.

Every year there is a fountain with goldfish. Oh, the stories I could tell about the goldfish!

Isn't it pretty? The kids work really hard on this dinner and decor. We're proud of them all as it's not a big group. Only around 13-15 kids.

My selection was chicken fettucine. I had plenty to take home for a second meal the next day.

Dennis got the spaghetti with huge meatballs. The sauce was made from scratch too. That's not regular sliced cheese. They buy huge blocks of cheese and hand slice it and the meatballs are buried under the sauce.

Here's our group. My sister Melanie is at the end of the table, her granddaughter Anna, her SIL Tim and daughter Chaela, Mandy is facing away talking to her best cousin Chaela. Dennis and our friends Donna, and you can't see her husband Ted. We've known them since before we were married. Donna and I sang in the choir together for years before we moved to Spokane. They are in their late 80's and don't drive much at night anymore so we gave them a ride. Oh, we had so much fun! You can tell we were in the first dinner seating and one of the first groups there.

Then, the next morning I was sick with whatever this is and Dennis succumbed about 3 days later. As I said, we thought it was just sinus or a cold, but it's definitely not. Much, much more severe and long lasting. I'm so glad we were able to go to the dinner though. It was so much fun. They had three seatings, 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00 and served hundreds. Since our church is fairly small, only about 100 people, you know that word of mouth has spread throughout the area. The kids are very attentive waitstaff and it's donation only for payment. 

I did finish Piper's third sweater several days ago. In the picture, I haven't washed or blocked it yet. I think she will like it. It's a combination of the Pure Comfort and Portage sweaters.  I used Big Twist yarn in Dk Coral and it took a little over 4 skeins. It's the womens small size. She loves the pockets. Yes, my baby girl is growing up and out of little girl sizes! She'll be in middle school next year. I can't believe it.

I have started a new blanket using five different colors and cream for the linking color. It will be for charity, either a toddler blanket or wheelchair blanket, I haven't decided. It's a pattern of crochet shells. I'm sorry that I forgot to take a photo. 

Mom is adjusting somewhat to her new surroundings. She changes moment to moment. One minute it's the best place she's been, the next she's sure she's at the hospital waiting for us to pick her up. Yesterday she told us that she's managing a bistro, (the diining room), and she has all of these great young people working for her. An hour before that she had called and told us that she was waiting for us to pick her up to go to lunch. That they told her she can't eat there anymore. It's a hospital and the doctor never shows up and we just left her for her appointment alone. None of it makes sense, but it does to her at the moment. We just go along with whatever she says and try to make her feeel better. She hangs up on us, tells us we don't understand. It's hard. Especially when we were so sick we couldn't go see her. She didn't understand why we weren't there every day.

I know that many of you have went through this with parents and know exactly how hard it is. We just do the best we can. She remembers nothing of the apartment we moved her out of two weeks ago. Only this place and they are amazing people there. We couldn't have chosen a better place for her to live. So far they have been the epitome of patience with her and happy and cheerful. They all seem to love her.

Beginning today, I'm going to try to get back to all of your blogs. I'm SO, SO sorry that I haven't been here. I have read them all, just no energy to comment on them at all. I've missed you all very much.

We broke records for high heat on Monday. It was over 80F, which apparently it's never reached 80 in February in Omaha! Then the very next night, Tuesday it snowed, with a "feels like" temperature of -9F!  Crazy! No wonder we're all sick. Today is supposed to be near 60 again. I thought this meme was very appropriate for the past week here in Nebraska.

Take care my friends. Stay well!

Blessings and love,

Betsy