See that gravel in my side yard?
It's new.
What used to be there?
Soggy grass.
Muddy grass.
Muggy sod.
But no more.
Thanks, Chad.
I love standing and looking at it.
See those little patches of purple?
I heart them.

Wish I'd planned ahead last Fall and planted more.

I must've been busy.

.

Oh.

You're not here to read about my yard?

You want to know how my dad is doing?

Fine then.

After I drove Clint out to the skytrain station so he could be reunited with his truck and go into the big bad city of Vancouver to attend another concert, (this time with no dancing. Or is he HAS to dance, I asked him to wear a helmut) I zipped over to the hospital to see my dad for 45 minutes before visiting hours were over.

.

His eyes were a little bit twinkly and alert but he sure lays across his bed in an awkward way. It's like he's forgotten how to make himself comfortable. However he collapses is how he stays.

I shoved him over and sat beside him then asked if he wanted to share an apple with me.

I cut a couple of them up and gave him one piece at a time while we talked about our summer plans. He confirmed the details over and over again and then finally said, "And I get to wear my jeans, right? And my belt buckle, OK?"

:)

He may or may not have been served chicken and donuts for supper. Regardless of what was on his plate, he ate chicken and donuts. And apparently they were good.

I asked him if mom had been by to visit (I knew she had) and he thought for awhile then said, no, he didn't think so.

"Yes she was," I teasingly reminded him. "But she said you slept almost the whole time she was here."

"Really?" His eyes got thoughtful. "Well, then I guess I did if you say so."

.

This morning, after he'd been served his breakfast, he pressed his call button. (Yay. I wasn't sure he'd remember how/when to use it.)

The nurse stopped by to ask him what he needed.

"Bodyguard."

"You want a bodyguard?"

"Uh huh, bodyguard."

"Why?" I'm sure she looked around the room and wondered which of his non-mobile roommates was scaring him.

"I want the bodyguard."

"But why?"

"To watch."

His nurse went to the station and got the head nurse to help. She wasn't sure what to do.

"Hello, Peter. You want a bodyguard? Can you tell me why?"

"To watch." And he pointed to his DVD player.

They looked through his library of DVD's and found the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston flick, The Bodyguard and had a good laugh.

.

So, tonight I said to dad, "So, you need a body guard, eh?"

He smiled with his eyes.

"Who do you think you are, the President of the United States?"

He smiled with his eyes AND lips. He had forgotten how to do that.

I'm so glad I dropped by.

.

.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Clint's friends. Those that stood by his side at the hospital and Nick who drove in from Langley to pick them all up from the hospital because by the time he was stitched up, the skytrain had stopped running. You guys are awesome.

2. The nurses who have figured out how to keep dad's DVD player playing movies.

3. The awesome food they are serving at the hospital these days.

4. The summer plans we have. They're giving dad something to focus on and look forward to.

5. Chad's work in my yard. SO pleased.

6. Answered prayer.

7. Internet friends who pray.

8. Three seven-letter-words in a row in one of my Scrabble games. Yay me.

9. Clint's neck is not broken.

10. Another sunny day. Everything is good on a sunny day.

Shalom,