Pictures from Mom's day

Today would have been Mom's 100th birthday. She only made it to 98. We finally got together to honor her memory together.

Virginia H. Fredlund

 Fredlund, Virginia H.

Sep 14, 1921 - May 31, 2020

Virginia H. Fredlund; formerly of Sarasota, FL and Potomac, MD; died May 31, 2020 in Los Alamos, NM with family by her side. She will be buried In Sarasota National Cemetery alongside her husband of 66 years, Robert. She is survived by her two daughters, three sons, nine grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. She brought joy to everyone.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldtribune/obituary.aspx?n=virginia-h-fredlund&pid=196707392&fhid=31883

I guess I better go walk with Mom!

If this is true, all that walking that Dick & Sparky did with Mom over the years, and the somewhat regular walks she still gets with me, are keeping her brain from being worse!

Click here to get to NPR story

Helen & Kimberly visit Mom

The latest visitors were Helen & Kim. Mom recognized Helen at least, and knew that a picture of Kim standing by a horse when she was little was the same person standing next to her!

In a particularly lucid moment, Mom told Helen that John is a good cuckoo!. 

Happy 97th birthday, Mom!

She keeps having them, we keep showing up!
Brother & I took Mom to the grocery store before her birthday, and she was quite anxious, though we didn't know why.
But we knew how to fix!

Day-before-birthday anxiety quelled with a small beer

Brother & I had to go on a great hike!

Hidden Falls near Battleship Rock

To get from where he is standing to the top of the falls behind him is a grueling hike that takes you to the top of Battleship Rock before plunging back into the (deadly) box canyon. Chewie really liked the creek water.

 The view from the top of Battleship Rock, looking back towards Hidden Falls, which you can't see because . . .

Then we went and took Mom out for early dinner. She started with (a small) Birthday beer

then Birthday cards

and Birthday food (sorry about the weird artifact)

Unfortunately, that (and a lot of chocolate, and maybe some germs) was too much birthday for Mom, who got a little sick. She has recovered (physically), but is still tired all the time and has extreme knee pain. I am going to have to take it a lot easier on her. Too bad - the walks seem to be what was keeping her going.

Carol & Joe came to visit Mom. Won't you?

 Carol & Joe came to visit for several days in late August. 

Mom was overjoyed to see both Carol & Joe.

With Joe helping, I was able to get Mom on the swing. She even remembered to swing her legs to make it go!

Unfortunately, Eleni & I had to spend a lot of time on a Search & Rescue while they where here. It was good that Mom still got visited on those days. Joe never figured out how our coffee-maker works, though.

Carol & Joe at one of my favorite posing spots on Los Conchas trail. Even with fire department stuff, we promise to take visitors on beautiful hikes.

Carol on Los Conchas trail.

OK, so this was after Carol & Joe left, but in the batch I took off of my phone. This was one of her 2 best days in a very long time. Very steady and happy, and not too much complaining of knee pain.

Mom loves the playground!

It took  two people to get her onto the swing safely!

I am not sure whether this is supposed to be a drum or not, but Mom would not beat it.