Farm and Other Activities

I returned to Pine Ridge on Friday to find Dad in good spirits.  He and Mom had a very busy week, with therapy each day Monday through Thursday.  On Wednesday, they attended their first weekly meeting of TAP (Triangle Aphasia Project), a group that helps patients with aphasia re-engage.  It also offers support to families of the patients.

During the week Dad revisited a couple of his favorite activities:  gardening and puttering around the farm on the Ranger, their all-wheel farm vehicle.  Yesterday the usual Saturday yard chores took up most of the morning, and Dad was able to help me remember how to pilot his crazy Husqvarna zero-turn mower without careening around like a drunk driver.  He also rode herd on everyone, including Lee and Andre, walking around and pointing out spots of grass we might have missed.

Visits from friends and family continue to sustain us all, and of course we are so grateful for the help that everyone is providing.  Mom's cousins Doris and Betty have done an amazing job keeping the garden watered and weeded.  On Thursday night Dad's office staff brought dinner, and Mom reports that everyone had a grand time.

Aunt Jean and Uncle George are arriving from Tampa on Monday afternoon and will stay for two weeks.  Everyone's looking forward to their visit.

This morning Mom is conducting a biscuit-making tutorial for me; it's one of those essential Southern skills I've never have gotten the hang of.  And later on we're going to head out to the Raleigh Farmers Market to buy provisions for our summer veg dinner.  Matt, who had to stay in Princeton working on the last- minute details of his book manuscript this weekend, will no doubt be jealous; the veg dinner with cornbread is one of his favorite Pine Ridge summer rituals.