As we transition back to our sticks and bricks I wanted to post an update for our many friends and supporters in our RV-Dreams family. I don't get on the forum as much as I used to or would like as we are crazy busy these days but we love following your posts and Howard's Journal when we are able.

We're a little bit in the house and should be fully in sometime in the next week, or two. Our contractor, whom we love, and the sub - tiling guys - are doing an awesome job. They told us we could start moving in yesterday at 10:00 am, that the baseboards would be painted and replaced by then and tiling in the main living areas, guest bath would be done so I scheduled a new to me cleaning service to arrive at 10:00. The construction dust and dirt is everywhere, in cupboards, windows, sills, ceiling fans, shower, etc. We were to get access to two guest bdrms, guest bath while they closed off master wing to finish tiling & painting. (That would work for us in the interim.) The cleaning crew was an hour and a half late because of a "flat tire", the tilers and baseboard guy were installing everywhere, pkus two of Jesse's friends stopped by and took him to lunch. It was chaos. I walked around in a daze. I'd start something then get called somewhere else. PJ kep reminding me I didn't have to get it all done in one day. After about an hour and a half the two cleaning guys left "to buy a mop" and never came back! (No I dadnt paid them!) So Jesse's sister decided to run and get a mop while I tried to put the vacuum we had in storage for a year and a half back together after cleaning the brush. I broke it, but fortunately Bill & Dale fixed it. We eventually got most of the vacuuming & mopping done, had a beer and a couple of glasses of wine and then back to the RV's for a late dinner, along, hot shower and we collapsed in bed.

Jesse can still stand, but very unsteadily, so is in his amazing power chair as much as possible and needs to be full-time these days. We leave it in the van for now because it obviously can't be used in our RV! 😄 it has amazingly sensitive controls that can recline, turn on a dime, and helps him conserve energy which is huge now as any daily activity is exhausting. His hands are nearly useless as they are mostly in a cupped position but he can still proudly hold his beer bottle. Getting it or food up to his mouth is another story as his arm strength is less every day. He gets frustrated occasionally when he can't help. This is a guy who did it all like so many of you, but he is so accepting and non-complaining about ALS. We were hysterical when out to lunch the other day as he was trying to pick up and eat a cheeseburger. His sister, PJ, was watching him closely as she was creatively thinking how/what might make this process easier for him. Because he can move his hands down easier than up, she thought he might tie a small cord to one hand, string it around his neck and pull it down with the other hand and therefore lift the opposite hand to his mouth. As we each envisioned that "look" we started laughing and couldn't stop. Jesse figured he could modify PJ's idea by adding a ring to each end of the cord, hook it over his thumbs and could eat with two-handed! There were two couples at a nearby table that were uncomfortable with our hysterics at this poor handicapped guy. 

That at brings me to the important subject - our RV-Dreams friends. We were fortunate to have Steve & Diane, Pam and Red, Dale & Ruth in our area last week. Bill and Linda stopped by last month. These amazing people are beyond loving, supportive and accepting. They just go with the flow, share laughs and tease Jesse as they always have. He loves every moment with friends. Dale and Ruth had to extend their stay locally because of rig repairs and as crazy has their two weeks have been work-wise, they've been there in big and small ways. They arrived at the house yesterday afternoon and just dove in with smiles, Ruth recleaning the bathroom "done" by the crew. They also brought lunch for today's "furniture moving" crew. They are very aware and unhesitating in assisting Jesse with anything and everything. We feel so blessed with friends and family like this.

i'll try to occasionally post updates but anyone who might want to follow (and you don't mind my politics 😄)  I post somewhat regularly on FaceBook. I am Sherry Haddock Collins on there.

Sherry