Category: Dear Mom

Today is the day that the maintenance workers at the apartment are tearing apart my bathroom and one wall in my kitchen. Today is a day you would be enjoying mom, not because it is happening to me, but if you would be allowed to take part in the demolition, destruction and even the eventual repairs. It was recently discovered that there is a water leak within the walls of mine and my next door neighbor’s apartments. Apparently, my neighbor’s apartment is the cause of the problem and is therefore far worse then mine. There is no telling how long the situation has existed, but it must have recently become bad enough that the problem must now be addressed and repaired.

 

At this point, it is not known how long it will take for the problems to be properly fixed and repaired. This means that I will be unable to use my kitchen and bathroom. Normally, this would mean that I would have to leave my apartment entirely and go stay with relatives, but not this time.

 

You see, my boyfriend, Donald, just recently moved in to an apartment in the same building and has an apartment located on the third floor. This means that I can go use his bathroom whenever necessary and I can cook our meals in his apartment. There are so many reasons why I love having Donald live right upstairs from me, but in a situation like this it sure does make things easier to deal with.   

 

While I know the work must be repaired and completed, I can’t help but feel somewhat frustrated and even somewhat displaced at the same time. Ever since this whole matter began earlier today, I have thought of so many numerous reasons why I need to either get into the bathroom or kitchen. Why is that? It probably happens to all of us whenever we must do without something for even a short time, but it certainly seems somewhat more challenging to me because I’m in a wheelchair.

 

So mom, if you could please, look down on the situation and see that the work gets done accurately but also as quickly as humanly possible. I wish you could even be here to assist them with all the work, because doing so would have been something you would have loved doing. Don’t worry mom, because you have successfully passed your love of carpentry, woodworking, repairs, etc. along to Karin and the skills are very secure within her capable hands.

This is the type of video that truly fascinates me, because it is so rare for the average individual to ever have the opportunity to witness the courtship of  any species of hummingbird.  Enjoy the video and happy hummingbird watching  everyone!  Until next time…

This post will provide the reader with some interesting and amazing facts about hummingbirds that you might not yet know. Mom, this is the kind of information that you and I always enjoyed discovering, so this was written with all the people like us in mind.   You, mom,  are no longer with us in person, but I would like to believe that you are looking down on me and are aware of all the work that I’m doing about hummingbirds. It is my hope that anyone reading this will find the information as fascinating as I myself did.

 

Hummingbirds have the ability to hover better than any other species of bird due to the unusual structure of their wings. They have the ability to do so because their wings are permanently fixed and rigid, except at the shoulder joint, which allows the wing to move freely in all directions.

 

When hovering, a hummingbird’s wing moves forward, and then the leading edge rotates nearly 180 degrees and moves back again. This wing movement causes the tips of the wings to trace a horizontal figure eight in the air.

 

Hummingbirds are often known as living jewels. This is because the feathers of the hummingbird are the most specialized of any bird feathers. On the throat of a hummingbird it is only the outer third of each feather that is iridescent, due to the fact that it is this part of the feather that contains platelets which are filled with air bubbles. The platelets partially reflect back light, thus causing the brilliant colors that are seen on hummingbirds.

 

One interesting fact that I discovered while doing research for this article is that mites will hitchhike on a hummingbird. Mites grow and reproduce within the blooms of many flowers by feeding on the nectar and pollen of these plants. Whenever a flower stops blooming and no longer contains nectar, the mite must move on and they do so by catching a ride while on the hummingbird.

 

As a hummingbird sucks nectar from a flower, the mites run onto the bird’s bill and into the hummingbird’s nostrils. The mite only remains on the hummingbird for a short time, until the hummingbird visits another flower of the same species as the one the mite just left.

 

Albino hummingbirds exist. Albino hummingbirds are not a separate species of hummingbird. Albinism is caused by a genetic change that prevents the formation of dark-colored pigment in feathers. This is a very rare occurrence. There are varying degrees of albinism.    Typically, albino hummingbirds don’t live long. This is because they often have poor eyesight and more brittle feathers then other hummingbirds and this causes them to have a reduced flying ability.

 

I hope that this post has helped you discover some very fascinating facts about hummingbirds. Believe me, there is no shortage of interesting information about hummingbirds to be found these days. Both my mom and I always loved discovering new and interesting information or trivia facts, so I know how much this information would have truly fascinated her. I hope that you will enjoy it as well. Is there anything here that shocked or amazed you to discover? If so or if you have something to add, please feel free to add your comment. We want to hear from you, because your comments help add valuable content to this blog. 

 

Father’s Day is here mom.  I wish more then anything you were still with us to share it with dad.  Having you here with us healthy and well would be the best gift any of us could ever give dad, but since that can’t be I’m writing you this letter to tell him how much I love him and to let you know just how much he still loves and misses you.  You may be gone physically but you will never ever be forgotten. 

If your dad is like mine, it can be extremely difficult to know what gift to buy them for any special occasion. In my opinion, most men are much harder to buy a gift for. My dad has reached the stage in life that if there is anything he really wants then he can and will go buy it for himself. That is a good place in your life to be, but it does make it much harder for those who love you to buy you that special gift. Yes, I realize that the point of Father’s Day is not the material gift one can give but to show them how much we love them, but still I wish finding a gift for dad were easier.

 The most important thing is that you let your father know just how very much you love and appreciate them. Take the time this Father’s Day to call or visit your father. The gift of your love and time is the most important gift you could ever give your father.

 

I, along with many of my siblings, will be spending Father’s Day with are dad. One of my sisters, Karie, and her husband, Paul, live in Florida, so they won’t be able to be there with us in person. One of my brothers, Kolin, his wife, Marci, and daughter, Olivia, can’t be there as well. They will all be off on a cruise with Olivia’s high school senior class. I know without a doubt the best gift any of us can give dad is to spend time with him. If I could give my father the perfect Father’s Day gift, one that he could hold and treasure forever, the one gift I would give him would be to have my mom alive, healthy and well and here to share in our lives once again. Of course, this is impossible, because mom past away almost 20 months ago. 

 

While each of us misses our mom, I know that our own sense of loss can in no way ever begin to compare to my father’s. My parents’, Bob and June Hinds, were married for 52 years, two months and nine days at the time of mom’s death. My dad has always, and still does, refer to my mom as “his bride.” My parents raised six kids together, had six grandchildren and some great grandchildren. My parents’ shared a whole lifetime together and made more memories than you can ever imagine, so there is an extremely deep void in my father’s life and heart that I’m certain no one other could ever fill. That is why I wish I could bring mom back to be with dad and all of us again.

 

Happy Father’s Day, Dad! I’m sorry that isn’t possible for me to give you the one gift you would probably want this Father’s Day—mom, but know that I would if it were within my power to do so. Thanks for being such a wonderful father and for all the unconditional love and support you have given each of us throughout our lives.