My Moms Birthday

Today, 3/2/2026, would be my mom’s 88th birthday. Unfortunately, she had a stroke last year on February 19th and passed away peacefully on 5/30/2026. While cleaning up my desk on Friday, I found this scratch pad on my desk and closed it to find notes I scribbled while talking with Liz from the ICU shortly following the stroke. I am grateful that, for the majority of my mom’s last 100 days, she was a short walk from home, and I could visit 24 hrs a day, multiple times a day.

ESCAPRIL2023

Dinner was not pasta fagioli
But rather tasty ravioli
One had ricotta
The other potata
No one enjoyed any cannoli

Brookfield Burns!

Beautiful Oregon coast.

Daily happiness number 88! What makes me smile today: it’s been a minute but today pastrami is definitely making me smile. With a side of spare ribs on the right.

Daily happiness number 87! What makes me smile today: Mister J’s Dawgs and Burgers.

Daily happiness number 86! What makes me smile today: House plants.

Daily happiness number 85! What makes me smile today: Carolyn.

Daily happiness number 83! What makes me smile today: Chicago buildings disappearing into the clouds.

Daily happiness number 82! What makes me smile today: Great historic architectural details of the building in downtown Chicago.

Daily happiness number 81! What makes me smile today: Diner’s with fun old stuff (Daddio’s in Batavia. IL).

Daily happiness number 80! What makes me smile today: Cool old Windmills.

Daily happiness number 79! What makes me smile today: Free chair found in the garbage. Now what to do with it.

Daily happiness number 78! What makes me smile today: Homemade tamales waiting to be steamed. Mmmm left over pig roast.

Daily happiness number 77! What makes me smile today: Trains and donuts are both awesome individually, but there has to be a synergy when they are combined…

Daily happiness number 76! What makes me smile today: Wisconsin brats.

Daily happiness number 75! What makes me smile today: Pumpkin painted rocks laying around the house.

Daily happiness number 74! What makes me smile today: Art-o-mat® art! The art is fun and finding machines is as treasure hunt. www.artomat.org

Daily happiness number 73! What makes me smile today: Butter basted steak. Mmmmmm.

Daily happiness number 72! What makes me smile today: Steet art hanging from a lamp pole in the Chicago Loop.

Daily happiness number 71! What makes me smile today: Crazy “weed” melon growing on the back fence. Proof I’m not good at composting.

Daily happiness number 70! What makes me smile today: Bakeries. Especial bakery doughnuts and sweet rolls (that’s what’s in the box).

Daily happiness number 69! What makes me smile today: Wiener Mobiles. Even fake mini ones in a parade.

Daily happiness number 68! What makes me smile today: Deviled eggs. Made from a friends backyard chickens.

Daily happiness number 67! What makes me smile today: Live music, first indoors concert since March 13, 2021.