Uncle Rick and His Bluebirds

It is almost two weeks since Uncle Rick passed away. The suddenness of his passing certainly took us all off guard, but thankfully we were able to all be together in Northport, Long Island for the funeral ceremonies. During that time we had the opportunity to hold each other, cry together, remember Uncle Rick, and mourn the loss all of the moments he had planned to experience and we had planned to experience with him.

During the visitation someone shared a memory of Uncle Rick's bluebird project. Being the bird enthusiast that he was, Uncle Rick had at one point decided to single-handedly bring the eastern bluebird population back to Long Island. He researched, built special bluebird houses, and placed them all over the island. Religiously he went back to maintain and check up on them, but never in all that time did he ever see a bluebird on the island. Field mice and other critters took up residence in the bluebird houses, but no bluebird.

The funeral service was beautiful, but heartache was fresh. After James, Dave, Michael and Uncle Blue escorted his casket out of the church, it was draped with an American flag and placed in the hearse en route to the military cemetary where Aunt Barby chose to have him buried. At the cemetary we sat silently while two honor guards stood at attention on either side of the casket and Taps was played. The guards silently and formally folded the flag and presented it to Aunt Barby along with their condolences on behalf of the President and the US Navy. "It is an honor," they said.

The next day a few of us decided to take in some fresh air with a long walk on an old, public, wooded estate on the island. Not a half mile into the estate Karen cried out in surprise. Just off our path on the lowest limb of a huge tree stood a bluebird. "It's Dad," she said. "He's checking on us to make sure we're doing ok." We all stood amazed, laughing as not just the one, but four little bluebirds flitted around from branch to branch of the tree.

We miss you dearly, Uncle Rick, but we'll be looking for your bluebirds.

Mom and Dad

Just a couple photos of Mom and Dad with the kids from a few weeks ago. I am so glad that you guys are able to come as often as you are!

 
Grandma painting Elinore's fingernails. This expression is so quintessential her. And notice the wings...

 
Usually if I'm reading, it is for Elinore, so Toby is glad for some one on one reading time. He loves finding things on the pages!

The Pillow Problem

I've alluded to a pillow problem, but never gave the full story. It is due now, especially because my current situation is becoming dire.

A month ago I went rampant on a Fall Cleaning kick. Since I've, well, never laundered my sleeping pillows, I thought they could use a good scrub. My online research told me that it was fine to throw pillows in the washer/drier, and that optionally one could put clean tennis balls in with the pillows on the dry cycle to fluff them back up.

Since it was optional and I didn't have clean tennis balls, I omitted that step. Big mistake. When I pulled my freshly laundered pillows out of the drier they were hopeless. Lumps upon lumps throughout the whole thing. I tried to add some tennis balls retroactively, but to no avail.

After sleeping on a lumpy pillow for a few nights, I decided it simply would not do. I bought some nice replacement pillows on my TJMaxx excursion. The first night or two of sleeping on these new fluffy pillows, I woke up with a stiff/sore neck and upper back, but I hoped that I would get used to it.

I haven't.

I have had a stiff/aching neck and upper back for the past 3 weeks at least all thanks to my fluffy pillows. Every bit of research I can find about choosing the perfect pillow tells me to determine what my sleep style is. Do I sleep on my stomach, back, side, or all three? Then it proceeds to give recommendations for stomach, back, and side, but nothing for the "all three" option (which happens to be what I chose).

If I had to pick one, I'd go with side. However, the clincher here is that each article says something different! Ex. If you are a side-sleeper get a soft pillow. If you are a side-sleeper get a firm pillow.

I thought about boycotting pillows all together, but decided that would probably only make my problem worse.

Help.