Throwback Post: Chalkboard Message While Swimming and Winning an Award

**THROWBACK POST**

September 28 2015:

I get to sub in Sierra today. Found a cool book on display and I left my mark on the column that’s painted with chalkboard paint.


___________________

September 28 2012:

This was the end of our 2nd month of swim lessons … May 23 2012 …. Thanks Grandpa Frank!! Last night, 9.27.12 was the last swim lesson til next summer!!! On to Different Adventures for Team Member T & L!


Me and Ms Kimberly at the Plum100 Event!!! What FUN!!

I won!!!! Thank you tons all y’all for all the love and support and encouragement!!!

I won … Most Influential in the Extraordinary Neighbor category!!!! Thank you tons all y’all for all the love and support and encouragement!!!

Congratulations to Thomas With Vice President Kamala Harris

April 18 2023

Super proud of Thomas! One of the college professors nominated Thomas.

Congratulations! One of your TMCC instructors selected you to receive an Outstanding Student Award!

I’m so blessed you’re my child, Thomas. You make me laugh, make me think, helped me to know I needed to educate myself about certain topics, and I just love you so much. ❤️❤️❤️

April 22 2023

I’m so happy Thomas got to do this! 🥳🥳🥳 I was supposed to be an audience member for her next stop at UNR but I did not sleep at all the night before, and couldn’t even think straight. 🥴🥴🥴

“Greeted Kamala Harris at the airport Tuesday morning, pretty cool experience” – Thomas

Vegan Eats – Cafe Capello

August 6 2022

Treated myself while Thomas is in his group session. The most delicious cappuccino I’ve ever had (ordered 2 of them), with amazing French toast at Cafe Capello. Finished with a rose, lavender Italian soda. Ordered a strawberry vanilla Italian soda to go for Thomas. Plus breakfast for tomorrow. Strawberry and blueberry scones, and coffee cake. Good eats!

August 20 2022

Group session for Thomas today. That means I get to visit Cafe Capello!!

This is the BEST cappuccino I’ve ever had! The breakfast burrito is great, too. Getting a couple of Italian sodas to go. 🎉🎉🎉

I’m lucky to have found a parking space. There’s an event happening today.

Throwback Post: Sunset Adventures at Geiger Way Lookout

**THROWBACK POST**

August 12 2013:

Sunset adventures … Somewhere different tonight!

Lillian did NOT want to get out of the car or climb up the gigantic rock with stone steps and no rail. Talked her into it with Thomas holding her other hand. Uneven, slippery surfaces are difficult for her due to balance issues. She’s very proud of herself!

Go Lillian ….. and, WOW!!! Beautiful!

Worst Hour of My Life – Petrilla Fire in Reno Nevada

June 16 2021

Just spent one of the worst hours of my life. I was getting a massage (thank goodness I was nice and relaxed), and when done I had texts from Thomas and Lillian. A fire right across Mt Rose Hwy, from our place. Couldn’t tell if the mandatory evacuation applied to our address.

Took me an hour to get home due to road closures, usually takes 15 minutes. I was near hysterical at the Mt Rose Hwy roadblock, letting them know my kids were home alone. We’re all okay now. Ready to evacuate if it looks like it’s gonna jump the highway, and they order an evacuation. 😱🔥😱

Good thing Thomas has experience with Lillian having a meltdown. Because, let me tell you. She had one. Lots of screaming in the background, as he and I stayed on the phone the entire time. Whew!

I was on the verge of parking my car and walking/running home. Momma bears don’t play! Everyone is calm now. Whew!

I didn’t even get to enjoy the immediate effects of it! I was about to pay my massage therapist and saw all the texts from Thomas and Lillian. I texted her when I got home, and she said, “Now you need another massage.” Gurl! You got that right! I’m trying to relax into it now. Whew!

Helicopter dropping water.

So grateful that Thomas remained calm. The fire is contained now. Two helicopters continue to drop water. All of Team TLC are calm now. Momma Bear may have been on the verge of hysterics, but I was ready to park my car, and walk/run the rest of the way home to my kids. Whew!!

June 17 2021

We are just fine. All is calm. The fire was 40% contained as of 3 hours ago. We don’t have tornadoes, hurricanes, extreme weather (often), and usually only mild earthquakes. What we get starting about this time every year, are fires. We are used to having them. However, this is the first time one has been this close.

As a family, we learned a few things we still need to work on. I think Lillian may always have a meltdown during these times. This is a girl who had to be forewarned about fire alarms/drills when she was in school. Hopefully, we can shorten the duration, and/or have them be less intense. She was calm by the time I finally made it home! That was good on her part! She was texting with friends, and I think that helped.

I’ve just added to my “to do” list to create an evacuation checklist to hang on the cork board, should this ever happen again. We already have an emergency backpack loaded with supplies.

An interesting thing that happened for me, perhaps highlighting the cords between a mother and her children. Before we began the massage, I asked my massage therapist to get my phone out of purse and put it next to it so we could hear it if it vibrated, in case my kids need me. She did that. Neither one of us heard it vibrating for some reason.

During the session, near the end, I began to have something like a panic attack. My anxiety levels were high, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I nearly screamed, but kept myself calm thinking perhaps I was releasing some crud lodged in my muscles. That would have been the exact time that Thomas and Lillian were texting me. Interesting. And next time, that phone is going to be on the table with me!

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments and concerns, and to those who have reached out (that live close) so that I will have backup helpers should we need it in the future. 😍 (Photo of Team TLC from November 2018)

Smothered by the Smoke With New Fires and More Smoke to the Tipping Point

August 20 2020

We’re getting smothered by the smoke from the California fires. This was yesterday. Looks about the same today. Sending much love to the people and animals whose homes this is affecting.

September 6 2020

The sky yesterday, looking the same today. We were finally clearing, with no new fires in California. That changed yesterday. New fires, more smoke.

September 12 2020

I’m so glad I went for that hike on Wednesday; which was the only clear blue sky day this week. Yesterday we were in the orange and red. Woke up this morning to very unhealthy. I added a black arrow to the satellite image showing where Reno is located. I’ve heard from a friend in Australia, that some of their firefighters are on the way to help.

My arrow points to Reno. Except I overshot it a bit. We’re actually closer to the state border.

September 14 2020

I stepped out to go pick up dinner ….

September 15 2020

I ask Thomas what he wants for dinner. He tells me, then after I let him know there are leftovers, he says he will have the leftovers instead.

I then walk into the kitchen and make him both dinners. I made two dinners for one person. I’m losing my mind! Is anyone else doing weird stuff like this? 😳😂🤪 The smoke, the pandemic, and people acting like fools are beginning to get to me. 🤣🥴😂 … The smoke has been the tipping point for me.