Day 1696: Do you drink enough water?

farmkids, collages, old photo & digital

Want music?

Click here for Erik Satie, Trois Gymnopedies No.1

then click back on this blog tab or here to listen as you browse, or not?

Time for a Dad story? 

Always amazed how you guys seem to like to hear Dad stories?

He was basically a good man. Opinionated & sometimes gruff.

1950's when Dad tried to be an actor ...

Never smoked or drank, partly because he was so frugal?

All through his life into his early 80's, Dad was very independent,

he traveled & lived in a Sr. high rise in St. Petersburg, FL.

At age 82 I got a call from his building manager 

saying that I would have to come & move Dad 

into a nursing home, as he couldn't take care of himself.

I am an only child, so if a nursing home was necessary

it wasn't going to be in Florida.

I flew there & Dad was indeed confused. 

I checked on his medications, he wasn't sure 

when or what he had taken. I took charge of the Rx.

I started him on water to dilute the Rx.

 

My goal was a gallon a day.
He was hesitant, but luckily he trusted me, 
and we both drank a lot of water all day.

We gave away & donated all that would not fit in his car.

On the fourth day, with a full car, we took off for California.

We stopped often & at night to sleep over the 4 day drive.

On the fourth day of my driving, we were home in Yorba Linda.

That was the 8th day of drinking a gallon of water a day, 
and ... my Dad was lucid! Actually a new man.

And, he just kept feeling better. 

feeding the ducks at Eastlake, Yorba Linda

He lived with us for two years before moving into a 
beautiful apartment at a ritzy Sr. Center in Anaheim Hills,

(I called it the Anaheim Hilton) with privacy, 

maid service, full service dining room & activities.

He lived there 2 more years & even danced at his 

granddaughter's (WonderWoman) wedding in 1996.

And, to almost everyone he met, he would say ...

"Do you drink enough water?"

A smile for Saturday ...

a 42 second video here,  
that makes me happy to be in 80' SoCal instead of 
waiting for a train at the Amtrak station in Rhinecliff, NY.