Author: Jensen

Picture this scenario in your head for a few minutes. Pretend you and your family want to take advantage of the last days of summer on the Oregon coast. You reserve an Airbnb 100 yards from beach and ocean in a quiet neighborhood off the beaten track. Hot tub, sand toys, skim boards, beach chairs,…

Each evening, before leaving the top floor of the house to retire for the night, I leave a plate of snacks for Don. In the highly probable event, he wakes up before 8:30 am, he will have finger food available for snacking before a more traditional breakfast can be served. Said plate sometimes include grapes,…

We had dinner out last night, for a change, with Mr. Fixit at a local Mexican restaurant. Don ordered a carne taco salad. No, no, no, taco salad was not good enough. It had to be steak. When it arrived, Don was immediately disappointed with the amount of guacamole. He requested a side order of…

I return from a weekend trip away to attend a performance of my grandson in a Shakespeare play called The Twelfth Night. Mr. Fixit was left in charge of home repairs and caring for Don.  While I was gone, a conversation between Don and Mr. Fixit went like this:  Don: What room is this one…

Don sits perched on his bed with a scowl. I’m guessing I’m a little too late on the gate this morning at 8:30 a.m. I had another night with very little sleep. He’s lucky it’s not later. I stand in the doorway waiting for an onslaught of complaints. Nothing. Still scowling.  Kristy: What’s wrong? Don:…

I greet Don upstairs after another restless night with little sleep. He locks his wide-eyes of surprise with mine that are half open. He says nothing for the longest time. I thought maybe he didn’t recognize me. I look in the mirror to see how bad it could be.  Kristy: What’s wrong? Don: Did you…

Last-minute weeding in the yard before guest arrival today finds me in the front yard, bending over with gloves and gardening tools. Don was asleep in his room.   An hour later I hear the front door open. From a bent over position, I look towards the door between my elbow and rib cage. I…

Don emerges from his bedroom, wide-eyed after a mid-summer night’s nap, and asks for ice cream. He shuffles to the dining room table where I deliver the bowl of ice cream. Almost immediately after seating himself, he rises and races off, mumbling something about he must go to the bathroom first. Uh oh. I was…

Kristy: I have to go pick up groceries. Do you want to go on a ride with me? Don: No, there’s too much going on here. I can’t leave.  Kristy: Like what? Don: Two jets just landed on the beach and a helicopter landed next door.  Kristy: What do you think they are doing?  Don:…

Don: Where’s my car? It’s missing. Did it get stolen? Kristy: You don’t have a car. Your truck is parked in the driveway. Go look.  Don: I drove my car here last night.  Kristy: You and I, neither one, left this house yesterday. So, nobody’s car brought you here. You were already here.  Don: Seriously? Kristy:…