This post is brought to you....

...by the letter "T" and the letter "D". For, technical difficulties.

I'm terribly sorry to have worried anyone out there! My wi-fi hasn't been working at Shady Pines, and I've been too exhausted to remember I can update the blog by phone. Oy.

I'm thinking my Blog 365 qualification for this year is over...which is actually fine. I'm still planning to post daily, but maybe I won't stress about it if I miss a day here and there. ::sigh::

Things are actually going pretty well here. Mom and Dad are both home at the Home. I have an air mattress so I'm no longer sleeping on the floor, and honestly, I'm thinking I'm not going to have to stay there a whole lot longer. My mom is needing a lot less assistance these days, so once she can get out of bed by herself at night, I should just be able to come before and after work. Dad is doing well, too. They're both getting PT daily. It's nice.

Here's the best thing that's been going on - my mom has always been terrified of dogs. She's been pretty tolerant of Maggie, but, like, when we lived at home between residencies, Maggie and I lived in the unfinished basement because she wasn't allowed in the house. When I got frustrated by the basement and started sleeping upstairs, she had to stay in her crate except when we went outside. Mom was really not a fan.

Maggie, however, has officially won my mother over. She's been staying out of her crate during the day, even when it's just her and my mom. My mom's still a little too skittish to touch her, but has been feeding her whatever's left of whatever meals she eats in the apartment. Maggie, of course, adores my mom, but being the really good girl that she is, is very respectful of Mom's personal space. It's completely adorable.

So the other day, my friend Laurie offered to keep Maggie while I was staying at Shady Pines. And I said to my mom, "Wow, isn't this nice? My friend Laurie from work says Maggie can stay with her while I'm here, if we want."

My mom looks over at the dog, thinks for a second, and says, "No, I think Maggie wants to stay here."

A definite win, I think, for me, my mom, and my dog. We gals have to stick together, after all, right?