Monday, Sept. 15, was my Zoey day. Zoey arrived at 7:30 a.m. She has a very good memory. When I hold her, she points to my lower back and rubs her hand on my side, because she remembers I have pain there.

Zoey spent time threading the wooden animals on a shoestring, stacking the rounds on a stick, and playing with Nichole’s dolls. We have a stroller just her size.

Danielle left work early to take Zoey home because of my back pain.

Tuesday, Sept. 16, after taking the news to Altamont, I went to Dick’s and bought a hunting jacket for Samson. He froze turkey hunting in May. Danny’s friend, Tommy Ryan, gave him some hunting clothes but there wasn’t a warm jacket.

Then I rode with Brandon, Jenn Smith, and her son, Iain to Nichole’s open house at Radez School in Richmondville. Nichole is in the third grade now and her teacher is Mrs. Chamberlain. Nichole loves school and couldn’t wait for the first day.

Wednesday, Sept. 17, and I am still in unbearable pain. My daughter, Marcia Pangburn came to have breakfast with me. She stayed home from work with an upper respiratory infection.

I then went with my grandson, Brandon Clark, on his dinner visit with Samson and Nichole. We picked up Nichole and went to Samson’s soccer practice. That ended at 5:15 p.m., and we quickly got something to eat and headed to Samson’s open house for seventh grade at Golding School. We visited all his classrooms and got information sheets on his subjects.

On Thursday, Sept. 18, I wrote out some bills and then went to Target to buy some long pants for Samson and Nichole as summer is about over.

At 6 p.m. I went with Brandon and Jenn to her son, Iain’s open house at Berne-Knox-Westerlo. Iain is in the third grad and has Mrs. Kranker as his teacher.

The children wrote letters to their parents and left photo albums on the desks. The third grade teachers explained how they are doing team teaching now with tow teachers in the room.

Friday, Sept. 19, was an exciting day for my grandson, Miles Pangburn. He started his new position as a high school biology teacher at Cairo Durham Central School.

I went to Dr. Gulyas, the chiropractor, and I know I expect miracles and it isn’t happening.

Brandon picked up Samson and Nichole, and I ate dinner with him, Jenn and Iain. Jenn made tacos and Nichole helped her bake a chocolate cake with orange frosting. Orange is Nichole’s favorite color.

On Saturday, Sept. 20, I vacuumed and did what Dr. Gulyas said. I rested when the pain got very severe.

Brandon grilled pork chops for dinner. I made zucchini fritters out of Brandon’s garden, cut up cucumbers, and cooked sweet corn. Jenn had taken Iain to Glenville to a weenie roast at his grandparents’ home on the Bullis side.

Sunday, Sept. 21, was church and then Nichole wanted to swim with Aunt Kyra Swan. Brandon, Jenn, Samson, Nichole, Iain, and I drove over to Marcia’s on Thompson’s Lake.

Samson wouldn’t go in because he got cut bad, on his hand on a zebra mussel the last time. Before that Brandon cut his foot on a zebra mussel. Kyra said the lake was too cold. Nichole went in and then saw zebra mussels and got out, and wanted to go to Uncle Dan’s pond. So we all packed up, Samson put on his bathing suit and the children enjoyed swimming in Uncle Dan’s pond. It was a gorgeous day, and a splendid way to enjoy the last weekend of summer.

We all enjoyed a meal together at my house and then Samson and Nichole returned to their mother.