Some emotional content. Day 2 was good. Checked out of the motel and verified will have room when return there tomorrow to meet up with sister, brother-in-law, and brother. Arrived at the assisted living facility and met the woman brought on to sit with Daddy from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., either three or four days a week. She works independently and has the right kind of personality for caring for older patients. Many of whom she has of course “lost” over the years. I would imagine she treats them all in the way she seems to treat Daddy. There were actually only a few faces I recognized from previous visits and the two other gentlemen that used to sit at the same table are no longer there. Okay, enough of that. Daddy was asleep in his chair in his room when I arrived and it took him a couple of minutes to “orient” after he woke up. Part of it was he didn’t know I was coming for a visit. I caught him up on everyone although did not tell him about the planned party tomorrow. I don’t think he would remember if he was told, however, I followed the request to keep it as a “surprise”. He did want me to go get catfish for lunch and we sat in the dining room where he also enjoyed the lemon pie on the regular menu as well. It turns out they have started serving catfish sometimes there, too. I didn’t stay as long as in previous visits because he was tired again after lunch and needed another nap.

The trip down to Natchitoches was easy and as I passed the small ranches (beef cattle, not dairy), there were Texas longhorns in one pasture. They are impressive animals. The annual classic car show is this weekend down on the riverfront and there were a few in the parking lot of the motel. Most will arrive today. I was here one year for it and people come from lots of different places. The first of my high school friends are redoing their kitchen and it will be really nice when they finish. The new granite countertops are in place, most of the tile for the backsplash, the fabulous new gas stove that also has an air fryer in the oven and the kitchen island is almost completed. We went to a new restaurant downtown; Mayeaux’s, which is supposed to have really good steaks. Although I was planning to try one, I the saw one of their redfish specialties. Despite the great seafood we get at home, redfish is not one of them. It was lightly fried then topped with a creamy sauce that included shrimp and crawfish. I mean, how would I pass that up? We went back to friends’ house for coffee and more conversation. They missed seeing Hubby and perhaps next year we’ll work the schedule to both come.